As much as Donald Trump deserves scorn, the Republican party in the United States cannot escape the blame for providing Mr Trump with a bully pulpit to deliver his noxious and divisive brand of politics. Indeed, Mr Trump's peculiar political skill has been to amplify support from the extremes to which the Republican party has itself being willing to explore in recent years. Republicans, once a party of careful conservatism, have transmogrified into a seething mob of radical populists. Mr Trump may well leave them an electoral rump.
Sensible Republicans – and we'll get to the prevailing attitudes within the party in a moment – are rightly concerned about the consequences of the "shackles are off" civil war Mr Trump has now declared on the leaders of the party.
![Trump supporters cheer during a campaign rally in Cincinnati.](/web/20161029051801im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/2/c/0/5/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gs2pkq.png/1476596421070.jpg)
Faced with a gulf in opinion polls, fears are growing that Republican in-fighting could led to a stunning Democratic sweep at the November 8 election. The result might not be just losing the White House to Hillary Clinton, but the Congress, too, with a Democratic majority in the Senate and perhaps even in the House of Representatives.
Single party dominance, in any country, almost never leads to good policy outcomes. It is far better that an opposition party properly hold an administration to account, challenge majority decisions, and approach decision-making in the spirit of achieving the best result for the country. The same benefit from competition applies for elections, but it relies on candidates willing to deal with some semblance of reality, not peddle lies and abuse.
Mr Trump might appear confounding, for he prevailed in a democratic contest. But in stoking fears and prejudice, the primary contest has thrown up a demagogue. Republicans have continued to promote and defend Mr Trump, despite his manifest sexism and racism. Prominent Republicans such as Rudy Giuliani and Chris Christie have put loyalty to their party above the interests of the nation. They have missed the chance to proffer an independent alternative. By supporting Mr Trump, Republicans have knowingly put a madman at the wheel as they speed towards a cliff.
The damage from Mr Trump's dangerous invective looks set to be felt regardless of the election result. Ignoring standards of justice, he has blatantly accused Mrs Clinton of criminal wrongdoing. "She should be locked up," he has declared repeatedly at rallies in recent days. He has pledged, should he win the presidency, to appoint a special prosecutor to examine her affairs, having apparently pre-judged the evidence for himself.
Perhaps this is simply colourful rhetoric. But Mr Trump has gone further, not only questioning the legitimacy of his opponent, but questioning the legitimacy of the electoral process – and Republican leaders have done nothing to assuage the concern he has stoked. Mr Trump has implied the ballot will be somehow rigged against him. His vast conspiracy extends to blaming the media for scrutiny.
After the first broadcast of Mr Trump's woeful "grab them by the pussy" remarks about women, several Republicans seemingly abandoned his campaign – some even calling for him to withdraw his candidacy. Finally, this appeared to be a display of moral courage. But in an appalling flip-flop, some of those same Republicans crawled back to support Mr Trump when it became apparent he would not be dropping out of the race, but instead launching even more indiscriminate and incendiary attacks.
In nominating Mr Trump as the flag-bearer for Republicans, and stubbornly sticking by him as he has comprehensively debased democratic and civil norms, the leadership of this once grand old party has comprehensively failed. The hatred unleashed will have a corrosive and lasting impact.
The chance was there much earlier to say this man does not speak for Republicans. Except he does.