The state of the American GoP is absurd. Everything is political to them, the Republican party are the ultimate "snowflakes". Science, basic facts, a minority or woman on some military website, pricing on your website ... I'm drinking coffee right now, that's probably offensive to them in some way.
At its core, I think it comes down to the language of morality that’s used. Differences aren’t framed as disagreements, but often as deliberate attacks for their own sake.
It goes further: the language often doesn’t just describe policies as harmful, but conveys them as evil or immoral, either directly or by implication.
This makes compromise almost impossible. In normal negotiation, sides might trade policy priorities—accepting cuts in one area to strengthen another. But when every issue is framed this way it’s no longer a deal making compromise. It’s compromising, moral values.
This is then especially a problem in primary races where a challenger can attack any and all bipartisanship as absolute failure.
I agree with your insight: the language of morality. This use of the language of morality seems to be a consequence of the 1980s subsumption of the Republican party by the US' evangelical christians, the "moral majority". By capturing the "values voters", the Republican party got its policies blessed or ordained by God. That means Republicans have to frame opposition in moral terms - it is, to them.
Per Newt Gingerich’s strategy, in the early 90s it actually became the de facto standard for the GOP as a whole to shift to this language. It was deliberate strategy, it didn’t happen by accident. It was pretty brazen and cynical too, with the title giving away the real intent:
Someone once pointed out to me that the only difference between "special interest" and "public interest" is who said it. I think about that a lot these days.
“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.”
I know many Christians who are willing to compromise in both business & government and hold nuanced opinions about a variety of topics. Sounds more like Barry has a bias and is projecting that bias
While individual Christians may hold nuanced opinions on a variety of topics, collectively, they often exhibit more uniformity in their views, especially in contexts like business and government. Barry Goldwater's point about their unwillingness to compromise stems from the belief that they are acting in the name of God, which can lead to a more rigid stance, as we have seen.
i think the "language of morality" is a sign of the problem but not at the core of it. especially when the morality itself flip/flops every other day.
i think the core of it is tribalism mixed to unrelenting fear-mongering.
tribalism is probably unavoidable. meanwhile the world is becoming more and more complex and unknowable and "anxiogène" (anxiety inducing? i do not have a good word for this).
education is meant to fight this... and it has been under attack for a while now.
the failure to educate renders the world even more unknowable for vast and wide swathes of the population; and i am not talking about a rich/poor divide here, the "tech bro" stereotype fits right there. a "complete education" is not seen as valuable anymore.
many people will throw away a chance at a better world in exchange of a bad world that they "get", this is a natural tendency. especially when the going is bad for the common folk.
my unsubstantiated opinion is that those reasons are why you see more and more simplified speech, simplified world views, anti-intellectualism and other ills prevail.
politics being dominated by corrupt thieves, sycophants, and immoral lobbyists certainly did not help... not mentioning the state of media (social and traditional).
tldr:
- people are afraid so stick to their tribes
- people do not/cannot trust the institutions anymore
- education and thinking itself is under attack
- people are hurting so they cling to what they can
As far as tariff policy goes it would seem that way, although I kinda suspect as far as the Administration is concerned, they don't "really" care. I doubt there's as much ideology behind their actions as it would seem.
Unfortunately, but maybe fortunately, democracy isn't about what's right. It's about representing people. It's unfortunate when so many believe and perpetuate things that are harmful and terrible, and it's unfortunate when our democracy then ultimately represents those things, too.
I would prefer benevolent dictator myself, as long as they were aligned with my values. But that being an unreasonable ask, I will take imperfect democracy over no representation at all.
i've believed this unfortunate truth my entire life, and it's led me to very strongly and consistently reevaluate my beliefs and opinions, because i refuse to be part of an older generation that perpetuates harm due to ego and selfishness.
The counter-action to me is seeking out and sitting in discomfort.
Imho, the root cause of the observed behavior is that everyone prefers comfort over discomfort (physically, mentally, spiritually, etc.), and old people typically have the resources (time, money, etc.) to keep themselves in a comfortable state if they choose.
Unfortunately, comfort also means stasis.
Which is fine as long as the world doesn't change outside that bubble... but it eventually always does.
The Republicans have most of the power right now. Its natural for the party in that situation to politicize everything as part of a fight to hang on to, and grow, their power and control.
The Democratic party had been this way for most of my adult life.
The most charitable interpretation of your comment is that it is based on perceived power due to the party that controls the executive office, and that you came into adulthood at or near the beginning of the Obama administration (of course, that still means you grew up with Bush, Clinton x2, Bush x2).
Or you came into adulthood during or near the Biden administration - which would still mean you are aware of 2016)
That still leaves Republicans controlling the Presidency 1/4 of that time. Further, you, like many Americans, mistake control of the Executive Branch as controlling the government, but "control" involved the legislature, and Republicans, or Republicans and West Virginia Democrats, have controlled both houses in much more of my recent memory.
Judging which party had power by outcomes is much more effective than only consider political seats. Going back at least to the beginning of Obama the major changes pushed through have heavily favored Democratic policies rather than Republican.
Gay marriage, reversing don't ask don't tell, and the ACA are all policies that the Republicans were very opposed to. The overturning of Roe v Wade is the only major Republican win I can think of (maybe I missed some), though that is a decades old fight and one that in my opinion Democrats setup for failure by never pushing it passed a single supreme court ruling.
Political power follows culture, and for the recent past the majority public opinion has generally supported Democratic policies over Republican ones. That's changed.
The last time the parties flipped was in the 70s and 80s. I was only alive for the tail end of that and paying no attention to politics, but my understanding is that the pattern was generally the same. At that time they flipped names as well, many democrats of the era moved over to the republican party. Maybe we'll see that again in the near future, but for now it seems like both parties are happier to keep the same brands while switch many view points (big business vs workers, state rights issues, limits on the executive branch, etc)
I would love some examples of Republican elected officials pushing back against the tariffs (both economically and as an arrogation of Congressional power) and flexing their legislative power. Likewise I'd like to see some of them standing up for civil liberties, the Constitution, and against actual corruption in government like the president's memecoins.
They didn't seem to think so when they voted for Trump.
Who could've known that the tariff man would impose tariffs? Maybe his mini trade war with China in 2018--for which he had to bail out farmers--should've served as an indicator of what was to come.
So far, I haven't found many bonafide Republicans willing to say, "This is bad enough to make me regret voting for Trump", or even to have not voted for, or voted against Trump.
If you are one of these conservative/Republicans, do you fit into any of the above categories?
I mean, he’s just doing the things he said he would do and now all you voters are surprised that he’s trashed your retirement and your life and health will be worse? And it’s going to last decades.
