I think people had hopes that the GOP majority would do something. Many actually liked Ryan, at first. It took time to see what a fraud he was, like Romney and McCain and many others. I think Trump did what RUSH did not, he truly exposed the swamp creatures on both sides of the aisle. Remember, RUSH was buddies with Bush et al. Trump saw this at a different level, as the RINO establishments fought him, they never fought RUSH so hard.
You are 100% spot on about Trump. He forced many to show their true colors. He was the great reveler.
Rush’s job was to make the best of what we had to work with, he wasn’t a politician. I think much fewer of us understood much about the ruling class back then and how there was little to no difference between D and R.
We ain’t voting Liberty, Honor and Truth back in. It will have to be re-established, the Republic will have to be restored.
We have lost being a representative republic. Most of our “elected officials” have no interest whatsoever in representing their constituents.