Just who are these so-called "normal Republicans" who will take over when Trump is gone?

[guillaumeb]

Who, and where are they?

President Obama dealt with over 400 filibusters, delayed and obstructed Judicial appointments, the Merrick Garland affair, constant personal attacks from GOP politicians, and attacks on his citizenship based solely on the fact that he is black.

So where exactly are these normal Republicans? And where have they been hiding since 2009?

[CaptYossarian]

1. Obviously, they've been hiding in Kenya. (sarcasm)

[guillaumeb]

2. Looking for that long form birth certificate?

And possibly that server.

[CaptYossarian]

6. Filed with "someone's" tax returns.

Under J Edgar's dress he wasn't buried in.

[Atticus]

3. A "normal Republican" is sort of like "leftover wine": it may exist, but I have not,

personally, experienced it.

[guillaumeb]

5. Agreed.

Wine is best served until the bottle is empty.

[Skidmore]

4. My guess is

Scarborough will give up being an "independent" along with Bill Krystal and a couple other people.

[guillaumeb]

7. Bill Krystal of Iraq War fame? eom

[Skidmore]

9. Yeah, counts himself as a never Trumper

openly.

[CaptYossarian]

8. Kristol needs to atone for the sin of singlehandedly stopping First Lady

Hillary's Universal Health Care plan from the 90s. Ol' Bill killed hundreds of thousands of Americans by sticking his nose where it didn't belong.

Enjoy Hell, old man. You've earned it.

[LAS14]

10. I'm assuming they've left the party. I waited for a long time during this..

.... administration for the "good" Republicans to speak up. Now I've decided that the GOP has swept up all the bad people in the U.S. and isn't letting anyone else in.

[guillaumeb]

11. Did they leave in 1968?

After the Nixon Southern strategy?

Or in 1980, when Reagan was openly racist?

Or perhaps in 1992, after the Willie Horton ads?

[LAS14]

13. By "good," I don't mean Democrats in GOP clothes. I just mean people..

... of principle who might vote against the ACA but would still vote to remove Trump from office. Think John McCain.

[guillaumeb]

17. Understood. eom

[Maven]

12. Pretending that they exist is the fantasy that status-quo cultists must embrace. nt

[guillaumeb]

15. Otherwise, they must acknowledge that the GOP has no interest in anything but power. eom

[uponit7771]

14. THIS !!! I just made the point there's no going back to cordial with these traitors bastards !!

[guillaumeb]

16. How can anyone?

Speaking especially of GOP members of Congress.

[uponit7771]

18. AGREED !!, did you see Pompeo's punk ass in front of the Russian FM?!!?! Punks !!

[FiveGoodMen]

19. Who is making the claim that there ARE normal republicans?

[guillaumeb]

21. Any one who claims that the GOP will return to normal after Trump leaves office

ignores that fact that the GOP was far from normal Party before Trump.

The GOP is the Party of racists since 1068, and climate change deniers, and advocates of unrestricted capitalism.

[dchill]

26. That is, indeed, a specious claim.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

20. I question their existence

Most of the more prominent Never Trumpers are not even holding office, nor will they BE holding office. And most of them are not so great anyway, agreeing with Trump on substance even though they dislike his personal behavior, way of doing business.

[guillaumeb]

22. Agreed. And any candidate who feels the GOP will change after Trump leaves

ignores these facts.

President Obama assumed that the GOP was a normal political Party. 400 filibusters, a failed SCOTUS nomination, and Russian interference later, we can see that his assumption was completely wrong.

[Hekate]

23. Gone with the wind long ago, evidently. nt

[guillaumeb]

24. Ironically, Gone with the Wind is exactly the era the GOP wants to bring back. eom

[Hekate]

25. Kind of what I was implying

[CrispyQ]

27. I love Biden, but if he thinks McConnell is going to work with him any better than he did with Obama

then Biden has on blinders and isn't seeing his old colleagues for the authoritarian assholes they've turned into. The GOP has been playing the long game and they are this close to one party rule. Actually, any dem president will be treated with the same disrespect and disdain, but Biden seems to have an expectation that they will work with him because of—history? If McConnell is senate majority, judicial appointments will stop cold. Any SCOTUS vacancies will remain vacant until either McConnell is replaced or the next republican president takes office. If elected, Biden's in for an eye-opening, jaw-dropping experience, IMO, and I think he's going to feel very betrayed.

My opinion of people I know who still identify with the republican party has changed forever. There's no way I will ever un-see it.

[guillaumeb]

28. Agreed, and very well said.

Trump is not some aberration, he is the GOP. he is simply a cruder version of Nixon, Reagan, and Bush Sr.

[guillaumeb]

41. Welcome to DU, and the conversation.

Trump is the unmasked version.

[pecosbob]

29. How many Rubicons must they cross?

I wanna see the turtle and the elf wearing prison orange.

[guillaumeb]

30. That would be an outstanding picture. eom

[CanonRay]

31. Which of these GOP morons

is Joe Biden intending to reach out to? I see not an iota of sense in the whole GOP.

[guillaumeb]

37. Agreed. I coiuld not name one national GOP figure with the integrity to stand up to Trump.

Not one. There may be a few on the state level, but if there were any, their silence is deafening.

[FiveGoodMen]

39. Worrisome, isn't it?

[Newest Reality]

32. Well,

Isn't the cat out of the bag now?

Because they are clearly desperate as a party to retain relevance because their obsolescence, overall, is in the cards as per the changing demographics and the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that is in progress, they are resorting to extreme tactics, obstruction, deflection and, as you would expect, a grab for power as they start to sink.

That renders their party as both dangerous and also easier to defeat. Their vulnerability is showing. Their attempts to foment a societal structure that breeds a populism that then escalates into a Fascist desire for authoritarian and theocratic rule are becoming far more obvious. It is even possible that the red states will begin to catch on and begin to see that they have repeatedly worked to help impoverish the common people while neglecting and decimating the commons, infrastructure, etc., while assisting in and encouraging the flight of our national wealth into the pockets of the already wealthy.

Those kinds of conditions that the GOP, et al, work hard to create are harbingers of oligarchy, theocracy, Fascism and all the cancers that eat a country alive and shreds it into chaos, all while a few benefit and profit from the decline. We are not going to allow that to continue and watch this country fall to its knees, consuming what is left of itself in its last gasps.

If there is going to be any more partisan ship until the digital transformation so alters politics and economy that less of that will apply, then the future of our society really points to some other form of opposition party to the democratic position. The reason that is so critical is that we really are on the verge of losing democracy completely at this point. This is no longer about ideological skirmishes and oppositions as it is the preservation and progress of our nation.

Perhaps, in light of the above, we should consider thinking and acting accordingly in our own house, so to speak, and prepare for the struggles and the transitions to come?

[CrispyQ]

33. It's the world at stake here, not just our country.

The GOP has the power and influence to change the narrative and lack of action on the climate crisis and they do nothing. Worse, they obstruct and deny while they build their cushions for the fall. That is THE message that should be shouted out at every opportunity and by every media outlet that believes in the science of climate change. While the world burns (show Australia), & sea levels rise (show Florida), the GOP denies & obstructs (show GOP politician quotes & votes).

[Newest Reality]

35. I agree.

Well said.

Yes, this is most certainly a global concern. I am glad you brought that up.

For the sake of brevity and more focus, I was concentrating on our internal politics here.

And, to add to that, we are so far along now when it comes to windows of opportunity to halt the progress of climate change that the importance of reckoning with and mitigating the impact on countries, cities and people is starting to be another major issue that needs immediate attention.

There has been too much of too little too late and this time its for keeps.

[guillaumeb]

40. The GOP uses fear and chaos to promote their authoritarianism.

Their hope is that if the US population is frightened enough, they will look to the GOP for a strong leader to protect them.

Much the same thing applies in Russia, where Putin promotes himself as that strong leader. And Putin and Trump share a disdain for democracy, and the opinions of anyone who disagrees with them. The real difference between Putin and Trump is that Putin is much smarter.

[Newest Reality]

43. You pegged it.

I would also add that they use impoverishment as well, it is two-pronged.

The point being that people who are literally struggling to survive, eat, be housed, etc., are living predominantly in survival mode with little time or energy to struggle against the real threats or research the truth on vital matters. To me, that's what I call, poking at the lizard brain, i.e., the most reactionary, cold, defensive and survival-oriented level of the brain and of course, it is very fear-based in that sense.

My take on it is, as per my previous comment, the GOP in general has rather intuitively been playing on fear and the economic struggles to remain in power for a long time now. They have it down to an art form. They can tell people they stand for them and their intrinsic values while at the same time either putting up road blocks or even taking away what they essentially need. It is the epitome of what they call the confidence game.

[guillaumeb]

44. As did you in your earlier response.

And the GOP can pick which "other" their voters should fear.

On environmental issues, the GOP stands for your freedom to buy inefficient light bulbs, versus the mean liberals who would force you to pay less for your electricity usage.

The GOP stands for the freedom to buy large, fuel inefficient vehicles. The buyer might not make enough money in their minimum wage job to afford the gas, but no liberal freedom hater can tell me I have to fly my Confederate flag behind a Prius.

It is all about freedom, Mr. Liberal.

[apnu]

34. They are all currently quitting office and hiding.

Seriously. There is a ridiculous amount of Republicans declining to run in 2020, a bunch quit in 2018 too.

They're all running to hide and wait for Trump to implode, then come roaring out of whatever mouse hole they are in and act like they had nothing to do with Trump.

[guillaumeb]

38. After WWII, there were an amazing number of "good Germans" who denied ever being Nazis.

And I see the same behavior happening here.