So, Steve Bannon is finally unwelcome within the Republican party. The President has given Bannon the treatment he reserves only for the worst offenders, claiming he had nothing much to do with the campaign. Next up, I expect to hear that Bannon’s primary task in the White House was pouring coffee.
Though, I of course share your glee at the downfall of an odious man, my relief is tempered by the knowledge of what it took for the Republican party and this White House to break decisively with Bannon.
Bannon and his media outlet Breitbart have been trafficking in racism and xenophobia for years. This was completely acceptable, even applauded by most in the Republican party.
Bannon and his allies (including the president) have never been shy about their goal, which is to Make America White Again. It is why they have targeted all forms of immigration. Most Trump policies are directly related to stopping brown/black/poor people from exercising their political rights.
The Republican party and its donors did not bat an eyelid at this.
Steve Bannon supported an accused child molester in the Alabama senate race. After some initial queasiness, national Republicans closed ranks around Bannon to “protect the seat”. Their thirst for power and lucre barely treated a child-molester as a speed-bump.
So what was finally so terrible that the GOP and its donor class have turned away from Bannon? It wasn’t his racism, or his white nationalism, or his advocacy for a child molester.
No, Bannon’s unforgivable sin was failing to demonstrate loyalty to the current power structure of the Republican party. He threatened the party’s agenda and its goal to create a permanent privileged aristocratic class in the US.
For that gravest of sins, Bannon was finally driven out of the GOP tent. This was done in a coordinated fashion, by both Republican politicians and donors who have funded and supported his racist, white supremacist agenda for years.
The Mercers, of course, are in the hedge fund business, and it appears they’ve been distancing themselves from Bannon ever since the tax-bill debate started and Bannon came out in favor of higher taxes on the wealthy and revoking the carried interest provision.
In the end, that’s what it’s all about, creating a new aristocracy behind gated estates, and relegating the rest of the country to the status of serfs.
So while we are hopeful to have seen the last of Steve Bannon and his unkempt visage, let’s not forget that the White House and much of the Republican party is still fully stocked with white supremacists and their allies. It starts with Donald Trump, but also includes Jeff Sessions, Steve Miller, John Kelly, and dozens of Republican senators and representatives.
Let’s resolve to rid ourselves of the whole lot.
Let’s go out and organize people and help them register to vote.
Let’ go out and volunteer for a campaign in 2018.
And for the country’s sake, let’s get out and vote.
— @subirgrewal | Cross-posted at NotMeUs.org and TheProgressiveWing