Remember Martha Roby (R-AL), forced into a runoff not because she’s insufficiently Republican, but because she’s insufficiently Trumpist? That she insists on moral standards from our leaders?
Well, score a casualty in this department. Mark Sanford (R-SC), who I was surprised to learn still had a political career after being caught cheating on his wife when he was the governor of South Carolina, had managed to get himself elected as a Representative in a special election in 2013. That career appears to have come to an end as he lost his primary run yesterday, despite having a FiveThirtyEight TrumpScore of 73%.
Sanford had been known for criticizing President Trump’s behavior, and his opponent, Katie Arrington, proclaimed upon claiming victory,
“We are the party of President Donald J. Trump,” Arrington said to her backers.
Mark another intra-party victory for the cultists who now appear to make up a large part of the former Republican party. Certainly, Sanford was no saint, having been caught cheating on his wife, and a 73% score isn’t as stellar as fellow Representative Roby’s 97%.
But in years past, it was not beyond the pale to criticize one’s own leaders. Intra-party criticism should not, and mostly is not, meant to wound, but to help focus the recipient on problems they may not perceive, improve processes, and make themselves better.
Donald Trump, though, considers himself nearly perfect already, as does his supporters. The Party faithful will never mind the embarrassment of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. So when Sanford offered criticism, as did Roby, rather than something to be considered soberly by the President and his advisors, they considered it an attack – and Trump backed amateur Arrington over the veteran politico Sanford.
This is how you end up with a party consisting of third- and fourth- raters. The sober, temperate folks learn they’re not wanted. Some leave without being asked, while others are conducted to the railroad and given a boost into the empty freight car. Only the absolutists stick around, those so absolutely certain of their positions, their wisdom, and their judgment that compromise becomes a dirty word. And they can’t admit mistakes, because of that certainty and the Party structure that will result in them being thrown to the sharks that are waiting for people who make mistakes.
This is how you build a political party which is, quite frankly, contemptuous of the entire liberal democracy concept. How long will it take for independents to figure this out and refuse to vote for the GOP until they evict everyone with this awful political consciousness?
That may never happen, I fear.
