I Worry About Trumpism. But Is the Republican Alternative Brownbackism?

Yes, Donald Trump has ignited a renewal -- or a revelation, if you will -- of white nationalism and misogyny at the core of the GOP. But should we wish they'd go back to the old GOP? 

Kansas under the Brownback Economic Miracle™.

Paul Krugman flagged this notion on his Twitter feed today, that if we're horrified at Trumpism, which many voters, especially women, are, then where would we want the Republicans to go, back to the policies of Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas, who after taking over there propelled the state into a deep economic funk through his large tax cuts for the wealthy and spending cuts on infrastructure, education, and social services? I don't think so.

Krugman linked to a smart political blog called Lawyers, Guns, and Money where lead blogger, Scott Lemieux, posted this new data from the Philadelphia Fed:

The Philadelphia Fed released coincident indices today. Figure 1 shows state-by-state 3 month trends. Needless to say, the outlook for Kansas — that laboratory for supply side nostrums — is not auspicious.

While Alaska seems to be in the running for worst performing, in fact the 3 month (annualized) decline of 4.5% for Kansas is the worst in the 50 states.

As Lemieux points out, this is essentially the same approach that Paul Ryan takes in his A Better Way economic plan. Google it if you've got the stomach.

So, as we head into the sunset of another presidential election -- hoping Hillary pulls it off! -- we don't just have to worry whether or not Donald Trump has done lasting damage to the GOP, we also have to worry that a return to anything resembling the Old Guard will be quite nearly as bad.

Don't hope for the old Republican Party same as the new Republican Party to make a comeback. Just hope that they both collapse and a new other major political party (you can even call them Republicans!) replaces the limping, barely breathing mess that is the GOP today, even as it prepares for life with Hillary with crazy threats of INVESTIGATING HER FOR YEARS. Jason Chavettz (R-Utah), head of the House Oversight Committee has made just such a threat, and he has the support of House Speaker Paul Ryan in this effort.

The expression "good grief" is not nearly strong enough to convey how horrible such a reaction to a Hillary Clinton victory might be. So I'll just offer a HOLY FUCK! instead.