Friends, Last Sunday, on ABC’s “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos asked New Hampshire’s Republican governor Chris Sununu about his recent switch from supporting former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination to supporting former president Trump.
Professor, I think this is the best thing you've written. It clearly and succinctly demarcates Sununu's words as the endpoint of the GOP as a viable political party in a democratic USA. When you are willing to trash the very principles of our form of government so that you may retain or acquire power, you are acting as any totalitarian, left or right, in any country in history. America was founded to repudiate that tradition, and therein lies its only true "exceptionalism". Sununu and all of his compatriot Republicans who have gone supine for Trump are not only treasonous cowards, they all display an incredible stupidity. They should know by now that everyone and everything Trump touches turns to shit, in the end.
When will Republican members of Congress put a stop to their extremist cohorts that are pro Russian? These idiots are deranged.
What has the Republican Party done to help the American people? No let’s impeach someone for no reason!
Here’s some of their ideas: American Greed
* Republicans pass bills that increase the wealth of the richest = the most lopsided income equality in history! A budget deficit of more than 30 trillion!
* Their plan to solve this problem-eliminating the entitlements, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, all the programs that help us Average Americans!
Oh Professor I am feeling so discouraged right now I just don't know what to do. Your wonderful but deeply worrying commentary on the State of our Nation is so frightening.
I know Biden is on offense right now, Trump is on trial, Simon Rosenberg is hopeful but I still see many worrying signs.
I have seen several posts on my Facebook this week of people deeply in despair over the price of groceries. One woman was in tears. Young working families just trying to survive. This scares me a lot. How do we address this?
I have signed up for weekly training with the State and National Democrats and I will ask them too. The Biden campaign needs to do a better job addressing these fears. I am very worried.
Thanks as always for keeping us so well informed and sharing your story too
I admire you so much. My love of politics has not diminished. I fell in love with the work of politics thanks to Barack Obama in 2008 but I never in a million years thought we'd end up in a place like this.
Thanks for publishing the Sununu dialogue. Truly shocking. Stephanopolis (sp?) forgot to ask, would he support Trump if he said Sununu's wife was ugly?
The very fact that sununu responded that people don't like the position that donald trump is in with all it's illegal and crimes, but will still vote for him is even more frightening. DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO JAIL, eventually, a place that he earned by all the indictments against him. Trump is a liar, a sociopath, and apparently lives in a fantasy world of his own creating. LONG LIVE JOE BIDEN AS PRESIDENT.
I asked this in another substack a few days ago but I also want to ask here: Do others think, as I do, that Sununu is hoping to be the VP pick? He decided last year not to run for reelection as governor this year, so this isn’t a fear of retribution at the polls. I don’t know enough about him to know if he hates Biden, or democrats in general, so perhaps that’s it. Or maybe he’s one of those who thinks they can fix someone else, be a more moderating influence on Trump if he’s the VP. Look how well that worked out for Pence, who was in serious danger of his life by the end. What do others think?
And as always Robert, thanks for the great perspective.
i actually think that the fallacy here, which we are all seeing play out in real time, is the ideology that america "needs a strong two-party system in order to survive" ... the fallacy being that a two-party system is inherently endangered to fail ...
if we are to actually try to make this country an actual democracy, we need a healthy, functioning multi-party system ... now, how do we get to that ??? ... that's another story, & frankly, that's where the powers that be really must be focusing on (although they're not -- in part because the focus of this election has to be to prevent america from fully falling into a fascistic regime) ...
we have seen time and time again how americans feel that they must choose between "the lesser of the two evils" ... the real problem is the illusion that there can only be a viable choice between two warring, dichotomous political parties ...
in the meantime, it is essential for democrats to get elected into offices nationwide, particularly in smaller state government positions (hello, arizona) ...
it is up to the people to fight for democracy ... i hope that the people are up to this essential fight ...
Robert Reich, this was SUPERB! You have exposed the utter ugliness of the present Republican Party. It has become a festering boil that continues to infect. It reminds me of the words Sen. Joseph McCarthy was asked in the hearing, “Have you no sense of decency?” The Republican party has lost its sense of decency.
Unfortunately, those who could save it are jumping ship in disgust.
On March 26, 2024, the Monmouth University Polling Institute published a limited survey showing that 34% of Americans would like to settle in another country—up from 10 percent of Americans asked by Gallup in 1974. In 2019, after enduring 21 months of the Trump administration, I decided I would emigrate to Europe out of genuine fear of what the rising power of the Far Right would do to me (a Gay Progressive), to Women, and to ethnic minorities. My instincts have proven correct. At 80 years now, I just can’t risk spending the remainder of my life in an illiberal, authoritarian country, but I continue to vote from abroad and donate to politicians I trust, now only Democrats and a three Independents. The United States is no longer recognizable to me, but I will say that Joe Biden has been the best President in my lifetime and he and the present slate of Democrats have my full support. Support them in any way you can. It’s our future at risk.
Everyone needs to read this! When I saw that interview, I was floored! And scarier yet, the look on his face when he said it and repeated it! The big grin. Absolutely, evil.
The GOP is a CULT. Indoctrination probably consists of a powerful vacuum with a tiny attachment to suck out the tattered remnants of their sub microscopic cerebrums.
My hope is that eventually, when Trump is gone and his enablers have no one to bend the knee to, that they will cannibalize themselves out of existence.
This would hopefully open up the possibility of a new party more akin to the Republicans of yore, for as much as I disagree with their ideology at least they wouldn’t be trying to destroy democracy and the foundation of our country as a whole.
If I were to write here what I REALLY THINK, I would probably be arrested.
I will say, however, that Sununu is disgusting. He said he would support Trump if nominated, way back during the New Hampshire primary. I was dismayed then! Gov. KEMP of Georgia said yesterday, in defense of Speaker Mike Johnson, that "the bickering must stop. Enough is enough." That made me want to call him up and thank him for being a sane voice. He also said, in an interview in February, that Trump does NOT have immunity, that no one is above the law. One semi-sane Republican . . .
Professor, I think this is the best thing you've written. It clearly and succinctly demarcates Sununu's words as the endpoint of the GOP as a viable political party in a democratic USA. When you are willing to trash the very principles of our form of government so that you may retain or acquire power, you are acting as any totalitarian, left or right, in any country in history. America was founded to repudiate that tradition, and therein lies its only true "exceptionalism". Sununu and all of his compatriot Republicans who have gone supine for Trump are not only treasonous cowards, they all display an incredible stupidity. They should know by now that everyone and everything Trump touches turns to shit, in the end.
When will Republican members of Congress put a stop to their extremist cohorts that are pro Russian? These idiots are deranged.
What has the Republican Party done to help the American people? No let’s impeach someone for no reason!
Here’s some of their ideas: American Greed
* Republicans pass bills that increase the wealth of the richest = the most lopsided income equality in history! A budget deficit of more than 30 trillion!
* Their plan to solve this problem-eliminating the entitlements, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, all the programs that help us Average Americans!
Oh Professor I am feeling so discouraged right now I just don't know what to do. Your wonderful but deeply worrying commentary on the State of our Nation is so frightening.
I know Biden is on offense right now, Trump is on trial, Simon Rosenberg is hopeful but I still see many worrying signs.
I have seen several posts on my Facebook this week of people deeply in despair over the price of groceries. One woman was in tears. Young working families just trying to survive. This scares me a lot. How do we address this?
I have signed up for weekly training with the State and National Democrats and I will ask them too. The Biden campaign needs to do a better job addressing these fears. I am very worried.
Thanks as always for keeping us so well informed and sharing your story too
I admire you so much. My love of politics has not diminished. I fell in love with the work of politics thanks to Barack Obama in 2008 but I never in a million years thought we'd end up in a place like this.
God help us all. 💔🇺🇸💙
Infinite Praise, Robert. This is one of the best summaries of what is wrong in the USA today.
Thanks for publishing the Sununu dialogue. Truly shocking. Stephanopolis (sp?) forgot to ask, would he support Trump if he said Sununu's wife was ugly?
The very fact that sununu responded that people don't like the position that donald trump is in with all it's illegal and crimes, but will still vote for him is even more frightening. DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO JAIL, eventually, a place that he earned by all the indictments against him. Trump is a liar, a sociopath, and apparently lives in a fantasy world of his own creating. LONG LIVE JOE BIDEN AS PRESIDENT.
I asked this in another substack a few days ago but I also want to ask here: Do others think, as I do, that Sununu is hoping to be the VP pick? He decided last year not to run for reelection as governor this year, so this isn’t a fear of retribution at the polls. I don’t know enough about him to know if he hates Biden, or democrats in general, so perhaps that’s it. Or maybe he’s one of those who thinks they can fix someone else, be a more moderating influence on Trump if he’s the VP. Look how well that worked out for Pence, who was in serious danger of his life by the end. What do others think?
And as always Robert, thanks for the great perspective.
i actually think that the fallacy here, which we are all seeing play out in real time, is the ideology that america "needs a strong two-party system in order to survive" ... the fallacy being that a two-party system is inherently endangered to fail ...
if we are to actually try to make this country an actual democracy, we need a healthy, functioning multi-party system ... now, how do we get to that ??? ... that's another story, & frankly, that's where the powers that be really must be focusing on (although they're not -- in part because the focus of this election has to be to prevent america from fully falling into a fascistic regime) ...
we have seen time and time again how americans feel that they must choose between "the lesser of the two evils" ... the real problem is the illusion that there can only be a viable choice between two warring, dichotomous political parties ...
in the meantime, it is essential for democrats to get elected into offices nationwide, particularly in smaller state government positions (hello, arizona) ...
it is up to the people to fight for democracy ... i hope that the people are up to this essential fight ...
Robert Reich, this was SUPERB! You have exposed the utter ugliness of the present Republican Party. It has become a festering boil that continues to infect. It reminds me of the words Sen. Joseph McCarthy was asked in the hearing, “Have you no sense of decency?” The Republican party has lost its sense of decency.
Unfortunately, those who could save it are jumping ship in disgust.
On March 26, 2024, the Monmouth University Polling Institute published a limited survey showing that 34% of Americans would like to settle in another country—up from 10 percent of Americans asked by Gallup in 1974. In 2019, after enduring 21 months of the Trump administration, I decided I would emigrate to Europe out of genuine fear of what the rising power of the Far Right would do to me (a Gay Progressive), to Women, and to ethnic minorities. My instincts have proven correct. At 80 years now, I just can’t risk spending the remainder of my life in an illiberal, authoritarian country, but I continue to vote from abroad and donate to politicians I trust, now only Democrats and a three Independents. The United States is no longer recognizable to me, but I will say that Joe Biden has been the best President in my lifetime and he and the present slate of Democrats have my full support. Support them in any way you can. It’s our future at risk.
Two deceased Republican Senators from Arizona: Barry Goldwater, and John McCain would be shocked at Governor Sinnunu's response.
Everyone needs to read this! When I saw that interview, I was floored! And scarier yet, the look on his face when he said it and repeated it! The big grin. Absolutely, evil.
The GOP is a CULT. Indoctrination probably consists of a powerful vacuum with a tiny attachment to suck out the tattered remnants of their sub microscopic cerebrums.
My hope is that eventually, when Trump is gone and his enablers have no one to bend the knee to, that they will cannibalize themselves out of existence.
This would hopefully open up the possibility of a new party more akin to the Republicans of yore, for as much as I disagree with their ideology at least they wouldn’t be trying to destroy democracy and the foundation of our country as a whole.
So, how do we finally put the Zombie Party down?
If I were to write here what I REALLY THINK, I would probably be arrested.
I will say, however, that Sununu is disgusting. He said he would support Trump if nominated, way back during the New Hampshire primary. I was dismayed then! Gov. KEMP of Georgia said yesterday, in defense of Speaker Mike Johnson, that "the bickering must stop. Enough is enough." That made me want to call him up and thank him for being a sane voice. He also said, in an interview in February, that Trump does NOT have immunity, that no one is above the law. One semi-sane Republican . . .