A Pox on Both Their Houses
By: Reed Galen
Tags: Aoc, Democrats, Republicans, Trump, Politics

Men in an ICE Detention Center Along the US-Mexico Border

By Reed Galen

Once upon a time, the summer was doldrums for the political world. Like so many other traditions in Washington, there is no longer an off season. The last two weeks saw leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties act in ways that stretch beyond annoyance into the land of full-fledged concern for the future of the Republic.

During a recent closed-door session, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tried using reason on an increasingly unreasonable cadre of her members. No Twitter wars, she said. Democratic infighting promptly spilled onto Twitter. The fight escalated when first term Rep. Alexandria Orcasio-Cortez intimated that Pelosi’s exhaustion with “The Squad” was driven not by politics or a desire for caucus comity, but by racism. Cue fireworks.

Pelosi, like Paul Ryan and John Boehner before her, must spend her time not leading, but unravelling divisions within her caucus. The progressives hate the moderates. The moderates gave them the House. The progressives want to burn it down, preferably with the moderates (and everyone else) in it. Pelosi trying to be the grown up, now sees after decades at work that DC belongs to the likes of AOC and Donald Trump.

Policy-wise, AOC’s echo reappeared in the form of her chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabati. In a splashy Washington Post Magazine story, Chakrabati shocks a staffer from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s campaign (though few else) by admitting (finally) that the Green New Deal is so much more than just a climate plan. “Do you really think it’s a climate thing?” Chakrabati is reported to have said. “Because we really think of it as a how do you change the whole economy thing.”

The Green New Deal nothing less than a complete and total reshaping of the American political, social and economic systems. Imagine that authority in the hands of people who can’t properly edit talking points or handle criticism without reverting to juvenile defenses.

Not to be outdone, Republicans continue their descent into Hades. Along the border last week, Vice President Mike Pence, Senators Lindsey Graham (SC) and John Cornyn (TX) bedecked in their blue blazer finery, stared doe-eyed into the camera as they desperately avoided looking at the teeming migrant masses held in cages behind them. As Former Sen. Bob Dole once said, “Where is the outrage?”

Maybe it would help if we had Sarah McLaughlin sing softly over gauzy images of caged, gaunt Latino faces in a 30 second spot. As a dear friend of mine said, “If these were dogs and cats, people would be losing their shit.” He’s right.

Sitting on his bed, eating a Quarter Pounder, President Donald Trump was not to be outdone last weekend. Ensuring that he is always in the middle of any political dysfunction (it’s a feature, not a bug of his personality, if you haven’t figured it out) the president tweeted that members of the aforementioned “Squad” should “go back to where they came from.” Always looking to outdo himself, he basked in the glow of the two-minutes hate as a North Carolina crowd chanted, “Send her back.”

Maybe it would help if we had Sarah McLaughlin sing softly over gauzy images of caged, gaunt Latino faces in a 30 second spot.

Perhaps traveling as far down the road to race-baiting as he ever has, and that’s saying something, Trump got exactly what he was looking for: the media and political elite went predictably apoplectic on Twitter (population normal humans: 0.) They were right to be offended at the president’s comments and right to say that kind of language has no business coming from the role we once called “leader of the free world.”

Beyond making the media, Democrats and other DC denizens tear at their clothes, Trump’s tactics provide him a twofer among conservatives and Republicans. First, those voters that have gone Full MAGA cheer as Trump once again causes the fancy-pants elite to suffer the vapors. The president keeps these folks held in tight, ready to fight for him next year.

It’s also an acid test for elected Republicans around the country: Will they push back on the president’s behavior and words? No, they will not, with the notable exception of Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI.) Former Speaker Paul Ryan would only voice his disdain after having been out of office for half a year. Even reliably milquetoast critics like Senators Ben Sasse (NE) and Marco Rubio (FL) are mostly MIA on this one. They’ve decided it wasn’t worth holding onto whatever was left of their spine or their dignity.

For Republicans running for office in 2020, their bed is made for them and Trump is the inn keeper. Their unwillingness or inability to show independence or common decency now means they will own Trump’s words next year when they face voters.

Let’s not forget those 200 million of us who are registered to vote in this country. This is what we’re left with. On one side, the Democrats held hostage by those who reside comfortably in safe districts and espouse policies that red, purple, and parts of blue America loathe. When they’re not offering bad ideas, they’re sparring like children in public, no one willing to be the grown up in the room. My way or the electric vehicle highway, as it were.

The Republicans provide little-to-nothing policy wise for anyone to support. They’ve embraced moral relativism and transitioned toward political nihilism in that respect. Scare them, piss them off, flash bright shiny objects in front of them and the tried-and-true, “at least we’re not socialists.”

The GOP leadership, from top-to-bottom is reaching peak retrograde Luddite status. They don’t like education, ’cause of the liberals. They don’t like the cities, ’cause ya know, them. They don’t like Democrats because they’re not part of the tribe and don’t love America the right way, or certainly not enough.

What we have here is not a failure to communicate by either side. The recent displays by both parties, in their own ways, are the latest, most ridiculous illustration that our political system, dominated by these two groups for 150 years, is broken. It is broken beyond reform. It is broken beyond repair. Only a new movement, new parties and new leaders will deliver us from the melodrama, mediocrity and mendacity with which we contend today.

Reed Galen is an independent political consultant. He worked for President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He left the Republican Party in 2016. He can be found on Twitter @reedgalen.