Like many, I watched the events of the Republican National Convention. When the final vote was tallied — a formality, we all knew how it would unfold — we had a new nominee. Not just a new nominee, but a new kind of nominee, one who has never toiled at the local level, one whose campaign was unconventional to say the least, one who proclaims to be the only path our Grand Old Party has to a successful future, November and beyond. He’s known more for his personality than his policies, his brand name than his good name, his lip service rather than any public service.
As recent events have unfolded, it’s made me think and analyze what happened. Then it hit me! With all the talk of business acumen and toughness, I have witnessed the greatest hostile takeover the political free world has ever seen.
Many believe those of us involved in politics can benefit from applying sound business principles. I couldn’t agree more. But as surely as we can learn from the success of businesses, we can likewise apply the failures of the business world.
In January of 2000, the deal of the century was announced. AOL, the new media brand that made its grammatically incorrect “You’ve got Mail” as ubiquitous as those CDs we received in the mail, was acquiring the old media company Time Warner for more than $160 billion, creating a new $350 billion entity.
The vision for the new AOL Time Warner seemed clear. Tapping into AOL and its demonstrated news media savvy, Time Warner could reach deep into the homes of millions of new customers — customers they could not get alone. In turn, AOL would use Time Warner's cable lines to deliver well-known and trusted brands of magazines, books, music and movies, content that had been created, nurtured and valued for decades. The new would take the old to greatness that it simply could not get on its own.
The result? As cultures, beliefs, personalities and visions were forced together, chaos reigned. Unity, progress and the platitudes of a greater tomorrow were nowhere. Subscribers and subscriptions, both old and new media, began declining almost immediately. Layoffs and uncertainty resulted. A January 2001 L.A. Times article stated, “That would bring total job cuts since the merger closed to 6,225.” The lives of many, who had given entire careers to their company, were at best uncertain, for many, unhinged.
Things never got better. AOL was dropped from the company name and later sold off at a fraction of its former value. Time Warner struggled for years to return to its prior status. On the 15-year anniversary of the announcement, AOL and Time Warner, now separated companies, were worth $3.6 billion and $68.9 billion, respectfully.
Why is this story of a merger-gone-bad relevant today? Because the party to which I’ve been a member, loyal volunteer, financial supporter and candidate, has been overtaken. The party that espouses limited government and personal accountability has been swallowed up by a phenomenon prone to braggadocios comments, personal attacks and unbounded self-promotion.
The name, beliefs and reputation — what the business world calls a brand — is now playing second fiddle to the name brand of Trump. The party — our 162-year-old Republican Party, valued by both Lincoln and Reagan — is being swallowed up in the $3 billion self-valued name of Trump.
What about the thousands nationwide who have worked to make the party what it is, or should I say, was? They built the party by volunteering in local precincts, getting out the vote, walking neighborhoods and manning phones for the people and the party they were part of. I’m worried for the hundreds of candidates “down ballot” in local, state and county races who are now tied to the demands of the new Trump Republican Party.
Does this mean I’ve abandoned or don’t support my party? No! I’m still a rock solid Republican and stand true to its principles and platform. But I am concerned about the rank and file of the party, those who hold dear the values, meaning and platform of the Republican Party. I’m concerned for those pushed away by statements made to generate ratings. I’m concerned about those who are unsure they can support a party whose top of the ticket is something they find repugnant.
How will this political merger end? Time will tell. Come November, all will know if the new brand of politics is here to stay or if it’s time for the party to recognize its error, quickly take the $3 billion write-off and rebuild credibility for its members, itself and its once great name, the Grand Old Party.
P. Bret Millburn is a longtime Republican and current Davis County commissioner.