Jonah is saying the horse started to leave the barn when the telephone was invented and party bosses could begin plotting long before the conventions. The eclipse of parties and strong political bosses accelerated with the telephone, television and internet. We’ve all instinctively known this, but he lays out a cogent analysis of what happened.
Say what you will about political bosses selecting the candidates, it did weed out the flakes and crazy and led to better, more sober statesmen getting nominated at all levels. We didn’t have insane socialists and communists making inroads into our politics. We didn’t have such inflamed passions where you can’t even dine in a restaurant or watch an awards show or football game without the crazies accosting or assaulting you.
That genie isn’t going back into the bottle, either. Unless there is somebody strong enough to put a leash on the crazies, we now have the “new norm” in front of us and it isn’t pretty. It may well lead to civil war and the complete failure of the Republic.
I honestly never would have expected modern communications technologies to have led to that. We all thought they would lead to more civic engagement and more sober discussion of policies, not to unhinged crazy hordes and mobs organizing themselves.
I see just the opposite for the republicans left over.
These jerks losing is a positive thing:
‘Never Trump’ Congressional Losers in midterm election!:
‘Never Trump’ Congressional Losers in midterm election!:
Coffman CO6
Love UT4
Faso NY19
Yoder KS2
Curbelo FL27
Comstock VA10
Roskam IL
Thanks to LS. If there are more let us know their names.