Exactly 170 years ago, in Ripon, Wisconsin, the Republican Party was born. For 162 of those years, it got the big calls right. It was against slavery, socialism, and presidential overreach and in favor of business, sound money, and patriotism. Sure, it made mistakes, notably an extended flirtation with protectionism, but there were few more impressive parties in the world. Until 2016.
That year, the Republicans were taken over by a former Democrat who was openly contemptuous of their leaders, traditions, and principles. Where they had been for small government, he wanted to conscript the state to the culture wars. Where they had been for enterprise, he was for protected labor. Where they had been for free trade, he was for tariffs.
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