Republicans caught off guard by the left's ferocious backlash

[marmar]

Republicans caught off guard by the left's ferocious backlash
The GOP is an authoritarian, extremist political party that is out of the mainstream of American life

By HEATHER DIGBY PARTON
Columnist
PUBLISHED APRIL 7, 2023 9:05AM (EDT)


(Salon) For as long as I can remember, Democrats have been on the defensive about enacting their agenda because it was assumed that it would engender a backlash among "the silent majority," as former president Richard Nixon called it, or what modern Republicans call "Real America." Reacting to the counter-culture of the 1960s and the massive social changes it engendered, the left wing of the Democratic Party was always admonished by the centrist and conservative wings not to go too far or too fast. The media even blithely asserted that "America is a conservative country" as if it were an act of God. This article of faith hobbled progress for a very long time and empowered the Reagan Revolution through the Tea Party and Donald Trump's MAGA movement.

Nobody ever seemed to consider that enabling the right wing to become more and more extreme over the course of many years might engender a backlash of its own. It appears as if that time may have finally come — and it's clear the Republican establishment doesn't know what to do about it. The question is whether the Democratic establishment does either.

We started out with former president and current GOP presidential frontrunner being indicted in New York over the payments of hush money to conceal information that might have damaged his chances in the 2016 election. It's a huge story but it's not unanticipated nor is it the last prosecution Donald Trump is likely to face in the coming months. The most interesting aspect of it remains the fact that the Republican establishment is circling the wagons around him once again while Republican voters seem determined to push him to the nomination. This is despite the fact that he will be under indictment on felony charges in at least one case and probably more, proving once again that no amount of norm-busting, corruption or criminal behavior is a deal breaker with his cult. Trump has trained them to believe that it's all an elaborate conspiracy against him.

But this week also showed that something else is afoot. Yes, Trump is a galvanizing force in Democratic politics going all the way back to the massive, global Women's March in 2017. His grotesque behavior motivated millions of people, especially women, to organize and it paid off in every election since then. Donald Trump has been dragging the GOP down for years but they just can't quit him. However, the party's rapid descent into extremism is bigger than Trump and the backlash is continuing to show itself in ways that are shattering the status quo. ...................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2023/04/07/caught-off-guard-by-the-lefts-ferocious-backlash/

[flying_wahini]

1. Republicans are ALWAYS caught off guard because they are unable to understand that

Everybody else doesn’t think like they do. They are fall into lockstep kind of people.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. It's only going to get worse for them.

[Midnight Writer]

20. I agree. Republicans will not change course, they will double down on the same agenda.

It's what they do.

Today's Republicans have painted themselves into a corner. They have built a voting coalition of cranks and fundamentalists who see deviation as heresy.

Republicans are not capable of crafting policies that will appeal to anyone outside of their base. So they have no choice but to make their already unpopular policies even more draconian in order to please that base.

[Meadowoak]

3. I predict, there won't be a GOP after 2024.

[Rebl2]

7. I wish

[KS Toronado]

11. Oh there will be a G卐P after 2024

but they'll be in the minority and unable to stop us from improving everyone's standard of living,
except the filthy rich.

Coming to a ballot box near you.

[housecat]

12. There already is no GOP, just hateful magats using the name

[2naSalit]

14. +1

[RobinA]

22. Yeah, Well

after 1973 they weren't going to be elected President for 30 years, and look how that turned out.

[Freethinker65]

4. Many Republicans actually believe the rape victim should just lie back and enjoy it.

[BComplex]

5. This part: It appears as if that time may have finally come -- and it's clear the Republican

establishment doesn't know what to do about it. The question is whether the Democratic establishment does either.

The Democratic establishment needs to learn how to move over gracefully, and help the younger, more passionate and savvy youngsters take the lead. The young people have a lot to learn from the older politicians and activists about how the system works, so that they can fix it for the better.

I'm thoroughly pumped up with hope from watching this new crowd.

[LiberalArkie]

6. We have to be careful about only worrying about the Republicans but also the conservative Democrats.

They are the wolves.

[BComplex]

8. I'm with you!

[Rebl2]

9. They always

called Claire McCaskill a blue dog democrat. I never saw her that way myself-especially now.

[housecat]

13. Good point! We need a plan before they do more damage

[Sky Jewels]

15. I agree. It's long past time for the party to move away from any Republican Lite approaches

that might be lingering from the 90s. Fully embrace progressivism -- it's a winning strategy. We want Dems to fight the good fight, not apologize for a full embrace of liberal values, and not tiptoe around trying to appease more conservative voices. Go on the offense. Take off the gloves. Throw punches.

[gratuitous]

10. Digby speak; you listen

Non-paid endorsement for Digby's Hullabaloo.

It's not just Republicans who aren't sure what to do about backlash, the media don't understand it, either. There are endless pundit pronouncements about Democrats "overplaying their hand" or "risking the alienation of voters [who will never vote for them anyway]" by supporting highly popular issues like a woman's right to make her own health care decisions without consulting some ignoramus in the state legislature. When was the first, last, or anytime in between that there was a serious concern that Republicans were going too far with their supremacist program?

As they dig deeper and deeper into the abyss, some Republicans are at last seeing the trap they've set for themselves. I'm disinclined to throw them a rope; but maybe I'll drop a few water balloons (no, that liquid in there isn't water).

[BComplex]

16. The media is making themselves more irrelevant by the minute when they toe the

1% line. They must think the rest of the country is as stupid as the republican voters.

[hibbing]

17. Polls seem to always show we win on most issues

But they have this amazing power to get people to vote against their own interests. Sad that racism trumps all those. Do all these people think the benefits they receive from their employer were because of the benevolence of the companies they work for, or from "conservative" polices and government action?

Peace

[moose65]

18. Whew

Yeah, I know when I attended The Left's Monthly Meeting last week, we decided on a ferocious backlash. Then I went and cashed my check from Soros

[Skittles]

25. HEY WHERE IS MY CHECK

I FEEL CHEATED!

[malaise]

19. K & R

Great read

[Just A Box Of Rain]

21. I think this "framing" is complete bullshit.

Liberal Democrats have been responsible for making massive social changes in this country.

The far-left? Not so much.

[Sky Jewels]

27. LOL.

[ThoughtCriminal]

23. GOP primaries are contests to prove who is Most-MAGA

Only who loves Trump the MOSTEST need apply.

Incumbents fear challenge from someone who can convince the GOP bases that they are more extreme and that the office holder is a RINO.

In GOP open-seat races, it really does become a contest of who has the most extreme right-wing ideology.

This has fed a positive feedback loop of growing extremism in every election cycle. Always to the right, never a millimeter back to the center.

[Skittles]

24. that's what happens WHEN YOU LIVE IN A FASCIST BUBBLE

THEY ALL NEED TO GO FUCK THEMSELVES

[NowISeetheLight]

26. Business As Usual

Republicans have no plans. Obamacare, Medicare, Social Security, Infrastructure…. They have NOTHING. All they do is blame and hate. People want solutions not excuses. Republicans are learning that a lot of the independents are starting to pick up on their “no-plan” agenda. People want leadership, substance, fact. Thus culture war BS is good in the short term but the electorate is changing. 80m+ who voted Biden showed that.

[mopinko]

28. i've been saying for a long time this was all a backlash to the 60's.

and i agree w her. it’s about time.

[NotVeryImportant]

29. Digby for President!

[Generic Brad]

30. It's hard to read the room when you turn your back to it

The more extreme they get, the bigger the backlash will be. They really need to leave their bubble.