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The Republican party back in the 30’s and 40’s was completely different from today.

First, abortion wasn’t an issue, and we didn’t have sanctimonious evangelicals like the TV preachers butting their noses into Republican party politics. The thumpers and wheezers were on the Democratic side.

Second, modern “conservatism” wasn’t even born yet. The communist threat, which unified the GOP post-WWII, wasn’t an issue yet.

Third, the GOP justifiably owned the onset of the Great Depression. Herbert Hoover was an idiot of the highest order, a buttinski in all manner of economic issues without any benefit. Hoover, more than anyone else, screwed the GOP’s chances until Ike came along.

The problem for the GOP now is that they’re following the same stupid playbook again and again and again and again... expecting different results. The GOP doesn’t have an economic plan worthy of the noun “plan.” They have no coherent foreign policy, and the people who shoot off their mouths on foreign policy are apt to say some astoundingly stupid things - McCain being prime idiot #1 on this issue.

Then we have the problem with the GOP’s internal politics: This is a similarity to the 30’s and 40’s Republican party: there were people who were of mind to oppose FDR, but the Republican party hacks wouldn’t take on FDR on foreign policy during wartime (for which there’s some justification in not doing so), but the party hacks were basically in the thrall of idiotic nostrums in those days and the party hacks crapped on people just as they crap on people now.

The difference between then and now is that back then, the Republicans were reasonably certain that FDR wasn’t going to completely run the country into a ditch, so the GOP was content to lay back and bide their time.

That’s not the case now.

As I now see it, the GOP will go the way of the Whig party. And very deservedly so.