It is in everyone’s interest that the GOP become an actual political party again, rather than a cult dedicated — in Sasse’s memorable phrase — to “the weird worship of one dude.” Such a party could play a productive role in governing and policymaking, rather than using Washington as the set for an increasingly bizarre reality show. For that to happen, lawmakers such as Sasse and Cheney need to win the battle for their party. Democrats should be self-interested enough to recognize the costs of letting the GOP devolve further into lunacy.
I never thought I’d have to share a foxhole with some of the nation’s most doctrinaire conservatives, but here we are. Cheney, Sasse and a precious few other Republicans have been telling the truth to their base about Trump and the grave injury he has done to our democracy. Given all the times today’s truth-tellers pretended not to notice Trump’s outrages in the past, it is tempting to say they are merely reaping what they have sown. But they have shown up and spoken out when it counts most…
Let’s work hard to make sure that Republicans do not win those coming elections; hoping for sane debating partners who might cross the aisle on occasion is not the same thing as wanting to cede control to conservatives. But let’s applaud the fact that Cheney was addressing the GOP-leaning Fox News audience so bluntly.
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