David Pakman

Remember when small government was like, we love small government deficit reduction like it's about grievance.

It's about culture war.

It's about are you with Trump or against him?

Now, even if we separate that from Trump.

He has still changed the Republican Party, the voices that are now in control of that party.

are not the voices of people like John McCain, Mitt Romney, William F. Buckley.

Forget about it.

That's too long ago.

But the point here is even Trump aside, this is a completely different party.

Now, look at what has happened to the Republicans who don't go along with this new version of the party.

Senator Jeff Flake, during Trump's first term, basically saw where things were going and he got out.

Liz Cheney.

lost a primary in Wyoming after Donald Trump weaponized the party against her.

Liz Cheney's wing of the party has been pushed out in any meaningful sense.

Adam Kinzinger, who I spoke to, has said he might come back to politics as a Democrat

Think about that.

A Republican congressman saying, I think my only future would be in the Democratic Party.

Now, I know that there are some in the audience who will go, that's because the Democratic Party has moved so far to the right.

No, I don't see evidence of that on policy.

It's that the Republican Party has narrowed what is even acceptable.