Will Coronavirus Be the End of the Republican Party as We Know It
Throughout history, political parties have shifted and adapted to the will of popular presidents; but no president since FDR has had such a tight grip on his party as Trump. This may end soon, however, as the era of Trump may come to a dramatic end. At the present time there is no way of knowing the extent to which Coronavirus will effectively be contained, the total cost to the United States economy or to the United States taxpayer. The election is a little over seven months away and life for most Americans is on hold for an indefinite period of time.
Fast forward to November 3rd and we will likely be in a severe worldwide recession. Trump can no longer run on a robust economy. Bernie Sanders is essentially out of the race, which means that Trump can’t run against socialism, and his efforts in the Ukraine to derail Biden’s candidacy backfired into an impeachment. Voters may also remember that Trump was a “Johnny Come Lately” to the new pandemic. As recent as March 10, the White Office of Management and Budget was still proposing $1.2 billion in cuts to the CDC and a $35 million decrease to the Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund’s annual contribution. Further, according to a recent article in the Atlantic: “In the information universe he has formed, COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, is no worse than the seasonal flu; criticism of his response to it is a ‘hoax’; and media coverage of the virus is part of a political conspiracy to destroy his presidency.” Finally, in upcoming presidential debates, Biden will almost certainly remind America that in 2018, several top national security officials handling pandemics left abruptly, and shockingly were never replaced by the Trump administration. Trump has also given Biden plenty of campaign ammunition from Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal to investigations by the Southern District of New York: Tax, banking and insurance fraud. Not to mention possible campaign finance violations perpetrated through his, now imprisoned attorney, Michael Cohen.
Trump has torn apart the old republican party and created, in his own image, the trumplican party. With few exceptions the Grand Old Party, along with Fox News and millions of adoring fans have defended, encouraged and sucked-up to a deeply flawed president. Therefore, the question has to be asked: What happens to Trump and his party if he loses in November?
Here are my predictions: Republicans will run away from Donald J. Trump faster than rats leaving a sinking ship. He will become a pariah in his own party and the most hated man in America. His legacy will be worse even than Nixon, and that is pretty bad. Worse, without protection from the justice department and his presidential shield, the Southern District of New York will renew their investigations, obtain warrants for his tax returns and other documents, probably obtain an indictment on at least one of several charges. Then, with the prospect of being married to a felon (and a cheating felon at that) Melania will obtain a divorce and take him to the cleaners. The rest of the Trump family will attempt to salvage what they can from the Trump empire. What is left of the republican party will attempt to find its roots. This will likely amount to moderate conservatism: Constitutional Originalism, increased defense spending, seeking cuts to social programs in a frustrating effort to balance the budget, attempt to regain international leadership, improve relations with our trading and security partners, and renew free trade agreements.
It will be years before republicans can rebuild their party and its anybody’s guess who will emerge as its new leader.
