Republicans have shown a treasonous willingness to help Trump turn America into a banana republic — as long as they’re the ones ruling it. Many argue they’ve put party above country. But that’s too generous. Their motives are simpler: self-interest above all else.

Trump has declared himself the champion of political reciprocity. And, just last week, he signed an executive order allowing American businessmen to bribe foreign politicians. So, by his logic, American politicians should be equally bribable, no?

Not to mention that a bribe of billions is the only thing that explains Trump allowing Elon Musk to serve as co-president.

Make Republicans offers they can’t refuse

Venality is the operative word. Because the question isn’t if but how much it would take for Republicans to sell out their party. Musk spent nearly $300 million to install Trump as his tin-pot dictator. Any anti-Musk billionaire unwilling to spend twice as much to save democracy should count their patriotism cheap.

Given that, I urge Democratic (anti-Musk) billionaires to test my proposition. Regular readers will recognize this as a riff on my November 13, 2020, commentary: “Biden, Don’t Bank on Flipping Two Seats in Georgia. Barter with Sitting Republican Senators.”

GOP dupes: From fraudulent electors to conscientious objectors

Hire operatives to quietly target 10 “vulnerable” Republicans in the House and Senate. Offer millions upfront and a golden parachute later. Most will bite. But with the balance of power so tight, we only need five in each chamber to flip Congress to Democratic control.

Nearly 100 Republicans tried to help Trump steal the 2020 election by posing as fake electors. If they were willing to betray the Constitution, surely 20 of them would blithely betray the Republican Party — if the price is right.

Let them claim “conscientious objection” to Trump and Musk turning America into a Russian-style autocracy. Trust me, they’re so proudly ignorant that the historical irony would be lost on them.

A Democratic-controlled Congress

Once bought, those Republicans would flip Congress to Democratic control. That would empower Democrats to block Trump’s dystopian Project 2025 agenda. They could also drown him and his DOGE executioners in oversight hearings, impeachment inquiries, and investigative subpoenas.

Fascist Musk paid hundreds of millions to install this wannabe dictator. Here’s to his democratic peers paying whatever it takes to frustrate or neuter Trump’s dictatorial orders.