Why NOT to vote Republican

[bae]

I hear that's how they deal with dissenters in Putin's Russia. Shame on you.

When you are breaking down the doors of the Capitol, yelling death threats, and going after our representatives while they are doing their job, you are a bit more than a "dissenter"....

[JaneV2.0]

I agree the capitol coupsters should have been met by an overwhelming response, but Trump didn't authorize any response for hours, aside from the overwhelmed Capitol Police, so people who had training in detaining unruly tourists--and not in hand-to-hand combat--were hung out to dry, with disastrous results.

"(I mean, *I'd* equate them in a way - in both cases, I would have preferred such an incredible and overwhelming armed police response that it would be remembered for generations, to discourage other idiots in the future....)"

You mean like Kent State is remembered? Again, we have a constitutional right to protest in this country. I don't want to live in a totalitarian society where you can be jailed for dissent, and we seem to be heading that way.

[frugal-one]

Was our constitutional order really endangered by this buffoonery? Of course Trump was spouting BS. Maybe even criminally so. But doesn’t it take a similar level of hysteria to insist that we were a hair’s breadth away from buffalo-hatted fascism?

Or are certain parties desperate for a distraction from issues in the real world?

Of course we were a hair's breath away from hanging the VP. The republicans are the one who are trying to distract from the issues again.

[frugal-one]

I think there's quite a bit of difference between some demented folks causing trouble in Portland by occupying a few blocks while the (perhaps misguided) police tried to deal with the situation peacefully, and an (inept) plot to seize the Capitol, hang elected officials, and throw a coup, endangering our entire nation and system of government.

People who equate the two cases, well... hmmm....

(I mean, *I'd* equate them in a way - in both cases, I would have preferred such an incredible and overwhelming armed police response that it would be remembered for generations, to discourage other idiots in the future....)

I agree with this at the Capitol. They should have continued to shoot and whoever kept coming got shot. That would have ended it once and for all.

[frugal-one]

I think there's a bunch of idiots on both extremes of the political spectrum and then there's the rest of us either shaking our heads at their antics or trying to blame whichever political party they hate the most. This thread is a perfect example of the latter.

What about those of us who have voted both parties? IMO the republican party is no more. If there was a candidate that was in the medium of the spectrum I would consider them. These days, not so much.

[bae]

I agree the capitol coupsters should have been met by an overwhelming response, but Trump didn't authorize any response for hours, aside from the overwhelmed Capitol Police, so people who had training in detaining unruly tourists--and not in hand-to-hand combat--were hung out to dry, with disastrous results.

"(I mean, *I'd* equate them in a way - in both cases, I would have preferred such an incredible and overwhelming armed police response that it would be remembered for generations, to discourage other idiots in the future....)"

You mean like Kent State is remembered? Again, we have a constitutional right to protest in this country. I don't want to live in a totalitarian society where you can be jailed for dissent, and we seem to be heading that way.

As I recall, in the Portland case, more than "dissent" occurred. Once you start delving into arson, or unlawful imprisonment, you're in a whole different ballpark. You know this.

[JaneV2.0]

As I recall, in the Portland case, more than "dissent" occurred. Once you start delving into arson, or unlawful imprisonment, you're in a whole different ballpark. You know this.

And those people were arrested, as they should have been.

[jp1]

I think I get the point you’re trying to make. Trump made a ridiculous failed attempt to stay in office. Some idiots believed him, and behaved like they were in Portland. But it wasn’t the good kind of political violence, so Republicans should wear sackcloth and ashes and be crushed at the polls. Frustratingly enough, this doesn’t appear to be happening, so righteous vulgarity is completely understandable.

I get that, but my horse Ol’ Deplorable took offense and will probably still vote for the GOP out of sheer spite.

You act like the republicans are done. Nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve pointed out many examples and will continue to do so. I imagine you’ll keep ignoring them and voting for traitors like Ron Johnson. At least pence’s staffer had the morals and ethics (so uncommon in the traitor party these days) to tell Johnson’s staffer to eff off with the fake slate of electors from your state.

[Tybee]

You act like the republicans are done. Nothing could be further from the truth. . . At least pence’s staffer had the morals and ethics (so uncommon in the traitor party these days) to tell Johnson’s staffer to eff off with the fake slate of electors from your state.

I agree--if the Texas Republican platform is any indication, this is not done. I think the Trump party has co-opted the Republican party, and the Trump party is not done. I think people who have voted in the past for Republican candidates, as I have, should be very careful not to assume that a candidate with R in front of their name is any way representative of the Republican party as they remember it.

[frugal-one]

I agree--if the Texas Republican platform is any indication, this is not done. I think the Trump party has co-opted the Republican party, and the Trump party is not done. I think people who have voted in the past for Republican candidates, as I have, should be very careful not to assume that a candidate with R in front of their name is any way representative of the Republican party as they remember it.

Well said!