Where do Republican Politicians come from? And on what planet do they live? Here on Earth?
Now I am talking about the politicians, not necessarily the electorate.
Even before the SCOTUS overturn of Roe v. Wade, the GOP has taken some rather alarming and ill-thought stances. When was the last time you saw an election platform stating political intent? We are faced with having to put this together for ourselves based on what the politicians say in public and what might be leaked about what they say in private. Feel free to challenge me on any of the following issues.
In the main it seems to me that GOP politicians are:
(a) old and verging on senility, or young and ignorant;
(b) white, with some token others who adopt preposterous stances;
(c) male, with some token females who also adopt preposterous stances; and
(d) rich! They do not much care about the Cost-of-Living, Consumer Price Index, Social Security, or cost of medical care that the rest of us face on a daily basis. Their focus is on their long-term investments such as stocks, bonds, company ownerships, etc.
So, the GOP political platform as far as I can deduce it:
A. Reduce Government spending. That means abolish:
- Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and any other societal support programs (including Education).
- Spending on infrastructure (roads, energy, water) except as it may pertain to a GOP dominated State.
This will offset the tax cuts enacted for the wealthy. However, do not forget to increase the Military Budgets on an annual basis. On whose shoulders will these burdens fall? You don’t know? After the Trump tax cuts for the wealthy, my tax bill went up – yes UP!
B. Abolish all Acts and Regulations impacting costs of doing business for major Corporations.
- Clean water? Forget it!
- Clean air? Forget it!
- Limit pollution? Forget it!
- Mitigate climate change? Forget it!
- Conversion from fossil fuels to Solar, Wind and Nuclear? Forget it!
- Worker Rights and Safety? Forget it!
When I moved to the SF Bay Area of California in September 1969, I could not see across the Bay from Sunnyvale to Fremont (less than 10 miles). When we returned from work each day we would spend a few minutes cleaning our cats’ goopy eyelids. California cleaned up and now the air is clear most of the year.
C. Minimize, indeed abolish, the rights of Women (50% of the population).
- Continue to prevent enactment of the Equal Rights Amendment.
- Enact exceedingly restrictive anti-abortion legislation at both State and Federal levels. The net effect will be a further reduction of the white population majority (see my Abortion Rant).
- Limit women’s access to health care as a consequence of anti-abortion legislation.
I would be saddened, but not shocked, to hear some GOP politician advocate for repealing the Nineteenth (19) Amendment to the US Constitution. The GOP is clearly aimed at establishing a white male Plutocracy.
D. Maintain white male supremacy in the United States, no matter how absurd and self-destructive the efforts might seem.
- Limit, indeed eliminate, all emigration from Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, and Asian countries. Of course, we will soon run out of manpower.
- Eliminate visas allowing temporary and seasonal workers into the US. In California, we are facing a severe farm labor shortage that will soon be felt in the rest of the country.
- At the State level, enact absurd laws restricting voter’s rights and access to polling places. I think the GOP politicos will find that this is a big mistake producing a significant backlash.
E. Pander to their supposed power base with outrageous ideas and actions.
- Continue to promote the idea that the election of 2018 was ‘stolen’ from Trump. Two years of litigation at all levels have proven this not to be the case.
- Refuse to accept that Trump was involved in the 6 January assault on the Capitol. His offenses are sufficient to put anyone else in jail for a long time.
- Perform antics such as those of the GOP governors of Florida and Texas. Flying refugees to Martha’s Vineyard?
- No compassion and certainly, NO Christianity!