David Corn: The Whigs Blew Up Over Slavery. Will the GOP Blow Up Over Loyalty to Trump?

[babylonsister]

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/01/the-whigs-blew-up-over-slavery-will-the-gop-blow-up-over-loyalty-to-trump/


2 hours ago
The Whigs Blew Up Over Slavery. Will the GOP Blow Up Over Loyalty to Trump?
A split over a principle versus one over a con.
David Corn, Washington, DC, Bureau ChiefBio | Follow


In the 1850s, one of the two dominant political parties in the United States, the Whigs, split into factions and imploded. These days, political commentators speculate that the Republican Party may be stumbling toward a similar cataclysm. There are, of course, significant differences between then and now. But the most fundamental one is that the Whigs blew up over a clash of ideology and today’s GOP is divided by the question of how loyal it should be to an authoritarian seeking to overturn a democratic election. One hundred and seventy years ago, the explosive issue was whether or not to protect a venal system: slavery. Now it is whether or not to protect a delusional man: Donald Trump.

snip//

At the end of the electoral vote challenge, there will be Republicans who stuck with Trump and those who betrayed him. It’s not clear how deep and how long-lasting this split will be. But due to this move, the party risks a serious division over the cheating ways of one man, whose corruption was revealed by the release of the tape of his mob-boss-like phone call to Georgia election officials. The Republicans are not debating big ideas: economic policy, national security, the role of government. The debate is whether to join Trump’s clownish but dangerous attempt at a political coup. There is nothing noble here. Do you accept Trump’s democracy-defying cult of personality or not? For Trump and his followers, this is now what makes a Republican.

In the 1850s, the Whigs fell apart because “Conscience Whigs,” as they were called, bolted from a political entity that could not say no to slavery. This week, the party that grew out of those ashes is torn by allegiance to an unprincipled conniver trying desperately to remain in the White House. What a difference. Then again, maybe not so much. At the heart of this current battle within the GOP is the question of whether the United States is a republic governed by rules and whether power is determined by democratic elections. Trump says screw the rules, power is whatever you can get away with, by any means. A significant number of elected Republicans, by challenging election results without any basis to do so, are trampling on the Constitution and endorsing that brazen authoritarianism. Though they are scurrying to serve a small-minded man, they are illuminating a large and threatening tide within the GOP. And that is certainly worth a fight.

[kentuck]

1. I think they have already...

...blown up.

[HariSeldon]

2. I think Corn has it backwards

I think the Republican party has fully embraced "power at any cost," with support for Trump being the current cost. So today's Republicans are also breaking on an ideological shoal: is continued political power worth sacrificing core American precepts like "will of the people"?

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. That's how I see it also. There is a conflict over a core value, the preservation of democracy. n/t

[NCjack]

9. I think that the underlying core plank of Trumpism is racism. So,

predicting the breakup of the GOP is premature. Maybe in a 100 years.

[Iliyah]

3. The establishment republicans will overthrow the followers of shithole. . .

unfortunately the country who has suffered under the republican party will suffer more from them but under a different master. Their constituents always vote against their best interest.

[uponit7771]

4. Then lose all of their primaries, Trump has a 90% avg popularity in the kGOP

[Captain Zero]

12. Then run as Independent Republicans in the General Election?

Two Republicans split the Republican vote.
Dems win.
Works for me.

[uponit7771]

14. +1, the kGOP deserves to split and lose power for a long damn time

[colsohlibgal]

5. Hopefully They Implode

My hope and maybe fantasy is that at some point not too far from now the two party system will consist of very progressive liberals like me and more centrist democrats and the off the rails far right loons join the Whigs in the dustbin of history.

[LaMouffette]

7. Thank you for posting this excerpt! Spot on.

The last paragraph says it all. Republican politicians want to win at any cost and will accept the help of anyone, from the lie-spewing Fox News, to profits-over-country wealthy donors, to the Russians. They have individually and collectively sold their souls to the devil.

And sadly, their voters are going along gleefully for the ride. They all believe the end justifies the means. Winning is everything. And yet they are the first to complain when they feel they or their Republican politicians have been treated unfairly.

I hope that they do split and a party of "Conscience Republicans" forms. I think this is actually possible once it dawns on them that their amoral tactics are driving away Republican voters who do, in fact, have a conscience. If enough of them are driven away, they might suddenly find their ethics, but again, only out of necessity. Whatever works to win votes.

[jayddrew]

8. Doubt that will happen.

Since the bottom 80-90% are prone to fall for the next authoritarian who comes along, they will fall back together for the next election cycle. Also. the enemy of my enemy is my friend. They have a common thread of anti-abortion, anti-gay rights and/or low taxes at all costs. Even the ones who are claiming to "break away" aren't necessarily becoming Dems. They become independents to make themselves feel better, then continue to vote for Republican politicians who will then turn around and enable the next Trump.
What may ultimately kill the party is younger generations are more liberal and more tolerant, so they tend to be much more accepting of other races and creeds and their LGBTQ colleagues. They also tend to be much less influenced by the authoritarianism of religion, thanks in a large part to televangelists and prosperity preachers.
We can only keep hoping.

[Captain Zero]

13. Yes. Four more years worth of young voters coming on board in 2024

If we involve them and help them become politically mature early in their adult lives the current version of the Republican Party is done. Over.

[TeamPooka]

10. This schism will not destroy the Republican Party. What will happen

This schism will not destroy the Republican Party. What will happen Is the Democratic Party will be the place of refuge for moderate Republicans, like those from the Lincoln project, and others fleeing the racism sexism and white supremacy represented by the Republicans right now. The Democratic Party will grow because of it but on the edges it will bring a lot more moderates to the party. More Joe Manchin types.

[My Pet Orangutan]

11. Yes. The MAGAts will drive out the moderates.