Did Matt Gaetz tear the House GOP apart like this headline claims? No. He did not. Certainly, he desecrated the House when he helped incite an insurrection that saw the Confederate battle flag finally breach the Capitol Rotunda 156 years after Appomattox. It’s absolutely true that he betrayed his oath, and carries himself like a graduate of an “affluenza” academy that turns privileged and spoiled young men into irredeemable punks. Beyond that, he is petulant, arrogant, dishonest, unserious and an avatar for this age of lightness, decay and political rancidity. Looking at Matt Gaetz leaves a casual observer wondering if the “Congressional Chuckie” is actually a real person. He’s like Dennis the Menace crossbred with an evil Ken Doll and a menacing roadside clown. He is simultaneously preposterous, vapid, and dangerous. He is a luminescent beacon of our national decay and political crisis, but he did not break the House.
I lived in a poor, rural part of Virginia for eight years. To the extent they voted, most of my neighbors were Republicans before Trump and virulently Maga afterwards. Both identifications were completely contrary to their interests. As an example, many had no health insurance, although they were employed. When a Democratic governor and legislature were finally able to extend Medicaid to the working poor, you'd think they'd realize who improved their lives. You'd think wrong. They are awash in grievance. The GOP reflects its voters. A shame.
I agree, this is such a conundrum to me. Why do they constantly vote party over their own best interests. I also agree with Steve that the whole Retrumplican party are cowards!!!
Today, most Republicans actually hate our federal government. They have been methodically brainwashed for decades now to believing the federal government is evil.
If i were a cartoonist, i would draw a cartoon with the founding fathers on high holding the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and dispatching the lightning bolt on Trump. Second panel would show the flag waving proudly next to a blob of smoking orange blubber topped with singed yellow hair.
Exactly. The first time I heard that sentiment come out of Ronald Reagan’s mouth, I thought it sounded like the boiler plate Soviet propaganda I grew up with during the long years of the Cold War. Today, Trump, Gaetz, Jordon, MTG, et al. represent the Russian (Soviet) Fifth Columnists that we were all warned about at that time.
I’m sorry Steve but I think there has been a long, winding path to anti-constitution, no morality, no character, power-mongering -complete decimation. It can be traced all the way back to the other McCarthy and his attack on artists (accusing them of ‘communist evil’) Nixon, the likes of George Wallace, etc. - the truth is that the Republicans fell in line frequently behind their propaganda until they all believed their own bullshit. The Republican Party has been awash in hate and racism, including their deluded idealization of Reagan. He was not a bright man and whomever he was listening to was at the helm of his party, not him. The monied donors to the Republican Party are also hugely responsible for the constant manipulation of people’s minds, government, media and helped create the mess we’re in. It’s all one giant, long, long cluster fuck!
This can be traced back to our two party system, which is vulnerable to attack and exploitation by the rich and powerful. We have had robber barons before, and their strategy then is the same now - divide and conquer. They mire the government in gridlock using the tried and true ploy of highlighting or creating petty grievances. Today, they are far more organized and sophisticated, expanding beyond our borders to other countries. As you say it is a gigantic clusterfuck!
Thank you. Unfortunately, the Civil War never ended. The grievances are still there. Why do these people need their grievances to make them feel better about themselves ?
Remember the indigenous American parable about the two wolves?
These people are being fed a constant diet of grievance & victimization from right wing media & their politicians. Anger, fear & hate are unfortunately effective motivators.
Because being angry makes them feel something. It makes them feel a sense of power, but not for long. It has to be jump started daily or hourly. Mainstream media. Fox.
May I add this? Vulnerability-avoidant/Superiority-seeking is another name, and far more descriptive of a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. This according to Seth Meyer Psy.D. I agree with that name change wholeheartedly.
Republicans gave these people something to blame. It's the same or similar in most rural areas in most states. The economy changed, and the rural areas have been largely left behind. These people, by and large, didn't adapt and refuse to accept their own failings. So, they blame government, minorities, or immigrants instead of themselves.
But, if we are honest, government has been an abysmal failure in the face of change in the economy and relative to our extraordinarily high GDP. Politicians have been co-opted by a system that rewards victory to the best financed candidates. And we all know where the bulk of the financing comes from - the wealthy. One need only to look at the egregious level of income and wealth inequality in this country to know who government truly serves.
The GOP reflects its big-dollar donors, and they totally exploit and fleece its voters.
I agree Steve with everything you say, but our country was broken because of several factors, including Reagan’s embrace of the far-right religious nut jobs.
Furthermore, the 2008 economic debacle, which required a trillion dollar bailout (more than 2.5 trillion if you count quantitative easing), while WS still managed to pay themselves record bonuses, at a time when millions were losing jobs monthly, and no one was held to account.
Additionally, mistrust in our government and institutions after 9/11, culminating in a manufactured war in Iraq, including Implementation of the Patriot Act (domestic spying), which several Directors of National Security lied about during congressional hearings.
This led to the rise of the Tea Party and eventually the FreeDumb caucus and the likes of Gaetz, Gomar, MTG, Boebart and others.
Nothing occurs in a vacuum. Donald Trump and every flamethrower in the Republican Party, owe their thanks to the Reagan, but mostly the Cheney/Rumsfeld administration; or what I call the inception of dumbing down of America.
The inception of dumbing-down goes back to the McCarthyites who believed the BS Goldwater was selling 60 years ago. It goes back further than that south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Steve, thanks for boiling it down in this statement which is 100% TRUTH:
"The American people — 332 million of us — must decide. Here we are. It’s not too late to stop what’s coming next, but the hours are winnowing. Perhaps the cost of fools and liars is upon us."
The problem IS the media! The "bothsidism" and their focus on Biden's age, tennis shoes, and anything other than his fantastic legislative accomplishments; along with the ridiculous Town Halls or live Trump interviews are doing tremendous damage. If Trump wins in 2024, we can, again, blame the media for putting their greed ahead of what's good for America! They did the same thing in 2016.
Love you, Steve, but yet again, you are wrong. It was NOT all of us. It was Republicans. Not a single Democrat in leadership since the days of Reagan has been telling the American public that government was the enemy of the people, but Republicans have. Not a single Democrat has been sending out dog whistles and championing the Fox News propaganda machine, but Republicans have. Democratic (capital D) voters didn't put New Gingrich, Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and their obstructionist garbage ilk into office, but Republican voters did. And we certainly didn't vote for Trump or Gaetz or the Space Laser Lady. Democratic presidents didn't pack the SCOTUS with religious, partisan, corrupt zealots like Thomas and Alito. And it sure as heck wasn't Democratic leaders put into office by Democrat American voters who acquitted Trump after his attempted coup and who voted to overturn a free and fair election. No, the American people did NOT do this. Republicans own this 10000000%. STOP saying "us" and "we". Own it.
I, too, resent Steve saying it is "all of us". BS on that.
Am also sick of the never-Trumper GOP'ers continuing to go gah-gah over the good old days of Ronald Reagan. He was the early anti-government-while-feeding-at-the-trough GOP'er. Spewing his religious misogynism and throwing separation of Church and State to the curb.
I think I understand where you and most others are coming from. But, I think it is a mistake to put all the blame on Republicans. Democrats have a voice, a vote and as much access to the instruments of power as the Republicans, but they have in my view been relatively and largely ineffective and feckless.
One example, Obama, Pelosi and the Democrats didn't need to give the power of creation of the Affordable Care Act over to the insurance lobbyists. The result is the ACA is neither affordable nor effective in helping regular Americans. The rollout and defense of the ACA was anemic.
Another example, Bill Clinton should not have sided with big business and against the unions in crafting the North America Free Trade Agreement. That was a huge turning point and resulted in losing the traditional support from blue collar workers, especially in the rust-belt. Add to that is the decline of collective bargaining and loss of consumer protections while on their watch. All too often, the corporate centrists in the party held sway against the people's choice, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, the Squad, to name a few.
And of course, there is the continuous and ongoing failure of effective messaging, both in the media and in campaigns. Democrats, who are equally dependent on big money donors, have routinely sided with their donors against the best interest of regular Americans.
This is not a false equivalency. I'm simply pointing out that Democrats have not been effective in opposition to the Republicans. And, Democratic voters have failed to hold their Democratic representatives to account. Too much forgiving of triangulation and unfulfilled campaign promises. The left (aka liberals and progressives) never galvanized their own form of "Tea Party" activism.
You are 100% correct - there are many ways that Democrats are complicit in our current situation. Too often Dems don't want to use the power they are given for fear of provoking "the other side". And they are afraid of fighting dirty the way Republicans do on a regular basis.
For example, why didn't Dems codify Roe v. Wade when they had the power? Why did Obama roll over and let Mitch McConnell steal Merrick Garland's SCOTUS seat? He should have ignored McConnell's failure to act and sworn Garland in. And Dems need to use power when they have it to enact changes that stop our current rule by minority, and they are never willing to go to the mat for that. This is a huge failure.
I don't necessarily agree about the messaging problem. Dems problem is that, unlike Republicans, they don't have a megaphone media empire dedicated 100% to getting their propaganda out, a la Fox News. Dems have such a diverse electorate there is no one way to get the message out. It's a real problem but not so easy to solve.
But in the end, Republican politicians are the one who have created the grievance culture that is driving so much of our current problems. They are the ones who have stoked "othering" and gerrymandered districts such that extremist candidates run away with elections. They are the ones who allow Trump to lie and lie and lie, and who failed to remove him power despite the dozens of chances they were given to do so. They are the craven cowards who desire power over country.
And it's Republican voters who would rather believe the lies than face the truth. They are the ones with so much hatred in their hearts. They are the ones who want to inflict their moral values and religions on everyone in the country. I once read the Dems want to win elections so they can enact their policies, right or wrong. But Republicans want to win elections so they can destroy and eliminate Democrats. That says it all about who is responsible.
Gatez and his entire crowd are a manifestation, not the cause. The problem occurred years ago when power overrode policy and vision. We saw the fear last Friday with the "secret" R House vote--where 200 would support in public, but if given the chance to vote without attribution, the total went to 86. The difference is fear and fortitude. Who has the courage to stand publicly and call the MAGA crowd out before they do burn down the House.
The window is closing quickly to stop the MAGA efforts to subvert the US Constitution and the Government of the most successful, self-governing country in history. We are already seeing the results of what will happen when the MAGA crowd ends Democracy--Texas, Florida and Tennessee are three examples that come to mind. We haven't much time. I hope everyone who can is helping to support the upcoming elections in Ohio and Virginia.
About that secret ballot - I think it showed Mr Jordan that he had a lot more threatening of families and political futures to accomplish than he thought. Those R are cowards, they just didn’t think that dirty dealing could effect them.
The only way to stop the threats is to identify and prosecute those who are threatening Members. I remember reading that many of the R House members decided to reject the 2020 results not based on agreement but on fear of retaliation. We need to take it seriously and take immediate action against this behavior
Agree totally. But who will report it to the FBI? I think the MAGA see snitches as lower life forms. Going to the Deep State for help can’t happen //sarcasm//
Agree—200 to 86!!! What absolute cowards they have been over and over again. This include my illustrious Congressman as well. He is a former district judge no less(not Gohmert though!), but he voted to throw out electors on Jan. 6.
As a judge who wasn't one of those he described to me once told me, most judges are lawyers who got there by being willing to bend over and spread for a politician.
TC, The judge I am talking about was super “conservative,” but I did not realize he was so weak and Uber partisan. If judges are too often “drunk” with power, big dog Politicians are worse. Judge C has been in Congress 20 years or so now, and that gets worse and worse. Plus he is now 80 years old. I will never forget once when he had been in Congress a few years hearing him say, “boy, Tom DeLay(then majority leader I think and a fellow Texan), really told off the French ambassador, (I think that is who it was)when he told him, hey, you would be speaking German now if we hadn’t bailed you out.” It turned me off so bad. The judge was so proud DeLay was throwing his weight around.
No, sir, it began in 1820 when politician Calhoun in Carolina bonded the plantation owners all together to keep the slaves and poor whites deaf and dumb with no REAL education...PLEASE .read "Democracy in Chains" by MacClean, 2017
Unfortunately, you are correct! As I volunteer in every election, I am frustrated at what people don't know...and it seems they don't want to consider other facts that should change their minds.
I've given up on the majority of Republicans. Most want to believe what they want to believe, based on nothing but lies and disinformation they hear. If you need any proof, watch Jordan Klemper interview the supporters at a Trump rally!
I understand but we must find ways to influence those deluded people-- we don’t need to enlighten everyone, just a fraction --10% maybe- to not vote for Trump (whether they vote for biden or just stay home)and to get likely Biden voters to the polls.
Registration drives? letter-writing campaigns? Resist 3rd party efforts ( including “NoLabels”) that will dilute the vote and make results unpredictable.
As Winston Churchill is alleged to have said, "The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter."
And as H.L. Mencken pointed out 99 years ago during the Scopes Monkey Trial public insanity, "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
They’re not. Or else they’re brainwashed. Or else they’re fixated on Biden’s age. All you need to do to see this play out in real time with real people is to have an account on NEXTDOOR and make a pro-Biden comment.
From IKE forward there have been 3 maybe 4 country over party gop leaders. Not Reagan, Nixon, W or even Romney. I can only think of HW, McCane, Liz Cheney, Adam K and I’m stumped to think of others.
From the moment LBJ supported civil rights the gop did all it could to win a southern strategy by being more racist, anti democratic, ignorant than the Dixiecrats they were replacing.
From 1992 through 2020, gop has only won a majority of American ONCE.
since they aren’t dumb they know and are saying out loud that their only ability to have power is to stymie voting and castrating the document, the constitution, by pushing a Hungarian type illiberal “democracy” which will not stop until it is a dictatorship!
You can’t change most Republicans minds on anything. Most of them live in a dark, dangerous, alternative universe and have embraced irrational anger, hostility, bullying, and even take pleasure in being cruel and hateful toward the “others”.
This is the truth we must face. You’re right, Steve, it’s up to us. We must motivate, and vote against the Matt Gaetz of the world, and all he stands for, which is power at any cost.
His games, if they go un-thwarted will take us down. The entire government will leave us. The world will stop caring. America will be no beacon of light and hope.
All because of the un-serious, disloyal, un-caring, chaos producing faction here only to rob the American people of a dream.
The dream of a society set to rule itself, and offer equal Justice, equal opportunity, and freedoms that are protected by a constitution that he and his co-horts care nothing about.
We’ve got to be crystal clear about this. Gaetz takes this as a compliment. But, in the absence of any consequences for his behavior, why should he not? Unless we are prepared to actually prosecute him, we are just shaking our fists at the sky.
In my opinion, this was one of your best essays. I couldn't agree more with you the Republican party wasn't destroyed by one person. It took a mass effort of cowardice on the group consciousness. I left the party for good when torture was normalized. However, I had one foot out the door after Newt Gingrich became speaker. The writing was on the wall back then that something bad was brewing. The Republican party is no longer about good governance. It deviated from that position years ago and became a party of revenge and anger. They no longer wished to solve problems for their constituents. Instead they became a caucus of malcontents and misadjusted bottomfeeders. They look the other way when one of their own commits crimes and point the finger at Democrats to misdirect.
Donald Trump is not the cause of the disease in the Republican party but he is the culmination of all the rot and decay wrapped up in one evil person.
As usual, well written words saturated with truth and facts. We appreciate honesty in these horrible times of war, and uncertainty. However, we all must do our part to patch our democracy to its profound, and historical dignity. It can and will be done, its already happening. I am proud of all the leaders in the judicial system, DOJ, District Attorneys, State, Federal, County, and City folk doing their part to bolster America's foundation. Hell, America is truly fighting back and it shows. To tie Steve's words in a fancy red, white, and blue bow, we simply have them outnumbered. Do your part. Thank you Steve.
As usual Steve, you are aimed clearly at the heart of the issue. We have spent every year since the end of the draft, not teaching our young that the populous must bear the cost of the maintenance of the Democracy. We have perpetuated the endless entitlement of ill educated individuals who view the WWE and Trump as reality with no concept of responsibility to the nation and each other.
You’re exactly right, Steve! We must all share the blame for being complacent! Now, it’s time to really kick start our recovery! Trump and MAGA must be soundly defeated!
We The People may retract their just powers. We have become too complacent, too docile. But, of late, if not too late, we are manifesting fangs. We stand with General Milley in defense of Constitution, that nouveau construct, so bold, that places no person superior to another.
Gaetz is a punk, a caricature, an avatar, as Steve notes.
Stefanik is a stooge's stooge, a negative pressure vacuum dark with compressed negaitive energy crammed into a feckless carcass.
And what good is a majority if everyone comprising that majority is not allowed to vote, or even bothers to vote , or if their state and local election poll workers or election officials won’t count their votes, or if their state legislatures ignore their votes and send their own slate of authoritarian electors to the electoral college? We need much more electoral oversight of the election process across the nation and we need to make vote rigging in a federal election a major felony everywhere. And then enforce it.
I lived in a poor, rural part of Virginia for eight years. To the extent they voted, most of my neighbors were Republicans before Trump and virulently Maga afterwards. Both identifications were completely contrary to their interests. As an example, many had no health insurance, although they were employed. When a Democratic governor and legislature were finally able to extend Medicaid to the working poor, you'd think they'd realize who improved their lives. You'd think wrong. They are awash in grievance. The GOP reflects its voters. A shame.
I agree, this is such a conundrum to me. Why do they constantly vote party over their own best interests. I also agree with Steve that the whole Retrumplican party are cowards!!!
Today, most Republicans actually hate our federal government. They have been methodically brainwashed for decades now to believing the federal government is evil.
Most elected Rs want the constitutional government to fail so Trump’s narcissistic brand of authoritarianism can takeover.
One day when Trump hugs the flag a lightning bolt is gonna strike.
I think for the lighting bolt to strike he needs to hug the flag while holding the Bible upside down.
If i were a cartoonist, i would draw a cartoon with the founding fathers on high holding the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and dispatching the lightning bolt on Trump. Second panel would show the flag waving proudly next to a blob of smoking orange blubber topped with singed yellow hair.
You ought to be a cartoonist. I can picture that.
This is getting good.
Brilliant! What a perfect picture you painted here!
Exactly. The first time I heard that sentiment come out of Ronald Reagan’s mouth, I thought it sounded like the boiler plate Soviet propaganda I grew up with during the long years of the Cold War. Today, Trump, Gaetz, Jordon, MTG, et al. represent the Russian (Soviet) Fifth Columnists that we were all warned about at that time.
Traitors all.
"...nine most terrifying words in the English language. I'm from the government and I'm here to help."-Ronald Reagan
James Garner, who saw and dealt with Reagan up close as a SAG VP when Reagan led the union, had a good two-word description: "amiable dunce."
I always thought Ronnie was playacting being president. He had good speech writers and could deliver his lines well. tRump is a dangerous dunce.
Generous.
I’m sorry Steve but I think there has been a long, winding path to anti-constitution, no morality, no character, power-mongering -complete decimation. It can be traced all the way back to the other McCarthy and his attack on artists (accusing them of ‘communist evil’) Nixon, the likes of George Wallace, etc. - the truth is that the Republicans fell in line frequently behind their propaganda until they all believed their own bullshit. The Republican Party has been awash in hate and racism, including their deluded idealization of Reagan. He was not a bright man and whomever he was listening to was at the helm of his party, not him. The monied donors to the Republican Party are also hugely responsible for the constant manipulation of people’s minds, government, media and helped create the mess we’re in. It’s all one giant, long, long cluster fuck!
It crystallized when an all too credible dictator wannabe surfaced.
This can be traced back to our two party system, which is vulnerable to attack and exploitation by the rich and powerful. We have had robber barons before, and their strategy then is the same now - divide and conquer. They mire the government in gridlock using the tried and true ploy of highlighting or creating petty grievances. Today, they are far more organized and sophisticated, expanding beyond our borders to other countries. As you say it is a gigantic clusterfuck!
Without proper education in history, civics, and critical thinking skills, we're doomed.
I continue to be amazed that so many people vote against their own interests🤷🏼♀️
That is because they have been brainwashed.
Thank you. Unfortunately, the Civil War never ended. The grievances are still there. Why do these people need their grievances to make them feel better about themselves ?
Remember the indigenous American parable about the two wolves?
These people are being fed a constant diet of grievance & victimization from right wing media & their politicians. Anger, fear & hate are unfortunately effective motivators.
Thank you!
Because being angry makes them feel something. It makes them feel a sense of power, but not for long. It has to be jump started daily or hourly. Mainstream media. Fox.
May I add this? Vulnerability-avoidant/Superiority-seeking is another name, and far more descriptive of a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. This according to Seth Meyer Psy.D. I agree with that name change wholeheartedly.
Thank you for your comments.
More TRUTH. Nicely stated.
For those questioning why people vote against their best interests, you might want to read Heather McGhee’s “The Sum of Us.” It’s excellent.
Thank you.
Republicans gave these people something to blame. It's the same or similar in most rural areas in most states. The economy changed, and the rural areas have been largely left behind. These people, by and large, didn't adapt and refuse to accept their own failings. So, they blame government, minorities, or immigrants instead of themselves.
But, if we are honest, government has been an abysmal failure in the face of change in the economy and relative to our extraordinarily high GDP. Politicians have been co-opted by a system that rewards victory to the best financed candidates. And we all know where the bulk of the financing comes from - the wealthy. One need only to look at the egregious level of income and wealth inequality in this country to know who government truly serves.
The GOP reflects its big-dollar donors, and they totally exploit and fleece its voters.
I agree Steve with everything you say, but our country was broken because of several factors, including Reagan’s embrace of the far-right religious nut jobs.
Furthermore, the 2008 economic debacle, which required a trillion dollar bailout (more than 2.5 trillion if you count quantitative easing), while WS still managed to pay themselves record bonuses, at a time when millions were losing jobs monthly, and no one was held to account.
Additionally, mistrust in our government and institutions after 9/11, culminating in a manufactured war in Iraq, including Implementation of the Patriot Act (domestic spying), which several Directors of National Security lied about during congressional hearings.
This led to the rise of the Tea Party and eventually the FreeDumb caucus and the likes of Gaetz, Gomar, MTG, Boebart and others.
Nothing occurs in a vacuum. Donald Trump and every flamethrower in the Republican Party, owe their thanks to the Reagan, but mostly the Cheney/Rumsfeld administration; or what I call the inception of dumbing down of America.
The inception of dumbing-down goes back to the McCarthyites who believed the BS Goldwater was selling 60 years ago. It goes back further than that south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Agreed, but it only got worse from there...:)
It certainly did. McCarthyite stupidity + Southern dumbassery = MAGA.
Go Robert.
When you’re right, you’re totally right. Agreed.
Steve, thanks for boiling it down in this statement which is 100% TRUTH:
"The American people — 332 million of us — must decide. Here we are. It’s not too late to stop what’s coming next, but the hours are winnowing. Perhaps the cost of fools and liars is upon us."
Nailed the truth here, Steve. I think we must soundly repudiate MAGA/Q in the media & at the polls --they are defiling our democracy.
The problem IS the media! The "bothsidism" and their focus on Biden's age, tennis shoes, and anything other than his fantastic legislative accomplishments; along with the ridiculous Town Halls or live Trump interviews are doing tremendous damage. If Trump wins in 2024, we can, again, blame the media for putting their greed ahead of what's good for America! They did the same thing in 2016.
Bingo! The media needs to report truth, not false equivalences.
💯
"Donald Trump is good for ratings!" - Jeff Zucker, CEO of CNN, 2016, when questioned why CNN did wall-to-wall coverage of the Trump hatealongs.
TRUE...there is NO LEFT in the USA, just the right --or being genrous let's say the center right, and they are playing it safe...in case Trump wins
It depends on whether the 7 million votes Biden won with are still there, or, have they been overwhelmed by 8 million new voters wanting Trump?.
Let;s all ask Mr. Schmidt what he thinks on that.
Love you, Steve, but yet again, you are wrong. It was NOT all of us. It was Republicans. Not a single Democrat in leadership since the days of Reagan has been telling the American public that government was the enemy of the people, but Republicans have. Not a single Democrat has been sending out dog whistles and championing the Fox News propaganda machine, but Republicans have. Democratic (capital D) voters didn't put New Gingrich, Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and their obstructionist garbage ilk into office, but Republican voters did. And we certainly didn't vote for Trump or Gaetz or the Space Laser Lady. Democratic presidents didn't pack the SCOTUS with religious, partisan, corrupt zealots like Thomas and Alito. And it sure as heck wasn't Democratic leaders put into office by Democrat American voters who acquitted Trump after his attempted coup and who voted to overturn a free and fair election. No, the American people did NOT do this. Republicans own this 10000000%. STOP saying "us" and "we". Own it.
I, too, resent Steve saying it is "all of us". BS on that.
Am also sick of the never-Trumper GOP'ers continuing to go gah-gah over the good old days of Ronald Reagan. He was the early anti-government-while-feeding-at-the-trough GOP'er. Spewing his religious misogynism and throwing separation of Church and State to the curb.
As far as I'm concern, Ronal Reagan represents the beginning of the end.
I think I understand where you and most others are coming from. But, I think it is a mistake to put all the blame on Republicans. Democrats have a voice, a vote and as much access to the instruments of power as the Republicans, but they have in my view been relatively and largely ineffective and feckless.
One example, Obama, Pelosi and the Democrats didn't need to give the power of creation of the Affordable Care Act over to the insurance lobbyists. The result is the ACA is neither affordable nor effective in helping regular Americans. The rollout and defense of the ACA was anemic.
Another example, Bill Clinton should not have sided with big business and against the unions in crafting the North America Free Trade Agreement. That was a huge turning point and resulted in losing the traditional support from blue collar workers, especially in the rust-belt. Add to that is the decline of collective bargaining and loss of consumer protections while on their watch. All too often, the corporate centrists in the party held sway against the people's choice, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, the Squad, to name a few.
And of course, there is the continuous and ongoing failure of effective messaging, both in the media and in campaigns. Democrats, who are equally dependent on big money donors, have routinely sided with their donors against the best interest of regular Americans.
This is not a false equivalency. I'm simply pointing out that Democrats have not been effective in opposition to the Republicans. And, Democratic voters have failed to hold their Democratic representatives to account. Too much forgiving of triangulation and unfulfilled campaign promises. The left (aka liberals and progressives) never galvanized their own form of "Tea Party" activism.
You are 100% correct - there are many ways that Democrats are complicit in our current situation. Too often Dems don't want to use the power they are given for fear of provoking "the other side". And they are afraid of fighting dirty the way Republicans do on a regular basis.
For example, why didn't Dems codify Roe v. Wade when they had the power? Why did Obama roll over and let Mitch McConnell steal Merrick Garland's SCOTUS seat? He should have ignored McConnell's failure to act and sworn Garland in. And Dems need to use power when they have it to enact changes that stop our current rule by minority, and they are never willing to go to the mat for that. This is a huge failure.
I don't necessarily agree about the messaging problem. Dems problem is that, unlike Republicans, they don't have a megaphone media empire dedicated 100% to getting their propaganda out, a la Fox News. Dems have such a diverse electorate there is no one way to get the message out. It's a real problem but not so easy to solve.
But in the end, Republican politicians are the one who have created the grievance culture that is driving so much of our current problems. They are the ones who have stoked "othering" and gerrymandered districts such that extremist candidates run away with elections. They are the ones who allow Trump to lie and lie and lie, and who failed to remove him power despite the dozens of chances they were given to do so. They are the craven cowards who desire power over country.
And it's Republican voters who would rather believe the lies than face the truth. They are the ones with so much hatred in their hearts. They are the ones who want to inflict their moral values and religions on everyone in the country. I once read the Dems want to win elections so they can enact their policies, right or wrong. But Republicans want to win elections so they can destroy and eliminate Democrats. That says it all about who is responsible.
Gatez and his entire crowd are a manifestation, not the cause. The problem occurred years ago when power overrode policy and vision. We saw the fear last Friday with the "secret" R House vote--where 200 would support in public, but if given the chance to vote without attribution, the total went to 86. The difference is fear and fortitude. Who has the courage to stand publicly and call the MAGA crowd out before they do burn down the House.
The window is closing quickly to stop the MAGA efforts to subvert the US Constitution and the Government of the most successful, self-governing country in history. We are already seeing the results of what will happen when the MAGA crowd ends Democracy--Texas, Florida and Tennessee are three examples that come to mind. We haven't much time. I hope everyone who can is helping to support the upcoming elections in Ohio and Virginia.
About that secret ballot - I think it showed Mr Jordan that he had a lot more threatening of families and political futures to accomplish than he thought. Those R are cowards, they just didn’t think that dirty dealing could effect them.
The only way to stop the threats is to identify and prosecute those who are threatening Members. I remember reading that many of the R House members decided to reject the 2020 results not based on agreement but on fear of retaliation. We need to take it seriously and take immediate action against this behavior
Agree totally. But who will report it to the FBI? I think the MAGA see snitches as lower life forms. Going to the Deep State for help can’t happen //sarcasm//
Agree—200 to 86!!! What absolute cowards they have been over and over again. This include my illustrious Congressman as well. He is a former district judge no less(not Gohmert though!), but he voted to throw out electors on Jan. 6.
As a judge who wasn't one of those he described to me once told me, most judges are lawyers who got there by being willing to bend over and spread for a politician.
TC, The judge I am talking about was super “conservative,” but I did not realize he was so weak and Uber partisan. If judges are too often “drunk” with power, big dog Politicians are worse. Judge C has been in Congress 20 years or so now, and that gets worse and worse. Plus he is now 80 years old. I will never forget once when he had been in Congress a few years hearing him say, “boy, Tom DeLay(then majority leader I think and a fellow Texan), really told off the French ambassador, (I think that is who it was)when he told him, hey, you would be speaking German now if we hadn’t bailed you out.” It turned me off so bad. The judge was so proud DeLay was throwing his weight around.
That's been a fairly common comment (You'd be speaking German now...) by the kind of Americans who should never be allowed to travel internationally.
No, sir, it began in 1820 when politician Calhoun in Carolina bonded the plantation owners all together to keep the slaves and poor whites deaf and dumb with no REAL education...PLEASE .read "Democracy in Chains" by MacClean, 2017
"The American people — 332 million of us — must decide. "
I think many of those people are still not paying attention
Sadly that seems to be the case. Even though I don't believe most "polls " I can't understand how T***p and Biden could be neck and neck 🤪
Oh my, I agree! I'm so dubious of these polls. It can't be right, right???
I hope they’re not right.
I certainly hope not.
Unfortunately, you are correct! As I volunteer in every election, I am frustrated at what people don't know...and it seems they don't want to consider other facts that should change their minds.
Facts don’t matter because the truth no longer matters for most Republicans.
I've given up on the majority of Republicans. Most want to believe what they want to believe, based on nothing but lies and disinformation they hear. If you need any proof, watch Jordan Klemper interview the supporters at a Trump rally!
I understand but we must find ways to influence those deluded people-- we don’t need to enlighten everyone, just a fraction --10% maybe- to not vote for Trump (whether they vote for biden or just stay home)and to get likely Biden voters to the polls.
Registration drives? letter-writing campaigns? Resist 3rd party efforts ( including “NoLabels”) that will dilute the vote and make results unpredictable.
Unfortunately, I must agree with you.
As Winston Churchill is alleged to have said, "The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter."
And as H.L. Mencken pointed out 99 years ago during the Scopes Monkey Trial public insanity, "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
They’re not. Or else they’re brainwashed. Or else they’re fixated on Biden’s age. All you need to do to see this play out in real time with real people is to have an account on NEXTDOOR and make a pro-Biden comment.
I see it differently steve.
From IKE forward there have been 3 maybe 4 country over party gop leaders. Not Reagan, Nixon, W or even Romney. I can only think of HW, McCane, Liz Cheney, Adam K and I’m stumped to think of others.
From the moment LBJ supported civil rights the gop did all it could to win a southern strategy by being more racist, anti democratic, ignorant than the Dixiecrats they were replacing.
From 1992 through 2020, gop has only won a majority of American ONCE.
since they aren’t dumb they know and are saying out loud that their only ability to have power is to stymie voting and castrating the document, the constitution, by pushing a Hungarian type illiberal “democracy” which will not stop until it is a dictatorship!
To understand how so many of these GOP "Representatives" gained such power, just give their Districts a merry gander.
Or start watching the Fox propaganda channel and listen to right wing talk radio exclusively.
So many actual TRAITORS are inside our government.
Each of them swore an oath to uphold the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It is time to call them out for what they are.
You can’t change most Republicans minds on anything. Most of them live in a dark, dangerous, alternative universe and have embraced irrational anger, hostility, bullying, and even take pleasure in being cruel and hateful toward the “others”.
GOPartyOfCRUEL
...and violating their oaths.
This is the truth we must face. You’re right, Steve, it’s up to us. We must motivate, and vote against the Matt Gaetz of the world, and all he stands for, which is power at any cost.
His games, if they go un-thwarted will take us down. The entire government will leave us. The world will stop caring. America will be no beacon of light and hope.
All because of the un-serious, disloyal, un-caring, chaos producing faction here only to rob the American people of a dream.
The dream of a society set to rule itself, and offer equal Justice, equal opportunity, and freedoms that are protected by a constitution that he and his co-horts care nothing about.
It indeed is up to us.
We’ve got to be crystal clear about this. Gaetz takes this as a compliment. But, in the absence of any consequences for his behavior, why should he not? Unless we are prepared to actually prosecute him, we are just shaking our fists at the sky.
In my opinion, this was one of your best essays. I couldn't agree more with you the Republican party wasn't destroyed by one person. It took a mass effort of cowardice on the group consciousness. I left the party for good when torture was normalized. However, I had one foot out the door after Newt Gingrich became speaker. The writing was on the wall back then that something bad was brewing. The Republican party is no longer about good governance. It deviated from that position years ago and became a party of revenge and anger. They no longer wished to solve problems for their constituents. Instead they became a caucus of malcontents and misadjusted bottomfeeders. They look the other way when one of their own commits crimes and point the finger at Democrats to misdirect.
Donald Trump is not the cause of the disease in the Republican party but he is the culmination of all the rot and decay wrapped up in one evil person.
As usual, well written words saturated with truth and facts. We appreciate honesty in these horrible times of war, and uncertainty. However, we all must do our part to patch our democracy to its profound, and historical dignity. It can and will be done, its already happening. I am proud of all the leaders in the judicial system, DOJ, District Attorneys, State, Federal, County, and City folk doing their part to bolster America's foundation. Hell, America is truly fighting back and it shows. To tie Steve's words in a fancy red, white, and blue bow, we simply have them outnumbered. Do your part. Thank you Steve.
As usual Steve, you are aimed clearly at the heart of the issue. We have spent every year since the end of the draft, not teaching our young that the populous must bear the cost of the maintenance of the Democracy. We have perpetuated the endless entitlement of ill educated individuals who view the WWE and Trump as reality with no concept of responsibility to the nation and each other.
You’re exactly right, Steve! We must all share the blame for being complacent! Now, it’s time to really kick start our recovery! Trump and MAGA must be soundly defeated!
Spot on.
We The People may retract their just powers. We have become too complacent, too docile. But, of late, if not too late, we are manifesting fangs. We stand with General Milley in defense of Constitution, that nouveau construct, so bold, that places no person superior to another.
Gaetz is a punk, a caricature, an avatar, as Steve notes.
Stefanik is a stooge's stooge, a negative pressure vacuum dark with compressed negaitive energy crammed into a feckless carcass.
But, we are the majority
We are the majority.
Gaetz is a nihilist who violates his oath of office hourly.
And what good is a majority if everyone comprising that majority is not allowed to vote, or even bothers to vote , or if their state and local election poll workers or election officials won’t count their votes, or if their state legislatures ignore their votes and send their own slate of authoritarian electors to the electoral college? We need much more electoral oversight of the election process across the nation and we need to make vote rigging in a federal election a major felony everywhere. And then enforce it.