Contrary to what Fox News would have us believe, opposition to Donald Trump does not originate solely on the far left “America hating” end of the political spectrum. In fact, some of the earliest, and harshest, warnings came from prominent members of the Republican Party. I was once a member of that party and, like many moderate Republicans, I was ashamed when Trump won the Republican nomination for president and appalled when he was subsequently elected.
A Trump presidency would mean the end of much of what had always drawn me to the GOP. The contrast between Ronald Reagan’s unwavering opposition to Soviet aggression and Trump’s obvious admiration of a Russian dictator was symbolic of how far the Republican Party had fallen. U. S. foreign policy would be dominated by one man’s contempt for the strategic alliances that, for nearly a century, have been a pillar of American prosperity and security. The global impacts would be even more devastating. Efforts to promote democratic reforms in regions like post-Soviet Eastern Europe, already faltering in countries such as Hungary and Poland, would be replaced by purely transactional relationships motivated solely by a “what’s in it for me” mentality. Efforts to alleviate poverty, address health challenges and promote economic growth in underdeveloped areas of the world, such as Africa and Latin America, would cease because, in a Trump-centric view of the world, they would no longer be regarded as relevant to national interests. While I would never have argued that we got everything right, I was generally proud of the U. S. role as a global leader. The MAGA “America First” rhetoric was an inauspicious omen for the future of that role.
Predictably, the election of Donald Trump was followed by four years of governmental chaos that included routine staff resignations and terminations, inexplicable policy decisions, the politicization of U. S. intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense, an incompetently managed pandemic, two presidential impeachments, a disdain for expertise that extended from career diplomats to medical researchers, snubbed allies and emboldened adversaries, and, just when we thought it was over, the incitement of a violent mob to sack the U. S. Capitol in a desperate attempt to hold onto power.
In my case, even before the advent of Donald Trump, GOP loyalty had always been something of a balancing act. Left of center on most social issues, yet fiscally conservative and hawkish on national security, I was often uncomfortable with the words and actions of the more extreme “faith-based” wing of the party. Now, having witnessed the transformation of the Republican Party into a cult of personality surrounding an intellectually limited, vulgar and hateful man, those pre-Trump moments of ideological ambivalence seem like the good old days. Since the Trump takeover of the GOP, many of the leaders that I have admired — those with a moral compass and some sense of decency — have left the party, some voluntarily, others reluctantly. With few exceptions, what remains is a cabal of undignified sycophants unified only by their unquestioning obedience to Donald Trump.
My former political party has since been thoroughly repurposed in the image of its leader. Behavior and rhetoric that once would have been disqualifying has become normalized. From the disregard for democratic norms, evident in the blatant attempts at voter suppression and the promotion of “stolen election” conspiracies, to the obvious rejection of the precept that character matters, Republicans now represent the very antithesis of the values they once claimed to uphold. It seems that the only thing currently binding the party together is Donald Trump.
So, what will happen when this “stable genius” and aspiring dictator has left the national stage, either through death or disability? I anticipate that the Republican Party will become progressively weakened through fragmentation and internal conflict. To some degree this is already occurring. In an effort to survive politically, Republican officeholders representing moderate constituencies will likely distance themselves from the Trump legacy, whereas those from deep red regions may choose to double down. This divide will further fracture the party. Given that the political center of gravity of the U. S. leans slightly right, I do believe that traditional conservatism will eventually re-emerge in some form — either as Trump critics return from exile and reintroduce some degree of normalcy into the political arena, or, possibly, as centrist Democrat candidates gravitate toward the right in an effort to exploit the electoral void created by the expulsion of moderate Republicans.
One thing of which I am certain is that history will judge Donald Trump, along with his enablers and defenders, harshly. The erosion of our democratic traditions and institutions, the damage to our global standing, the self-inflicted impeachments, the unmitigated incompetence, the utter disregard for the truth, the sheer indecency of the man — these will define his legacy. Time is remarkably efficient at sorting fact from fiction and the Trump years will be remembered as one of the darker chapters of modern American history.
Finally, regarding this website, I believe that the individual viewpoints of everyday citizens can be a valuable record of pivotable events and times. Each of us has a unique perspective, and thus unique opinions, about the impact that Donald Trump has had on our lives and on this nation. This blog is my contribution to that dialogue.