Recent U.S. election history shows the GOP holding onto power, not by majority vote, but via the electoral college.
In 2020, they have abandoned any direct offer to the voters of public benefit which would appeal to their rational self-interest.
Instead, Trump appeals via bigotry and contempt. He has abused power and acted illegally, according to the Government Accountability Office.
Yet, the GOP supports Trump.
Why?
I believe this GOP complicity is not merely passive resignation to Trump’s base.
Rather, this is a signal that the GOP no longer wants a vigorous voting citizenry; no longer wants opportunity distributed among our citizens.
They have not even bothered to put forward a new platform to appeal to voters in 2020.
Just as Trump’s dependency on Putin expresses his deformed admiration for kleptocracy, the Republican party’s complicity suggests a parallel interest in plutocracy, rule by the rich.
They attack the use of taxation to redistribute wealth as socialism, while they alter the tax code to concentrate wealth for their corporate donors.
And, as citizens sicken and die from COVID-19, Republicans worry only about corporate liability.
Plutocracy is moving like a shadow through all of our government agencies , but it is not enshrined in our law, not yet.
From the Republican perspective, that is what this election is about.
If the GOP wants to raise the false claim of socialism against the Democrats, then the Democrats should raise the accurate charge of plutocracy in response.
Judith Parker
Sequim