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Don't Quit the Republican Party. Stay and Fight

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  ender  •  6 years ago  •  14 comments

Don't Quit the Republican Party. Stay and Fight

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



What is an anti–Donald Trump Republican to do? For Steve Schmidt — a top campaign aide to President George W. Bush’s re-election campaign, Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential run and other top Republicans’ races — the answer was to   quit the party   and become an independent.

While the decision to become an independent in these circumstances might make sense for a veteran Republican operative, it is the rise of independent voters among the general public that has contributed to some of the very problems independents often speak out against. Schmidt’s decision to go independent should not serve as an example to the average American voter.

In a   series of Twitter posts , Schmidt announced on June 20, “29 years and nine months ago I registered to vote and became a member of The Republican Party which was founded in 1854 to oppose slavery and stand for the dignity of human life. Today I renounce my membership in the Republican Party. It is fully the party of Trump.” He then called for voters to support Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections in order to hold Trump accountable.

Schmidt’s decision joins an array of other prominent Republicans who have become independents in response to Trump’s rise, including Evan McMullin, the former GOP staffer who decided to run for president as an independent.

The rhetoric around independents is and has been quite bold and self-congratulatory. It goes: Independents are citizens who have the moral courage to declare a pox on both houses, and the capacity for free-thinking that enables them to say “no” to the partisan options that have been presented to us; they chart their own path. These independents supposedly hold the key to breaking through our bitter partisanship, our rampant tribalism.

But if independents were truly the key to fixing our politics, our politics would be just about fixed by now. In 2014, the percentage of Americans who identified as an Independent reached an   all-time high   of 43%. Today, it sits at 42%. There are more Independents in this country than either Democrats or Republicans. Fifty percent of Millennials are political independents. So why don’t our politics reflect these free-thinking, morally pruned voters? A rise in independents should result in a politics more focused on common ground, not less — right?

The problem is that politics is not an individualistic endeavor. Independents   tend   to spurn institutions generally, and then feel vindicated when our institutions do not reflect their views. But while Independents think they are sending political parties a message, political parties do not hear them.

This is not an abstract argument. It is a practical problem. In many states, you cannot vote in a party’s presidential primary unless you belong to that party. You cannot become a party delegate and vote on the party platform unless you belong to that party. In essence, Independents actively minimize their impact on elections and party positions. When people leave (or fail to join) parties in protest, they starve those parties of ideological diversity, driving them to their extremes.

This reveals a deep flaw in how we think about political parties. The truth is: You join a political party to influence that party, not for that party to influence you.

Parties hold no actual control over the political convictions of their registered members. When you register to join a political party, there is no fine print that reads, “I hereby sign over my conscience to every dot and tittle of my party’s platform.” There is no loyalty pledge involved.

Political parties certainly want you to think that’s not the case — it’s much easier for their officials to lead if they can convince you that they define who is a “real Democrat” or a “real Republican” and who is not. But our political parties only have the power to change our views if we give it to them.

While Schmidt’s personal ties to the Republican party may prevent him from joining the Democrats, who he has spent a lifetime trying to defeat, for those who do not work in politics and whose choice about party affiliation is not so woven in the fabric of their lives, becoming an Independent generally weakens your influence as a citizen. If you look at the state of our political parties today, and agree with Schmidt that the Democratic Party is “the only party left in America that stands for what is right and decent and remains fidelitous to our Republic, objective truth, the rule of law and our Allies,” you should become a Democrat.

If you believe one party more closely — not  perfectly , but closely — aligns with your political views of what is best for your neighbors and your country, you should join that party. If you believe your party, however flawed, is still the best option for the country, stay and fight for it — regardless of the immoral actions of its leader. If after taking into consideration the structural impediments in our system for third parties, you still believe investing in a third party is the best choice, do that. But to withdraw from our political parties is to unilaterally forego one of the primary levers we have of influencing the direction of our government. Party participation is not an identity statement. It is a choice about how to use your power as a citizen.

What our political parties need most right now are people who will proudly identify as a member of that party, and are willing to advocate from within that party on issues of disagreement. While it may be desirous to posture as separate from our political dysfunction — to try to absolve ourselves of blame for the state of our political parties — the sobering reality is that our politics are always a reflection of who we are. Now is not the time to withdraw. Instead, it is in this time of profound political dysfunction, that we must commit to reclaim the best of our parties for the good of our nation.

By  MICHAEL WEAR  

June 22, 2018

Photo:  Blend Images - Hill Street Studios—Getty Images


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Ender
Professor Principal
1  seeder  Ender    6 years ago

Interesting take on the party system.

He basically states that independents become useless and the fight for control should be waged within the two parties.

 
 
 
PJ
Masters Quiet
1.1  PJ  replied to  Ender @1    6 years ago

Overall it's a good article and the author makes some good points.  I personally have a difficult time getting on board with his advice to stay with a party who's leader is morally bankrupt and corrupt and evil and vulgar and......sorry, I got carried away.  

As much as I try to reset and remain objective, I cannot get past how anyone who has any morals or principles can support this President and this Administration.  Those who have an inkling of self respect and common decency can only save themself by leaving.  

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
1.1.1  seeder  Ender  replied to  PJ @1.1    6 years ago

Yeah, I think in his own way, he is trying to say to stay and fight and take the party back.

I agree with some of him but not everything. I would not minimize Independents as much as he does. Though he does have a point about Independents not really having a viable party.

 
 
 
Greg Jones
Professor Participates
1.1.2  Greg Jones  replied to  Ender @1.1.1    6 years ago

The voters clearly showed that the old GOP had lost the confidence of the voters. Even George Will has crossed over to the other side. The party now belongs to the upstart populist who is trying to do the will of his constituents, and succeeding big time. None of the faux scandals has touched him, and none likely ever will. I can't think of any reason that an intelligent and informed  voter would ever elect another Democrat.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
1.1.3  seeder  Ender  replied to  Greg Jones @1.1.2    6 years ago

If that is the attitude of many in the party, then I imagine that more will end up leaving. If it is now the party of trump, those that don't like him will have no other choice.

It sounds like you want to purge the party of anyone with any different ideology.

 
 
 
PJ
Masters Quiet
1.1.4  PJ  replied to  Ender @1.1.3    6 years ago
It sounds like you want to purge the party of anyone with any different ideology.

That seems to be the consensus of many of Trump followers.  They are closed to opinions that aren't aligned to their leader's.  

This type of cult like following is reminiscent to some horrific events in the world.  

No one with a soul can risk being associated with this cult.   I realized last night when I was catching the news that these cult followers are not swayed by human emotion.  Human rights violations and malicious acts against those less fortunate are cheered.  They like that this President is a bully.  He's a reflection of them.  He's acting out what they've always wanted to do but they've felt they were constrained by the rules of society and common decency.  If you want to sway these followers you will have to do it by showing how these acts are costing them money.     

Those in the GOP who cannot stomach being associated with this President and his followers have to leave on principal.  There is no saving this party. 

 
 
 
bbl-1
Professor Quiet
2  bbl-1    6 years ago

Another way to look at this.  In the movie "Fury," a comment was made as to," Why the Germans just don't quit."  Seeing as the movie was set in April 1945 and for all practical purposes the war was over and nothing was left but the dying.

If, at that time the German Army would have just "quit," proclaiming the hell with their leaders and generals, the war would have ended immediately and the new and better Germany could begin its rise.

This GOP is most certainly not my Father's GOP or mine, which I left in 1984.

Many times in history, things that were, crumbled into dust only to rise again in better form.  This GOP should become the TGOP, in honor of the anti freeze laced tea it began to drink in 2010.

 
 
 
Skrekk
Sophomore Participates
2.1  Skrekk  replied to  bbl-1 @2    6 years ago

The current GOP reminds me of the anti-immigrant "Know Nothing Party" from the mid-1800s.    I suspect this incarnation will be similarly short-lived thanks to Trump and the TP.     So in a very real sense the GOP has returned to its historic roots.

 
 
 
Rmando
Sophomore Silent
3  Rmando    6 years ago

Steve Schmidt and all the other Bush/ McCain  neocons are free to leave to the GOP and good riddence to them. He actually thinks he has any moral high ground after he and others like him supported an unnecessary war that got who knows how many Iraqi kids killed and managed a campaign for a guy who joked about bombing Iran. Trump called out the neocons back in the SC primary and despite all the fear mongering by the never Trumpers and the Dems Trump has NOT invaded a country or started a war. He is doing the opposite and bringing home hostages and the fallen soldiers back from Korea. 

So good bye, neocons, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 
 
 
PJ
Masters Quiet
4  PJ    6 years ago

This was a good article.  I'm disappointed it didn't get much traction.  

 
 
 
Rmando
Sophomore Silent
4.1  Rmando  replied to  PJ @4    6 years ago

It's because Never Trumpers are a small, disillusioned group. Even Glenn Beck is going out of business- too little, too late supporting Trump.

 
 
 
Old Hermit
Sophomore Silent
4.1.1  Old Hermit  replied to  Rmando @4.1    6 years ago

It's because Never Trumpers are a small , disillusioned group .

.

Maybe about 5% of the Republican party so far? 

The shrinkage of the Anything Trump party will probably accelerate should the Mid Terms follow historical trends and the R's take a hit, losing the House and perhaps even the Senate, (long shot).

Guess we'll see in November.

Democratic Party Maintains Edge in Party Affiliation

screenshotnews.gallup.com20180624114821.png

(notice the drop off after Nov 2016)

Democrats' edge has expanded this year mainly because of a decline in Republican affiliation. A year ago, 44% of Americans identified as Democrats or leaned Democratic, the same percentage as now. However, Republican identification and leaning is five points lower than it was a year ago. More Americans now say they are non leaning independents (14%) or do not have an opinion (5%) than did so in November 2016 (10% and 4%, respectively).

Republicans have had worse showings than their current 37% in Gallup's tracking trend, which began in January 2008. In December 2008, shortly after voters elected Barack Obama to replace George W. Bush as president in the midst of the Great Recession, only 34% of U.S. adults identified as Republicans or leaned Republican. In that month, 53% of adults were Democratic identifiers or leaners, tied for the highest in Gallup's tracking trend.

Over the last 10 years, Democrats have yet to trail Republicans in any month. At best, Republicans have tied Democrats, as they did in August 2010 and August and September 2015.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
4.1.2  seeder  Ender  replied to  Rmando @4.1    6 years ago

The article is not completely about trump.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
4.2  seeder  Ender  replied to  PJ @4    6 years ago

I thought it was a really interesting read.

 
 

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