The Destructionists: The Twenty-Five Year Crack-Up of the Republican Party by Dana Milbank

Dana Milbank's The Contract offers a scathing critique of the Republican Party's trajectory over the past twenty-five years, tracing its evolution from the Contract with America to the events of January 6, 2021. Milbank argues that the party has devolved from a bastion of conservatism to a vehicle for white supremacists, political violence, conspiracy theories, and authoritarianism.

Milbank highlights key figures such as Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove, Mitch McConnell, and Rudy Giuliani, illustrating how their actions have contributed to the party's transformation. He suggests that the party's embrace of Trumpism is the culmination of a long process that began with Gingrich's obstructionist tactics in the 1990s.

Through a detailed examination of the party's history and actions, Milbank paints a damning portrait of a party willing to do whatever it takes to hold on to power, even at the expense of democracy itself. The Contract serves as a warning about the dangers of political extremism and the erosion of democratic norms.