What it Means to Call Yourself Republican

[_Some Schmo]

It seems to me that if Trump says racist things, and GOP congressmen and senators don't say anything to disavow those comments, that's tacit admission the party stands for racism.

The old GOP is long gone. If you belong to this party, Trump's party, you condone racism. You no longer get a pass on it with the benefit of the doubt. There's no such thing as a "different kind of Republican" any more. Calling yourself Republican is standing with Trump, and standing with Trump is promoting racism. Period.

[_Res Ipsa]

I disagree. I can be a Democrat and disagree with Pelosi or Shumer or Obama or the party platform. in my opinion, this type of broad-brush, black and white thinking is a major source of our national dysfunction. All it does is throw gasoline on the fire.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

I think your post demonstrates why people in the middle and on the right dismiss the racism thing. You're trying to box an entire political spectrum into a tidy little thing, and then telling them they have no choice but to be the very thing you defined them as. I understand this tactic as a rallying point for many on the Left, but it's pretty much worthless. People can have complex views on the issue that doesn't necessarily mean whatever it is the Left assigns to it. I doubt, very much, that many on the Right view Trump's remarks as racist rather as more along the lines of taking a swing at 'Leftists who hate America'.

- Doc

[_MeDotOrg]

I think I agree with both of you. I don't think there is any question that Trump has made the Republican Party a more happy home for racists. And I believe the President is a racist, and is using racist appeals to energize his base for 2020.

And I would agree that many Republicans are choosing expediency rather than principle. I've watched the devolution of Lindsey Graham. The corruption of power is the entropy of idealism in our political universe. You begin your career trying to convince people in power that you have the best ideas, and you end your career trying to convince yourself that people in power have the best ideas. And the more facile and less self-aware you are, the easier that transition becomes. To be fair, there are Republicans who are now out of power whose voices are not heard. But it's distressing to see how many people have chosen silence and re-election rather than speaking truth to power. They convince themselves that staying quiet in the moment is the best thing.

There are some Republicans that have spoken out, but the numbers are distressingly small. In the McCarthy era, Tail Gunner Joe rode anti-communist hysteria to great heights within the GOP. Even Eisenhower was reluctant to go toe-to-toe with McCarthy. But in 2019, our Tail Chaser Don is the man in the White House. He has made it very clear he keeps track of who's been naughty and nice. Appear on Fox and say obsequious things about our Narcissist-in-Chief, and you too could find yourself in an unconfirmed and poorly vetted position of power.

Ironically, I think the possible redemption of the GOP lies in being defeated in 2020. If Trump has the reins of power for another 4 years, I think it's possible that the damage done will be severe. (Happy thought: How much will DJT's mental capacity have dropped by 2028?) In '48 the Dixiecrats walked out of the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party was never the same. Will there be a place where a Republican says "I can no longer, in good conscience, be an enabler of the President." When will the Christian Right realize that the increasingly threadbare rationalization that Trump is an imperfect vehicle doing the Lord's work has devolved into 'the ends justify the means'?

I think it is in the best interests of all Americans if the Republican Party is rejuvenated into a party with conservative principles applicable in 21st century American politics. If Trump is re-elected, I think it diminishes the chances of that happening.

[_Jersey Girl]

It seems to me that if Trump says racist things, and GOP congressmen and senators don't say anything to disavow those comments, that's tacit admission the party stands for racism.

The old GOP is long gone. If you belong to this party, Trump's party, you condone racism. You no longer get a pass on it with the benefit of the doubt. There's no such thing as a "different kind of Republican" any more. Calling yourself Republican is standing with Trump, and standing with Trump is promoting racism. Period.

The lack of thought represented in the above offends me. It's everything that is wrong with this country at the current time.

[_Some Schmo]

I disagree. I can be a Democrat and disagree with Pelosi or Shumer or Obama or the party platform. in my opinion, this type of broad-brush, black and white thinking is a major source of our national dysfunction. All it does is throw gasoline on the fire.

The difference between the GOP and the Democrats is that the GOP message has become very clear and focused. The Democrats are all over the place. I'm not sure what it means to call myself a Democrat, but I sure as hell know what it means to call myself a Republican.

And by the way, this is a message about perception, not what each individual thinks. I have no doubt many, if not most Republicans don't consider themselves racist (of course, much of that is self-delusion). It's just that it's hard for everyone else not to think it.

Let's put it this way: if you are a self-professed Republican and don't immediately denounce racism, people are going to reasonably wonder about/suspect your motivations by default.

[_Some Schmo]

I think it is in the best interests of all Americans if the Republican Party is rejuvenated into a party with conservative principles applicable in 21st century American politics. If Trump is re-elected, I think it diminishes the chances of that happening.

Agreed. No question about it.

[_Some Schmo]

The lack of thought represented in the above offends me.

Christ. If I commented every time you posted thoughtlessly, I'd have double the post count.

It doesn't offend me, however. It's just you being you.

[_Jersey Girl]

The lack of thought represented in the above offends me.

Christ. If I commented every time you posted thoughtlessly, I'd have double the post count.

It doesn't offend me, however. It's just you being you.

Try not to be a stranger to context. Here's what I stated.

The lack of thought represented in the above offends me. It's everything that is wrong with this country at the current time.

[_Some Schmo]

Try not to be a stranger to context. Here's what I stated.

The lack of thought represented in the above offends me. It's everything that is wrong with this country at the current time.

Uh huh. And?

Was that an attempt at proving you weren't posting thoughtlessly? It's not a good example.