Over decades, I worked with and was friends with many, many Republicans, including moderates, liberals, conservatives. Some very conservative. But all were institutionalists, believers in Constitution and law, fundamental decency, Not just that they are all gone. 1
Many still in office who were conventional conservatives, working often across party lines, trying to solve problems and support ethical standards, have turned into radical nihilistic cultists, either corrupt or turning a blind eye to corruption, racism, sadism. Why? 2
I mean people like Mike DeWine, John Thune, even Lindsey Graham. This demands a PhD dissertation or book. It is not all political ambition or fear of retribution. There is more going on out there.
@NormOrnstein No we’re not. We call ourselves independents now and pray that the democrats nominate moderate candidates.
@NormOrnstein It’s because of people like you and the legacy/dominant media scolding them for caring about institutions. Forever Rs cared about real budget cuts but running against Ds pushing free stuff this became a losing proposition, so guess what? They said “F that strategy, let’s offer
@NormOrnstein This is one of the things that makes me so very sad about where we are as a country. I'm ashamed to say that I took for granted for most of life that most elected officials (including the Republicans whose policies I often disagreed with & whom I often really disliked) were
@NormOrnstein trump must be holding something over them. Those you once respected could have a fetish or past indiscretions; that’s the mob way & trump is part of the mob. Also, watching heads of state tour trumps gift shop was infuriating. Why’d they come to WH to appease? Maybe he’s demented
@NormOrnstein Now I understand the German people’s descent into Nazi’ism.
@NormOrnstein The Left loves the dead Republican and the one with no power.
@NormOrnstein It's so true. I've never been the biggest fan of the Republican Party but at least during the Nixon, Reagan, Bush eras you knew they respected and understood the the Constitution, the difference between right and wrong and that you didn't trust or suck up to communist dictators!
@NormOrnstein Newt Pedo hastert McConnell Alito Cheney Reagan Nixon Kissinger Rumsfeld ... The list is long. These are not institutionalist. These are not conservatives. Stahpit. The fuckuping of America has been slow and assured. Bush I, McCain, Romney quite rare.
@NormOrnstein Did they believe in running CIA drugs during Iran-Contra? How mass murdering a bunch of people in Iraq? Or covering up the JFK assassination (Ford)?
@NormOrnstein Some good analysis here whether or not we want to hear it. Dems it seems pushed envelope and Rs fought back. Now Trump. Dems need a reas strategy not tax rich etc - we need moderation in plan like flood div see Amy and ND Sen. how to handle immig ( don’t ignore) -
@NormOrnstein When Dixiecrats broke w/Ds over civil rights, the GOP wooed them w/dogwhistles to states’ rights & racist stereotypes. Former pro-choice, pro-immigration Rs changed their tune to win the Bible Belt. Toxic culture war tropes poisoned political discourse. It happened in plain sight
@NormOrnstein No one seems to factor in the billionaires behind the scenes willing to DO ANYTHING to get their way. Including letting a personally compromised reality TV grifter to play at running our country into the ground. No one will convince me Charles Koch likes tRumpf.
@NormOrnstein Fuck all of them hard in the vore with no lube. I can’t wait till they all die a slow painful death. Every last elected Republican POCrap. I would have never had a hard time killing NAZIS.
@NormOrnstein The speed and sweep of the compromise is chilling.
@NormOrnstein I believe they have the “goods” on them.
@NormOrnstein That’s why we need to stop calling them “Republicans”. That’s gone. They’re MAGA. calling them Reps or the GOP gives them the cover of legitimacy. R is gone. Just use M
@NormOrnstein You and me both. Decades in politics in my family, in the state I was born & raised in and understand, and in my own career on Capitol Hill—now, there are precious few GOP/moderates like the ones I grew up with, worked for etc.
@NormOrnstein Then they never really believed in the institutions.
@NormOrnstein Thread
@NormOrnstein As Stuart Stepens book says, Everything the said was a lie.
@NormOrnstein This is part of the explanation, but, I agree, it runs deeper. Wish I could be around to read the history books on this era. https://www.theguardian.com/us...
@NormOrnstein Not gone, but certainly forgotten - and most silenced.
@NormOrnstein The loss of integrity from Republicans in the Trump era is something I will never understand - I know it's fear, ambition & greed but good grief you'd think more of them would have rejected what they have become!
@NormOrnstein Kompromat and cultism, but they know better.
@NormOrnstein Rs are all owned by Putin too. The NRA was getting money from Putin. Every R is getting money from Putin - maybe three aren’t. Like Mitt Romney.
@NormOrnstein There *used* to be such a thing as a liberal Republican. Lincoln Chafee and Nelson Rockefeller to name but two. Those days are *never* coming back, alas.
@NormOrnstein Cults are powerful
@NormOrnstein Think about the people who drank the koolaid for Jim Jones.
@NormOrnstein They pretended to be
@NormOrnstein It's especially weird when Dear Leader is transparently such a lying clown. Makes it harder to understand how these "serious" people could justify his lies, which are all geared to his personal benefit and no one else's.