House of Eratosthenes

There is a persuasive mythology out there that democrats are on the fringe-kooky left, Republicans are on the fringe-kooky right, and the way “forward” is somewhere in between those two.

I have noticed fragile narratives start to crack and crumble when made to answer specific questions, and the specific question to ask here is: What exactly are the fringe-kooky right positions? Lower taxes, strong defense, sound immigration policy, law & order. I mean yeah, you can pretend these are “dog whistle” signals for intolerance and bigotry, but that’s not choosing a centrist in-between way forward, that’s uncritically accepting inflammatory leftist talking-points. It all comes down to, Trump doesn’t make a very good Hitler if he’s relocating the embassy to Jerusalem.

I think Republicans need to hit back against this hard. Without this mythology floating around, you can make the ultimate Republican campaign commercial just by showing clips of the donkey-face cutie Bronx bartender speaking. But too many people see that, and think “I don’t like that but I’ll sort of fantasize about Republicans being just as bad, although I can’t think of specific examples, and so I’ll vote for the liberal/democrat/moderate/centrist/no-party guy or stay home.” After watching people talk about these things in the public square all these years, reconciling it with what I read online, and then seeing the results play out on this-or-that election night, I’m convinced that’s the most influential, and harmful, factor in American politics. Which means it’s the most influential/harmful factor in deciding where our whole society is going, unfortunately.

Politics shouldn’t be so influential. But during the course of my lifetime, it is what it is. As long as that part of the machinery is busted, some attempt should be made to fix the other.

The point is, the idea that a vote for a democrat is a vote for Venezuela-style socialism, survives scrutiny. The idea that a vote for a Republican is a vote for nooses and burning crosses, and a re-enactment of The Handmaid’s Tale, does not.

Quite frankly, a vote for a Republican is ALSO a vote for Venezuela-style “socialism”. In case you hadn’t noticed the fine performance by same when they controlled BOTH houses of Congress and President Trump was BEGGING them to act “Republican”.

And the nooses and burning crosses – with occupants attached – is coming soon if the fraud, corruption, treason, and sedition continues.
- MarkMatis | 03/05/2019 @ 06:43
Is it really fair to say Republicans were “controlling both houses of Congress” when they couldn’t even control McCain?

See, this gets back to my complaint. The Republicans have been allowing the enemy to explain to the public what a Republican is. So every seat “won” by way of a campaign wandering around in the tall grass of “character matters” and “he fought for his country and is a great American” — is a potential Jumpin’ Jim Jeffords seat, a Mitt Romney seat. Doesn’t matter if it has the letter R next to it.

There is a conflict here that shouldn’t exist in the first place. “Great Americans” with “good character” do not allow their fellow Americans to be hurt. They don’t allow socialism to happen.
- mkfreeberg | 03/05/2019 @ 07:34
Songbird McShame got his financial backing from the Republicans. He was just one of MANY Koch-sucking Rove Republican swill. So just who do YOU consider to be “Republicans”, if not them? The alleged “Freedom” Caucus in the House? Those fine people who allegedly had enough members to deny Lyin’ Ryan the speakership in the 115th Congress, but who refused to do so even AFTER they had seen his performance in replacing Weepy???

Go ahead and define “Republicans” as you choose. I will still curse them for what they have done to this country, and look forward to giving them their opportunity to do the Mussolini dance.
- MarkMatis | 03/06/2019 @ 04:20

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