Sunday’s NYT Magazine had an interesting article written by a Yale history professor named Timothy Snyder called “The American Abyss.” Read it if you get the chance.
The centerpiece of the article is a distinction between GOP “gamers” and “breakers.” Is it accurate, and is it complete?
Anything that describes Mitch McConnell as a “gamer” (i.e., a Republican who recognizes the systemic advantages the GOP has, and uses them for all he’s worth) clearly has some merit. However, I think the distinction falls short in some respects:
- There are serious ideological differences within the GOP, reflected in my four factions, that the article doesn’t consider;
- Some Republicans are neither “gamers” nor “breakers”: Susan Collins and Mitt Romney, for example.
- Cruz, Hawley, and probably most of the House members who tried to overturn the election aren’t really “breakers;” they’re just gaming the GOP base for their own personal advantage. They didn’t anticipate or welcome the riots; they just thought they could suck up to the base and fan the flames without creating any negative consequences. They were wrong.
- There are, as the article says, plenty of “breakers” within the party, but the vast majority of them are voters, not members of Congress.
- Donald Trump, the Flight 93 president, can certainly be described as the ultimate “breaker.” He damaged our institutions without creating anything to replace them except a malignant personal cult; the vacuum is being filled by furry Vikings and Mr. Zip-Tie. Will we recover? Much depends on Biden’s political skills; if life improves in the next four years, and the extreme right feels less threatened, the answer will be yes.