See below for an interesting post by former Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) on Trump’s win last night in Iowa. Note, though, that what Bolling writes, really does require a few corrections (in BOLD BLUE ALL-CAPS, by yours truly), as Bolling spews out some of the same lies, distortions and right-wing blather than he rails against. So weird, but keep in mind that Bolling’s been a conservative and a Republican his entire adult life, hasn’t ditched the party (to my knowledge) despite the fact that it’s become a Trump cult, etc. And Bolling really can’t help himself with the total b.s. “both-sidesism,” false equivalence, and amplification of utter nonsense about liberals, Democrats, Joe Biden, etc. It’s kinda sad, really, that this guy’s actually one of the better Republicans these days…ugh.
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THE TRUMP FACTOR
Clearly, todays GOP belongs to Donald Trump, which leaves me asking – whatever happened to the GOP I knew and served for more than twenty years?
The answer to this question is both simple and complex.
It started with the advent of the Tea Party in 2009. The Tea Party refocused the GOP on a more conservative message, but it also brought a philosophical rigidity with it, as well as a more mean spirited approach to politics and policy.
And then, in 2016, the Tea Party joined with a true grass roots populist movement to hand the GOP over to Donald Trump.
But even then, Trump’s hold on the GOP may not have been absolute.
The almost cult like following surrounding Trump has been solidified since he left office by what he and his supporters see as an incessant persecution of Trump by the liberal media [THERE IS, OF COURSE, NO “LIBERAL MEDIA” TO SPEAK OF], the Biden Justice Department [IT’S NOT BIDEN’S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, IT’S AMERICA’S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT], and Democratic prosecutors in places like New York, Atlanta, and other places; who they believe have “weaponized” the judicial process against Trump.
Many people discount Trump, but they should not. Like it or not, Trump represents the views of millions of Americans who believe their country is under attack by liberal politicians, the liberal media, liberal academics, Hollywood, etc. [THEY BELIEVE THIS LUNACY IN LARGE PART BECAUSE THEY’VE BEEN FED A STEADY DIET OF LIES, AND ALSO BECAUSE THE “MAINSTREAM MEDIA” – DEFINITELY NOT “LIBERAL MEDIA” – HAS MOSTLY AMPLIFIED THOSE LIES, CERTAINLY HAS NOT CORRECTED/REFUTED THEM ADEQUATELY!]
They passionately believe that these liberal forces are trying to turn America into a socialist country that rejects many of the political, cultural and religious beliefs they hold.
And let’s not forget that the alternative being offered by Democrats is not compelling. [ACTUALLY, THE ALTERNATIVE BEING OFFERED BY DEMOCRATS IS VERY COMPELLING – CLIMATE ACTION/CLEAN ENERGY, ECONOMIC GROWTH FROM THE BOTTOM UP AND MIDDLE OUT, EXPANDED HEALTHCARE OPTIONS,
[THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH IS COMPLETE CRAP. IN FACT, BIDEN IS DOING A SUPERB JOB BY ANY MEASURE – ECONOMY ARGUABLY THE BEST IN DECADES, MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN AMERICA’S INFRASTRUCTURE, ETC!] By any measure, Joe Biden is a weak president who is immensely unpopular. He is old and tired, and he has shown no ability to galvinize support or confidence among the American people.
All this makes for a dynamic and divisive 2024 presidential campaign, which could leave deep wounds in American democracy, regardless of the outcome. [THIS IS ALSO COMPLETE BULLSHIT – A BIDEN WIN WILL NOT LEAVE “DEEP WOUNDS IN AMERICAN DEMOCRACY,” ONLY A TRUMP WIN WILL DO THAT]
Personally, I wish Donald Trump had never arrived on the national political scene. But he did, and for better or worse, he has had a greater impact on our country than any political figure in a hundred years.
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