Is it over? Has Trump taken the GOP? The mechanics of a third party

[BrokeLoser]

The role of big business in republican politics cannot be understated. A moderate third party could do pretty good if they get most of the oligarchy to support them.

The role of big business in republican politics cannot be understated. A moderate third party could do pretty good if they get most of the oligarchy to support them.

I'll bet that's a significant part of the conversation.

“Big Business”?
You mean like Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Turner Broadcasting, Disney etc etc
Wait a minute...whoopsie!

 

[bendog]

The crazy will be largely mitigated inside the party. IMO

I don't know how that happens, but it's possible. The never Trumpers may change their mind on this and work from within.

And there are probably still some sane Republicans hiding out within the party, ready to act if the opportunity presents itself.

I dunno but I voted Anderson in 80 and didn't consider myself as "not a republican." I thought the gop was sorta being hijacked. LOL But then, I was still more than a tad pissed that if Nixon had his way I might gotten to go hiking through a Cambodian minefield. LOL

IF Biden and the dems can get the econ back to positive gnp and jobs coming back at 200K a month by the end of 21, then I'll be a little surprised if the dems don't hold the house and more so win the WH and House in 24. With the EC it's hard for them to hold the senate, although it seems favorable in 22.

But Trump may be a bit of an historical mistake. I'm assuming however that in the end 500 people will have federal criminal records, the Proud Boys will be bankrupted, and RW media will spend hundreds of millions defending itself in libel suits.

 

[d0gbreath]

Trump is gone. Will you get over it?

I'm over him. I don't even keep up with the Senate trial because I don't care one way or the other.

 

[sartre play]

The only fact that most of us are unable to understand is that as long as party rule is more important than what is best for the country ,As a whole we will continue to see progress only judged on what is seen as a win for the party & the big money party funders.

 

[bripat9643]

The plan here (at least at the moment) is to chart and catalogue the progress (if any) of a new third party proposed by Republicans and former Republicans who are horrified by the trajectory the party has taken over the last five years.

Prominent anti-Trump Republicans reject third party

A group of former Republican officials considering a new center-right political party to counter former President Donald Trump's influence would face steep challenges in shaking up a U.S. political system that has favored two-party rule throughout its history.

www.reuters.com

So, two random thoughts and questions:

First, and perhaps most importantly, we all know that starting, growing and maintaining a viable third party would be a massive, herculean task. Odds certainly are that it won't stick and will most likely go down in history as a temporary, inter-party squabble. The linked article does go into what it would take for this effort to be successful, though, including finding and rallying around a charismatic figure. Without such a figure, this will never get off the ground. Do you agree or disagree?

Second, speaking of charismatic figures (for better or worse), Trump now has so much direct and indirect control of the GOP that it's telling that anti-Trumpers would even be talking about this. To me, that says that they've given up trying to grab the party back from him. If Trump gets the GOP, he gets all of the absolutely critical existing national infrastructure that goes with it. Is that what has happened? Have the anti-Trumpers ceded the party to Trump?

Interesting points in the linked piece:

Kinzinger joined the Feb. 5 video conference of the anti-Trump group and spoke for about five minutes, a spokeswoman told Reuters. But the congressman wants to “reform the party from within,” she said. He has recently formed a new political action committee to support Republican primary challengers running against pro-Trump House Republicans such as Matt Gaetz, of Florida, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia. What's tougher -- reforming a party you've lost, or starting a new one?

“Let’s not kid ourselves; we are not going to change this party,” said Jim Glassman, a former undersecretary of state under George W. Bush. That sure is how it looks right now.

Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn laughed when asked by Reuters about a possible third party. “More power to ‘em,” he said. Cornyn, however, predicted shared opposition to President Biden’s agenda will hold Republicans together. He said he hopes life in the Republican Party will return to something more normal in Trump’s absence. Yeah, I don't see that. I don't think Cornyn knows where this party has gone, right under his nose.

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"Two of the most prominent anti-Trump Republicans in Congress - Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois"​

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Enough said.​