Watching a Train Wreck in Slow Motion

 A Train Wreck in SloMo

David Frum, a former Republican and conservative intellectual, has extensively documented and criticized what he describes as the

decline and "Trumpification" of the Republican Party over the past two decades. He argues that the GOP has moved away from traditional conservative principles and democratic norms, leading to an "institutional collapse". In November 2024, following Donald Trump's victory, Frum formally announced he was leaving the party.  

Key Arguments on the GOP's Decline:

 

Frum has analyzed the Republican Party's trajectory in numerous articles for The Atlantic and in his books, including Trumpocracy and Trumpocalypse. His key arguments include: 

• Move to the extreme: Frum argues that the party has been "radicalized" and moved away from the political center, driven by fringe voices and the "conservative entertainment complex" found on talk radio and Fox News.
• Rejection of governance: He contends that Republicans have stopped "taking governance seriously" and that their strategy often involves obstructionism rather than pragmatic problem-solving, which has eroded public trust.
• Rise of Trump and "alternative reality": Frum views Donald Trump not as the cause, but as a symptom of the GOP's failures. He describes the party and its ecosystem as operating within an "alternative reality" based on lies and "paranoid delusions".
• Loss of traditional values: Frum, who self-identifies as a conservative who believes in free markets, limited government, and American global leadership, has found himself increasingly at odds with a party that he believes shows contempt for democratic traditions, institutions, and even the military.
• Demographic shifts: He has noted the "diploma divide" as a significant factor in the political realignment, with the party relying increasingly on non-college-educated, working-class voters who have different demands than the traditional GOP base.
• Erosion of accountability: Frum criticizes the party's leadership and donors for enabling Trump's behavior and for failing to hold him accountable for his actions, such as efforts to overturn the 2020 election. 

Political Stance:

 

Frum's criticisms led to his forced resignation from the conservative think tank, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), in 2010 after he criticized the GOP's blanket opposition to the Affordable Care Act. 

 

He became a prominent figure in the "Never Trump" movement and announced in November 2024 that he could no longer be a member of a party that would elect Donald Trump as president after his documented attempts to undermine democracy. Frum's work consistently calls for a return to principled conservatism and the necessity of engaging with a broad spectrum of voters to form a governing majority. 

 

The object of Frum's criticism, in the meantime, has gone from the barely sublime to the truly ridiculous.

  

 US mid-terms are on Tuesday, November 3rd.  Predictions are that the Republicans will suffer major losses.  We will check back after the results are out.