Try as I might, I can’t think of a good thing to say about Republicans at the moment.
I was raised to believe – and lived most of my life believing – there were two trustworthy political parties in this country. And, that their differing, entrenched positions were what kept our national political affairs in balance. The constant ‘push and pull.’
I was comforted by such instruction. It seemed the normal, natural way of things. It really did.
But, such is not the case anymore. The Republican Party has morphed into something my life-long GOP father wouldn’t recognize were he alive today. It has become a party offering nothing in the way of positive change. It’s now a refuge for angry people who have trouble separating fact from untruth. It’s a haven for book burners. For anti-this-that-and-the-other. It offers nothing but anger, untruths and has become a haven for demagogues.
I hate having to write those words. I hate the what they say. But, that’s the way things seem.
In today’s GOP, if you’re not an “unquestioning” member of the Party, then you must be a “liberal” Democrat. And, if not a “liberal Democrat,” you’re judged to be a just plain “liberal.” Period. Or a lib-tard. Automatically.
This seeming near-collapse of what was once a thriving Party, compared to its political rival, has caused many problems. Not the least of which is a Congress so divided and so convoluted it’s only a shadow of its former self. Meaningful work from such a contorted political entity is badly crippled.
There’s also a distinct nastiness emanating from some members. Name calling. A North Carolina Lieutenant Governor comparing school shooting survivors to “Communists.” Character assassination. GOPers attacking young people over their sexual orientation. Republicans, in some cases, trying to eliminate abortion, no matter the reason. Florida, Texas, Arkansas and our beloved Idaho Republicans enacting new laws limiting otherwise permitted freedoms of citizenship.
I know many Republicans. But, I don’t know many responsible ones who speak well of their “Grand Old Party” at the moment. Many feel the Party has either deserted them or has become something they can no longer support. The base of the Party is getting ever narrower.
Now, rather than the measured political thoughtfulness of a Mitt Romney or a Colin Powell, you hear the right-wing cadences called out by a Tommy Tuberville or a Raphael Cruz. Attacks on the President are shrill, harsh and often unfounded. Political differences, yes. But, Biden’s foes have their ‘knives’ out.
The lack of a full-throated, honest political opposition is being seen all the way down to local community races. In our little Oregon backwater, three such radical “righties” ran as a GOP team for the school board a few years ago. If successful, our typical, functioning school district would’ve been in the hands of people who want to purge libraries, ban books and disapprove of health care for children with special needs.
These Republican right-wingers no longer hide their true intent. They’ve become brazen enough to put it right out there. And, in many cases, they’re finding a willing audience. So far, most of the time, that audience is a minority. But, not always.
What’s absolutely necessary to combat these folks, who want to change everything to their way of thinking, is a renewed emphasis for an informed majority. This infiltration of our way of life is not simply a far-off attack limited to Congress – where that battle has been real for a decade or two. It’s appearing on our local ballots right down to dog catcher.
Most voting age Americans tend not to focus daily on the ever-changing political currents in our country. They’d rather sort ’em out at the polls come election time. That’s worked for a long time.
But, it’s very different now. The choices on the ballot are not just one of two political parties, both with the good of community at heart. Some of those choices are trying to recast our democracy – our Republic – in their own ‘image.’ They want everyone to support their candidates – their decisions – their way of looking at things.
We can’t – we must not – fall victim to their false flags. Extreme choices mean it’s more important than ever to have a well-informed electorate. One that knows the dangers on the ticket and votes to remove them.
That means me. And YOU and ME!
Share on Facebook
