It’s simple — there is no longer a plane of rational discussion between Republicans and Democrats. Granted, I have several issues with the Dems, but I’ll save that for a later article and focus on the Republican Party today.
It all started when I was out in South Carolina visiting family over the summer; there I had a discussion at a bar with two gentlemen from Tennessee. They brought up politics, and seemed incredibly enthusiastic about Donald Trump. Naturally, I had to ask what it was about him in which they saw so much potential, to which they responded: “He’s gonna kick out all the illegals, then he’s gonna build a wall on the border and make them pay for it!”
It was at this point that I returned to my seat at the bar and began to drink. A lot.
I could sit here and pick apart the nonsensical rhetoric of Trump and his base, but it would be a waste of time because we’re all adults here. The real problem is not the crazy things that Trump is saying, but how quickly people give up rationality in favor of punchlines and sizzle words. Sizzle words, by the way, are bits of enticing language used by folks in the restaurant business to sell customers marked-up specials they don’t need. The Republican Party is using the same tactic to get Middle America on board for the blank check that would be a Republican presidency.
I am a masochist — I watch Fox News daily to see how they are covering the GOP clown car. All I am seeing is a saddening regression into an unenlightened era. One of the most displeasing tactics being used amongst the GOP candiates is “out-Christianing.” The fact that Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee showed up to make themselves martyrs at Kim Davis’ press conference was sickening. Huckabee even offered to go to jail in her stead, then took the opportunity to quote Forrest Gump on camera, stating simply, “God showed up.” Showing such support for someone who broke the law to deny a couple their civil rights is one of the most un-American things I’ve seen a politician do.
The scary thing is that this is what it takes to reach the Republican base nowadays. I watched the GOP debate hosted by Fox, and not only did each candidate dodge every single question, but they closed the debate by asking what word from God they have received on what issues to tackle first. Last time I checked, separation of church and state was in the very same Constitution that President Obama has been accused of “shredding” (or any any other destruction verb you can think of) over the past few years. It exposes the uninformed hypocrisy and the double standards of the Republican base.
All Trump has to do is make outrageous sexist comments, yell about winning, and talk about how bad the Iran deal is, and people go crazy for it. To quote legendary battle rapper Hollow Da Don: “Because you don’t understand him, don’t mean that he’s nice.”
Nobody reaches into their pockets and Googles anything before they sign on for whatever it is Trump truly has in mind. Thus, it seems as if our enlightened age is ending before it truly begins. Thanks to Pew Research Center, we know that American adults are already way out of touch with scientists — on issues from evolution and climate change, to natural resources and fracking.
The new Republican social regression is defunding Planned Parenthood. Although this isn’t actually new, they’ve demonized it more ferociously than ever before, and have found a way to make this a crisis again — accusing abortion clinics of selling baby parts. Yes, clinics legally donate parts of aborted fetuses to research facilities to find cures to diseases. The mantra we’re supposed to take from all this is that stem cell research is bad. And here we find yet another GOP contradiction — life begins at conception, and fetuses must be protected. Once you’re born, however, you’re on your own! No medical findings for you!
General Wesley Clark said the GOP is the party of fear, and everyday that is looking more and more like the truth. The same community that was terrified of Sharia law coming to the U.S. is the same community trying to put more of the Bible into politics. These are the folks standing with Kim Davis, the “religious martyr,” the woman who denied marriage rights for gays, but has several children out of wedlock and has been married at least four times. The hypocrisy is astounding.
That’s why I’m done with the Republican Party. The crazy thing is that I’m actually moderately conservative; I believe in a strong military, keeping jobs within our borders, and assertive foreign policy when needed. I also believe it takes a rational and healthy blend of liberal and conservative policies to successfully run a country. The problem is that the Republican presidential candidates that I see are not conservative. They’re just crazy.
Contact CU Independent opinion staff writer Drew Chowbay at andrew.chowbay@colorado.edu
