It’s funny the little moments one remembers 50-some years earlier in their lives…
I grew up in a family of life-long Democrats, with a father who was active leadership of his local Union. I spent my early adult years not just following, but participating in the first-ever Earth Day to protect our environment, along with both the Civil Rig…
It’s funny the little moments one remembers 50-some years earlier in their lives…
I grew up in a family of life-long Democrats, with a father who was active leadership of his local Union. I spent my early adult years not just following, but participating in the first-ever Earth Day to protect our environment, along with both the Civil Rights and Women’s Rights movements. I was inspired by the passion of Martin Luther King Jr. and the idealism of Robert F. Kennedy.
After they were assassinated in April and June of 1968, I was emotionally wounded and withdrew for a time from following politics, from being involved in anything that strove to make our future better. But one night 5-6 years later, at the height of the Watergate Hearings, I was passing by the TV when I saw Senators Howard Baker from TN and Lowell Weicker from Connecticut in front of the microphones. I think, but am not certain, that it was just after some of John Dean’s testimony. What I remember most about what they were saying was “This is NOT what the Republican Party stands for.” I didn’t follow them, I didn’t really know who they were, but I remember that all these years later because I was so impressed with the integrity they had shown.
Now, on the 50th Anniversary of Nixon’s resignation, it strikes me as in very stark contrast to how far the Republican Party has fallen in the intervening years. How many of today’s national Republicans can you count that have shown Integrity, have stood for the Rule of Law, our Constitution, and our very Democracy? I’d say less than ten, and one could even argue less than 5. It turns out that all of those things have been nothing more than commodities that each of them has been willing to trade for relevance, ambition, and/or a lust for power by any means, at any cost.
While most people here blame trump for where we find ourselves at this moment in our history, I place most of the blame on today’s Republican Party and those involved at the national level. They have had the power all along to stop trump, have had many opportunities to do so, but have always made the choice to not hold him accountable, to not denounce his many failings and the danger he poses. To the contrary, they have embraced him.
While I think it is critical that we defeat trump in November, I wish more voters across the political spectrum, would hold the Republican Party to account for this as well. Vote them out at every level you have the opportunity to do so. They won’t reform unless we do, and even then, they must be replaced by those to whom Integrity, the Rule of Law, our Constitution, and Democracy matter and will be upheld….
There are no "moderate" Republicans left. There are Republicans who support Trump because they believe in him, and Republicans who do not believe in Trump's ideas, but support him out of cowardice or ambition. There is no practical difference between the two groups.
Totally disagree. Trumpism isn't about conservativism. Some of the strongest conservatives out there have left the GOP or are strongly opposed to Trump. Don't confuse "moderate in tone" with moderate in terms of political philosophy. It's the unprincipled Republicans who don't have a strong ideology that have chiefly flocked to Trumpism.
If you want a good example. Liz Cheney is clearly a conservative. However, she is clearly not part of the Republican party.
I have nothing against principled conservatives, even though I disagree with them on many subjects. The Republican party is totally corrupted, and can be revived only by large electoral losses.
What’s interesting is that any elected national republican that has shown any integrity is no longer in an elected position. Everyone has been pushed or voted out of office.
What’s interesting is that any elected national republican that has shown any integrity is no longer in an elected position. Everyone has been pushed or voted out of office.
It’s funny the little moments one remembers 50-some years earlier in their lives…
I grew up in a family of life-long Democrats, with a father who was active leadership of his local Union. I spent my early adult years not just following, but participating in the first-ever Earth Day to protect our environment, along with both the Civil Rights and Women’s Rights movements. I was inspired by the passion of Martin Luther King Jr. and the idealism of Robert F. Kennedy.
After they were assassinated in April and June of 1968, I was emotionally wounded and withdrew for a time from following politics, from being involved in anything that strove to make our future better. But one night 5-6 years later, at the height of the Watergate Hearings, I was passing by the TV when I saw Senators Howard Baker from TN and Lowell Weicker from Connecticut in front of the microphones. I think, but am not certain, that it was just after some of John Dean’s testimony. What I remember most about what they were saying was “This is NOT what the Republican Party stands for.” I didn’t follow them, I didn’t really know who they were, but I remember that all these years later because I was so impressed with the integrity they had shown.
Now, on the 50th Anniversary of Nixon’s resignation, it strikes me as in very stark contrast to how far the Republican Party has fallen in the intervening years. How many of today’s national Republicans can you count that have shown Integrity, have stood for the Rule of Law, our Constitution, and our very Democracy? I’d say less than ten, and one could even argue less than 5. It turns out that all of those things have been nothing more than commodities that each of them has been willing to trade for relevance, ambition, and/or a lust for power by any means, at any cost.
While most people here blame trump for where we find ourselves at this moment in our history, I place most of the blame on today’s Republican Party and those involved at the national level. They have had the power all along to stop trump, have had many opportunities to do so, but have always made the choice to not hold him accountable, to not denounce his many failings and the danger he poses. To the contrary, they have embraced him.
While I think it is critical that we defeat trump in November, I wish more voters across the political spectrum, would hold the Republican Party to account for this as well. Vote them out at every level you have the opportunity to do so. They won’t reform unless we do, and even then, they must be replaced by those to whom Integrity, the Rule of Law, our Constitution, and Democracy matter and will be upheld….
👏👏👏👏👏
Yes, yes and yes 👏👏👏👏
Yes. Trump has always been a symptom, not the cause.
There are no "moderate" Republicans left. There are Republicans who support Trump because they believe in him, and Republicans who do not believe in Trump's ideas, but support him out of cowardice or ambition. There is no practical difference between the two groups.
Totally disagree. Trumpism isn't about conservativism. Some of the strongest conservatives out there have left the GOP or are strongly opposed to Trump. Don't confuse "moderate in tone" with moderate in terms of political philosophy. It's the unprincipled Republicans who don't have a strong ideology that have chiefly flocked to Trumpism.
I'm not sure you are disagreeing.
You're talking about conservatives who reject Trumpism and, increasingly, the entire "Republican" brand.
@mgnt was speaking of Republicans who have bought in or submitted to Trumpism.
If you want a good example. Liz Cheney is clearly a conservative. However, she is clearly not part of the Republican party.
I have nothing against principled conservatives, even though I disagree with them on many subjects. The Republican party is totally corrupted, and can be revived only by large electoral losses.
What’s interesting is that any elected national republican that has shown any integrity is no longer in an elected position. Everyone has been pushed or voted out of office.
What’s interesting is that any elected national republican that has shown any integrity is no longer in an elected position. Everyone has been pushed or voted out of office.
Dr. Heather Cox Richardson's Letters today gives a great synopsis of Watergate.