Charles Milliken: Republicans are a house divided

Jesus is quoted in the Good Book saying on several occasions a house divided against itself cannot stand. His words come to mind as I survey the current political scene, and note, on issue after issue, polling indicates voters much prefer the Republican stand. Whether it’s the economy, inflation, the border, or energy policy significant majorities say they trust Republicans more than Democrats, and it has been thus for quite some time. So an obvious question suggests itself: why are not the Senate, the House, and the Presidency in the hands of Republicans, instead of a tiny majority in the House and everything else run by Democrats? I suggest there are three reasons.

First, although Republicans have the favor of the electorate on nearly every issue, there are issues where the GOP holds a minority position, and from time to time the election swings on that one minority issue. You may recall 2022 which was supposed to be a red wave, given the poll numbers.

But, Roe v. Wade having just been overturned, abortion was front and center THE issue. The majority of the American people, for assorted reasons, want dead babies. Democrats are fine with that — indeed even celebrating a “woman’s right to choose.” Besides which, the world will be a better place without so many little carbon footprints running around. Ex post facto birth control also comes in handy from time to time. Republicans, overwhelmingly, are the party of life — or at least SOME restraints on abortion. Since the Supreme Court ruled, every election about abortion has been won by those supporting abortion, and usually in the most extreme version: death for the child until the very moment of birth for any reason whatsoever. Abortion, for a determinate slice of the electorate, trumps (no pun intended) everything else.

Having mentioned Trump, this leads to the second reason: people run for office, not ideas. In a reasonably close election, the candidate matters. President Kennedy and glamor defeated cloth coat blandness. President Obama, despite being an almost complete neophyte, defeated two decent, but bland, Republicans. He, and those who supported his candidacy, understood the uses of excitement, and staged events and appearances accordingly. McCain and Romney never stood a chance.

Donald Trump, from his grand entrance descending an escalator in the Trump Tower, understands the uses of glamor and excitement. He filled stadiums, while Hillary needed rock bands to attract anyone to her rallies. He still fills stadiums, and his rallies are trademark events. Unfortunately, he is also his own worst enemy — but being polite, gracious, and forgiving would not likely continue to draw huge crowds. Every election cycle Democrats do all they can to personally attack whoever the GOP puts up — but Trump certainly gives them all the ammunition they could hope for.

Finally, and I think most importantly, there is the contrast between the parties with respect to organization and discipline. The Democrats, for quite some time now, have been remarkably united in action. Some candidates, in close districts, portray themselves as independent of the party line. Once elected those candidates vote 99% with whatever the majority wants, or needs. The Republicans, however, are often split seven ways from Sunday, as the past year or so in the House abundantly illustrates. The Democrats hew to an ideological line: socialist, culturally neo-Marxist, extreme environmentalist, and unwavering belief in a large, intrusive, and dictatorial administrative state. Did I mention abortion?

The Republicans have no such bright lines. Some are conservative, some are libertarians, all have varying attitudes toward big government. Some Republicans — the majority — believe America has an extremely important role to play in the world lest death, destruction, and chaos reign. Others are more or less isolationists. Dems will stand behind President Biden unless it becomes obvious that he cannot continue in office. Republicans, however, are split between the majority solidly behind Trump, and a minority of bitter-enders known as “never Trumpers.” To my knowledge, there are no Democrat “never Bideners.”

The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, echoed Jesus’ words. Where is the Republican Lincoln today?

— Charles Milliken is a professor emeritus after 22 years of teaching economics and related subjects at Siena Heights University. He can be reached at milliken.charles@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Charles Milliken: Republicans are a house divided