Beautiful Loser Syndrome (BLS) is when someone does something that they know will result in defeat because to do otherwise would allegedly violate their moral principles. “I’d rather lose than win by playing dirty,” is the often the refrain. Sufferers of BLS pride themselves on things like “sticking to their guns” and “taking the moral high ground.” Many of them imagine themselves as the type of person who may not agree with what someone says but will defend to the death their right to say it. In other words, it’s capitulating but being a snob about it. Given that you are a reader of this fine and august website, you’re intelligent enough to have already surmised that I’m talking about the Grand Old Party.
BLS is most often present when the person in question believes they are operating in hypothetical terms and realms, is lazy, a coward, or a liar who uses BLS as a pose. One of my most well-worn hobby horses is that when a group of people is doing something, there is generally some mix of motivations. Even at the individual level, someone can have multiple reasons for doing something, although one may weigh more heavily than others.
When it comes to those people who think they’re dealing purely in hypotheticals, they treat politics like a debate between Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris. Nothing about either of their lives is really going to change based on the debate outcome, barring a couple days where clips of the debate get passed around niche social media platforms. They see it as verbal jousting with a friend, as opposed to making decisions about the lives other people.
The GOP does the exact same thing with politics. They view arguing over legislation as a fun mental exercise, but they won’t go as hard as Democrats (because it’s rude or against decorum). They may lose the argument and the piece of legislation their debate team was told to argue against gets passed, but for most of them it doesn’t change their lives. They’ll still go back to their tawny DC townhouse until the session is over, then go back to their even snootier, upscale dwelling in, or at least near, their district. They don’t consider the consequences of things like inflation because, for them, it isn’t real. The price of food doubling doesn’t really change what their servants buy because their grocery bill is an insignificant fraction of their legal income. Not to mention all the bribes, kickbacks, sinecure jobs for their families, etc. It’s easy for them to look down their noses at those cheaters in the other wing of the Uniparty and comfort themselves (and their voters) by talking about how they didn’t compromise their values.
The lazy and the cowardly can be lumped in together, because they’re both using BLS for the same purpose. They can stand tall, proud of the sacrifice they’ve made for their voters because they didn’t stoop to the level of the people who actually won. They’re losing on purpose, you see. The lazy don’t want to go through the work of coming up with some opposing legislation, debate it on the floor, work with the other party, etc., so they simply refuse to compromise on moral grounds they actually have no interest in holding. They just don’t feel like doing their job. The cowards aren’t brave enough to have their names attached to a piece of legislation or some action, because it would mean they have now gone on record with a particular opinion. When that opinion becomes unpopular, they must defend it and that’s just too darn tough for those delicate flowers. Men far wiser than I have explained the cowards perfectly when discussing libertarians. They take the sidelines and pretend it’s the high ground.
The liars do the same thing but use BLS as a shield. They are no more interested in conservatism or protecting their constituents than a fish is fascinated by a telescope. These are the Republicans who are on the way to becoming “mavericks,” “moderates,” or one of the other euphemisms leftists use when describing a Republican that votes with the Democrats on everything (looking down into Hell at you, John McCain). They are simply at the point in their traitorous evolution where they’ll work to sabotage things, and then lie about their intention. These are either leftists who ran as Republicans because they were in a red district, or people who’ve been bribed and blackmailed into being liberal operatives in an elephant mask.
The lazy and cowardly can be cajoled or shamed into doing what’s right and the liars are a lost cause. The most dangerous form of this particular brand of idiot is the high-minded philosopher. They’re the ones who often lead the charge, allowing the lazy and cowardly to simply agree with them and sit back down. These political speculators often give the liars a position to take, with the additional insulation of not doing it first. They will allow their enemies to lead committees because it would just be mean to do otherwise. Attaching a poison pill rider to a bill is just playing dirty and that’s not “who we are,” or so they tell us. It isn’t hard to find examples of Lincoln’s Party failing, when they easily could have done one of 50 things Satan’s Party has done to change a rule or piece of legislation in the previous six months.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The only people who see these losers as beautiful are themselves. The enemy doesn’t even pay them lip service for their capitulation. They simply view them as conveniently weak and deserving only of derision. Most of the time, their reaction is the same irrespective of whether the Republican in question capitulated or resisted. This isn’t to say the enemy doesn’t appreciate the utter lack of effective resistance. Everyone likes an opponent who ties one hand behind their back and surrenders as soon as the fight starts. They just have no respect for it. Their constituents don’t cheer for their defeat, self-righteous and intentional though it may be. In fact, nobody really likes the Beautiful Losers, except maybe the wealthy donor-class and, of course, their opponents.
It was pointed out that states with bolder Republicans tend to be ones where the margin of victory for the Party of Stupid tends to be much smaller. I think this is because the representatives don’t have the luxury of being a shoo-in for re-election. When a state is basically run by one party, the threat of the other party taking a seat is low. When an “elected” official does what they’re told, they don’t have to worry about getting primaried, either. When there’s a chance that a state can actually change what color it is on the electoral map or a seat isn’t so sure a thing, the politicreature has to work a little harder and actually differentiate itself from the other team. It goes back to a lack of consequences and being able to treat it like it’s all one big game.
Excellent article pointing out the uselessness of the GOP or any other political party in the South.
Eventually , an alternative has to be birthed in Dixie, something distinctively not tied to imperial zeitgeist.
I was reminded to briefly check on Chris McDaniels, who is the candidate for Lt. Governor. He has clearly moved to the center, and he sounds like your typical cookie-cutter MAGA Republican. America first (Mississippi last). Nothing for the struggling white working class, only more NRA and anti-trans sentiment, and he prides himself on leading the way to overturning Obamacare (without offering anything as a viable substitute). He is again emphasizing individuality, but nowhere does he talk about family or a community of like-minded people. He poses in the picture with the American flag; the Mississippi flag is nowhere to be seen. He is ready for Washington, D.C., to ensure his retirement.