By Philip Drucker

Today is already starting to look like it’s going to be one of those lots of people talking but few people know days. As I scan the political landscape, there are some big-ticket items ripe for serious discussion but need a little, let’s call it re-framing, shall we? Ready to take a run at the future of the Post-Election Republican Party (PERP)?
It’s an interesting issue as there are several moving parts many of which have yet to reach their fruition. So, a great deal of our conversation will have to center upon and account for the many still open X-factors that need to play themselves out and reveal themselves to us for it is only then that we can evaluate their full impact upon what’s left of the GOP.
Arguably, the single biggest issue facing the PERP is the effect Mr. Cult45 of Personality will have on either mending, trending or completely exploding (third party anyone?) the already sizable and still growing rift between the refuse to face the truth and reality denying zombie MAGA faction and the traditionally conservative, usually wrong in their policies but at least they are not completely crazy establishment GOP.
Here’s the reality. Except for the odd Romney duck, his chances being a long shot at best, the GOP can no longer win anything even remotely resembling a national referendum/election on its members alone. Forget about the Marco Rubio/Ben Sasse/Tom Cotton I want to be your president show.
These figures have not been able to stabilize the two warring Red tribes in any meaningful way and does not bode well for their personal political fortunes going forward. Trump could block them all, as he has already done, in a heartbeat. Game over, thank you for playing and can we have next contestant please?
Perhaps this time, and this is big, one who is willing and able to finally, clearly, unequivocally, once and forever denounce racism in all its many ugly forms and reject in its entirety purposeful and willful, voluntary discrimination as a “positive” feature and virtual one plank left of the Trump Party, discrimination against people you do not “like” or, people who and for no other reason, are not “like” you.
The ties that bound the two in 2016 must be broken. Short version being mostly white and educated, suburban men and women placing their economic interests ahead of the odious and obvious racially charged underpinnings even then beginning to show through the seams and cracks of the MAGA campaign, and now fully open and visible to all who care to see it for what it is, racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, religious intolerance is in there somewhere, if for no other reason than a taste of TV evangelical money, as rotten and rote policy and nothing more.
If we get the best scenario, we will see the old guard break with the Atwater “Southern Strategy” denounce discrimination of all shapes and sizes, and begin working toward building a race/gender/origin neutral coalition based upon economic opportunity and prosperity for all, as in ALL with NO exceptions.
For if not, do you see? The GOP will not be able to separate itself from the MAGA noise machine that Trump will continue to lead. This is one of those scenarios where “you can only serve one master at a time comes to mind.” Or, here’s a new one. “The only thing worse that serving one’s master is serving two.” We all know that can’t be done for long until one master gets riled at the other and then it’s on, like Michelle Kwan and she’s not running for any office I know of.
Will those who profess to be in the party of Lincoln do it? Is the PERP capable of rebuilding itself as a party dedicated to economic equality and fairness in the marketplace? It’s an X-Factor to be sure. The alternative being floundering around trying to get around a 350-pound slimy, ugly orange and more than happy to continue his divide and conquer, skim off the top lifestyle now being so generously supported by those donors who seem to have enough money to donate their hard-earned mortgage or rent and grocery money to both the fakir in the Church and the fat, disgusting one who was formerly in the White House.
I admit losing a guaranteed block of blockhead sure thing voters who get in line and cast their ballots without a second thought to gathering information other that the “R” by the candidates name probably looks hard and surely difficult to regain. But the alternative is remaining divided along essentially ideological lines of thought and no thought with the GOP becoming a regional party and in the long run risking the ever-looming larger specter of obsolescence of the party and vanishing in its entirety into the dust bin of so many who have come before. Yes, it does happen and don’t think it can’t here as well. It can and my prediction? It will.
My advice to the PERP? Take back the word “patriot” from the red-hatted right wing domestic terrorists and reclaim it for good and true Americans, careful to exclude hate groups including the KKK, Proud Boys and any other bunch of yahoos who think they are a “well-regulated militia” and have an “absolute” right to own sharks with frickin’ laser beams as part and parcel of their 2nd Amendment Rights. Oh, and the NRA? Those psychos with the Russian money laundering connections? Denounced and hopefully put in prison for the treasonous, cowardly, treachery they so willingly foisted upon the American public.
You say it will never happen? Then tell me, what am I missing? What is the alternative? I see none on the near or far horizon. You say let them remain divided? Interesting strategy, but firstly, isn’t it true America operates with at least two competent, competing parties to choose from? Secondly, if this is our change to make a major dent in discrimination, gun control, hatred and contempt, why leave the deleterious and diabolical embers burning when we can do a “Smokey The Bear” with only us responsible to prevent the next Trump Dumpster fire?
I’d like to say we can do this alone, but we need the GOP to comply, as this potential for another four-alarm out of control blaze is squarely within the PERPs campgrounds. Can they? Yes. Will they? Or, could the establishment GOP simply give in and give its loyalty to the “Dark Side”? Hard to say. X-Factor. In the meantime, forward my Padawans, for carry on, we must.
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