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GOP’s Embrace Of Trump And “The Big Lie” Makes Perfect Sense

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Politics can be a dirty business. For many officials, the number one priority once elected is to be re-elected, not policy or doing what’s best for the people who voted them in.  This especially holds true for today’s Republicans.

Following the January 6 insurrection, both Republican leaders, Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy, harshly condemned Donald Trump for his role in fomenting the violent attack on the Capitol. McConnell said Trump is “practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day, no question about it.” McCarthy joined in the condemnation by saying “The president bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding.”

What both McConnell and McCarthy soon discovered after their very honest assessment of the situation was that such candor did not sit well with a very important group… their voting base!

So they did what any politician would do whose number one goal is to remain in power … they pulled a huey.

The calculus for today’s Republicans is very simple … do you embrace the truth and loss the support of your base, thereby surely being kicked out of office or do you embrace Trump and “The Big Lie” and have a chance at remaining in power? If your goal is to remain in office, a chance beats no chance every day.

So enough of this Republicans are too cowardly to stand up to Trump nonsense. They’ve made a political choice that makes the most sense at the moment … the country, the Constitution and our democracy be damned.

With a riled-up base and voter suppression tactics on steroids, along with electoral history being on their side, Republicans believe they have a good chance of retaking the House in 2022, making Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House.

It is pathetic, and sad, that today’s Republicans believe hitching their fortunes to a twice impeached, pathological liar gives them their best chance of remaining in power rather than repudiating him and trying to deprogram their cultish base… but that is the dirty business of politics.

In a way, Republicans have simply chosen the “the lesser of two evils” when it comes to their best chance of remaining in power.

Personally, I think they are going to be losers no matter what. Republicans are really in an impossible situation. Yet we know the truth eventually wins out. So, putting all political calculations aside, for my money, it is better to go down as a patriot rather than as a traitor. But that’s just me!

Photo | politico.com

Where’s Jared?

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Reprint from moronmajority.com

Since leaving his position, in January, as White House senior advisor, Jared Kushner seems to be missing in action.

During Donald Trump’s appearance at last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Jared Kushner was noticeably absent from his side.

A source close to Kushner has said, “Right now, he’s just checked out of politics.”

And who could blame him!

While serving as his father-in-law’s right-hand man, Kushner was tasked with an inordinate level of responsibility. He was responsible for negotiating peace in the Middle East; he was responsible for solving America’s opioid crisis; he was responsible for diplomacy with Mexico; he was responsible for reforming care for veterans; he was responsible for reforming the criminal justice system; he was responsible for reinventing the entire government and making it work like a business; and he was responsible for leading a coronavirus task force!

Is it any wonder the man needs a break?

A close family friend has revealed the Boy Wonder, as some have called Kushner, is chilling out by spending time on his one true passion … creating art.

Much like George W. Bush after he left the White House, Kushner spends his days painting and drawing. But unlike Bush, who liked to paint portraits of important world leaders, Kushner passes the time mostly on drawings of his family.

Photo | npr.org/W. Roger Mills-Koonce

*moronmajority.com is a satirical site … seriously!

It’s Not Too Late For Dems To Embrace “Don the Con”

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Back in 2016, when then candidate Donald Trump was vilifying Hillary Clinton at every turn by calling her “Crooked Hillary,” I suggested she return the favor by disparagingly calling him, “Don the Con.” (Hillary Needs To Rebrand Trump)

She never did.

Maybe it was that whole “when they go low, we go high” thing championed by Michelle Obama. Or maybe it’s just that Democrats are not very good at political “branding.” Whatever … Clinton missed a golden opportunity to stick Trump with a simple, hit-him-where-it-hurts nickname.

Let’s face it, Republicans are masters at the art of framing issues. They understand political marketing.

According to David Aaker, “Being able to frame the discussion by imposing a perspective that’s driven by a label is key to winning — whether it’s a divisive political argument or a tough brand battle.”

The linguist, George Lakoff, has noted that winning the framing war with respect to a brand, object, or issue will dictate perceptions, attitudes and behavior — no matter what the logic and evidence may say. Strong frames or perspectives smother and distort rational information processing.

Thanks to Republican efforts, the abortion battle is framed around being “pro life” instead of “anti-choice”; inheritance taxes are labeled “death taxes” and not the rare estate taxes few people pay; The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is branded as “Obamacare” not as a law to make healthcare more affordable.

People have short attention spans and they tend to be lazy, especially when it comes to politics. So a simple, easy to remember name or label is just good old-fashioned marketing.

Look at what has happened with Mitch McConnell being labeled “Moscow Mitch.” The name has stuck; it has gone viral. You can buy “Moscow Mitch” t-shirts and mugs online! The repeating of the too-close-to-home moniker has clearly gotten under McConnell’s skin.

Can we ever forget these nicknames: “Low Energy Jeb,” “Little Marco,” “Lyin’ Ted” or “Crazy Bernie?” No, the names stuck because they were repeated by Trump ad nauseam. This is what Democrats should do with Trump.

Democrats need to burden Trump with one simple, unflattering nickname … and stick to it. It doesn’t matter if it’s “Don the Con” or some other equally disparaging name. “Lyin’ Donnie” or “The King of Corruption” would work just as well.

The key here is for Democrats to do to Trump what he so ably does to them … keep repeating the demeaning nickname until it sticks in people’s subconscious … and in Trump’s craw!

Photo | punchingbagpost.com

A “Dear Nancy” Letter

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Dear Speaker Pelosi,

We get it. You believe it’s politically advantageous to keep Donald Trump around until 2020.  And so you are pooh-poohing impeachment proceedings.

And while you said, “This is not about politics at all” during your contentious closed-door meeting yesterday with fellow Democrats (wink, wink), we know it’s all about politics.

But didn’t you take an oath to uphold the Constitution? We have a brazen criminal in the White House and you have the power, or should I say, the duty, to remove him from office. OK, at least, to get the ball rolling.

You think you can really pull a McConnell? You know, when good ol’ Mitch refused to carry out his constitutional duty of holding a confirmation hearing on Merrick Garland because there was an election coming up soon and we should “let the American people decide”?

The next presidential election is over 17 months away. Too many bad things can happen during that time if Trump is still commander in chief.

You know, like a WAR … a FINANCIAL MELTDOWN. Heck, anything is possible with that loose cannon in the Oval Office.

Oh, I see, while that would be bad for the country, it would be good for Democrats’ chances of regaining the White House, and maybe even the Senate.

But what about that pesky document called the Constitution … the rule of law? What kind of precedent would you be setting by letting perhaps the most corrupt president ever to occupy the White House hold on to his awesome powers?

You know you have more than enough evidence of “high crimes and misdemeanors” to begin impeachment proceedings tomorrow. No further investigations needed.

Oh, right, you think impeachment is divisive and would further divide the country; that it would just rile up Trump’s base. I have some news for you … Trump’s base is already riled up! They already think Dems are out to get their man just like the “fake news media.”

It’s clear to see that you want Trump around because, contrary to popular belief, you believe a weakened, disgraced Trump would be very beatable in 2020. You want him to continue to slowly hang himself with his own rope; to continue to commit crimes and obstruct justice. Now we certainly wouldn’t want to run against a “moderate” Republican in 2020, say like a Kasich or Romney!

Sorry but I don’t think we have the time to play such political games. Too much at stake.

You need to start an impeachment inquiry, slow walk it as much as you like, but do what the Constitution requires … what the country needs. Or run the risk of losing Democratic support in 2020 because of your acquiescence and inaction during this critical time in American history.

Yes, it’s going to take some effort to overcome the false narrative put out by Trump’s lawyer (and Attorney General) Mr. Barr. But you can do it. The American people will be on your side once the true facts come out. Put Senate Republicans on the spot!

Don’t overthink this, please.

Photo | usatoday.com

 

Biggest Loser In 2017? Evangelicalism

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Alabama evangelical voters overwhelmingly supported an alleged serial pedophile in this month’s special election for the United States Senate. A whopping 80% of born-again Christians gave their vote to Roy Moore, a man accused of sexually molesting young women.

While this group, as a whole, gave about the same level of support to accused groper Donald Trump (81%) in 2016, getting behind an abuser of children is beyond the pale for some Christian leaders.

Fearing association with the likes of a Roy Moore is giving his faith a bad name, Mark Galli, editor of Christianity Today, did not mince words in a recent essay. “No one will believe a word we say, perhaps for a generation. Christianity’s integrity is severely tarnished.”

The angst has grown so deep, according to Galli, that he knows of “many card-carrying evangelicals” who are ready to disavow the label.

The evangelical brand “is definitely tarnished” said Galli. “No question about it.”

The religious bloc that once marched under the banner “Moral Majority” and have called themselves “values voters” is today being ridiculed as a bunch of rank hypocrites … people who acknowledge Jesus with their words, and deny him through their deeds.

It seems as though they may have sold their souls for political power.

“What’s happened with evangelicalism is, it has become so conflated with Republican politics, that you can’t tell where Christianity ends and partisanship begins,” observed Jemar Tisby, president of “The Witness,” a black Christian collective.

Many women have expressed concern that overlooking accusations of sexual wrongdoing against favored candidates, for political gain, sends a dangerous message that women who come forward can be dismissed in the service of a political agenda.

“We’ve let evil overtake the entire reputation of Evangelicalism,” wrote one prominent evangelical author, Beth Moore, the day before the election. “The lust for power is nauseating. Racism, appalling. The arrogance, terrifying. The misogyny so far from Christlikeness, it can’t be Christianity.”

It may be time for evangelicals to adopt a new name.

Mark Galli said he had recently considered a list of 50 to 100 words, looking for an appropriate substitute. Among them: Neo-evangelical, Gospel Christian, Followers of Jesus.

“Purple-cow Christianity,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter. It’s the reality underneath that we affirm.”

Amen.

Photo | Kevin D. Liles/ New York Times

 

 

 

 

 

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