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GOP shows true colors

I’ve been wondering what the Republican party stands for, what its principles are, and I’ve concluded that the best measure of a party’s principles is to be found in the behavior, what they do and not what they say, of its leaders. Trump, the Republican leader for this last year, has throughout exhibited the same consistent behavior and appears to enjoy the unanimous support of the rest of the elected Republicans, except for one, Senator Jeffrey Flake of Arizona. It’s true, senators “Liddle” (Trump’s affectionate moniker) Bobby Corker and “Lap dog” (my nickname) Lindsey Graham disagreed with him briefly, but that opposition disappeared when they decided to exchange their souls for the big man’s favor. So, it seems safe to conclude that Trump, and everything Trumpian, represents core Republican values and that, therefore, Republicans are:

Against Fiscal Responsibility. The tax act, a wholly Republican effort, which showers the rich with an unneeded, budget-busting $1.5 trillion gift, demonstrates Republicans have no qualms running up the national debt so long as it benefits themselves, especially Trump, or their rich patrons. The eight years of bellyaching against and defeat of Obama’s attempted financing for infrastructure construction on the grounds of budget concerns was pure hypocrisy.

Against Religious Values. Republicans say they stand for Christian moral values, but a good Christian wouldn’t sexually mistreat women, pay hush-money to a hooker for extra-marital sex, punish innocent young people by banishing them to a country they’ve never known, deprive poor children of life-saving health insurance, personally insult and degrade every opponent, demean people based on their color, engage in unceasing boastful and narcissistic behavior or lie at every opportunity. Perhaps, Republicans stand for a different religion’s values, say Muslim or Hindu, no insult to those religions intended.

Against Democracy. Always before, a universal value of both parties was adherence to the belief in a free press as a fundamental and necessary institution in our democracy. Now, with routine attacks upon any of the media which dares criticize him, by labeling them “Fake News,” liars and even as evil, with the “Fake News Awards” and by rewarding the sycophantic media with favoritism, Republicans through Trump, with the sole voice of Senator Flake opposed, do show their inclination for tyranny.

This assessment is not intended to be judgmental. Trump has simply freed Republicans to cast off the cloak of hypocrisy and show their true colors.

Patrick Radcliff

Vienna

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