If the GOP abandons Trump, will he throw the entire system out of balance?

Balance in our society and in our lives is very important. We need a balanced diet to be healthy. We hear of the work-life balance at our workplaces. Our democracy is based on the balance of power between the three branches of our government. I also believe in the balance of our two-party system. I know in other countries there are three or even more political parties, but I still think in our democracy the two-party system works better.

This brings me to what I think is the biggest threat to our two-party system, Donald Trump. Some MAGA supporters are calling his third run for the presidency “Trump 2024 — The Revenge Tour.” I fear that is exactly his goal. His need for admiration and his anger and vengeance for the people who have scorned him is widely known by both his supporters and detractors. In the next 18 or so months to the runup to the Republican primaries I know he will not be adhering to Ronald Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment “Thou shall not speak ill of any fellow Republican.“ I believe the reason being is that he doesn’t care about the GOP, our country or anything but himself.

The GOP did not turn on him when he politicized the pandemic, or when he started an insurrection, or even when he removed top secret documents. They are beginning to turn now because he turned the "red wave" into a trickle. He is a threat to their power, to the balance going to the Democrats. He is taking the names of those who have turned on him. This next 18 months will be the revenge tour for sure, but against Republicans. He most probably will be the GOP nominee. If not there's speculation that he might start his own third party. Either way, a bloody primary season — and the vitriol spewed during it — will leave a foul taste in the voters' mouths and probably lead to an almost certain Democratic win. I do not want the GOP to self destruct, but I fear it will.

This gets back to balance. I believe in the balance of our two-party system. Balance creates compromise and compromise gets things done. I believe every informed citizen has both conservative and liberal views and we should all fight for that. Work on the immigration problem, crime in our cities, inflation, the high cost of college education, fixing our roads and bridges and the many other problems facing us. This should start with respectful civil discussion and not the tribalism and anger that is going on now. We can do this, I have faith in the American people and their desire for balance.

Brian Craggs lives in New Britain Township.

This article originally appeared on The Intelligencer: If the GOP dumps Trump, will he throw an entire system out of balance?