The underlying premise of this and many other articles is that the GOP was a different, more principled party pre-Trump. But I don't buy it. The party's descent began long before 1/ nytimes.com/2019/09/30/opi…
Consider just one issue, which happens to be the most important issue there is: climate change. If you're shocked by the willingness of Republicans to condone betrayal of America for the sake of political expediency, consider that they decided to betray the whole world 2/
All the elements of Trumpian behavior were there: refusal to accept clear evidence (Russian intervention, rising temperatures); conspiracy theories (deep state/gigantic scientific hoax); personal retribution against truth-tellers 3/
True, climate denial didn't involve a Trump-like cult of personality. But it involved deep moral and political corruption, so nothing that has happened should be a surprise 4/
