Republican Party Offers Little Tolerance for Moderate Views
Divided Republican Party: A Look at the Major Factions
The Republican Party, once a unified force, is now a melting pot of diverse ideologies, as evidenced by the five irreconcilable factions that have emerged. These groups, each with their unique political views and priorities, are shaping the future of the Grand Old Party.
- MAGA (Make America Great Again) Faction
- This faction, closely aligned with former President Donald Trump, dominates the party’s leadership and agenda. They emphasize strong nationalist and populist policies, strict immigration enforcement, election security efforts, and aggressive opposition to establishment Republicans or those seen as insufficiently loyal to Trump’s agenda.
- Libertarian Faction
- Rooted historically in fusionism and influenced by Barry Goldwater’s legacy, this faction supports limited government intervention, especially in personal freedoms and economic policies. They favor legalization of marijuana, support of LGBTQ rights such as same-sex marriage, strong gun rights, opposition to mass surveillance, and reform of laws like civil asset forfeiture. However, they are divided on abortion.
- Establishment/Traditional Conservative Faction
- This group represents more traditional Republican conservatives who emphasize fiscal responsibility, free markets, and often a more cautious approach to social issues. Although not as prominent as the MAGA and libertarian wings currently, they constitute a potential alternative background for future leadership if Trump’s influence diminishes.
These factions highlight the growing ideological fragmentation within the GOP, especially the tension between MAGA populism and libertarianism, coupled with the marginalization of traditional Republican moderates.
In the midst of this divisiveness, John Kasich, a business-oriented Republican, delivered a speech in New York, criticizing the current state of the Republican party and the candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz without naming them. Kasich suggested that some candidates feed off of fears and anger, driving America down into a ditch, and are not capable of making America great again. He urged national unity, stating that fear turns to hope when people remember to take strength from each other.
Kasich's proposals included a balanced budget, a freeze on most federal regulations, tax cuts for individuals and businesses, sending welfare, education, Medicaid, infrastructure, and job training programs back to the states, a guest worker program, and fixes to Social Security that would involve cuts. However, his conservative agenda, reminiscent of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, has been met with resistance from many in the GOP, particularly working-class Trump supporters who view it as inadequate.
As the 2025 election approaches, it remains to be seen how these factions will align and whether the Republican Party can find a way to unite behind a single candidate. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton's campaign may use Kasich's quotes in her campaign, as her new campaign commercial is called "Stronger Together" and focuses on unity and rising together economically and socially.
References: [1] The New Yorker, 2020, Link [2] The Atlantic, 2020, Link [3] The Washington Post, 2020, Link [4] The Guardian, 2020, Link [5] The Hill, 2020, Link
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