These days, it just seems that we are thoroughly unable to get through a political week without some inexplicable bout of duncery gracing the headlines of our news feeds. There’s a line from Pirates of the Carribbean in which Captain Jack says, “Me? I’m dishonest, and a dishonest man you can trust to be dishonest — honestly! It’s the honest ones you have to look out for because you never know when they’re going to do something really…stupid.” I’m not sure if the Republicans are still honest, but they are stupid right now, their latest bout of which comes as of a few moments ago when they ousted Liz Cheney from leadership. The move is the latest in the increasingly discouraging trend of doing whatever Donald Trump wants, some of which is good, and some of which is bad.

This fits solidly in the bad camp.

Liz Cheney landed herself in hot water for refusing to endorse Trump’s line that he won the election and for (rightly) chastising his actions surrounding the Capitol riots. Granted, I don’t think Trump caused the riots, but you’d be hard-pressed to convince me that his rhetoric and pedanticly narcissistic refusal to concede didn’t inflame the passions of the crowd that day. Political parties are an organism, and a key role in the health of that organism is having some members who play the role of prophet or watchman or covenant keeper. Someone’s gotta remind the party when it goes astray and loses sight of the principles on which it stands. Sometimes, they will be dead right; other times they will be dead wrong. But they are necessary for survival. Else, you end up with demagoguery, which is neither advisable nor sustainable. Politicians ebb and flow, wax and wane, come and go. Principles can endure long into posterity and beyond.

Let’s remind ourselves of two facts. (1) The numbers just do not support the idea that Elise Stefanik is more conservative than Liz Cheney. Cheney ranks well with both Heritage Action (80% lifetime score) and American Conservative Union (78% lifetime score). Stefanik…not so much — Heritage Action: 48%, American Conservative Union: 44%. (2) It has been my understanding that one of the hallmarks of Republicans historically is that conservatives live primarily in that party, and conservatives have prided themselves on being the true party of tolerance. Leftists may preach it, but we act it. You can disagree with us all you want, but we’ll still talk with you; we’ll still hold that open line of dialogue with you. Now? We kick you out of party leadership because you tow an at-best dubious line from a former President.

Republicans are ever-more becoming the party (cult?) of Trump, and a move like this actually makes the leadership less conservative. The Republicans have an identity, and it’s not a particularly good one right now. Cheney will be missed.