the-law-that-ripped-america-in-two-

The Law that Ripped America in Two
One hundred fifty years ago, the Kansas-Nebraska Act set the stage for America's civil war

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-law-that-ripped-america-in-two-9972367...

It's true. One of the factoids I remember from the book The Origins of the Republican Party is that the Republicans started out as the single-issue "Anti-Nebraska Party." That was shorthand for "Anti-Kansas-Nebraska Act Party." Hardly seems like an auspicious beginning for a major party, but within two election cycles they had gotten a president elected.

And then they had a civil war on their hands.

And based on your reading of history and the emergence of Donald Trump, what do you see as the future of the Republican party?

Well, I'm not speaking for Muscogulus here, but it seems to me that if Trump does manage to win the general election, then the neighbours of the USA will cease to regard the USA as a progressive country, dedicated to the best interests of the ordinary citizen, but will regard it as a narrow and repressive oligarchy, dedicated only to the interests of the 1%. If the Republican
Party serves the interests of this oligarchy, it can count on oligarchic support for as long as elections are considered necessary to the aims of the oligarchy. (At this point my mind is invaded by the image of the statue in the Lincoln Memorial, but with Old Abe curled up in the fetal position, sucking his thumb)
Now, that's the worst case scenario (the WCS). For the American General election may result in a massive Republican defeat, with both Houses and the Presidency lost to the Democrats. In this happier case, the Republicans will split into perhaps as many as three angry factions, and take at least two additional general elections to constitute a serious threat to the reign of the Democrats.
The prudent side of my mind says some third condition will be the future of the Republicans..unguessable due to the chaotic nature of paranoid fantasies.

"as a narrow and repressive oligarchy, dedicated only to the interests of the 1%. If the Republican Party serves the interests of this oligarchy,"

Thank you.

Already is.

+1

I promised myself to turn off the radio and TV until after Labor Day so as not to be set upon daiy by the political film flam being offered to us here. I am trying, but thought to comment on this theme since it appears to be attracting much attention in the US. I remember some years back the same conversation about the Democrats post Reagan revolution. One can make the argument that Clinton's candidacy was only possible in a post Reagan world. Is that a possibility with the Republicans? The answer depends on whether Trump wins or loses I suppose, though either way the Party will mutate as the Ryan wing of the party, intellectually committed to a strong conservative philosophy and program will never, ever submit to Trumpian populist agitation. Rage is not a philosophy though it serves quite well as gasoline. Seems to me the Dems have a challenge as well as the Sanders phenomena pulls the Clintonian wing further left than it cares to, possibly subjecting the Dems to a perhaps a less bloody though no less destructive battle.