Walsh’s Challenge to Trump Shows GOP ‘Never-Trumpers’ Like to Lose
At first, I couldn’t muster much interest in the relatively irrelevant news that Joe Walsh plans to mount a primary challenge to President Donald Trump in 2020. Au contraire. It serves as a great example of what seems to motivate the anti-Trump Republicans in our midst.
Walsh, a one-term Congressman from Illinois (2011-2013) made his announcement on “This Week” with George “Step-on-all-of-us,” using old, tired Democrat talking points to explain why he despises Trump. He added his own blend of hubris in speaking for the entire Republican party despite reality and facts:
“…in the Republican party, everybody believes that he’s unfit.” and, “The country is sick of this guy’s tantrum, he’s a child,”
One can argue whether it’s 89% or 92% but it is a fact that Donald Trump is immensely popular in his own party. He has succeeded in advancing exactly the conservative agenda that establishment Republicans have endlessly promised but failed miserably to deliver.
While enjoying an endless stream of money and volunteer support, these career politicians would have continued to make the same empty promises had it not been for that “uncouth” Donald Trump. The base would still think they are the only ones uniquely qualified to be lawmakers since they know how business gets done in Washington. It is to their benefit to make sure nobody else knows.
Joe Walsh is willing to sacrifice Trump’s dramatic and measurable successes on the economy, for free markets, and for the conservative platform because he wants so badly to get rid of Trump. Democrats, of course, completely agree.
Walsh also said in his yawner of an announcement that, “He (Trump) lies every time he opens his mouth.”
That took particular chutzpah since Trump has thoroughly exposed some of the biggest whoppers the “Republican elite” have ever told. They led their supporters to believe they wholeheartedly support conservative principles and if they are continually elected, they’ll work tirelessly to implement them. They can only do that if they win the majority and they’re committed to that too.
“Never-Trump” Republicans have done their share of manufacturing gobs of hatred for this President. Some actively obstructed his agenda even when they held the majority in Congress. Despite their claims, it is not Trump’s lack of gentility that has so outraged them. It is precisely his warts-and-all authenticity that has revealed how phony their “gentility” has always been.
Why would Joe Walsh set himself up for such an obvious loss in the face of Trump’s enormous party support? I submit that it is because he and his dwindling band of “Never-Trumpers” have been pushing an “America loses” policy for longer than we’d like to admit.
No issue makes this more obvious than the red hot topic of illegal immigration. The commonly-held belief is that US Chamber of Commerce supported Republicans want more illegal immigration because they want cheap labor. It’s hardly a secret as well, that Democrats want open borders so they can import a new underclass of voters who will be dependent on government and therefore, can be relied upon to vote Democrat.
If most everyday Americans know that, how is it remotely possible that Republican establishment politicians do not? One would have to come to the unpleasant conclusion that these politicians don’t care whether they become a permanent minority or not.
In 2016, a President came along who had never run for public office and went on to make history by besting them all. He’s the epitome of the capitalism they have claimed to support. Apropos of that system, he doesn’t like to lose. There were enough people who believed that he wanted to win for America too. It is obvious to more fair-minded people than ever that he has never wavered from that promise, but rather than cheering, Republican elites have never wavered in their hatred of Trump. “How dare you win? —and with so few manners?” they cried.
If Trump were a dutiful globalist, they wouldn’t care a bit about his manners.
So, what do we do about this small group of elitists who are so accustomed to losing?
Keep them happy. Keep beating them.
photo credit: Gage Skidmore Joe Walsh via photopin (license)