Ever since Reagan, the GOP orthodoxy has been to support tax cuts and deregulation for business under every imaginable circumstance. There are two problems with this. First, it hasn’t worked, except to massively enrich the donor class; inequality has risen sharply as a result. Second, it is unpopular, even with GOP rank-and-file voters. For a politician, that is an even greater sin.
Historically, the party has compensated for the unpopularity of its fiscal policies by cranking up the culture wars. As recently as 2004, it succeeded. Times have changed, however; even social conservatives admit that they have lost the culture war, and view themselves as an endangered minority. What is more, the situation will only get worse over time, as the party’s elderly white Christian base dies off.
So where does the GOP go from here? If both parts of the bargain that represents the foundation of the party are electoral losers, how can the GOP ever hope to win a majority in the foreseeable future? More on that in my next post.