I have offered strong praise for others, like Jennifer Rubin, Bill Kristol, Mike Gerson, Tom Nichols, Mona Charen and many more conservatives who have courageously spoken up to try to save the GOP and restore it as a problem-solving party. 2/
But the fact is that when Tom Mann & I described the GOP as an insurgent outlier back in 2012, too many partisans reacted in a tribal way, as if we were trying to destroy the party instead of saving it. The country needs two problem solving parties. The GOP will be conservative 3
It will not be an Eisenhower party. But if it spins down into a nativist, authoritarian, plutocratic, anti-science, anti-facts, anti-fiscally responsible, cruel caricature, as it is now, the country cannot survive. This is nkt a pro-Democratic Party stance. There are no angels. 4
It would be destructive for the country if the Democrats’ response to this pathology would be to take a sharp turn to the radical left, something that has not happened yet but could. It is a stance to return to genuine constructive engagement to solve urgent national problems 5/
And to do so while embracing facts, restoring some semblance of civil discourse, embracing American diversity, the rule of law, the regular order, fundamental norms of governance. Trump did not start the downward spiral. congressional Republicans, tribal media figures did. 6
Believing that if Trump goes normality will return would be hopelessly naive. Why relitigate? Those who are now on the right side of history have to look back and reflect on why it took them so long to recognize the growing rot so that it won’t keep recurring. 7
Even now, the destructive approach to health care, the continuing push to slash Medicaid—the lifeline for nursing homes, disabled, seriously mentally ill, addicted—-the reckless tax cuts for the wealthy, are too widely embraced by those who should know better. 8
A party that decides the way to cling to power is to suppress the votes of the opposition instead of trying to find policies that will appeal to a wider share of the electorate, and flood the judiciary with ideologues who will be there long after they are out of power is anathema
