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Colts' Rodney Thomas II drove over 100 miles to be with friend Damar Hamlin, talked to him in ICU

January 5, 2023 Published by

Indianapolis Colts defensive back Rodney Thomas II played with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School, and when he heard about his former teammate’s medical emergency Monday night, he jumped into action.

Thomas talked to reporters on Wednesday and detailed his own reaction to the entire ordeal. He said he did not realize what happened to Hamlin until his dad called him on FaceTime. He said he caught emergency personnel loading Hamlin into the back of an ambulance while Bills and Bengals players wept on the field. He got into his car and made the 111-mile trek to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

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Rodney Thomas II, #25 of the Indianapolis Colts, reacts after a play in the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 26, 2022 in Indianapolis.

Rodney Thomas II, #25 of the Indianapolis Colts, reacts after a play in the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 26, 2022 in Indianapolis.
(Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

“I had a goal,” Thomas said, via the team’s website. “I knew where I was going, so I just got on the road and I just went. Laser-focused.”

Thomas and Hamlin are really close friends and talked right before the Bills played the Bengals. When he got to the ICU, Thomas said he held Hamlin’s hand and just talked to his friend again while he was sedated.

“I know he could hear me,” he said. “Even if he couldn’t hear me, it didn’t matter. I said what I had to say.”

NFL HAS DONE ‘BEST JOB THEY POSSIBLY CAN’ TO PROTECT PLAYERS AMID DAMAR HAMLIN INCIDENT, FORMER STAR SAYS

Damar Hamlin, #3 of the Buffalo Bills, after a game against the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium on Sept. 19, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York.

Damar Hamlin, #3 of the Buffalo Bills, after a game against the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium on Sept. 19, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York.
(Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)

Thomas said the quick interaction set him straight and allowed him to breathe easier. He said it made the trip back home a lot better. He lauded Hamlin’s character and work ethic and believed Hamlin would eventually walk out of the hospital.

“No doubt in my mind,” Thomas said. “He’s a fighter. No other thought in my mind of him walking out under his own power.”

The Bills provided an update on Hamlin earlier Wednesday.

“Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight,” the team said

Safety Rodney Thomas II, #25 of the Indianapolis Colts, warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Nov. 13, 2022 in Las Vegas.

Safety Rodney Thomas II, #25 of the Indianapolis Colts, warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Nov. 13, 2022 in Las Vegas.
(Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

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“He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him.”

Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News Digital.

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California storm leaves at least 1 dead, brings dangerous flooding and powerful winds

January 5, 2023 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

Dangerous weather in California forced evacuations, knocked out power and left a young child dead. 

Evacuations were ordered in preparation for the storm, which was expected to peak into early Thursday, and authorities warned residents to stay at home ahead of the dangerous conditions.

According to The Press Democrat, in Sonoma County, Occidental Volunteer Fire Chief Ronald Lunardi said a child believed to be under 2 years old died Wednesday after a tree fell on a home. 

“We anticipate that this may be one of the most challenging and impactful series of storms to touch down in California in the last five years,” Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said. 

CALIFORNIA SHERIFF’S OFFICE SHOW EXACTLY WHY NO DRIVER SHOULD IGNORE ROAD CLOSED SIGNS

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in response to the storm, authorizing the mobilization of the National Guard and activating the state’s operations center to its highest level.

“California is mobilizing to keep people safe from the impacts of the incoming storm,” Newsom said in a press release. “This state of emergency will allow the state to respond quickly as the storm develops and support local officials in their ongoing response.”

Flood warnings continued through Thursday in the Bay Area and the National Weather Service office in Sacramento said showers and thunderstorms would continue to affect portions of interior northern California.

According to tracker PowerOutage.US, more than 180,000 customers were without power across the Golden State on Thursday. 

SAN FRANCISCO RACES FOR POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING BOMB CYCLONE THAT COULD BRING FLOODING, WINDS, MUDSLIDES

Winds gusting to 85 mph forced the cancelation of more than 70 flights at San Francisco International Airport. 

Firefighters there rescued a family Wednesday after a tree fell onto their car and the department reported that “large pieces of glass” fell off the Fox Plaza tower near the Civic Center and that it was “highly possible” the damage to the skyscraper was wind-related.

The city’s mayor, London Breed, told reporters that it was “preparing for a war.”

The atmospheric river storm also forced the closure of a stretch of Highway 1 in southern California, as well as a stretch of Highway 101 farther north.

The bomb cyclone came just days after a New Year’s Eve downpour led to evacuations in northern California and the rescue of several motorists from flooded roads. A few levees south of Sacramento were damaged, and at least four people died in the flooding.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

 

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Italdesign Climb-E Shuttle Concept Can Transform Into A Dentist’s Office Or A Restaurant

January 5, 2023 Published by

Carscoops 

Autonomous shuttles want to become the new norm in the automotive industry but it seems there is always room for innovation. Italdesign is celebrating its 55th anniversary with the debut of the Climb-E concept at CES. Besides being fully autonomous, the vehicle that is designed for private use and features a highly modular interior has the ability to integrate into next-gen civil and residential buildings, bringing all kinds of services to people’s doors.

For the design and development of the Climb-E, Italdesign teamed up with elevator company Schindler to assist in vertical mobility, Politecnico di Torino for the architectural integration, and Easyrain for its safety ecosystem.

Read: Holon Reveals Its Pininfarina-Designed Autonomous People Mover At CES

The Climb-E’s cabin structure can be attached to a fully electric platform that is called “the skid”, allowing it to move around on its own. Furthermore, it can be attached to different kinds of carriers for longer journeys. The symmetrical design means it can move in both ways. The lower portion of the body is made of composite material and the upper portion features large glass areas that can be completely blocked for privacy.

Two pairs of pivot doors with sensors and integrated LED screens provide access to the interior, allowing it to be used by users on wheelchairs or with any kind of mobility impairment. More importantly, the roof of the concept features a four-point attachment system that is compatible with a lifting system designed by Schindler, allowing the Climb-E to move vertically and “climb” on buildings.

In standard configuration, the vehicle can transport four passengers, although the interior can transform into different kinds of rooms. Among the countless possibilities, Italdesign says that the Climb-E host “medical assistance services, telemedicine medical analysis, dental care, catering, cooking services, home massages, sales of various products, veterinary and pet grooming services”, bringing everything to the door of your home or workplace. Owners can use the Climb-E at home to extend their living room or bedroom, or at their workplace as an extra meeting room or private call area.

The interior features configurable sofas, tables, practical storage compartments, and semi-transparent screens on the windows that can display multimedia content and be personalized according to the profile of each user. All vehicle functions including infotainment, dimmable ambient lighting, and climate control can be operated via touchscreens or voice control. When the passengers need privacy they can select the black-out feature that eliminates the transparency on all glass areas. For the upholstery, Italdesign chose eco-leather, recycled polyester, and Alcantara.

The detachable, electric and autonomous skid (platform) is not intended to be privately owned but shared, allowing storage in underground containers or in disused spaces around town. It offers four-wheel steering and all-wheel-drive while integrating the electric motors, the lithium-ion battery pack, the lighting units, the safety systems, as well as ground projection devices and a 43-inch screen on each side for communicating with pedestrians and other road users. Italdesign says that the Climb-E has a range of 200 miles (322 km) when moving horizontally, and can charge to 80% in 15 minutes through inductive chargers.

Last but not least, the Easyrain safety ecosystem includes an innovative system that can detect and restore potential loss of grip on a wet road surface. The cloud-based Digital Aquaplaning Information (DAI) software detects a hazardous situation. Then, the Aquaplaning Intelligent Solution (AIS) system sprays a controlled jet of water through four injectors before the front wheels touch the wet surface, avoiding any aquaplaning. In the future, the system will expand its use preventing the loss of grip while driving on snow and ice.

While the Climb-E’s integration is currently limited to “next-gen and future civic and residential building structures, Italdesign is working on expanding it to “current and historical architectural heritage”. Note that the Climb-E is purely a design study as part of the research for “innovative mobility solutions” but that doesn’t exclude the possibility of some of its features being potentially used in future production vehicles.

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CES 2023: Ram electric pickup joins crowded field next year

January 5, 2023 Published by

Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News 

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares stands beside the Ram 1500 Revolution electric battery powered pickup truck during the CES tech show Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

DETROIT (AP) — When a futuristic-looking electric Ram pickup truck goes on sale next year, it will hardly be the first in line.

By then, at least seven EV competitors are scheduled to be on sale, all of them vying for a share of the huge full-size truck market that now includes the three top-selling gasoline and diesel powered vehicles in the United States.

Four models — Ford’s F-150 Lightning, Rivian’s R1T, Lordstown Motors’ Endurance and the GMC Hummer EV Pickup — already are on the road. And this year or next, three others — the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV and Tesla’s Cybertruck — are scheduled to roll out.

Yet executives at Ram, which is Stellantis’ truck and commercial vehicle brand, say it doesn’t bother them to be following rather than leading their competitors.

“It’s actually an advantage for us,” Mike Koval Jr., CEO of the Ram brand, said in an interview. “Because we have full knowledge of what the other guys have announced.”

On Thursday afternoon, company executives unveiled a concept version of the Ram 1500 Revolution battery-powered truck at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas. The production truck isn’t likely to be as edgy as the one shown on stage, which looks like a halfway point between Tesla’s angular Cybertruck and a conventional gas pickup. But the Ram EV, Koval said, will surpass competitors in the areas that customers value the most: payload, towing, range and technology.

Hub peek embed (apf-technology) – Compressed layout (automatic embed)

GM has announced that the Silverado EV will be able to travel over 400 miles (640 kilometers) on a single charge. (Its rivals have ranges of between 230 to 400 miles, depending on battery size.) Koval insists that the production Ram “will push past everything that our competitors have announced.”

By next year, he noted, more charging stations and other infrastructure will be in place, making the market for EVs more attractive.

Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for Edmunds.com, said the Ram won’t be overly late to the market because the electric trucks on sale now can’t fully satisfy the sustained growth in consumer demand.

GM says more than 170,000 people have put down $100 refundable deposits on the Sierra. Last year, Ford sold over 15,000 Lightning trucks, even though the vehicles weren’t available until May. The company closed reservations after receiving $100 deposits from nearly 200,000 potential buyers.

Last year, Americans bought more than 2.1 million full-size pickups, most of which still run on gasoline. Big pickups accounted for more than 15% of all U.S. new vehicle sales, a huge and lucrative market. Electric vehicle sales are growing fast: Last year, 807,000 of them were sold in the United States — up 65% from 2021.

The prices of the EV trucks, which are comparatively costly, will have to move closer to those of gasoline versions to pull buyers away, said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Cox Automotive.

Ford’s electric pickup initially was to have a version starting around $40,000. But the starting price now is just under $56,000, driven up by demand and price increases for raw materials. That’s far more than the base gasoline-powered F-150 which starts just below $34,000.

“The problem with the pricing,” Krebs said, “is the costs are rising to build EVs. Lithium and other (battery) mineral prices are high.”

Automakers say that prices should decline as the companies spread costs across more vehicles and as breakthroughs in battery chemistry reduce the quantity or even eliminate minerals now needed to store energy.

Koval says he’s well-aware that the electric Ram will have to appeal to customers who want base-model work versions as well as those who want higher-priced luxury and technology — even with “insane” costs of raw materials.

“We’re going to try to have something for everybody,” he said, “but with an eye on that critical price point.”

The truck also will offer fast 350 kilowatt charging that can add up to 100 miles of range in about 10 minutes, a large interior accessed through “saloon style” doors with a interior with multiple configurations.

Getting people to give up their gas-powered trucks may take a while, Krebs acknowledges. In Midwestern states and Texas, where most pickups are sold, there aren’t many EV charging stations that enable longer trips.

Electric trucks may also appeal to companies that buy fleets of work trucks and want to receive tax credits and avoid paying for gasoline.

Caldwell thinks the market for electric pickups will include buyers who use them for work and those who otherwise would buy an electric SUV for personal use.

Electric trucks, she said, “kind of give people who maybe were on the fence about (an EV) more reason to buy.”

 

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Silvergate Capital tanks nearly 40% after crypto bank discloses massive fourth-quarter withdrawals

January 5, 2023 Published by

US Top News and Analysis 

In this article

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Pavlo Gonchar | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Shares of Silvergate Capital sank nearly 40% on Thursday after the crypto-focused bank released preliminary fourth-quarter results that showed massive customer withdrawals.

Total deposits from digital asset customers declined to $3.8 billion from $11.9 billion at the end of the third quarter, a decline of roughly 68%. The withdrawals came as crypto exchange FTX, a Silvergate customer, collapsed in scandal, raising questions about the stability of the digital asset industry. Silvergate said there was a “crisis of confidence across the ecosystem.”

At the end of December, $150 million of the bank’s deposits were held by customers who had filed for bankruptcy protection, Silvergate said.

In order to raise cash during this period, Silvergate sold $5.2 billion of debt securities, creating a loss on sale of $718 million. It reported $4.6 billion in total cash and cash equivalents held at the end of December.

“In response to the rapid changes in the digital asset industry during the fourth quarter, we took commensurate steps to ensure that we were maintaining cash liquidity in order to satisfy potential deposit outflows, and we currently maintain a cash position in excess of our digital asset related deposits,” CEO Alan Lane said in a statement.

Silvergate also announced that it is laying off 200 employers, or about 40% of its workforce, and exited its mortgage warehouse lending business.

Thursday’s stock move erased a big rally for Silvergate on Wednesday, when shares gained 27%.

Silvergate, which went public in 2019, saw its stock rise as high as $222 per share in November 2021, the same month as the peak price in Bitcoin. Silvergate share ended 2022 at $17.40, more than 90% off its all-time high.

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Family says missing rapper Theophilus London found safe

January 5, 2023 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

Rapper Theophilus London has been found safe after disappearing for months, a relative announced Wednesday night.

“We have found Theo. He is safe and well,” the rapper’s cousin, Mikhail Noel, posted on Instagram. “At this time the family would love prayers and privacy. Thank you all!!!”

The post didn’t provide details of where London had been found, where he had been or why he hadn’t contacted his family, which filed a missing persons report with Los Angeles police last week and asked for the public’s help in finding him.

London’s family and friends had said they believed someone last spoke to the musician in July in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES POLICE CONFIRM RAPPER THEOPHILUS LONDON REPORTED MISSING BY FAMILY

London, 35, posted prolifically on Instagram, but his last posts also came in July.

An LAPD news release on Dec. 28 said London was last seen in the Skid Row area in October and his family had completely lost contact with him.

HOUSTON PD CONFIRMS MIGOS RAPPER TAKEOFF KILLED IN SHOOTING: ‘WE WILL FIND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE’

The rapper was born in Trinidad and Tobago and later raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York. He was nominated for a 2016 Grammy for best rap performance for a featured spot alongside Paul McCartney on Kanye West’s “All Day.”

London has frequently collaborated with the artist now known as Ye, who produced and guested on 2014′s “Vibes.” London would often post updates on Ye’s “Donda” and “Donda 2” on Instagram, even saying he was “promoted to tackle media duties” on Ye’s behalf for the month of February.

London has released three studio albums: 2011′s “Timez Are Weird These Days,” “Vibes” and 2020′s “Bebey.” He recently was a featured artist on Young Franco’s “Get Your Money,” released in September, the month before he was last seen.

 

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You can get 500 extra points per night at new Hyatt hotels: Here’s how

January 5, 2023 Published by

The Points Guy 

Editor’s note: We’ve updated this post with new hotels where you can earn 500 extra points per night.

I stayed at the Hyatt House Johannesburg Sandton in South Africa shortly after it opened in early 2022. However, when I checked my account activity after my stay, I earned far more points than expected.

Looking at the details, I noticed an “Opening Bonus” of 2,000 points. Then I remembered that Hyatt offers 500 bonus points per night on qualifying stays at new hotels. Since Hyatt doesn’t require its members to register for this promotion, I unknowingly received the benefit.

Perhaps you, too, have forgotten about this promotion. Or maybe you never knew about it. In either case, here’s what you should know about this World of Hyatt promotion, including the current new properties where you can earn 500 bonus points per night.

How to earn 500 Hyatt points per night

Hyatt House Johannesburg Sandton in South Africa. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

This promotion is simple: World of Hyatt members receive 500 bonus points per night for qualifying stays at select new Hyatt hotels. To earn the bonus points, you must stay during a set time frame, which typically lasts for a few months after the hotel opens. Specifically, you’ll only earn bonus points if your checkout date is during the offer period for your hotel.

To get the bonus points, you must provide your World of Hyatt number when you check in and pay an eligible rate or redeem a free night award (which includes redeeming Hyatt points).

If you book multiple rooms during one stay, you’ll only earn bonus points for one room. However, you can earn the new hotel bonus alongside other bonuses, including most current Hyatt promotions.

The terms of this promotion note that it may take three to four weeks for the bonus points to appear in your account. In practice, though, Hyatt typically posts the new hotel bonus points simultaneously with the other points for your stay.

Related: How to use World of Hyatt points to save on hotel stays during holidays and events

Eligible new Hyatt hotels

Hyatt displays an updated list of participating properties on its new hotel bonus page. Here’s a quick overview of where you can currently earn 500 bonus points per night.

United States

Salt Lake City, Utah: Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City from Oct. 17, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Fort Wayne, Indiana: Hyatt Place Fort Wayne – Northwest from Nov. 1, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
San Carlos, California: Hyatt Place San Carlos from Dec. 15, 2022, to March 31, 2023.
Houston, Texas: Hyatt House Houston Medical Center from Jan. 19, 2023, to April 30, 2023.
Houston, Texas: Hyatt Place Houston Medical Center from Jan. 19, 2023, to April 30, 2023.

Mexico

San Pedro Garza García: Hyatt Place Monterrey Valle from Oct. 25, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
San Pedro Garza García: Hyatt House Monterrey Valle / San Pedro from Oct. 25, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Riviera Maya: Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya from Dec. 1, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023.
Mexico City: Andaz Mexico City Condesa from Dec. 1, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023.
El Pescadero: Rancho Pescadero from Jan. 1, 2023, to March 31, 2023.
San Miguel de Allende: Numu Boutique Hotel San Miguel de Allende from Jan. 24, 2023, to April 30, 2023.

Europe

Mijas, Spain: La Zambra from Oct. 15, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Krakow, Poland: Hyatt Place Krakow from Nov. 1, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Kelso, United Kingdom: SCHLOSS Roxburghe from Dec. 1, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023.
Bordeaux, France: FirstName Bordeaux from Jan. 15, 2023, to April 30, 2023.
London, United Kingdom: Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars from Jan. 30, 2023, to April 30, 2023.

Mainland China

Huangshan: Hyatt Place Huangshan Train Station from Oct. 14, 2022, to Jan 31, 2023.
Hangzhou: UrCove Hangzhou Westlake from Oct. 21, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Xi’an: UrCove Xi’an Hi-Tech from Oct. 31, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Wanning: Grand Hyatt Shenzhou Peninsula from Nov. 1, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Sanya: Hyatt Regency Hainan Ocean Paradise Resort from Nov. 1, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Shanghai: UrCove Shanghai Jinqiao Center from Dec. 1, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023.
Chengdu City: UrCove Qingchengshan Hot Spring Resort from Dec. 28, 2022, to March 31, 2023.
Shenzhen: UrCove Shenzhen Luohu from Dec. 28, 2022, to March 31, 2023.
Chengdu: Hyatt Place Chengdu Bio-Town from Jan. 1, 2023, to March 31, 2023.
Hangzhou: Hyatt Place Hangzhou International Airport from Jan. 30, 2023, to April 30, 2023.

India

Jaipur: Hyatt Place Jaipur Malviya Nagar from Nov. 1, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Gurgaon: Grand Hyatt Gurgaon from Nov. 1, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Thiruvananthapuram: Hyatt Regency Trivandrum from Dec. 1, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023.

Other regions

Montréal, Canada: Hyatt Centric Ville-Marie Montréal from Oct. 6, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Shizuoka, Japan: Fuji Speedway Hotel from Oct. 7, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: Hyatt Centric Kota Kinabalu from Oct. 20, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023.
Hsinchu City, Taiwan: EPISODE Hsinchu from Nov. 1, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023.
Doha, Qatar: Andaz Doha from Nov. 15, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023.
Izmir, Türkiye: Hyatt Regency İzmir İstinyePark from Dec. 1, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023.

The 500 Hyatt points per night you’ll get when booking an eligible rate or free night are worth about $8.50 based on TPG’s valuations. So, this promotion may be the tiebreaker next time you’re considering where to stay in a location with a new Hyatt hotel.

Related: Here’s how to quickly stock up on Hyatt points for your next vacation

Bottom line

On top of earning 500 bonus points per night, staying at a new Hyatt can also be fun. After all, you’ll get to stay in a new room with fresh furnishings. However, new hotels may also still be working through some issues and may not have everything on-site completely functional.

I typically enjoy staying at new hotels, so I periodically check the list of new Hyatt properties. When planning trips, a glance at this list could help you earn an extra 500 points per night simply by staying at a new Hyatt hotel.

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Kevin McCarthy’s debacle underscores the GOP’s deeper troubles

January 5, 2023 Published by

Just In | The Hill 

The Republican Party is in complete chaos — exemplified, but not limited to the continuing battle to choose a Speaker for the Republican-controlled House of Representatives — and if the party doesn’t change course, it will come to regret it. This moment is make-or-break for the GOP, and what the party does will determine where it goes in the future and whom it represents. 

The internal struggles for power within the GOP have national consequences, determining what ideology the party will embrace and how those ideals will be realized legislatively and ultimately exercised. This is concerning because some of what we have seen goes against the grain of what I would argue are in sync with our values as a country, regardless of whether we’ve always realized them or not.

The “Make America Great Again” movement has turned the GOP into one big grievance party with no real solutions to Americans’ problems. The horrendous 2022 midterm performance by Republicans should be enough for the party to seek a different course, leaving MAGA to be forgotten. As catchy of a slogan as it is, MAGA hasn’t lived up to its promise to bring America back to some great halcyon days. It was intended to bring back the Rust Belt, which remains corrupted by opioids and a lack of job and economic opportunities. It was intended to restore a sense of dignity and identity to struggling, forgotten people who face a common foe — an elite class of powerful, wealthy individuals whose stakes in our economy continue to rise as those of all others continue to fall. Instead of resolving the country’s racial divisions, it worsened them.

The Republican Party has become a nationalist-populist party that has fallen short in elections and has failed to pass any major legislation based on its new principles, which remain incoherent and illusive. To be frank, this new movement started during the Tea Party days and, emboldened by MAGA, has led to severe problems within the GOP that have crippled the party electorally and within its own ranks.

The problems of MAGA have caused serious problems for the Republican House caucus, too, and its ability to quickly structure itself to govern. Yes, the MAGA movement led millions of disaffected voters to join in the political process — but it also has crippled the GOP internally.

Look no further than House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), whose bid to become the next House speaker has been a nightmare. It’s fine for members to request concessions from leadership to garner their support — it happens on both sides and is not out of the political norm. Yet the MAGA wing of the House GOP caucus has been completely unreasonable in their requests, further showcasing why it’s time for the GOP to abandon the MAGA movement and reform itself as a governing party. According to Axios, GOP hardliners have demanded that it become easier to “force a vote on motions to vacate the chair – or dislodge the speaker.” They have also requested that “leadership refrain from spending to tip the scales in Republican House primaries, another monumental ask for McCarthy.”

There isn’t a speaker in the history of the House that would ever agree to such an absurd request because it would weaken them, holding the speakership hostage to a small, raucous few. It would be disruptive to the entire legislative process, which should be avoided at all cost in our already partisan climate. The November midterms taught us that candidate quality matters — and if the party leadership had done its job by supporting, from the outset, those candidates with the best chances of winning, the midterm results might have been very different.

It’s impossible to overlook the GOP’s multitude of problems or their severity. The party is seriously declining and risks further fracturing itself and dampening its future electoral success. What does a modern GOP look like in a changing, diverse America? How does the GOP meet future problems with principles based on conservatism while also recognizing the innate nature of people to desire progress and the betterment of their unique positions and circumstances? If the GOP can wrestle with this question and focus on governing, the party indeed has a chance to be a party that can compete for all Americans’ votes, and not just a select, declining few.

Shermichael Singleton is a political strategist who worked on the presidential campaigns of Republicans Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Ben Carson. He’s the host of “Bigger than Politics” on SiriusXM.

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