“Republicans have become the party of obstruction . . . “
Republicans are the party of NO, as in “No change from the 1800s.“
Republicans are the party of Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott, craven self-serving pols who only care about lining their pockets, padding their resumes and making themselves look good on paper.
Republicans are the party of …
“Republicans have become the party of obstruction . . . “
Republicans are the party of NO, as in “No change from the 1800s.“
Republicans are the party of Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott, craven self-serving pols who only care about lining their pockets, padding their resumes and making themselves look good on paper.
Republicans are the party of big business billionaires.
Republicans are the party of Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is the man who let himself be used by Vladimir Putin to shake down the Ukrainian president, obstruct Congress on January 6, and much more. He is the single most corrupt president in US history, and I dare anyone to refute that statement.
Republicans are the party of racism.
Republicans are the party of sexism and misogyny.
Republicans are the party of fighting against gay and lesbian rights.
Republicans are the party of QAnon.
Republicans are the party of David Duke and the KKK.
Nine times out of 10 Republican
politicians are the ones investigated and indicted for corruption.
Republicans are the party of members of Congress who oppose the people’s election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Republicans are the party of the attack on Congress, the first time in our nation’s history that has ever happened.
Republicans are not the party of Lincoln anymore, that’s for sure.
What party affiliation would Lincoln have today? Where would he fit in?
Republicans are the party of voter suppression, because their inherent racism forces them to target non-white voters. When do you ever hear of Democratic state and county officials targeting mostly white Republican towns and districts to suppress votes?
Republicans are the party of self service over public service.
Republicans are the party of union busting, because broken unions and non-unionized work forces make it even easier for corporations to exploit their workers with impunity than they already do. Remember Wisconsin?
The Republican Party has become such a reactionary group of extremists, so radical and off-the-reservation, that Joe Biden, a center right politician, looks like Fidel Castro to them.
Donald Trump, a lifelong New York Democrat, joined the Republican Party before making his run for the presidency. Why? Why would he do that?
The best nationally known Republicans are no longer George Bush and his family, Dick Cheney (what is it about the name Dick?), John McCain, Mitt Romney, and John Boehner.
The best nationally known Republicans are now Donald Trump and his family, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Kevin McCarthy, Marjorie Taylor Greene. Now you can include Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley.
If the Republican Party were not turning into an extremist and terrorist organization which looks more and more like the IRA and the apartheid South African National Party of F.W. de Klerk, it would be Larry Hogan on everybody’s lips, not Rafael Edward Cruz.
One of your best efforts, Roland. There are so many memorable one liners, I’m going to have to write them down. I think “Republicans are the party of self service over public service” is my favorite.
You left out: The Republican Party is the party of the so-called Christian Evangelicals, people who do not follow the example of their savior, Jesus Christ, to love and care for everyone. I speak as a person who considers herself to be a practicing Christian.
“The Christians who are on the wrong side of history, like Mike Pence, are over there because they are attached to the pre-1960s model of one man one woman + children everyone straight man-has-more-power outdated Hallmark Channel family model. He is just as white supremacist and misogynistic as the social lepers from January 6, he just puts a glossy coat of paint over it.”
Any Christian who chooses Donald Trump over Joe Biden is missing the message of Joshua of Nazareth. The contrast between these two people, I won’t say men because one of them isn’t, could not be more stark. If you call yourself a Christian, and you vote for Donald Trump, then your religion and your church have been completely corrupted. Joshua will still love you, but he will place in the category of very lost and deluded member of his flock.
Bravo, Roland!! Excellent body of homework articulating the seditious party's destruction actions, goals and fanatical extremism. Al Qaeda has nothing on our homegrown terrorists and propagandist media arms.
Speaking of Wisconsin, I got Ron Johnson's email newsletter today (gotta know what he's 'thinking') and there is NO mention of Trump. 'There should have never been a trial (all political theater by "vindictive and divisive" dems, no due process) and Rush Limbaugh was God's gift to conservatism.' We here continue to be jerked around by a republican legislature who blocks everything our dem governor tries to do. HCR and those in this community have energized me to get more involved in elections and peaceful protests on every level to thwart this growing throttle-hold on democracy. Thank you for that!
Message from Maryland. Hogan is moderate for a republican. He still is not someone I would choose to vote for in an election going forward - too focused on business over environment, unwilling to fund necessary upgrades to education.
Thank you for the info. I’m sure there’s no way I would vote for Hogan either, my point is that he is not an anarchist. He is a sensible Republican. He couldn’t wait to get the Maryland National Guard in there to quell the Riot. All the seditionists, the Rioters and the Republican members of Congress, attacked the Congress which is the People's voice, because they want to continue the lovely 4 years of racist and sexist society. Donald Trump is their wet dream, their fondest wish come true. Now American society is reverting back to form and not giving them their paradise anymore. So they threw a temper tantrum.
Agree on Hogan but worried he might run against Van Hollen successfully. MD is 2:1 Dems but obviously quite a few voted for Hogan statewide when he ran against a weak (and black) Dem.
But over 74 million voted for them. Are they all ignorant of all the epithets and truths that you bring to the fore? Do they agree with some of it.......but agree much less with what the Dems have to offer? It's not a black and white question as you know very well and is imposed only because there are only 2 Parties....which in their entirety represent no one....not even those elected under their banners.
Yes. See my post above. On a normal bell shaped curve of distribution, 74 million is only 25% of the American population. I’m a psychologist and administer IQ tests. In theory 25% on the low end of the bell shaped curve are intellectually disabled.
IQ assessment and interpretation are not understood by most. All humans have a cognitive profile of at least 7 constructs. Each one is measured and together makes the composite score. I never look at the composite score but instead the patterns of strengths and weaknesses in the individual constructs.
What are those constructs? In layman’s terms they measure the following capabilities in humans: understanding and using language; vision and hearing; speed at which you process information; long term memory; short term memory; etc
But this is why it’s so important to ‘get out the vote’. Think about how many people didn’t even bother to vote. It’s a lot! 74 million, in comparison to 300 million Americans, is only 25%+- of the population. That’s the very lowest end of a bell shaped curve distribution.
Thank you for putting that into a context that brought my blood pressure down a notch or two. 74 million is a huge number but opening up the eyes of a few hundred million Americans so they do their civic duty and vote ... well that’s a worthy goal!!!
Yes, it is. I have to confess, I always voted in the Presidential elections from the time I had the chance to vote but in my younger days, I didn’t bother much with local elections. That is a mistake many of us have made. It’s so important that Civics as a required course gets more traction in today’s education. As I listen to my niece, who is a wife, mother and business owner tell me she doesn’t have the time or energy to stay engaged with the issues we face, I understand her feeling of overwhelm. I tried to express the importance of staying engaged as it will impact her life and her business and her children’s future but I was where she was once. My words fall on deaf ears. Complacency of so many citizens is why I feel we find ourselves in this very serious assault on our democracy. Hindsight, right?
Only 40% of the American population votes. That’s all. Why do you think we got Trump? It’s because having a black president motivated the opposition to get out and vote for change‼️ Nothing is going to motivate racists more than having the first African-American president in history. Polls don’t mean jack. The only thing that matters is who actually submits a legal ballot that is counted. Period. And when less than half the population is voting, VOTER TURNOUT IS ALL THAT COUNTS.
Ah, but at its very core it IS a black and white question. Institutionalized racism and the recent attacks on anything resembling addressing it (the "1776 Manifesto" in response to the "1619 Project) is but one example) are at the fundamental core of this divide between today's Republicans and today's Democrats.
My American history tends to start a few thousand years ago and both dates are important but they record more the invasion of colonialists and their somewhat deleterious impact upon a highly civilized human environment.
Stuart I love you and your writing but I frequently don’t follow your train of thought. That said, racism and sexism (and homophobia) are at the core of what is Republican. If a POC or a woman, preferably both, is attacked, it’s always a Republican attack. There is nearly always a cover story or excuse or BS reason for the attack, but the attack is racist and sexist. You can tell. Same with voter suppression. That is fueled by racism. This is a black-and-white issue.
My son who is 17 is constantly decrying our two party system. I am beginning to see that he is wise despite his lack of years. Perhaps the Republicans will really splinter asunder giving cover for the Democrats to do the same. But does it really function better to have an Italian or Israeli style government? I hope the Democrats can hobble oligarchs and big business to some extent. Perhaps my head is in the sand?
The italian example is perhaps not the best and Isreal's current difficulties are somewhat recent in origin and concern divisive personalities. The key in any proportional system is always the extent of regionalization of the voting process and the minimum percentage vote requirement for representation. A better example to study might be the German situation on one hand and the Dutch on the other. Forming governments that tend to limit the influence of extremes but still reflect the distance and direction from the centre dictated by the people's votes.
But then Belgium is a very strange, unreal beast with all the complexities of the French administrative model and the opposing "simplicities" and rigidities of the Protestant Dutch. In reality it is a country that doesn't exist as a whole.
I much enjoyed the time i spent living and working in Brussels, though; didn't meet many Belgians but evolved in young international community.
I never liked a multiple party idea. It just didn't make sense to me. However, in light of the last decade or so it's becoming apparent that there are at least 3 major philosophies that could be articulated. Another aspect is regionalism. A friend has suggested that the USA could/should be four separate countries. That flipped me out, but maybe some form of regional 'government' between the state and federal level might help functionality?
In France they add layers without clarifying the limits and responsibilities of each and it adds to the confusion.
Once you start looking at the different intellectual currents, often mutually exclusive, that you would find in each existing party, three would hardly suffice.
The German system is the only one I have some fleeting familiarity with, since I grew up there. I am an ignoramus on multiparty systems, I defer to all of you.
I can definitely see this: ranging from the extreme progressive Democrats to the reactionary Republicans with the middle ground being occupied by the "rational" reds and blues.
I can't see many progressive Dems leaving the party. We prefer staying with our party and working to improve it. Let Repugs crack up like the Whigs and be irrelevant for a decade or more.
Or overpower them with numbers. That’s what happened in California in 2010 when a state-appointed citizen’s committee redistricted the entire state. Eliminating gerrymandering also eliminated the California Republican Party as a viable party. They have been an endangered species, irrelevant in state politics because of Democratic supermajorities. Eliminating gerrymandering disempowers the Republican Party to the point where its power is commensurate with its true numbers. That’s how you defeat racism sexism and homophobia. Eliminate gerrymandering. Reduce voter suppression. Get out the vote. In the meantime, power play them like they play us. Take off the gloves.
Roland’s “Dick” comment was a minor insult against a man guilty of monstrous behavior. His role in the Bush administration took us down a path we are still reckoning with. If anything it was too lighthearted.
I have to agree with Diane and Steven. Dick Cheney was an animal. “Monstrous behavior” only begins to do it justice. And let’s not forget, he is probably the number one person responsible for the Iraq war, Halliburton profited beautifully. World class sleazebag.
My deceased mother would tell me she thought Cheney was hiding in the bunker under the White House, like Hitler. She always felt he was the one calling the shots because she didn’t think George Jr. was smart enough.
She was right...and he was just following the dictum of Charles Wilson..."what is good for General Motors (in this case Halliburton) is good for the world"
Sorry Dick I don’t always keep it clean and clear. I didn’t mean to insult you or anyone else with the name Dick, that’s for sure. I was actually referring to Tricky Dick Nixon. When I think of Dick Cheney it reminds me of Richard Nixon, especially thinking of Republicans. I read a book about Dick Cheney and some of the vicious things he did to betray people around him in govt.
My apologies. Thanks for the feedback, it helps me get better at staying human.
No worries, I remember “Tricky Dick “ well, the night that he resigned, we opened up and drank a bottle of Cognac that was bottled when Napoleon was raging around Europe, it was very, very good as was the day.
I once worked in a bookstore where 5 out of 8 staff were named Mike, and they were all jerks! Any explanation would have an ineffable quality to it. (I had to look up "ineffable.")
Roland, I enjoyed your righteous, political singalong. We have a small disagreement about Joe Biden. I would call him a centrist, rather than center-right as you did. In fact, I believe he has moved a smidgen to the left, perhaps, because the need of the people demands it.
You are correct, but so am I. It depends on where you are standing, it depends on perspective. In the last few days I’ve been exchanging views here with a gentleman from England. By western European standards, Biden is as I described. Absolutely he’s moving left, that is clear. I think your take is more accurate for the American perspective, you have me there.
I have to find a way to copy this and save it for useful reference when speaking with my family Trumpsters. Thank you, Roland! 🥰👍🏻 Like the ironic wit, too. So helpful! ❤️🤍💙
I could tell you how to copy and paste this, but in my experience when attempting to speak with my family Trumpsters, the more factual I become, the more fractious they retort. The only hope I see is if their ministers, CEOs, and financial portfolio consultants speak to them with the same truths.
Roland, thank you for laying it all out there. It seems ludicrous that so many citizens still follow the party blindly... or are they? Am I simply naive in believing those that stay with the current Republican Party do not see what it has become? Or are really seeing it for what it now stands for and relishing it? Are there that many who would cut off their noses to spite their face to hold on to white power?
You are correct in every respect. Republicans do not see. They gravitate to white power and male power. They don’t care that Donald Trump has abused several dozen women. They don’t care that he insults and despises non-whites and non-males from Barack to the Squad etc. etc. They probably secretly admire him. They are oblivious to being sexist and racist, in their mind they probably just think whites are still better and men are still better, and that’s the way it should be. They are closet racists, sexists, homophobes and anti-Semites. Except of course the ones who are right out there in the open with it.
People of conscience twist themselves up in knots trying to figure out what the hell the latest Republican rationalization means. People, we are working too hard to try to figure these schmucks out. Forget the latest mind bender that they come up with. Because they are in denial of their own sexism and racism, they spew all kinds of nonsense to justify and excuse and rationalize themselves and their behavior. And they project like crazy. Notice how Donald Trump was trying to steal an election, and he was accusing everybody except himself for doing it. That is the definition of a complete fucking moron in denial.
My opinion, that’s all it is I am no predictor, is a break-up. The party looks like it’s fracturing. I for one am delighted, because nothing brings me more joy than watching the coalition of racists sexists and homophobes called “The GOP” fighting it out in internecine warfare. Find your favorite sofa or armchair, and let’s watch the show together 🍿🍿
Thanks Roland! I hope that can be done without destroying our democracy! A "functioning" two-party system would be nice! In the meantime, my wife and I will be celebrating the completion of our covid vaccinations with a Zoom meeting with our Granddaughter and family, followed by a cocktail and fine Oregon Pinot with dinner.
It may be a trend, but what kind? I've read that many Repug defectors leave b/c business Republicans aren't rabid enough for them. They may un-register but still lust to support the Unnamed Former.
Roland I have to take back my previous comment on not being in an echo chamber. But I do enjoy the reverberations of how awful the Republicans have become. We here who have come to enjoy life again during the insanity of the tRump regime, who have come to weather that increasingly awful experience under Heather’s words of wisdom are grateful to her and to each other. Thank you all for your support.
The HIJACKED Republican Party is thus. Can it be released and rescued, or is it now so far off course, a new Responsible party must step into the void.
“Republicans have become the party of obstruction . . . “
Republicans are the party of NO, as in “No change from the 1800s.“
Republicans are the party of Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott, craven self-serving pols who only care about lining their pockets, padding their resumes and making themselves look good on paper.
Republicans are the party of big business billionaires.
Republicans are the party of Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is the man who let himself be used by Vladimir Putin to shake down the Ukrainian president, obstruct Congress on January 6, and much more. He is the single most corrupt president in US history, and I dare anyone to refute that statement.
Republicans are the party of racism.
Republicans are the party of sexism and misogyny.
Republicans are the party of fighting against gay and lesbian rights.
Republicans are the party of QAnon.
Republicans are the party of David Duke and the KKK.
Nine times out of 10 Republican
politicians are the ones investigated and indicted for corruption.
Republicans are the party of members of Congress who oppose the people’s election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Republicans are the party of the attack on Congress, the first time in our nation’s history that has ever happened.
Republicans are not the party of Lincoln anymore, that’s for sure.
What party affiliation would Lincoln have today? Where would he fit in?
Republicans are the party of voter suppression, because their inherent racism forces them to target non-white voters. When do you ever hear of Democratic state and county officials targeting mostly white Republican towns and districts to suppress votes?
Republicans are the party of self service over public service.
Republicans are the party of union busting, because broken unions and non-unionized work forces make it even easier for corporations to exploit their workers with impunity than they already do. Remember Wisconsin?
The Republican Party has become such a reactionary group of extremists, so radical and off-the-reservation, that Joe Biden, a center right politician, looks like Fidel Castro to them.
Donald Trump, a lifelong New York Democrat, joined the Republican Party before making his run for the presidency. Why? Why would he do that?
The best nationally known Republicans are no longer George Bush and his family, Dick Cheney (what is it about the name Dick?), John McCain, Mitt Romney, and John Boehner.
The best nationally known Republicans are now Donald Trump and his family, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Kevin McCarthy, Marjorie Taylor Greene. Now you can include Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley.
If the Republican Party were not turning into an extremist and terrorist organization which looks more and more like the IRA and the apartheid South African National Party of F.W. de Klerk, it would be Larry Hogan on everybody’s lips, not Rafael Edward Cruz.
One of your best efforts, Roland. There are so many memorable one liners, I’m going to have to write them down. I think “Republicans are the party of self service over public service” is my favorite.
🙏🙏
You left out: The Republican Party is the party of the so-called Christian Evangelicals, people who do not follow the example of their savior, Jesus Christ, to love and care for everyone. I speak as a person who considers herself to be a practicing Christian.
Yes, indeed! I have so often said the very same thing, even though I don't call myself a Christian.
Here’s an excerpt from my Feb. 16 HCR post:
“The Christians who are on the wrong side of history, like Mike Pence, are over there because they are attached to the pre-1960s model of one man one woman + children everyone straight man-has-more-power outdated Hallmark Channel family model. He is just as white supremacist and misogynistic as the social lepers from January 6, he just puts a glossy coat of paint over it.”
Any Christian who chooses Donald Trump over Joe Biden is missing the message of Joshua of Nazareth. The contrast between these two people, I won’t say men because one of them isn’t, could not be more stark. If you call yourself a Christian, and you vote for Donald Trump, then your religion and your church have been completely corrupted. Joshua will still love you, but he will place in the category of very lost and deluded member of his flock.
Thank you Sally ❤️❤️
Bravo, Roland!! Excellent body of homework articulating the seditious party's destruction actions, goals and fanatical extremism. Al Qaeda has nothing on our homegrown terrorists and propagandist media arms.
🙏
Speaking of Wisconsin, I got Ron Johnson's email newsletter today (gotta know what he's 'thinking') and there is NO mention of Trump. 'There should have never been a trial (all political theater by "vindictive and divisive" dems, no due process) and Rush Limbaugh was God's gift to conservatism.' We here continue to be jerked around by a republican legislature who blocks everything our dem governor tries to do. HCR and those in this community have energized me to get more involved in elections and peaceful protests on every level to thwart this growing throttle-hold on democracy. Thank you for that!
Message from Maryland. Hogan is moderate for a republican. He still is not someone I would choose to vote for in an election going forward - too focused on business over environment, unwilling to fund necessary upgrades to education.
Thank you for the info. I’m sure there’s no way I would vote for Hogan either, my point is that he is not an anarchist. He is a sensible Republican. He couldn’t wait to get the Maryland National Guard in there to quell the Riot. All the seditionists, the Rioters and the Republican members of Congress, attacked the Congress which is the People's voice, because they want to continue the lovely 4 years of racist and sexist society. Donald Trump is their wet dream, their fondest wish come true. Now American society is reverting back to form and not giving them their paradise anymore. So they threw a temper tantrum.
True, Roland. Hogan made heroic efforts to mobilize the MD Natl Guard to protect the Capitol, but was thwarted by his own traitorous party.
That said, I am wary of the potential appeal of any moderate Republican. If they want to present as Dem Lite, they should join the Dem Party.
Agree on Hogan but worried he might run against Van Hollen successfully. MD is 2:1 Dems but obviously quite a few voted for Hogan statewide when he ran against a weak (and black) Dem.
I like Hogan as an intraparty gadfly scourging GOP comrades.
But over 74 million voted for them. Are they all ignorant of all the epithets and truths that you bring to the fore? Do they agree with some of it.......but agree much less with what the Dems have to offer? It's not a black and white question as you know very well and is imposed only because there are only 2 Parties....which in their entirety represent no one....not even those elected under their banners.
It’s scary as hell isn't it Stuart? 74 million Trump supporters can’t be ignored. It keeps me awake at night.
Never forget that half of the population has below-average IQ's
Yes. See my post above. On a normal bell shaped curve of distribution, 74 million is only 25% of the American population. I’m a psychologist and administer IQ tests. In theory 25% on the low end of the bell shaped curve are intellectually disabled.
Not sure IQ tests measure common sense.
IQ assessment and interpretation are not understood by most. All humans have a cognitive profile of at least 7 constructs. Each one is measured and together makes the composite score. I never look at the composite score but instead the patterns of strengths and weaknesses in the individual constructs.
What are those constructs? In layman’s terms they measure the following capabilities in humans: understanding and using language; vision and hearing; speed at which you process information; long term memory; short term memory; etc
Tricia, unfortunately, most of those in your 25% category seem to vote in the same states...and they are not affected by the voting restrictions.
But this is why it’s so important to ‘get out the vote’. Think about how many people didn’t even bother to vote. It’s a lot! 74 million, in comparison to 300 million Americans, is only 25%+- of the population. That’s the very lowest end of a bell shaped curve distribution.
Thank you for putting that into a context that brought my blood pressure down a notch or two. 74 million is a huge number but opening up the eyes of a few hundred million Americans so they do their civic duty and vote ... well that’s a worthy goal!!!
Yes! Right? It’s crazy that millions of Americans don’t bother to vote.
Yes, it is. I have to confess, I always voted in the Presidential elections from the time I had the chance to vote but in my younger days, I didn’t bother much with local elections. That is a mistake many of us have made. It’s so important that Civics as a required course gets more traction in today’s education. As I listen to my niece, who is a wife, mother and business owner tell me she doesn’t have the time or energy to stay engaged with the issues we face, I understand her feeling of overwhelm. I tried to express the importance of staying engaged as it will impact her life and her business and her children’s future but I was where she was once. My words fall on deaf ears. Complacency of so many citizens is why I feel we find ourselves in this very serious assault on our democracy. Hindsight, right?
Only 40% of the American population votes. That’s all. Why do you think we got Trump? It’s because having a black president motivated the opposition to get out and vote for change‼️ Nothing is going to motivate racists more than having the first African-American president in history. Polls don’t mean jack. The only thing that matters is who actually submits a legal ballot that is counted. Period. And when less than half the population is voting, VOTER TURNOUT IS ALL THAT COUNTS.
Don’t forget, the ones that might tolerate a black man wouldn’t countenance a woman.
Trust me, I haven’t forgotten. How many voters voted Republican this last time around not just FOR Trump but AGAINST Kamala Harris?
And unfortunately you do the same to a lot of them!
Ah, but at its very core it IS a black and white question. Institutionalized racism and the recent attacks on anything resembling addressing it (the "1776 Manifesto" in response to the "1619 Project) is but one example) are at the fundamental core of this divide between today's Republicans and today's Democrats.
1776P doesn't rely on facts and evidence like 1619P.
Yes but...a trifle limitative i fear!
Your fears are well-funded, Stuart. But the 1776P is so pathetic that it deserves no more than the scant attention it received.
My American history tends to start a few thousand years ago and both dates are important but they record more the invasion of colonialists and their somewhat deleterious impact upon a highly civilized human environment.
Stuart I love you and your writing but I frequently don’t follow your train of thought. That said, racism and sexism (and homophobia) are at the core of what is Republican. If a POC or a woman, preferably both, is attacked, it’s always a Republican attack. There is nearly always a cover story or excuse or BS reason for the attack, but the attack is racist and sexist. You can tell. Same with voter suppression. That is fueled by racism. This is a black-and-white issue.
My son who is 17 is constantly decrying our two party system. I am beginning to see that he is wise despite his lack of years. Perhaps the Republicans will really splinter asunder giving cover for the Democrats to do the same. But does it really function better to have an Italian or Israeli style government? I hope the Democrats can hobble oligarchs and big business to some extent. Perhaps my head is in the sand?
The italian example is perhaps not the best and Isreal's current difficulties are somewhat recent in origin and concern divisive personalities. The key in any proportional system is always the extent of regionalization of the voting process and the minimum percentage vote requirement for representation. A better example to study might be the German situation on one hand and the Dutch on the other. Forming governments that tend to limit the influence of extremes but still reflect the distance and direction from the centre dictated by the people's votes.
Whatever model you choose to follow, do not even consider Belgium.
But then Belgium is a very strange, unreal beast with all the complexities of the French administrative model and the opposing "simplicities" and rigidities of the Protestant Dutch. In reality it is a country that doesn't exist as a whole.
I much enjoyed the time i spent living and working in Brussels, though; didn't meet many Belgians but evolved in young international community.
I never liked a multiple party idea. It just didn't make sense to me. However, in light of the last decade or so it's becoming apparent that there are at least 3 major philosophies that could be articulated. Another aspect is regionalism. A friend has suggested that the USA could/should be four separate countries. That flipped me out, but maybe some form of regional 'government' between the state and federal level might help functionality?
In France they add layers without clarifying the limits and responsibilities of each and it adds to the confusion.
Once you start looking at the different intellectual currents, often mutually exclusive, that you would find in each existing party, three would hardly suffice.
Stuart, you are on to something here. I am fond of the German model.
The German system is the only one I have some fleeting familiarity with, since I grew up there. I am an ignoramus on multiparty systems, I defer to all of you.
I think we have the makings of 4 parties right now.
I can definitely see this: ranging from the extreme progressive Democrats to the reactionary Republicans with the middle ground being occupied by the "rational" reds and blues.
I can't see many progressive Dems leaving the party. We prefer staying with our party and working to improve it. Let Repugs crack up like the Whigs and be irrelevant for a decade or more.
Love this entire thread. From all your lips . . .
Part of the 74 million are ignorant and the rest take advantage of them.
Of course but they are just "gaming" the system with a certain degree of success. The Dems have to beat them at the "game" or change the rules.
Or overpower them with numbers. That’s what happened in California in 2010 when a state-appointed citizen’s committee redistricted the entire state. Eliminating gerrymandering also eliminated the California Republican Party as a viable party. They have been an endangered species, irrelevant in state politics because of Democratic supermajorities. Eliminating gerrymandering disempowers the Republican Party to the point where its power is commensurate with its true numbers. That’s how you defeat racism sexism and homophobia. Eliminate gerrymandering. Reduce voter suppression. Get out the vote. In the meantime, power play them like they play us. Take off the gloves.
Sounds like a successful gerrymandering of the Cal GOP. Not that I'm complaining.
We are still dealing with gerrymandering in CA! Our local governments embrace it. 😡
Ignorant or manipulators. You cannot be half pregnant
You had me with you until you got to Dick Cheney, then you got personal, other than that I agree with you
Roland’s “Dick” comment was a minor insult against a man guilty of monstrous behavior. His role in the Bush administration took us down a path we are still reckoning with. If anything it was too lighthearted.
Dick Cheney was arguably more dangerous than Trump, because Cheney was more clever and intelligent...and he "hid" behind the maleable George W.
I have to agree with Diane and Steven. Dick Cheney was an animal. “Monstrous behavior” only begins to do it justice. And let’s not forget, he is probably the number one person responsible for the Iraq war, Halliburton profited beautifully. World class sleazebag.
Cheney is a monster. But as Ed Markey said after Jan 6, Trumpsky "has done serious damage to America," more than Cheney did.
My deceased mother would tell me she thought Cheney was hiding in the bunker under the White House, like Hitler. She always felt he was the one calling the shots because she didn’t think George Jr. was smart enough.
She was right...and he was just following the dictum of Charles Wilson..."what is good for General Motors (in this case Halliburton) is good for the world"
Sorry Dick I don’t always keep it clean and clear. I didn’t mean to insult you or anyone else with the name Dick, that’s for sure. I was actually referring to Tricky Dick Nixon. When I think of Dick Cheney it reminds me of Richard Nixon, especially thinking of Republicans. I read a book about Dick Cheney and some of the vicious things he did to betray people around him in govt.
My apologies. Thanks for the feedback, it helps me get better at staying human.
Brings to mind the poster from the 70's, "Dick Nixon before he dicks you."
No worries, I remember “Tricky Dick “ well, the night that he resigned, we opened up and drank a bottle of Cognac that was bottled when Napoleon was raging around Europe, it was very, very good as was the day.
I’ve always wondered about the word ‘dick’ and how it got married with the male appendage. Do you know? I’m serious asking. Not a snark!
I wonder how Dick became a nickname for Richard. Maybe it was slang for member first?
Yes! And I know guys named Richard. And guess what? They are 'dicks'. Explain that.
I once worked in a bookstore where 5 out of 8 staff were named Mike, and they were all jerks! Any explanation would have an ineffable quality to it. (I had to look up "ineffable.")
😂😂😂
Roland, I enjoyed your righteous, political singalong. We have a small disagreement about Joe Biden. I would call him a centrist, rather than center-right as you did. In fact, I believe he has moved a smidgen to the left, perhaps, because the need of the people demands it.
You are correct, but so am I. It depends on where you are standing, it depends on perspective. In the last few days I’ve been exchanging views here with a gentleman from England. By western European standards, Biden is as I described. Absolutely he’s moving left, that is clear. I think your take is more accurate for the American perspective, you have me there.
I agree.
The Republican Party are the ambassadors of cheating.
Thank you Charlene‼️
I welcome additions to the list. Cheating. Using any means to have it their way. Power plays.
Thuggishness
I have to find a way to copy this and save it for useful reference when speaking with my family Trumpsters. Thank you, Roland! 🥰👍🏻 Like the ironic wit, too. So helpful! ❤️🤍💙
I could tell you how to copy and paste this, but in my experience when attempting to speak with my family Trumpsters, the more factual I become, the more fractious they retort. The only hope I see is if their ministers, CEOs, and financial portfolio consultants speak to them with the same truths.
Facts are such pesky things ....
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Roland, thank you for laying it all out there. It seems ludicrous that so many citizens still follow the party blindly... or are they? Am I simply naive in believing those that stay with the current Republican Party do not see what it has become? Or are really seeing it for what it now stands for and relishing it? Are there that many who would cut off their noses to spite their face to hold on to white power?
You are correct in every respect. Republicans do not see. They gravitate to white power and male power. They don’t care that Donald Trump has abused several dozen women. They don’t care that he insults and despises non-whites and non-males from Barack to the Squad etc. etc. They probably secretly admire him. They are oblivious to being sexist and racist, in their mind they probably just think whites are still better and men are still better, and that’s the way it should be. They are closet racists, sexists, homophobes and anti-Semites. Except of course the ones who are right out there in the open with it.
People of conscience twist themselves up in knots trying to figure out what the hell the latest Republican rationalization means. People, we are working too hard to try to figure these schmucks out. Forget the latest mind bender that they come up with. Because they are in denial of their own sexism and racism, they spew all kinds of nonsense to justify and excuse and rationalize themselves and their behavior. And they project like crazy. Notice how Donald Trump was trying to steal an election, and he was accusing everybody except himself for doing it. That is the definition of a complete fucking moron in denial.
Some people are hard of hearing. Trumpskyites are hard of listening.
Roland, do you think enough R's will defect to put them in PANIC mode?
My opinion, that’s all it is I am no predictor, is a break-up. The party looks like it’s fracturing. I for one am delighted, because nothing brings me more joy than watching the coalition of racists sexists and homophobes called “The GOP” fighting it out in internecine warfare. Find your favorite sofa or armchair, and let’s watch the show together 🍿🍿
Thanks Roland! I hope that can be done without destroying our democracy! A "functioning" two-party system would be nice! In the meantime, my wife and I will be celebrating the completion of our covid vaccinations with a Zoom meeting with our Granddaughter and family, followed by a cocktail and fine Oregon Pinot with dinner.
Cheers!
My understanding is that thousands have unregistered as Republicans after Jan. 6. Perhaps an awakening? Hoping it's a trend.
It may be a trend, but what kind? I've read that many Repug defectors leave b/c business Republicans aren't rabid enough for them. They may un-register but still lust to support the Unnamed Former.
There are that many who have been threatened
Roland I have to take back my previous comment on not being in an echo chamber. But I do enjoy the reverberations of how awful the Republicans have become. We here who have come to enjoy life again during the insanity of the tRump regime, who have come to weather that increasingly awful experience under Heather’s words of wisdom are grateful to her and to each other. Thank you all for your support.
Thank you for taking the time to write this wonderful anaysis!
🙏🙏
👏 Bravo!!!
The HIJACKED Republican Party is thus. Can it be released and rescued, or is it now so far off course, a new Responsible party must step into the void.
I plopped myself down on my sofa and I am watching the show 🍿🍿
Thank you, Roland. This is a nice expansion of a view I’ve held of the Republican Party since about 1971.
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Three ❤️❤️❤️