What has happened to the Republican Party since the rise of the Former Guy? Interestingly, I am reading a nice murder mystery novel, "The Cruelest Month" by Louise Penny. In it she describes what went wrong in the leadership of the Homicide Division of the police department of her story:
"He was a bully. Demanded absolute conformity. Eventually the really good agents dropped out of his division. Leaving him with the dregs. Bullies themselves or agents too scared to stand up to the bully", said Lacoste. "Thought you said you didn't know the inside story?" "I don't, but I know schoolyards. Same everywhere".
That description of the Former Guy's White House, especially at the end, is pretty accurate, and that also pretty much describes what is left of the Republican Party today - when you end up with Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Green bullying and driving from the party Liz Cheney and Adam Kinziger, what you have is a demonstration of the good ones gone and the dregs left.
Sad, pathetic, but also dangerous. I keep hoping actual Republicans realize their party has disappeared and is just keeping the name in place in hopes of keeping a few to hold their noses and vote. It's too late now, as best as I can tell, the Former Guy may be beaten by other bullies for the nomination, but all that is left is MAGA extremism, competing to show who is the most vile bully.
By the way, "The Cruelest Month” was written in 2008, long before the orange one soiled American democracy.
