Lewis: Is Harris now more Republican than Trump?
Most words in the English language have a fixed meaning. If you look at a dictionary from the 1800s, it will reflect the current meanings of most words. In politics, however, that is not the case. The meaning of what it means to be conservative or liberal, left or right, or Republican or Democrat can change significantly over time.
A simple case in point. You might find it hard to believe that it was a (6-3) Republican-led majority Supreme Court that, in 1973, established Roe v. Wade and women’s abortion rights. The majority opinion was written by Harry Blackmun, a lifelong Republican. The key difference at the time was that theological and cultural issues had yet to permeate political party platforms so there was no party alignment relative to abortion rights.
The result. Republicans voted for Roe v. Wade based upon the core constitutional premise of individual rights. It is ironic that the party that gave women these rights would be the same party that took them away 50 years later.
I believe the change in the Republican party started in the late 1970s when Ronald Reagan courted votes from Christians then known as the “moral majority.” At this point, cultural alignment started to become a significant element of party platforms. What Reagan started was turbocharged a thousand times over with Donald Trump’s MAGA precept that America’s culture was being eroded. Culture wars became a prominent part of the Republican platform, effectively superseding other core values (like advocating for individual freedoms) in favor of legislating evangelical Christian values.
Today, we are witness to what on the surface might look like crazy behavior. Staunch conservatives like Liz Cheney are supporting the Democrats. This may seem strange, but it is just a logical decision. She is choosing the most “Republican” candidate.
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Trump has chosen to abandon many if not most traditional Republican values — trading capitalism and constitutional norms for nationalistic and populistic approaches. There are many policy examples: from Trump calling for the abandonment of the Constitution, to blocking the Republican-led border bill, and his refusal to say that he wants Ukraine to win against the Putin-led Russian dictatorship.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that Kamala Harris and the Democrats have become “conservative.” They are still miles away. What has happened is that the Trump platform is now supporting policies that are even further distant from “classic” Republican doctrine than the Democrats.
For Cheney and many other traditional conservatives, including myself, there is no ideal choice. It comes down to a “least bad” type of decision. While I would prefer a Reagan-esque approach towards global conflicts, Harris’ approach is far better than Trump’s “let the dictator win” laissez-faire style.
Many believe that because he inherited (and did not break) a good economy in 2017 that economic salvation will automatically happen if Trump is office again. Most experts say that just won’t happen. His proposed tariffs, which are really just huge national sales taxes, go against both the classic Republican stance of supporting globalism (versus protectionism) and are universally opposed by economists. While I would prefer a more fiscally conservative policy than either candidate is espousing, I, along with economists like those from Goldman Sachs believe that the economy will be better off with Harris.
To me, one of the most disturbing parts of the new Trump-Republican ethos is simply the unwillingness to work with the facts of a given situation. He has promoted a known baseless “pet eating” story stigmatizing legal immigrants even after being slammed by the Republican governor of Ohio. Based on a story that its creator now admits was 100% false, Trump has crowds cheering for the removal of immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, who are here legally.
I understand the need to deal with illegal immigration but expelling those here legally makes you wonder — who would be next? Reagan, who understood the value of immigrants, is rolling over in his grave.
While the Democrats are still miles away from what I would prefer, under Trump, Republicans have moved to another planet. Given that the race is so close, there is no doubt that many prefer this “new” Republican party but for me and many “classic Republicans,” it’s like saying goodbye to an old friend.
Mark Lewis, a Colorado native, had a long career in technology, including serving as the CEO of several tech companies. He’s now retired and writes thriller novels. Mark and his wife, Lisa, and their two Australian Shepherds — Kismet and Cowboy, reside in Edwards.
