I'm Hoping They Haven't Learned Their Lesson

I feel somewhat certain that there is, generally, a script, but that Trump wasn't a part of it. Some people think he is, mostly because he is doing so well and the insults from the media and the elites seem only to serve his rising popularity. However, if you back at what they said about Ron Paul, you'll see they are basically doing to Trump what they do to anyone not part of the club.

Crazy, Racist, etc... It is all there, just ratcheted up, because Trump is so far ahead. And he is far ahead because of what came before. Ron Paul, or more precisely, the grassroots campaign to get him nominated, was perceived as the threat, so the party elites did everything they could do to shut these people out. So, what they had afterwards is the facade of consolidated power with fewer people than ever willing to actually participate. This isn't just about Ron Paul losing, mind you. This is about shutting people who spent a lot of time and energy following the party rules out. Romney could have treated them well, but he didn't. From what I understand, Romney actually thought he was going to win that election, and I have yet to hear him indicate any understanding of why he didn't.

Now, the thing of it is, what they did then set things up for the Trump ascendancy. They waged a political war against grassroots candidates, and then a billionaire comes along and runs right over them, because he can avoid all the barricades they made. They had no defense.

They still have some power, money, and influence. I am hoping they use it just as badly as they did before. If they try a third party run, well, they need to weaken the two party process. They've been responsible, all these years, for colluding with the Democrats and keeping other parties out. I am hopeful that they will take the bait and trash their own system- and Mitt Romney will probably be involved, just like he was with shutting out the Ron Paul delegates.

I hope they kill the existing two party collusion, since, in their arrogance, they probably think they can put it all back together after this particular 'crisis' has passed. After all, as we have seen, 'Republican' really just means them, and their club, not anyone else.

But if they, for instance, run third party, or engage in any sort of shenanigans meant to temporarily weaken the Republican party, then they very well create conditions via which others can created meaningful and lasting change.