Donald Trump isn’t a conservative like Ronald Reagan who had a clearly delineated philosophy of building up our military to bankrupt the Evil Empire and implementing supply-side economics to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

Trump isn’t even a conservative, but he became a Republican out of political expediency because his racism and nationalism resonated with the white evangelicals who would tip the presidential election in his favor.

From the surreal moment when Trump descended the golden escalator at Trump Tower to announce his presidency by calling Mexicans rapists and criminals, he’s made racism the central focus of his political rhetoric.

But what were once dog whistles and winks and nods are now clarion calls celebrating white nationalism. In the time of a pandemic and a time of racial reckoning the stable genius is pretending the pandemic isn’t raging out-of-control and isn’t making any effort whatsoever to unite Americans.

Because the short-fingered vulgarian is sinking in the polls, he’s doubling down on racism: Defending Confederate statues, saying “black lives matter” is a symbol of hate, and posting blatantly racist videos on Twitter.

Trump is destined for an ignominious defeat in November, and if Republicans want to survive as a viable national party now is the time to reject Trump and his racism. But I don’t see that happening and for the foreseeable future the GOP will be tarnished by Trump’s racism.

If I’m wrong and Trump is reelected the American experiment will end and America will become the land of the fascists and the home of the racists.