The Nov. 3 Democratic supertsunami proved that far too many Republican politicians have “dined with the devil” for far too long. They failed to heed the warnings of Republicans in Reality Only — the warnings of faithful-to-conservative-principles RINOs like Mitt Romney and former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot.
In a March 2022 Washington Post op-ed, Racicot stated: “Donald Trump does not possess the essential qualities of character to lead this nation, most especially in a time of crisis.”
He excoriated Trump for calling NATO “a paper tiger;” for his inane comments extolling Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as “savvy,” “smart” and “genius”; for his pathological mendacity; and for “his profound lack of knowledge or intellectual curiosity.” He also targeted Trump’s congressional supporters who continued to find humor in their leader’s tasteless insults or who continued to compromise their own moral principles in order to curry favor with Trump and his MAGA-loyalists.
He advised Republicans to heed J.M. Smith’s warning: “If you dance with the devil, then you haven’t got a clue, for you think you’ll change the devil, but the devil changes you.”
Far too many Republican politicians have also ignored a bit of folk wisdom: “When you dine with the devil, bring a very long-handled spoon.”
Having danced and dined with the devil for a decade, is there any hope that Republican politicians can reform their party from within? Or is the soul of the GOP already irredeemably consigned to Hell?
Andrew Bjelland, Salt Lake City