Last night a friend and I were discussing how this huge mess of scandal and corruption might play out over the next year or so. It looks like the Republican party is reaching a point where they will have to cut their losses if they are to survive at all. Or is that just wishful thinking?
It seems there are a few potential scenarios to consider. Please add more if I've missed any.
- The Republican party sticks by Bush and their corrupt leadership. If their stranglehold on the press and discourse in this country remains effective, they might be able to ride out the storm and come through fairly intact. But if things go badly for them they might end up losing everything. Bush and Cheney impeached or resigning to avoid impeachment, DeLay and Frist convicted on criminal charges, and various other players knocked out of the game. Playing this hand to the end they could hurt themselves significantly. Worst case, the death of the Republican party.
- The party bigwigs and congressional leadership sticks with Bush, but much of the party and congress are so sick of things they decide to split and form a new party. This is pretty farfetched, but I still think it's possible.
- Republicans repudiate Bush to get on the side of popular opinion. Congress impeaches Bush and Cheney, investigates the Whitehouse's dirty dealings, etc.
I keep wondering about the timing and the upcoming mid-term elections next November. If the Dems take back one of the houses of Congress, well, there's going to be some big changes when investigations get fired up. If they take back both, I bet neither Bush or Cheney will serve out their terms.
The question is, does the GOP end up destroying itself, cutting out the growing cancer, or spawning a new party that isn't beholden to the corrupt money masters and the radical right?