I wonder if Trump will change the GOP?

[Kablooie]

Assuming Trump loses, which is becoming more likely every day, will his disaster change the way the Republicans act?
Will they continue blocking every single thing and keep trying to shut down the government every chance they get?
Will they keep wooing the worst of society as their base and maintain mindless brainwashing as their primary technique to gain votes?

This deliberate strategy has resulted in the most degrading and embarrassing campaign in American history.
So what's up for the future? More of the same or will they seriously try to work out compromises that achieve some of what they want along with some of what Democrats want?

Conservatives aren't going away. They are a major part of our country, like it or not, and they will have representation in government. It's hard to imagine them being responsible government representatives anymore though.

My guess is that they won't learn their lesson and the worst of their party will remain the driving force, driving the party even further into the mud. The relatively reasonable Republican voices will want change but they have made themselves too much of a minority to affect the direction of their party anymore. They could fall into such disarray that they lose all power until someday a new party forms to start again from scratch.
Let's hope.

[catbyte]

1. Sadly, I don't think they will have learned a thing. I think it might even get worse as they try to

keep a grip on power with their bony hands. I think the only thing that will stop them is when demographics overtake them and they are relegated to the ash heap of history--a fate they richly deserve.

[0rganism]

2. he already has

his loss will be complete and epic, but the loyal racist, religious fanatic & celebrity-worshiping followers with him at the end form the core of the Republican party going forward. the GOP will become, not a shell of its former self, but rather its ugly core exposed, appealing greatly to the racist and xenophobic portions of our society.

so where will the "responsible" conservatives go? why, to the Democrats of course. they'll eventually be trying for a hostile takeover from within the Democratic party, which will take years to execute, and they'll have no guarantee of success. in the meantime, the coalition of progressives, moderates, and emotionally mature former Republicans will give the Democratic party de facto status as THE center party in America.

alternates will arise naturally, as the "two party system" deals with the vacuum created by the failure and splintering of one of its primary members. the Libertarians should have an excellent stretch, and a few other right wing parties will come and go hoping to pick up where the GOP left off.

make no mistake: this is the beginning of a major political realignment, the kind that only happens once in a century. tRump's candidacy is not the cause, but it has been a catalyst.

[Skittles]

3. he has not changed them

he put a magnifying glass on them

[yuiyoshida]

4. This!

[Ford_Prefect]

5. He is the personification of their dogma. They will only perpetuate it further.

The GOP has no viable function other than to tear down the Republic and disable Federalism. That is the prime directive of the hateful party. As long as there are Capitalist interests funding this process it will not change.

The extremism of Trump has served to distract us. Many lesser evils now running for office at state and local levels seem tame in comparison. That is where the Dark Money is focused. From local school board and county commission to state assembly elections they are pouring millions into controlling local and state governments.

[Proud Public Servant]

6. The lesson they will learn

Is that they had the right message and the wrong messenger. That won't be foolish on their part. When Trump stays on message, he catches Hillary in the polls; when he goes off script or wallows in his personal grievances, we pull ahead. We should watch for, and frankly fear, Trump's message, toned down a bit and delivered by a professional, in 2020. My money's on Cruz or Cotton.

[pampango]

7. No. The change in the GOP created Trump. He personifies the tea party's conservative attitudes -

racism, misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, isolationism - kind of a John Birch Society writ large.

Their base is 'populist' in the sense that they don't seem to trust corporations (in their view, the wealthy elite) much more than they do government (to them, the liberal elite). They support Trump's "America First", though their definition of who are the REAL Americans who deserve protection is not nearly as inclusive as a progressive definition would encompass. And while they say they don't trust corporations either, they also oppose regulating, taxing or breaking them up.

While I loathe the idea of a Trump presidency and the 'collateral damage' that it would do to both Americans and people around the world, that would more throughly discredit the Trump/tea party brand of 'republicanism' than would a loss at the polls. His policy ideas are eerily similar to those of Coolidge and Hoover before FDR. The damage done by them to Americans was profound but they did obliterate the GOP for almost a generation - maybe for good if Eisenhower (the popular WWII general) had not decided to run as a republican and resurrected the party.

If Trump loses, their will be a fierce internal republican battle. "The relatively reasonable Republican voices" will see the danger of the Trump/tea party wing of the party, but IMHO the 'unreasonable' base of the party will win out. A good question is what do those "relatively reasonable Republican voices" do then. What can they do then? If a Trump nomination and defeat does not bring about a more 'reasonable' republican party, it is hard to imagine what will.

Trump himself will most likely cease to be a player, at least directly, but my guess if the tea party philosophy survives an electoral defeat. There are younger, more polished "Trumps" out there in the GOP. The tea party's ideas are more attractive to too many when they are out of power and the policies cannot be implemented, than they would be after being implemented for 4 years. As 'populists' they can claim that the election was stolen by the 'liberal elite'. They will 'prove' their popularity in 2018 just as they did in 2010 when most liberals stay home and don't vote.

[BlueCollar]

8. the GOP will not change despite Trump

The party has gerrymandering itself into a corner.

What I suspect is that some Republicans will seek to portray themselves as "moderates" and they will get re-elected.

Hillary's election is just the beginning of a two year battle to regain control of the Senate and the House.

I doubt that the party run by McConnell, Ryan is going to change.

[chelsea0011]

9. "conservatives aren't going away"......You are right and I see them impeaching Trump if he wins....

It would take all of 1 month for Trump to do something impeachable and conservatives would jump any hurdle to get Pence POTUS.

[duncang]

10. The gop won't change

They have had to shift to this base just to stay in power. If they move away now they will be losing voters. When the tea party came out they saw it. They knew if they didn't pull them in they would be losing. They do risk losing voters from the middle right though if they stay this course. But those are "soft" voters. One that may change to other parties or go democratic. If they lose hard core base that they have depended on to turn out no matter what. They know they also lose those who actively go out volunteering for the phone banks, make those donation, do the dirty work, etc.

[maxrandb]

11. No! WE can change the Re-Trumplican

by sending them to such a devastating wipeout this November that their choices will be change, or die!

[imanamerican63]

12. Simply put answer!

You can skin a skunk and it will stink more or less? The answer is it stink the same. The GOP has not changed for several years. They keep putting up people who linger in process of tearing America apart. Now, Trump is a different type of skunk. He is a thinned skin skunk, who can be dangerous and down right scary! He is no Pepe Le Pew. He is a con artist, an liar, hypocrite and a vulgar man. Wait! Did I just describe most Republicans? That really stinks!

[Xolodno]

13. Nope.

They've gerrymandered themselves into long term safe districts. And with Fox News, Rush, etc. whipping up their constituencies into a frenzy, they can't change.

The only way they can change is if Dem's take the state legislatures after the next census. Then again, they may just foam at the mouth even more.