Posted on 08/10/2015 3:45:16 AM PDT by lifeofgrace
The final Whig president of the United States was Millard Filmore in 1853. He marked the death of the Whigs, and the rise of the Know-Nothings. Today the GOP faces its own death, and the continued success of Donald Trump in the polls reflects the fact that the Republican Party is staring into its own grave.
The Know-Nothing party was formed in reaction to Irish Catholic immigration, and pledged to restore “Native Americans” to political power (and by that I don’t mean Hiawatha, but WASPs). Forming a party based on reactionary impulse is the death-rattle of a lost cause, and the Whigs became the American Party in 1854 after Fillmore’s term.
Donald Trump’s message resonates with many Republicans because he speaks what most of us know, and doesn’t hold his tongue or make excuses for our elected representatives’ failure to deal with immigration problems over the last three decades our failure to end the rise of Islamic terrorism, and our failure to keep the American economy growing.
But Trump’s promises are nothing but Styrofoam—light-weight and filling lots of volume. When heat is applied to Styrofoam, it evaporates, leaving a void. If nothing fills the void, the party will fall of its own weight. It’s nobody’s fault but our own if Trump destroys the GOP—and he very well could (take this seriously).
Trump’s only reaction to criticism is to play the know-nothing game: “I didn’t say that, and you’re a jerk.” Its one thing to be non-politically correct, and it’s quite another to use personal attacks as a primary method of dealing with all criticism.
When Trump told CNN’s Don Lemon that Fox News’ debate moderator Megyn Kelly “had blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her…whatever” there’s no way a reasonable person would interpret that to mean anything other than attributing Kelly’s question to her menstrual cycle—after calling Kelly a “bimbo.”
Trump’s remark goes beyond decorum and extends into gratuitous asshatery. Watch for yourself.
He said this in the midst of the biggest gathering of GOP candidates seen in one city, where each person gets to speak for a half hour instead of 4 to 10 minutes in a scripted “debate.” And Redstate Gathering host Erick Erickson said he didn’t want to share his stage with Trump unless he explained himself.
I have rescinded my invitation to Mr.Trump. While I have tried to give him great latitude, his remark about Megyn Kelly was a bridge too far — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) August 8, 2015
Erick made the right call. Trump’s response:
“This is just another example of weakness through being politically correct. For all of the people who were looking forward to Mr. Trump coming, we will miss you. Blame Erick Erickson, your weak and pathetic leader,” according to a campaign statement.Trump is a direct result of the GOP’s inability to define itself as a party with a purpose. If the GOP is defined as “everything that isn’t Democrat” then it’s nothing more than the Whigs of 1854. Dead.
There are at least five solid conservative candidates who have real policies, who aren’t Stryofoam in the party. But if voters continue to fuel Trump’s ego-driven jags into personal attacks and obnoxiousness, his Styrofoam candidacy will continue to grow and increase the size of the void when it finally self-annihilates.
GOP, it’s time to grow up and look down into the grave that the Whigs fell into before our party goes the way of the Know-Nothings.
(crossposted from RedState.com)
When Trump told CNN’s Don Lemon that Fox News’ debate moderator Megyn Kelly “had blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her…whatever” there’s no way a reasonable person would interpret that to mean anything other than attributing Kelly’s question to her menstrual cycle—after calling Kelly a “bimbo.”
Time to put an end to the GOP wing of the Uniparty.
For people that accuse Trump of name-calling, they sure do a lot of name-calling.
In a fun, narcissistic way, they view the world only through their own lens and interpret the actions of their political enemies accordingly.
You want to know what motivates their actions? See what they accuse you of when you do things they disagree with. They are looking in a mirror.
What is it about Trump that scares the beejeezus out of these people?
What a lot of conservatives don’t really get is that there is a LOT of discontent on the liberal and, more important, YOUNG VOTER side. And they know Trump is not all that conservative.
IOW, Trump could steal voters from BOTH sides and win this thing.
I left the republicans during the Bush term when they controlled the Congress and the executive branch and nothing changed. They exposed, via their actions, where they stand.
It truly is a #uniparty.
I am no fan of Trump, but I despise the spineless, pandering, GOP the way it exists now.
Remember “Reagan Democrats”? In a way, you could call Trump “Ronald Reagan II”, and on steroids. The country is again desperate for a straight shooter.
I am no fan of Trump, but I despise the spineless, pandering, GOP the way it exists now.
Notice, though, I didn’t say it would be a good thing. I just don’t know.
The only solution is a REAL term limits amendment...
I will no longer hold my nose and vote for GOPe candidates. Mississippi was the final straw for me. I could vote for Walker if he won the nomination, but under no circumstances will I vote for Bush.
HOORAY Trump.
"A statue has never been set up in honour of a critic" - J. Sibelius, 1937
The opposite of this premise is true. Trump’s rising to the top of the pile should wake up the Republican party to the fact that they should leave the selection of a candidate to the people. The people are tired of being told who to vote for. They are tired of lukewarm mediocre men being put forward to run for president. They are longing for another conservative like Ronald Reagan to step up and grab the reins, precisely why Trump has such appeal.
I’m tired of this.’
The top four candidates right now are all outsiders.
Trump can run with any one of the them and win hands down.
Can I steal that? It’s bloody fabulous.
Simple. He has enough money that they can’t influence or control him through campaign contributions or media access. He already has name recognition to the point that he’s a household name. They literally can’t shut him up.
You have no idea how much that scares the ‘political class.’
uh-oh...next they’ll outlaw the Dead Rabbits”
“To the Butcher !”
I think you have to figure, what’s the worst that can happen? We could end up with a GOP so weak it can’t keep a Kenyan communist out of office
I had the same thought looking at that RedState Crowd. Maybe these GOP tools need to get out of the think tanks and into the real world a bit more often. Might help shed some of that baby blubber they're all carrying around.
Go right ahead.
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