The Trump era is over, and the country is demanding action
I fear Michael Gerson’s thoughtful Nov. 10 op-ed, “The GOP’s bad faith lives on,” didn’t fully explain what has happened to the Republican Party or our country under President Trump. My long-term fear is that the Republicans have misplaced their democratic soul, and now it’s about holding onto political power by hook or by crook.
As someone who has worked on Republican and Democratic campaigns at every level for more than 50 years and who has tried to promote democracy and the rule of law worldwide, I see a dark and dangerous picture of the Republican Party’s future, if not the country’s. Indeed, my deepest fear is that it signals America’s model for democratic participatory governance cries out for fundamental reform — including more institutional and civil society safeguards.
I can’t see the Trumpian picture of “fear” abating without a Republican Party revolution at the grass-roots level and new leadership. Likewise, I also can’t see real change without fresh faces in the Democratic Party.
My experience and gut tells me that President-elect Joe Biden’s mantra of reconciliation and cooperation doesn’t address the root of the problem or go far enough. Nothing short of new leadership across party lines is required to change our country’s downward course. I suggest beginning to look for it in the swing states and across a broad spectrum of people and institutions representing the best America has to offer.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/letters-to-the-editor/the-trump-era-is-over-and-the-country-is-demanding-action/2020/11/13/bea11524-238d-11eb-9c4a-0dc6242c4814_story.html
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and now it’s about holding onto political power by hook or by crook.'
