I'll choose #1, since I just quoted Stuart Stevens in a comment on Charlie Sykes piece earlier today. The GOP had nothing appealing to offer most Americans EXCEPT culture and racial grievances. As this reality became clearer and clearer (and I think Obamacare was a key turning point here), Republicans had to go harder and harder on absur…
I'll choose #1, since I just quoted Stuart Stevens in a comment on Charlie Sykes piece earlier today. The GOP had nothing appealing to offer most Americans EXCEPT culture and racial grievances. As this reality became clearer and clearer (and I think Obamacare was a key turning point here), Republicans had to go harder and harder on absurd cultural attacks - no restriction gun laws, heavy restrictions on abortion rights, send in the troops to the cities, etc. etc. Now they have turned to the Apocalypse - Democrats are actual demons, Hillary is an actual devil, it's the Last Struggle, and even Putin is better.
Why I might be wrong - JVL, where does Big Business, the big bugaboo of my youthful years, fit in all this? I am used to thinking that Republicans basically represented corporations, and their agenda was mostly to weaken environmental laws and workers' rights. (And yes, I recognize that Democrats were somewhat feeding from the same source). While I don't SEE that any realignment here has taken place, I also don't see big corporations as the kingmakers right now. I don't understand what is going on here.
As an ex-corporate political enabler, I can tell you corps had about 5 seconds of valor post-Jan 6 when they refused to support the 140+ reps who refused to recognize the Biden ballots. In general, corps are intimidated by pols and moreso by the crazies among their employees. A corporate govt relations manager’s worst nightmare is a loose cannon employee cadre spreading rumors about the corp’s political agenda and arguing against the Corp PAC strategy.
The 5 second moment of valor actually lasted about the first quarter of 2022, at which point the hold-out pols had met w/the lobbyists and assured them it was all their constituents’ fault. A POV the lobbyists could appreciate, as they were experiencing some of the same insanity amongst their employees. Everyone involved here just wants a quiet life.
Corporations (stockholders) formerly preferred that business-centric leadership rise to the top. Now we see Elon Musks and Larry Ellisons. The former lean toward stability and predictability (left or right) has been supplanted by power obsessed zealots unafraid of whichever side of history they might be on.
I'll choose #1, since I just quoted Stuart Stevens in a comment on Charlie Sykes piece earlier today. The GOP had nothing appealing to offer most Americans EXCEPT culture and racial grievances. As this reality became clearer and clearer (and I think Obamacare was a key turning point here), Republicans had to go harder and harder on absurd cultural attacks - no restriction gun laws, heavy restrictions on abortion rights, send in the troops to the cities, etc. etc. Now they have turned to the Apocalypse - Democrats are actual demons, Hillary is an actual devil, it's the Last Struggle, and even Putin is better.
Why I might be wrong - JVL, where does Big Business, the big bugaboo of my youthful years, fit in all this? I am used to thinking that Republicans basically represented corporations, and their agenda was mostly to weaken environmental laws and workers' rights. (And yes, I recognize that Democrats were somewhat feeding from the same source). While I don't SEE that any realignment here has taken place, I also don't see big corporations as the kingmakers right now. I don't understand what is going on here.
As an ex-corporate political enabler, I can tell you corps had about 5 seconds of valor post-Jan 6 when they refused to support the 140+ reps who refused to recognize the Biden ballots. In general, corps are intimidated by pols and moreso by the crazies among their employees. A corporate govt relations manager’s worst nightmare is a loose cannon employee cadre spreading rumors about the corp’s political agenda and arguing against the Corp PAC strategy.
The 5 second moment of valor actually lasted about the first quarter of 2022, at which point the hold-out pols had met w/the lobbyists and assured them it was all their constituents’ fault. A POV the lobbyists could appreciate, as they were experiencing some of the same insanity amongst their employees. Everyone involved here just wants a quiet life.
Corporations (stockholders) formerly preferred that business-centric leadership rise to the top. Now we see Elon Musks and Larry Ellisons. The former lean toward stability and predictability (left or right) has been supplanted by power obsessed zealots unafraid of whichever side of history they might be on.