(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . What does the Republican Party stand for, anyway? [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2022-11-19 What does the Republican Party stand for, anyway? In an interview with CNN's anchor Fredricka Whitfield, American University Professor Allan Lichtman answers: It cannot be personal morality and responsibility; otherwise, Republicans would not have embraced Donald Trump and Herschel Walker. It cannot be state rights and limited government, for they would not have wanted to pass a national anti-abortion law. “If such a law would go into effect, it would be one of the most draconian government impositions on the American people in the Republic's history.” Furthermore, it cannot be fiscal responsibility; otherwise, they wouldn't have voted for significant tax cuts that “ballooned the deficits.” They cannot stand for respect for traditional institutions, either. A “good portion” of the Republican Party, “sought to overthrow a democratic election and undermine American democracy.” Virtually all they once proclaimed to fight for, the Republicans have thrown out. So what do they stand for now? “Cultural wars and support for their big business donors,” he explains. The ills of the Republican Party don't lie with Trump alone. “The problem of the Republican Party runs from the bottom right to the top. These election deniers and candidates with extreme views are not contrary to the mainstream of the Republican Party. They are the new mainstream. Trump may have endorsed them, but the voters put them into the nomination. Nearly two-thirds of Republican voters in the exit polls said they still don't believe Biden legitimately won the election, so forget about Trump. Look at the whole Republican Party. Where is the Republican Party going in terms of where it stands for? It goes in the wrong direction. These attitudes and what the party stands for are totally out of step with the American people and will not work in the future. “The Republicans would not have taken the House had it not been for the extreme gerrymandering in places like Florida and Texas.” It is unlikely that Ron DeSantis can solve their problem, either. Apart from his “different personality,” he represents nothing distinct from Donald Trump. “It's not clear that DeSantis offers the reconsideration and restoration that this Republican Party needs.” Other successful governors from both parties, Bush and Kasich in 2016 and Howard Dean, earlier failed in their presidential bids. Professor Lichtman believes it is essential that the Democrats win the Senate race in Georgia and do not have to depend on the vote of Joe Manchin. A Trump announcement to run for the presidency would galvanize the Democrats in Georgia to go out and vote. He also predicts that Republicans who voted for Walker to keep the Senate may not appear in the runoff now that the people have decided its fate. Presidential historian: Don't expect DeSantis to save the GOP [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/11/19/2137091/-What-does-the-Republican-Party-stand-for-anyway Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/