If you are a 1980s and 1990s Republican Rip Van Winkle, just awakened after 20 years asleep, you must think you’re still asleep and suffering from nightmares. You just wouldn’t be able to believe that:
The party of fiscal conservatism is now in favor of spending the country into oblivion. The party’s leader in the House makes pathetic excuses for the big spending, plus the Republican president actually boasts about it.
The party seems completely unconcerned that the Kremlin ran a massive operation to undermine U.S. elections, and is continuing its efforts. Not only that, but the Republican president and his team were grateful for the Kremlin’s support, and then lied about it. Republicans then spent two years trashing an American patriot and acclaimed former FBI director, appointed again and again by Republican presidents, because he dares investigate the Russian interference.
Plus, Republicans don’t mind that the Republican president lies extravagantly and maliciously, and directs others to lie to cover up his lies.
Republicans support their president forfeiting the dignity of the office of the leader of the free world by kowtowing to a two-bit Communist tyrant in North Korea, in support of a chimerical deal, even as the tyrant repeatedly thumbs his nose at us.
No one complained when the Republican commander in chief made an open bid to top a South American dictator, only to fail ignominiously. No congressional Republican demanded hearings about the incompetence. Likewise, few Republicans have complained about the GOP president’s lack of any apparent strategy in Afghanistan. The president sends U.S. troops and arms to Saudi Arabia, and as he escalates tensions with Iran (all of which may actually be necessary, but which he has barely explained at all) yet Republicans ask no probing questions and demand no detailed public accountability.
Republicans loudly supported corrections “reform” not just for low-level offenders, but even for violent recidivists, by eliminating mandatory life sentences for three-time violent offenders.
No one is concerned that a Republican president paid off strippers and porn performers, repeatedly hobnobbed with a believably accused teen molester, and that the president himself stands credibly accused by multiple women of sexual harassment and unwanted groping (and that he bragged about it).
Republicans also don’t care the president left thousands upon thousands of small vendors and contractors holding the bag, repeatedly, while he gamed the system via creative use of bankruptcy laws.
No one blames him the GOP president for failing to repeal and replace a massive, government-controlled healthcare monstrosity even when his party enjoyed majorities in both chambers of Congress, and even though he repeatedly said and did things that had the effect of torpedoing repeal efforts.
In short, Republicans today insist on none of the same principles or values (other than a strong military) that Republicans for decades insisted were vital for national well-being.
Message to Republican Van Winkle: The apparent nightmare is real life. The only way to escape the nightmare is to go back to sleep until the Trump presidency is over.
