These brainwashed Trump cultists are probably good examples of how deeply the propaganda and lies have penetrated:
I don’t think most of those people would have endorsed this kind of violence before Trump. But they were being prepared for it for many years by the evolving extremism of the modern GOP.
I don’t know how many of them are reachable. The snap polling shows that 45% of Republicans think the violence yesterday was perfectly acceptable. That’s a lot of people. But it represents only about 21% of all Americans. Sadly, they have among them some very, very dangerous gun nuts, radicals and crazies.
I also don’t know many elected Republicans are among those crazies. Judging by their behavior last night at least 131 US Congressman and 8 or so Senators are right there with them, among them some very ambitious presidential aspirants.
There haven’t been a lot of Republican statesmen among this crowd over the last four years, despite some belated rushes to the exit in the last couple of days. In fact, I think there has only been one. As much as I don’t like his politics or his policies, with some notable exceptions and cowardly moments, I think Mitt Romney is the only one who escapes from this tawdry descent into ignominy with even a shred of integrity intact:
Note the sustained applause at 1:16 when Romney says, “the best way we can show respect to the voters who are upset is by telling them the truth.” What a concept.
Doubts? No. Delusions, fed by people like Marco Rubio for his own political reasons.
As I said, Romney’s not my favorite guy. But he’s not a craven weasel like Rubio. Throughout this nightmare he’s been the only one who even resembles what used to be the mainstream Republican sort of “Ward Cleaver” figure who believed in God, mother and apple pie. People like that look at Donald Trump and just say no. Judging by the election returns there are still some out in the country (who voted for Joe Biden) and a few Never Trumpers in media and political circles. But Romney is the only elected Republican I can think of, aside from Justin Amash in the House and a few others who either lost their elections or quit, who stood on the floor before yesterday and denounced this monster beyond “being concerned.” They have all been happy to kiss his ring for judges and tax cuts along with money and votes from the brainwashed people who think Trump is a God.
This is the thanks Romney get for having a modicum of integrity:
The last I heard it’s a crime for a business owner to ask a Republican to leave their restaurant after only having a free cheese board. But this? Perfectly ok.