Recently it dawned on me: the GOP has become, for all intents and purposes, the “Paranoid Hater and Racist Party.” It has been utterly, horrifically transformed.
The former ‘Grand Old Party’ and ‘law and order party’ is no more. Instead, we’re now faced with a bizarre conglomeration of paranoia, hate, bitter complaining, misogyny, racism, lawlessness, and endless lies. And even more hateful paranoia and lies.
The original quote I’m riffing on came from Karl Marx: “Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!” It’s a sad commentary on today’s U.S. that this sentiment (‘socialism’!!) is now considered almost laughable — and the more ‘realistic’ modern U.S. version might be “Paranoid haters and racists, unite! You have nothing to lose but your sanity and credibility!”
I kid you not: this new version describes what’s really happening in today’s United States. A huge chunk of our citizenry has been steadily going mad — in both senses of the word — yet believe they have ‘the answers’ and are seeing reality clearly. What wild and destructive self-delusion!
As George Takei is fond of saying: “Ohhh, myyy.”
Today’s GOP is a sick, pathetic shell of its former self
Oh, my, indeed!
When future historians analyze and struggle to understand this bonkers period in American history, one of the top puzzles will undoubtedly be the weird, terrifying transformation of the Republican Party.
How did the former ‘conservative’ party, built around free trade, strong national defense, anti-Communism, and strong moral values, morph into a party built around controlled trade (Trump’s tariffs!), fawning love of Putin and Russia, and a total lack of moral scruples? The only thing it has in common with the ‘old’ GOP is supporting strong national defense.
Except… not really. Even in the defense arena, today’s GOP sides with Russia on the Ukraine War, wants to stop giving aid to poor beleaguered Ukraine, and wants the U.S. to withdraw from NATO — our most powerful military alliance. WTF!?
But if we scratch the surface, we find something even more appalling: the GOP is not only a pathetic shell of its former self, but has become a creepy personality cult that fears and worships Donald Trump and follows his sick, demented lead.
Whatever Trump believes — and his beliefs are so paranoid and bizarre that they defy comprehension — the GOP also believes. Whatever Trump says, the GOP parrots. Whatever new low Trump sinks to, the GOP enthusiastically embraces it — and emulates it.
No Trumpian ‘belief’ is too bizarre, and no low is too low: the GOP eagerly embraces all of them!
What a sad, sickening transformation!
Watch out: Haitian Blacks are stealing and eating people’s pets!
The last month has seen — during the height of our presidential campaign season — a veritable explosion of Trump-led madness and racist paranoia.
Just before his September 10 debate with Kamala Harris, a bizarre meme started circulating that claimed that Haitian immigrants (yowza, that’s a racist doubleheader: they’re both Black and nasty immigrants!) in Springfield, Ohio were stealing people’s pet cats and dogs and eating them! Then, during the debate, Trump repeated and amplified this bizarre, dangerous nonsense.
The Internet then went crazy, of course, and things quickly started spiraling out of control. City officials immediately pushed back and stated there were NO reports verifying this wild claim. Ohio Governor DeWine also deplored the rumors and denied their veracity.
But facts and truth no longer matter to the GOP (and never mattered to Trump), so this awful lie gained traction and was supported by much of the GOP, as well as Trump and his V.P. pick J.D. Vance.
Then… all hell broke loose in Springfield. Threats and vile racist emails poured in, and there were so many threats that the city was upended and had to shut down schools and even evacuate a hospital! This one paranoid, racist lie created a horrific shitshow — yet the ‘new, improved’ GOP didn’t even blink, nor did it back down or retract this racist BS.
No, instead Trump and the GOP kept ramping up the lies and ‘doubling down,’ and even Vance — one of two Ohio Senators — kept supporting the lie and heaping misery on this small Ohio city, which he is sworn to represent and defend.
That’s how irresponsible and downright crazy today’s GOP has become.
Irresponsible, amoral ‘hurricane politics’ at its very worst
Next, and even worse, Trump and his GOP allies started attacking and undermining federal relief efforts following the devastating Hurricane Helene.
Despite the fact that local, state, and federal emergency and aid workers were working together tirelessly to search for the missing and assist survivors, Trump and many in the GOP spread vicious rumors that the Biden/Harris administration had drained FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) funds and given most of its money to illegal immigrants… and that FEMA was deliberately not helping stricken ‘red’ counties and cities… and even that the federal government wasn’t helping at all, and was asleep at the switch.
This spate of lies and vicious accusations is ‘hurricane politics’ at its very worst — marking another ugly new low for the GOP. Of course, FEMA, Biden, Harris, and even a few Republicans are calling for Trump and the GOP to stop spreading these dangerous lies and made-up BS — but their pleas aren’t working.
The lies and nonsense keep being deliberately spread. The dogged rescue efforts are being undermined — and meanwhile, victims and displaced families may be discouraged from even trying to get help.
And on top of all this… today Florida was hit by another major hurricane, Milton. As sure as the sun rises, the GOP attack machine will be all over this relief effort as well within hours.
The GOP ‘lie machine’ affects even its faithful followers — horribly
Sadly, horrendously, these paranoid, politicized attacks and rumors cannot be dismissed as mere ‘politics as usual.’ Many, many people — in Florida, Georgia, and North and South Carolina — are being negatively impacted, and rescue and assistance efforts are being actively undermined and hindered.
As Biden said just yesterday, these noxious rumors are “Un-American” and “have to stop.”
But they’re NOT stopping, and the GOP clearly doesn’t give a damn that it’s promoting “Un-American” ideas and attitudes. Many people are being actively harmed, and the horrifying irony is that these GOP lies and paranoia are primarily afflicting its own followers in mainly ‘red’ states and counties!
That’s how crazy and out-of-control Trump and today’s GOP are. Their paranoia and amoral political manipulations know no bounds and are turning quasi-homicidal.
Together, they are a true menace to society.
They’ve lost their souls — and will soon be social pariahs
These two examples are only the latest in a long string of Trumpian/ GOP outrages and vile behavior. I’ve written extensively over the past three years about Trump’s immorality/amorality and the GOP’s descent into cultish groveling and paranoia, so I’m not going to repeat that (revolting) exercise here.
But Trump’s and the GOP’s recent extreme behavior and abject social irresponsibility inspired me (pushed me, really) to speak out once again. Scarily, both his behavior and the GOP’s attitudes and behavior seem to be getting steadily worse and more dangerous.
And I haven’t even mentioned their obvious efforts to lay the groundwork for yet another contested election and even more incitement of rabid partisan violence.
. . .
Yes, in choosing to follow and emulate Trump, the GOP has not only lost its way — totally — but has ensured that its ‘party faithful’ will be remembered for their paranoia, hatred, and vicious racist lies.
As my headline implies: if all the paranoid whiners and haters unite — as they have now, under the GOP/MAGA banner — and keep expanding and acting on their deep paranoia and hatefulness… well, they truly will lose both their sanity and their credibility.
They’ve already lost their souls; next, they’ll lose their sanity and public credibility. And after that happens, they will (hopefully) become laughingstocks and total social pariahs.
That final, despicable descent is already beginning, all across our once-mighty nation. It may be the only thing that can save us.
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This post was previously published on Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs.
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