General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Republican party has lost its way since Watergate and 1974
In the modern era, since the 1920s, the Republican Party has traditionally been focused on self-interest-- lower taxes, less government, individual liberty, etc, so it's not surprising that GOP Senators of today act in THEIR own perceived self-interest, not the interests of the country. That was not always the case though. In 1974, it was his loss of support from GOP Senators that forced Nixon to resign. Of course, the country then itself was more supportive of American political traditions and wary of would-be autocrats.
There is no doubt that GOP Senators would have voted to convict him in an impeachment trial in 1974 forcing Nixon's resignation. His resignation ended his political career in disgrace. Trump's career should have ended in disgrace with a conviction in the Senate for inciting an insurrection against the country whose Constitution he had sworn to uphold, but thanks to craven, self-interested GOP Senators, he could easily run again in 2024. He will even claim vindication by not being convicted.
Why the difference between then and now? The quality of character of those elected to Congress (many had fought in wars like WWII against authoritarian regimes), and the culture of party-first created by a right-wing propaganda machine perfected first by Nixon's trainees, like Roger Ailes and Lee Atwater. Ailes' Fox News and their propaganda-spewing ilk coupled with social media of today, basically have created a party ripe for a man with authoritarian impulses like Trump. their Frankenstein monster, to take control. As a footnote, Ailes himself started Fox News so that another Nixon, a corrupt GOP President, would never be forced from office again, and he has indeed prevailed, though no longer alive to celebrate.
Our country faces a very uncertain future because our system favors a two-party system to ensure stability by balancing political power and one of the parties, the GOP, has now been completely corrupted by a manipulative self-reinforcing propaganda system that will lead to authoritarian leaders and the inevitable loss of American freedoms gained over more than 200 years.
NRaleighLiberal
(60,014 posts)C_U_L8R
(45,001 posts)He's lost his way all right. Right up his rectum. Unbelievable.
andym
(5,443 posts)to accomplish desired policies has overruled and distorted the standards of American political life, at least in the Senate: nuclear option and denying Merick Garland, and then breaking his own precedent with RBG's replacement. He of all the GOP Senators and his continual breaking of traditional norms in the Senate has led to Trump and future Trumps.
zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)They've always been a minority party, it's sorta why they exist. They function just fine if they accept that role. However, about the time they think they can become a majority party the trouble starts. Because they quickly figure out that they only way to win elections is through various forms of voter suppression, gerrymandering, etc. They demonize minorities to try to attract a majority. And now, this exercise with Trump was about figuring out a way that they can dictate the outcome of elections.
andym
(5,443 posts)They've been a majority party multiple times since their creation. Leaving out the Civil War era, they were a force again at the turn of the 20th century, during the 1920s, and the GW Bush eras. Even during the Reagan era when Democrats controlled the House, the GOP exerted tremendous influence and Reagan defeated Mondale in one of the biggest landslides.
That said, the GOP is a minority party now, and hopefully is on it's way to permanent minority status.
zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)They are almost always a smaller party than the democrats. It doesn't mean they can't win elections. But very often they win in the EC and lose the popular vote. They often get control of the house and senate but represent a smaller number of people than the democrats. Gerrymandering helps with that. Mitch was majority leader while controlling senate where the GOP represented just 30% of the population.
Yavin4
(35,438 posts)When they completely abandoned the Reconstruction effort in the South following the Civil War in order to get Rutherford Hayes the presidency.
https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/compromise-of-1877
andym
(5,443 posts)under trust-buster Teddy Roosevelt and progressive Taft-- probably their actual apex as reformers.