Arthur Ahrens of Branchport is the author of this article which is published here with permission. Views expressed by contributors are their own.
Traditionally, the run-up to a convention sees a party attempting to tame rival factions and unite around a dynamic vision for the future. Instead, Republicans have spent the summer in a self-immolating downward spiral. — Tim Alberta, Politico Magazine
A party’s platform is the document in which the Party states its principles and what it stands for. In the past the Republican platform has made clear it stands for the rule of law, free markets, fair and simple taxes, religious freedom, home ownership, entrepreneurship, the Second Amendment, banning abortion, fair elections, and much more.
No longer. In 2020, the Republican Party states that it has no principles, at all. With the exception of enthusiastic support for Trump. No rule of law, free markets, taxes or anything. It has wholly become a party of personality. The Party of Trump.
The Republican Party is Dead. The Trump Party is alive and well.
About the platform:
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/08/republican-national-committee-2020-platform-trump.html
About the future of the Republican Party:
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/08/24/republicanmeltdown-trump-convention-400039
New NY 23rd 
As the GOP didn’t remain as the Goldwater Party after Goldwater’s defeat, it is not sure to remain the Trump party after DJT sooner or later leaves the stage. Traditional Republicans may reclaim power in the RNC. As Arthur suggests, we must wait and see.
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Some real excertps from the Republican 2016 Party Platform:
The President and the Democratic Party have dismantled Americn’ (sic) system of health care….
The President and the Democratic Party have abandoned their promise of being accountable to the American people.
They have nearly doubled the size of the national debt.
That’s a small sample. Read the entire platform at:
https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/7019-republican-platform/cc2c15a0e1b432d6964b/optimized/full.pdf#page=1
The Republicans had originally just copied the 2016 platform and pasted with some small edits as the 2020 platform. Apparently, someone can read, and disposed of that effort, quickly and quietly. And so we have the present 2020 Republican platform.
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David Frum writes: “The Republican Party of 2020 has lots of ideas. I’m about to list 13 ideas that command almost universal assent within the Trump administration, within the Republican caucuses of the U.S. House and Senate, among governors and state legislators, on Fox News, and among rank-and-file Republicans.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/new-gop-platform-authoritarianism/615640/
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Trump is the inevitable conclusion of the Reagan Revolution. Recall Ronnie’s inaugural address: “Government is the problem.” Anarchists at heart.
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I would argue that Trump is the tool that is being used to complete the Reagan Revolution. Little of the country that I grew up in remains today. If Trump is reelected, I can kiss even that small remnant goodbye.
Wife and I have started looking overseas. A Trump win, and we will seriously consider leaving the land of my birth.
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What I remember of Reagan:
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Good article from The Atlantic. Thanks.
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“Government is the problem”…Ronnie Reagan inaugural address. Isn’t this anarchism? No government?
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