Republicans Go to War with Themselves, Bring on the Popcorn!

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

The Republican Party may not be in total disarray, at least not yet, but it does seem to be going through some significant upheaval.  The GOP is involved in a robust brawl that, at best, may ultimately divide the once proud political organization into two distinct dens of snakes:  the wealthy, white, educated corporatists - and the poor, white, under-educated, gun-and-Bible-toting Trumpers 

At present the Trumpers seem to be in control, and an endorsement by Donald Trump is seen as the Holy Grail for political campaigns.  Significantly, however, the more traditional wing of the Republican Party, the one without all of the loose cannons, is also starting to clear its collective throat and speak for itself.

Mitch McConnell, the senior US senator from Kentucky and the minority leader in the Senate, does not seem to care that Donald Trump dislikes him intensely.   McConnell has earned Trump's ire by being supportive of the work of the House January 6th investigative committee.  After the Republican National Committee thunderously censured two GOP members of Congress for serving on the January 6th committee, McConnell stepped forward and said this about that fateful day:

"It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next."

McConnell's base, the corporatists, know their best interests are served by having a stable government, whether they like the party in power or not.  Anarchy is bad for business.

But Donald Trump  was not going to tolerate any of Mitch's heresy.  He shot back:

"Mitch McConnell does not speak for the Republican Party and does not represent the views of the vast majority of its voters."

Obviously Trump believes that he, and he alone, speaks for the Republican Party, and he will not put up with anyone who tries to muddy his message of a rigged election.  Trump is openly working to get new Republican leadership in the Senate when the new Congress meets next January.

Donald Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence, a man who would like to have the nation's top political job, is also starting to say things that are making Trump and his supporters angry.  Trump, a well known admirer of Russia's Vladimir Putin, made more than a few Republicans uncomfortable a couple of weeks ago when he described Putin, who had just launched an attack on Ukraine, as a "genius" and "savvy" leader.   This Friday Mike Pence spoke to a Republican National Committee retreat in New Orleans and clearly stated:  

"There is no room in this party for apologists for Putin.  There is only room for champions of freedom."

Pence obviously should not expect a Trump endorsement any time soon!

And then there's Utah junior Republican senator, Mitt Romney, who said on a Sunday news show last week that his party, the GOP, has some "morons" on its team.    He was referring to a couple of Republican members of Congress who had spoken at the white nationalist rally in Orlando the week before.  Romney elaborated:

"Anybody that would sit down with white nationalists and speak at their conference was certainly missing a few IQ points."

Donald Trump famously praised the rampaging, torch-carrying white nationalists in Charlottesville as being part of what he referred to as "very fine people on both sides."  

The Republican Party appears to be at war with itself.   Bring on the popcorn!