Have our resident historians any parallels to tell us about those who were crying as Nixon left office, or who were diehard followers/supporters/fans of McCarthy? Where did they take their money and allegiance next?
Second, will we learn someday of ways top GQPs were basically blackmailed into submission, not just chasing donor cash?
Have our resident historians any parallels to tell us about those who were crying as Nixon left office, or who were diehard followers/supporters/fans of McCarthy? Where did they take their money and allegiance next?
Second, will we learn someday of ways top GQPs were basically blackmailed into submission, not just chasing donor cash?
There are important parallels in terms of lawbreaking, but both the 1/45 admin and Jan 6 are truly unprecedented. The Nixon admin's crimes were not committed by a large swath of the GOP, just a segment of the White house staff and John Mitchell at DOJ. There was nothing like today's Sedition Caucus; the cruel GQP governors and state legislatures, and 1/45's blind, unreasoning, cult-like followers. The violence of Nixonite Hardhats (blue-collar reactionaries) is similar to the political violence of 1/45's minions, but the latter is far more extensive and serious. (A more apt comparison is to the rise of the Nazis in Germany. )
Unlike 1/45, Nixon was a rational if twisted person, who ultimately could accept clear evidence when forced on him; he was persuaded to resign, after all. He also was an American patriot, albeit later a warped one. In WW2 he served with distinction in a non-combat role, then in the House, Senate and as VP. None of these traits apply to 1/45.
By the end, Nixon lost all support even from his own party. At that time I attended Earlham College in Richmond IN, long a stronghold of the KKK. Rep David Dennis of Richmond was Tricky Dick's staunchest supporter, but when even he said he'd vote to impeach based on the "smoking gun" tapes, Nixon knew the game was up. As a whole, the GQP is far from turning against 1/45, for now at least.
(Interestingly, both Nixon and Dennis were "lapsed" Quakers. Each graduated from Quaker colleges in their respective hometowns, Whittier CA and Richmond, and Dennis's father was an Earlham president.)
Finally, Nixon's worst crime wasn't Watergate; it was prolonging and expanding the Vietnam/Indochina War, leading to countless unnecessary casualties and suffering. Yet even Nixon did not cause hundreds of thousands of avoidable US deaths by refusing to deal with a pandemic; wreck the national economy; and betray the country to its enemies.
Thank you for offering the opportunity to think through the parallels. These comparisons have reaffirmed my conviction that 1/45 is, indeed, the WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!!
Have our resident historians any parallels to tell us about those who were crying as Nixon left office, or who were diehard followers/supporters/fans of McCarthy? Where did they take their money and allegiance next?
Second, will we learn someday of ways top GQPs were basically blackmailed into submission, not just chasing donor cash?
Afternoon, Cathy!! I'll take a stab at it.
There are important parallels in terms of lawbreaking, but both the 1/45 admin and Jan 6 are truly unprecedented. The Nixon admin's crimes were not committed by a large swath of the GOP, just a segment of the White house staff and John Mitchell at DOJ. There was nothing like today's Sedition Caucus; the cruel GQP governors and state legislatures, and 1/45's blind, unreasoning, cult-like followers. The violence of Nixonite Hardhats (blue-collar reactionaries) is similar to the political violence of 1/45's minions, but the latter is far more extensive and serious. (A more apt comparison is to the rise of the Nazis in Germany. )
Unlike 1/45, Nixon was a rational if twisted person, who ultimately could accept clear evidence when forced on him; he was persuaded to resign, after all. He also was an American patriot, albeit later a warped one. In WW2 he served with distinction in a non-combat role, then in the House, Senate and as VP. None of these traits apply to 1/45.
By the end, Nixon lost all support even from his own party. At that time I attended Earlham College in Richmond IN, long a stronghold of the KKK. Rep David Dennis of Richmond was Tricky Dick's staunchest supporter, but when even he said he'd vote to impeach based on the "smoking gun" tapes, Nixon knew the game was up. As a whole, the GQP is far from turning against 1/45, for now at least.
(Interestingly, both Nixon and Dennis were "lapsed" Quakers. Each graduated from Quaker colleges in their respective hometowns, Whittier CA and Richmond, and Dennis's father was an Earlham president.)
Finally, Nixon's worst crime wasn't Watergate; it was prolonging and expanding the Vietnam/Indochina War, leading to countless unnecessary casualties and suffering. Yet even Nixon did not cause hundreds of thousands of avoidable US deaths by refusing to deal with a pandemic; wreck the national economy; and betray the country to its enemies.
Thank you for offering the opportunity to think through the parallels. These comparisons have reaffirmed my conviction that 1/45 is, indeed, the WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!!
Thank you SO much. I am still a confirmed optimist. Our democracy will survive this worst.
I'm with you, Cathy. I am optimistic -- as long as decent Americans work unremittingly to preserve democracy. We have more power than we know.
absolutely in agreement. 100%