Where Are All the Sane Republicans?
I look at Republicans today and just shake my head in confusion.
The leader of their party has been caught with classified documents that he should not have had in his possession, and Republicans still flock to him. The party in Texas put secession and rejection of the 2020 election on their party platform. Speaking of the 2020 election, Republicans insist the election was rife with fraud and Trump is still president, despite a lack of evidence and multiple recounts. There are Republican lawmakers who believe that wildfires are caused by “Jewish Space Lasers,” that school shootings are a hoax, and that women who are raped can’t get pregnant because their bodies have a way of shutting it down.
I want to believe there are Republicans who look at their party and are repulsed by the insanity.
I want to believe there are Republicans who look at the crazies running for office and say “Nope. I’m not voting for them. I want someone more moderate.”
I want to believe there are Republicans who see their party going off the cliff into authoritarianism and want to put on the brakes.
I want to believe that not all Republicans simply want to “own the libs.”
I want to believe that, but there is no evidence to back up that belief.
Instead I see members of the Log Cabin Republicans cheering and supporting Republican lawmakers even as they introduce legislation to take away LGBTIQ rights.
I see minorities voting for Republicans even as those same Republicans cater to white supremacists and calling for Latinx people to be deported or at least locked up.
I see Republicans making every excuse possible to exonerate Trump for taking classified documents from the White House, trying to manipulate a foreign country to put out information about his political opponent, and inciting his followers to try to overthrow the government.
I see Republicans rejecting “sane” candidates like Liz Cheney (who agreed with Trump 89% of the time but decided to put country over party in the Jan. 6 hearings) in favor of candidates who want to push the party even further to the right.
I understand not wanting to support Democrats because of their platform, but what exactly is the Republican platform, besides “do whatever Trump wants?” How are Republicans going to improve on the ACA (which was put together with a lot of Republican ideas)?
How exactly are Republicans going to “make America great again,” and what exactly does that mean? Trump made the US a laughing stock, insulting and alienating allies who have been with us for decades while worshipping our enemies. He hurt our farmers in an ill-advised trade war and let hundreds of thousands of Americans die while telling states they were on their own to combat COVID.
How did that make America great?
Why are Republicans so invested in party over country? I know most Republicans think of themselves as Americans and patriots. What will it take for them to see what their party is really doing to America?