“By what logic…

…or motivation or helpless surrender did we all, hour by hour, transport ourselves within a generation from the thrill of optimism at Berlin’s falling Wall to the storming of the American Capitol?”

“Political scientists have credited Gingrich with playing a key role in undermining democratic norms in the United States and hastening political polarization and partisanship.”

Two quotes, a question and an answer, that summarize my gripe about the current Republican Party.  
In my child mind’s recollection the debate that was between the parties was the Republicans resisting the increasing role of the national government and Democrats attacking the sharp edges of capitalism. 
Both parties freely claimed America is the greatest nation in the whole wide world. And were equally committed to keeping it that way. 

Now we have Republicans yelling MAGA like a battle cry. The thing about MAGA is there is not a breath of positivity in it. It is pessimism and destruction. Its program is democratic backsliding and the weakening of public institutions. 

America has evolved from being the greatest nation—the one that, with unified purpose, prevailed over godless communism to a nation in need of being made great again. 

“By what logic or motivation or helpless surrender did we all, hour by hour, transport ourselves within a generation from the thrill of optimism at Berlin’s falling Wall to the storming of the American Capitol?”

Jim Holland