It’s Trump and McConnell against politics
John F. Kennedy used to say, “we can do better.” Barack Obama said: “Better is still better.” Incremental progress beats no progress. Or, obstruction in the name of identity politics, or “sending a message.”
What happened to incremental progress? What happened to “better”?
Better is the only real justification of government. And better can only be achieved through the craft of politics.
The political vocation
When Mitch McConnell endorsed Donald Trump, after Super Tuesday, it was an act of cynicism and self-humiliation, almost without parallel in modern politics. Mr. McConnell negated his better self. But he also negated his craft — the thing he’s spent his life doing.
His wife, Elaine Chao, resigned from the Trump Cabinet after the U.S. Capitol was stormed by Trump- inspired zealots. Mr. Trump, in turn, has repeatedly insulted her, calling her “Coco Chow” and “a sellout to China.” Unpardonable, if Mr. McConnell had any pride at all.
Mr. Trump also insulted our political system, and Mr. McConnell is on record as holding him personally and primarily responsible for the January 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol — an attack on the American political tradition and on its great laboratory and shrine. Yet Mr. McConnell voted against impeachment and has again endorsed Mr. Trump for a second term. Pathetic.
Mr. Trump is the inverse of Rodney Dangerfield. He gives nothing and no one respect. But his greatest disdain is for the man or woman who works at politics, like Mr. McConnell or Ms. Chao.
Indeed, his present campaign is a complete negation of the political vocation. There would be no one like either Mr. McConnell or Ms. Chao in a Trump II Cabinet. There would be no concession to political professionalism, or the deliberate formation of public policy, or to incremental progress. Mr. Trump makes no bones that, in a second term, the sole goal would be his vindication,
aggrandizement, and payback.
Mr. McConnell has surrendered to his nemesis in the manner of a hungry dog. Who knows why. Fear of irrelevance? Fear of being dealt out of the game? But he has, more importantly, also surrendered to the negation of working politics.
Working politics
What do I mean by working politics? Something like this:
A) The politician campaigns and asks the people for support. B) He seeks votes based on principles and proposals that flow from those principles. C) He proposes these ideas and policies for the sake of the public good — to make the country better and the lives of individual citizens better. D) If elected, he legislates or administers (as a mayor, governor or president), making or enforcing laws and applying policies and programs.
The politician engages in the art of compromise to get things done; to make things better. Trumpism has nothing to do with any of that.
The guiding principle of the former Republican party was limited government — limited power, limited programs, and limited spending.
Restraint. Trumpism has nothing to do with any of that.
Mitch McConnell was once an honorable thing — a professional politician, a legislator, and a Republican. From Lincoln to John McCain, being a Republican was a highly honorable thing.
But in 2009, Mr. McConnell adopted one goal, to make sure Barack Obama failed. He ends his career as a lapdog, not only to someone who abused him, but someone who would blow up what is left of Mr. McConnell’s profession and its raison d’etre. His diminishment traces his party’s.
Democrats have long believed government should intervene in uber capitalism to increase opportunity and improve individual lives. Republicans were skeptical and believed in limits.
There was a balance. And, once upon a time, we could find proximate solutions through the context of this balance. We still could progress on issues like immigration and gun violence, if not find ultimate solutions. But only with two serious parties, two serious public philosophies, and two sets of political professionals.
There can be no forward motion if one side is committed only to obstruction and primal screams. And that is the Republican Party we have now in Congress. Not just a “do nothing,” party, but a nihilistic one that refused to pass a substantially Republican immigration bill, because it would be progress!
The GOP hope
There must always be hope. The Democrats may yet recover the spirit of Franklin Roosevelt, who was not afraid to oppose extreme inequality and capitalism run amok. And, even now, some 40 to 45% of Republicans do not want Mr. Trump. So there is the basis for a new, or revived, Grand Old Party, after this election, and once Mr. Trump passes from the scene.
But, for the moment, we have one political party and one yahoo, ersatz populist mass movement with a “strong man” as leader. There is no balance, no sense of incremental progress, and no “better.” And the party of skepticism, limits, and restraint has left the building.