Chronicles of American Politics: The Posters of the Chamomile Tea Party, 2010-2020

While the Democrat Party has remained one of compromise and moderation, in 1995, the GOP moved away from this centrist position, focusing on "winning" at any cost. Rather than representing a breadth of conservative thought, they began casting their votes as a united bloc (often forced by such schemes as Newt Gingrich's Contract with America and Grover Norquist's Taxpayer Protection Pledge). They also used parliamentary rules, such as the filibuster, to oppose almost all legislation put forth by the Democrats.

Not having much of a policy agenda to counter the Democrats, the Republicans became known as "The Party of No." And, as we saw in 1996, 2013, and 2019, they were willing to shut down the government to get their way. In 2010, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the GOP's goals clear when he said, "Our top political priority in the next two years is to deny President Obama a second term."

When debating public policy, emotions replaced facts leading to what many refer to as the Post-Truth era. Long before Donald Trump's rise to power, politicians began making outlandish assertions, devoid of any evidence, about issues such as rape and abortion. Most prominent was the 2012 statement by Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO). When asked whether rape would justify abortion, he replied that pregnancy from rape was rare, and "if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down."

I Just Wanna Win!, 2016

During the 2016 presidential election, in an ABC interview, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said the GOP would support Donald Trump if he were the Republican nominee. Then he stated, "Winning is the antidote to a lot of things." At the time, part of his statement was spin. Many Republicans were trying to find any way they could to stop Trump.

But Priebus' statement also reveals what was most important to the GOP (and to a lesser extent, the Democrats): winning at any cost. Voters were angry that both parties had ignored issues critical to them for years, like immigration reform, health care, and the fair distribution of wealth.

Translation of text at the bottom of the above poster:
YOU SHOULD SEE THIS FILM : A DOCUMENTARY FILM ABOUT WORLD JEWRY : AN IDEA FROM DR. E. TAUBERT. : DIRECTED BY FRITZ HIPPLER MUSIC BY FRANZ R. FRIEDL

The film was really spearheaded by Joseph Göbbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda.

Looking for Something Else, 2016

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump had controversial pasts, and many questioned how effective Bernie Sanders would be in the toxic atmosphere of Washington. Both parties are to blame for often putting forth lackluster candidates.

Governance has been impeded by "asymmetrical polarization." The GOP has moved much further to the extremes than the Democrats. And this makes it very hard for any compromise.

The Occupy and Black Lives Matter movements, to say nothing of progressives and blue-collar workers, were demanding significant changes: more job creation, racial and income equality, and a country where our tax dollars go to enrich our society instead of funding misguided wars and oligarchs.

The voters were sick of politics as usual. They were looking for something else: something the establishment was reticent to give us.

MY WAY is the American Way, 2016

Over the last 60 years, the political divide has only widened, as seen in the infographic video below. People who populate the ends of our political spectrum, such as those from the Tea Party and alt-right groups on one end and progressives and the Antifa on the other, made themselves heard this election.

People are angry and voicing it. And each has their version of "the American Way." But no one is winning. We don't talk to each other. We yell. Instead, we should enlarge our notion of the American way—of what we want this country to be. It's not just MY WAY. It's OUR WAY.

The first paragraph of the ad states:

"One of the most valuable defense weapons this country has is known to all the world. It's the biggest and most dependable telephone network on earth!—ready day and night to carry the calls that speed production and coordinate defense."

Part 1: Partisanship on Overdrive
Part 2: The Electorate
Part 3: Politicians and Our Political Process
Part 4: The Issues
Part 5: Post-Truth: The Contentious 2016 Election

Next:
Part 6: Post Election: Post-Truth Reaches New Heights
Part 7: Immigration, Obstruction, Redaction, Oh My!

Download a brief bibliography of topics covered in this exhibit.