In his Substack titled, "The Convention Spoke and Told Us: The GOP is Dead," Kinzinger explained various examples of how the RNC demonstrated that Trump has succeeded in turning the GOP into a "cult of personality."
From that Substack article:
It was called the Republican National Convention, but in fact, it had nothing to do with the GOP most of us once knew. Gone were the party’s serious policy debates and platform planks. In their place was a celebration of Donald Trump, who has succeeded in converting one of the country’s two major parties into a cult of personality. When it ended, the delegates sent a ticket into the presidential election with no true Republicans on it.
. . . Because it is now the Trump Party, the crowd in Milwaukee lapped up Navarro’s message of fear which, after all, is the gateway to rage. Few noticed that, contrary to tradition, past Republican leaders – former President Bush, past nominee Mitt Romney, and former Vice President Dan Quayle – were all absent.
. . . I won’t hide the fact that I grieve the old GOP and fear the cult of Trump. I am equally concerned, though, by Democrats who are shrinking from the fight, concluding that Trump’s election is inevitable. I would say that given a remnant of traditional Republicans remains, and independents must be turned off by a Trump who wants to be emperor. It's time to gather our courage and energy. The fight against him is not lost.
The year is 1964. Republicans lose in a historic landslide. Democrats are poised to take full control of the Supreme Court and further entrench their congressional majorities. Pundits predict the end of the GOP and the dawn of a Great Society.
The year is 1976. Republicans are infested with Nixon-era scandal and Democrats are poised to pick up the pieces. Is there any path forward for a broken and humiliated GOP?
The year is 1992. Republicans fumble the Presidency, reversing a near unbroken string of White House victories going back a quarter century. News media questions whether the party can recover from a near endless string of scandals and a soured voter base.
The year is 2008. Republicans are routed from the House and Senate in a historic win for liberal Democrats. The Senatorial supermajority could pave the way for a Green New Deal and a permanent Democrat majority. Is the Republican Party doomed to become a regional rump?
The year is 2020. Turnout for a Presidential election hits a generational peak as Republicans are forced into retirement in droves. With Trump-mania still gripping the party and demographics forcing white nationalists into smaller, more regional minorities, will this spell the end of the Republican Party?
The year is 1964. "Tricky" Dick Nixon sets his sights on crime and undermining voting rights.
The year is 1992. Ross "Can I Finish" Perot spoils the soup for republicans who vow to never allow a third party conservative voice again.
The year is 2008. republiqans once again face the prosepect of themselves not having any fucking money - just like the goddamned Democrat poors. Better to let the Dems figure it out while we ensure the previous administration isn't literally arrested for crimes against humanity.
The year is 2020. Batshit insanity has enveloped the republiQan party like an orange cloud of airborne virus. The cult is complete, resistance is futile. Non-compliant republicans will be exiled. Plans to stage a coup are already well underway.
I mean, yeah, cretinous evil is tenacious.