Spoiled Power
Spoiled Power
Out with the old Boss and in with the New.
The Presidential rematch no one wanted, but everyone got is running neck and neck. Trump campaigns from the courthouse steps, and Biden indulges himself at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Meanwhile, citizens are concerned with rising inflation, global conflicts, and a rapid increase in technology. Our leaders are begging citizens to “save democracy” and protect the republic.
In the Atlantic last weekend, Charles Sykes challenged Republican leadership to follow our founder’s footsteps, put partisanship aside, and do what's best for the republic. Support Biden and condemn Trump. The article shares the story of how Alexander Hamilton put party aside, supported his rival Thomas Jefferson, and protected the republic from a possible King Burr. While the 1790s were ripe with partisan fighting, today, unlike then, our leaders struggle to cast party aside because of the spoiled system of power that has entrenched Washington for decades.
A spoiled system (also known as “spoils system”) is when power is concentrated in party bosses that reward personal or party loyalty over merit and loyalty to the constitution. It’s not Trump that’s killing the republic; it's the spoiled system of power. Trump is merely a symptom of the disease.
Sykes points out that while some like Liz Cheney have put the republic first, others like Bill Barr and Chris Sununu have hedged, calling Trump out for his corruption but still supporting him in the presidential race against Biden. For Republicans to put party over country, they need a plan that acknowledges the root of Trump’s power.
A spoils system doesn’t have to be used for personal gain; as Madison wrote in Federalist No. 10, “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” Republicans need a new party boss to save the republic and preserve the people’s check on power.
Nikki Haley can be that boss.
Former FBI director Jim Comey once compared Trump to a mob boss. He paints Trump as a modern-day Roscoe Conkling in his memoir, saying, “His leadership is transactional, ego driven and about personal loyalty." Trump is no Mafia boss; he is a party boss, and MAGA is his Custom House.
Trump maintains power over candidates in state and federal elections through endorsements and fundraising. The name of the game is loyalty. He scratches the candidate's back by endorsing and fundraising or agreeing to stay out of the way, and the candidate scratches his back by supporting or ignoring him.
Like Conkling during the Garfield administration, Trump’s brand is damaged. His campaign is hemorrhaging money on everything but elections. His damaged brand is now taxing down-ballot Republicans 5% “to use President Trump’s name, image, and likeness.” With all these problems, it’s hard to see how much help the old party boss can be to down-ballot Republicans.
Nikki Haley, on the other hand, is on the rise. She dropped out of the Presidential race on March 6th after raising $11.5 million in February. And that didn’t stop her from finishing with 16.6% of the vote in the Pennsylvania primary on April 30th. What Haley does with her money and time could decide November.
Haley should invest her time and funds with Mike Johnson to support down-ballot Republicans in the House that Trump wants to tax. Focusing on toss-up congressional races like PA-8 and CA-13 and dispatching the grassroots network created for Haley’s presidential run would help candidates win without Trump. Securing the House in the Republican's hands would ensure an appropriate check of power for a second Biden term. Congressional Republicans would no longer be indebted to Trump for office, shifting loyalty from Trump to Haley and Johnson and securing a proper check to a possible second Trump term.
Nikki Haley has the political skill and capital to rally congressional Republicans to a big victory in the House in November. Biden and Trump are weak and terrified to debate the real issues Americans face. Haley isn’t afraid to have tough debates. She speaks with rhythm and clarity. She relates to middle-class American families with folksy charm. Heading a modern-day whistle-stop tour through toss-up districts and communicating through local media outlets would allow her to reach her base audience and grow the republican majority, giving Speaker Johnson more power to check the executive. Whoever that may be. It would also make Haley the leading candidate for 2028.
The partisan divide has grown as the dependence on spoiled power has increased. Sykes is right to challenge Republicans, but we must acknowledge the elephant in the room. So many Republicans don’t want to support Biden because they fear what will happen to a spoiled republic under one-party rule. They believe Trump is a temporary block. But Trump is no Grover Cleveland; he’s more Teddy Roosevelt. However, unlike Teddy, Trump is an autocrat who works for himself, not others. If Republicans are to cast off the old party boss, they need a new boss to secure the people’s power.
Jeff Mayhugh is a Christian, the Founding Editor of Politics and Parenting, the President of East Coast Operations for No Cap Fund, the Editor at large for Freemen News-Letter, and a Contributor to The Hill, Newsweek, and The Blaze.