The Republican Party Needs to Save Itself from
the Trump Cult
By Wahab Raofi
The Republican Party appears to be shifting toward
autocracy. We should safeguard our government by preventing the party from
being manipulated by elite groups or cults. Such influences erode the
principles upon which the party was built, particularly inclusiveness and
openness. Derailing from the rules of the game can herald ominous consequences domestically
and internationally.
When then-Texas Governor George W. Bush
announced his decision to run for the presidency in June of 1999,
I wrote a letter to the Republican Party headquarters. As a first-time voter, I
offered suggestions to help the party shed its image of primarily catering to the
rich and famous. My hope was and still is that the party will emerge as one
that is more inclusive, with open doors for ordinary voters regardless of race,
gender, ethnicity or social and economic status.
Additionally, I suggested that there are many non-whites,
non-Christians who share Republican values such as self-reliance, individual
rights and family values. The party should reach out to them.
I received a gracious invitation from the Republican Party's leaders to
serve as one of California's delegates to the Republican convention in
Philadelphia.
Nearly 25 years later, I see the Republican Party distancing itself from
its own core principles and instead drifting toward blind loyalty to an
individual, rather than being a guardian of the party's principles and
democratic culture.
Many others believe that is what is happening now. Bill
Schneider, an emeritus professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government
at George Mason University, writes that Republican
leaders are in thrall to Donald Trump. The
party is now in the process of carrying out purges of
heretics who do not worship Trump or accept all the tenets of MAGA. Conformity
is enforced by social media, a relatively new institution with the power to
marshal populist energy against critics and opponents.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a professor of history and Italian
studies at New York University, says the GOP was already
going away from a democratic political culture, but Donald
Trump normalized extremism and lawlessness. So, in my estimation, the GOP has over
these years truly become an authoritarian, far-right party. The other big story
is that his agenda and methods are being continued at the state level. Trump’s
sway over the GOP has transformed the party’s political culture.
“He’s changed the party to an authoritarian party
culture, So not only do you go after external enemies, but you go after
internal enemies. You’re not allowed to have any dissent.”
This might appear to be an extreme view, but neither
ignoring the warning nor criticizing the Party's policy should be seen as being
against the Party.
The Economist Magazine
writes that since he left the White House, shortly after the January 6th attempted
insurrection at the Capitol, Trump has been plotting a comeback. He managed to
keep a tight leash on the party throughout the midterm elections, meddling in primaries
to pick candidates who most fervently endorsed the lie that Democrats had
stolen the presidential election.
Having restored himself to
the helm of the party, the former president is preparing to crow after November
8th when Republicans expect to sweep back to power.
As a member of the Party,
I believe I should have the right to question the blind faith and loyalty to
Trump within the Republican ranks. I have valid reasons to question some of
Trump's current claims and his past behavior.
Trump claims that he could
end the Ukraine war in 24 hours and curb Chicago crime
in a few days, which the Chicago Tribune
called bogus: “Trump, during his time as president, never delivered on his
claim that Chicago crime could be solved in a few days.”
Trump's 24-hour plan for Ukraine is
straightforward: surround Ukraine and hand it over to Putin. His relationship
with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un hasn't prevented further missile
launches.
The Republican Party's image is increasingly tied to
the concept of "cancel culture," as well as positions that are seen
as anti-environment, anti-immigration and anti-abortion, as well as reneging on
promises made by past presidents.
President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in
2018, and the U.S. withdrew from the Paris Agreement on the environment in 2017.
Most recently, the Republican Freedom Caucus in the House stood in staunch opposition
of a bill for financial aid to Ukraine for six months. These actions are not
only hindering efforts to fend off Russian aggression, but also tacitly condoning
Putin’s unjust war against a sovereign nation that wants to join the community
of free world.
Trump is eroding democratic rules, sliding the GOP
toward an autocratic system that divides America across race and leads to economic
inequality and civil strife. A scholar who studies violent conflict, Thomas Homer-Dixon,
recently wrote, “By 2025, American democracy could collapse, causing extreme
domestic political instability, including widespread civil violence. By 2030,
if not sooner, the country could be governed by a right-wing dictatorship.”
I am not quite that pessimistic, but warnings should
be heeded, and dissent should not be stifled. The party should be a guardian of
its principles, standing firm in upholding those values both at home and
abroad. To maintain and pursue these objectives, the party must engage in
rigorous self-examination.
If history teaches us anything, it's that nations that
unwittingly fall under the sway of cult-like movements often face severe
consequences. Italy and Germany stand as prominent examples. Mussolini rose to
power in Italy, and Hitler did the same in Germany, each establishing
themselves as dictators. We all know the tragic outcomes that befell them.
What I wrote to the Republican party 25 years ago still
holds true today. The party needs self-examination to prevent drifting away
from democracy and reverse its course.
Constructive criticism of the Party is not necessarily
anti-Republican. It's part of self-examination and moving forward, adhering to
principles that truly do make America great, not just relying on an elite group
or on one individual.
The 2024 election is on the horizon, and the GOP
should begin exploring alternatives to Trump. There's no lack of qualified
individuals ready to step up. Without a change, we're venturing into uncharted
territory.
Lee Drutman, a
political scientist at the New America think tank, recently told The New York Times,
“I have a hard time seeing how we have a peaceful 2024 election after
everything that’s happened now. I don’t see the rhetoric turning down. I don’t
see the conflicts going away. … It’s hard to see how it gets better before it
gets worse.”
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