This is why I will endlessly critique what I view as entirely too mild and too muddied critiques of Trumpism from like 3 members of the Republican delegation:

The question you should ask is who the right kind of person would be to make a particular criticism for a particular audience, at that particular time.

— Adam Gurri, Stop Putting Money in Andy Ngo’s Pocket

These are the people to be making clear the total unacceptability of Trumpism. They are the ones that need to draw the clear line, and show how the current GOP movement crosses over to fascism. Romney has come closest to fulfilling that role. Hell, even Paul Ryan came out of nowhere and did a slightly better job. But for the most part, the people I know who are center-right are not doing a good job. Many of them will say the right thing, but they’ll also overly shower praise on tepid statements from moderates that fall far short of the repudiation that’s required. They won’t hold their own best standard bearers to account for not going far enough.

It means next to nothing for me to say words like fascism and sedition. Anyone who is listening to me, anyone who trusts me, they know we crossed a line a long time ago. The weakness of institutional republicans is a key element to Trump’s ascendency and maintenance of power and influence. And the truth is, that weakness comes from being built on a rotten foundation. Without any kind of old institutional power, the GOP is no longer grand, nor old, but instead, a new party taken over from within. The GOP is dead, long live the GOP.

The center right needs to accept this reality, defect, and build actual standard bearers with a real chance of challenging Trumpism and the left (if, in fact, their beliefs are still counter to the American left).