Having now read the blame storming, post election data and punditry, I would like to offer my own take, for the little it is worth. I usually do not engage in Vanity posts. Please forgive this one or ignore it.
Two storms collided to make a super storm that destroyed the GOP and likely the country.
In one corner: Trumpism. The man believes in getting things done. See a problem, solve the problem. And that, in our lifetimes, has been refreshing and amazing to behold.
For example, America has been screwed by bad trade deals and partners for years and years. Trump saw that and set about fixing it by exacting Tarrifs and renegotiating trade deals. This is necessary and who could argue the result will be lasting and beneficial. Or should I say, would have been. The democrats will readily use their power to sell us out to the World again.
And therein lies the rub. The problem solver forgot or disdained one thing, namely, politics and being a politician. Whether he likes it or not, running for President, and being President, means by definition being in a political office and being a politician.
It is anathema to a man like Trump and to most of us. “Politician” is a dirty word and an insult. It means being cautious or hedging bets. We hate these people in our careers. But in DC, it is part and parcel and indicates that one can’t just stampede through solutions without considering the political ramifications. That is not what a “see the problem, eliminate the problem” type does.
It means, when you are enacting Tarrifs, even if the results will be amazing if better trade deals are reached, you have to consider the fallout. It means when you confront Iran, the ramifications need to be weighed, despite the proper motives. It means you are going to anger and adversely impact your electorate and there will be a price to pay. It also means being tone deaf to all those who raise concerns is not the way to go, especially on Truth Social or X.
In the OTHER corner sits the purely politically motivated wing of the party. Every move they make, rather don’t make, is motivated by equivocation.
John Thune and the Bushes and Rove and, well, you know the cast of characters. They all are so paralyzed by fear of consequence that they forget politics is about mitigating downstream effects of action. It isn’t about eliminating or avoiding it. You still have to get the hard things done BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU PROMISED the voters you are going to do and are elected to do.
And thus we get a feckless and weak group who can’t do a damn thing. Instead, they complain about and disdain Trump and do little to help him or find a middle ground.
The voters, quite properly, don’t bother to support them and feel lied to. The voters, right or wrong, punish these weak fools.
I posit that both corners motivated GOP voters to be in “deliver a message” mode. Thus, blaming Thune and his ilk is on the money. But so is realizing that the fallout from Trump’s policies had an equally bad impact.
If you were mad at Trump for Iran or Thune for failing to pass the Save America Act, then I can see that there was something for everyone to be pissed at the GOP for.
Either corner alone would have resulted in a defeat. It took both to wipe out the GOP.
Flip Wilson
