Where’s the Republican Party?

I'm not especially worried about Trump steamrolling democracy, but if he does it will be down to one thing: The Republican Party rolling over and playing dead for anything Trump does.

Pardoning all the J6 insurrectionists? Meh. Shutting down the NIH? Yawn. Huge tariffs on two of our most steadfast allies and neighbors? Whaddayagonnado? Firing everyone associated with investigating or prosecuting J6ers or Trump himself? Well, he's the president. Halting funding for programs that you yourselves authorized a few months ago? Everyone does it. Elon Musk and his crew mysteriously taking over the Treasury's payment system? It's all fine. We trust Elon. Threatening Denmark over Greenland? Boys will be boys. Removing mpox from the CDC site because it's mostly a virus of gay men? Huh. Starting up a scam crypto empire right before the inauguration? Man's gotta eat. Opening the floodgates on two California dams in winter and sending billions of gallons of water south to soak into a dry lakebed and be wasted—all on a whim? I'll have to get back to you. Pardoning the founder of the most notorious online drug trafficking site on the planet? Uh huh. Nominating half a dozen singularly unqualified nominees to run critical government departments? The president should get the staff he wants. Ending Secret Service protection for a few people he personally dislikes? Whatevs. Gulf of America? Why not?

With a few exceptions I can count on one hand, no Republican has raised so much as a peep about any of this. Trump is the boss and that's that. It's a poltroonish performance of astonishing depth.