Defending the indefensible-where does it end?

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

John McCain dies after a lifetime of public service and the White House flag flies at full staff. The president is unable to issue a statement praising his sacrifice and commitment to the nation. Trump supporters find this all quite acceptable. McCain said bad things about the president, he was no friend to Trump, blah, blah, blah, blah blah....There's no contortion that they aren't willing to twist themselves into to justify his latest outrageous and disgusting behavior. They're good at it because they've had so much practice. But don't you wake up one day and say "maybe there's something wrong here"?

Separating children from their families, trashing the FBI, praising convicted criminals, childish derogatory nicknames for his opponents, praising Putin and taking his side over our own intelligence services, trashing environmental regulations, starting trade wars, supporting white supremacists, endorsing an accused sexual predator and so much more. All perfectly reasonable behaviors, right? At what point in time, with what aberrational action, will it make a person take stock of just what they are supporting? Even a Trump supporter has to have some kind of epiphany, don't they?

As I listen to the Trumpsters rationalize why it's OK for Trump to be disrespectful to John McCain today I've got to believe that there is no bottom. Where is the limit to justify anything this guy does? Yeah, I know Trump is eating babies but he was hungry and those babies were going to grow up to be Democrats anyway. There's probably 30% of the population who would go with that. We live in a seriously ill society.

[dchill]

1. Where does it end?

That's what I'd like to know.

[olegramps]

21. Actually the situation is very simple.

The Republican Party has been transformed into a party in which acceptance and support is judge on degrees of purity. They are indexed to their intense hatred for Democrats who they regard as immoral, unpatriotic enemies. Any Republican, such as McCain, who shows any desire to compromise with the enemy are automatically denounced as traitors. This is regardless of what is proposed even if harms nation.

Hence the present reaction to McCain is based on his determination to put the welfare of the nation before party loyalty. They resent his speaking out as he did telling his colleagues in the Senate, "Friends we getting nothing done" due to radical polarization. The situation if not corrected could result in the total failure of the ability to government function if it is not corrected.


At present there are no indications that this is about to happen. The Republicans are continuing to run on a scale of how committed they are to a basically disastrous policy of abject disdain for anyone who will not adhere to their uncompromising policy of hatred and division.

Their platform is Trumpism. Their message: Uncompromising and unreasonable hatred for anyone who doesn't met their standard of what is a real American. It is basically the party of white, Christians who see their majority disappearing and are desperate to turn back the clock to a nostalgic society and time that never existed. There is little doubt that it parallels the fascism that arose in Europe during the late 1920s and 1930s. There is no sign that it will abate in the near future. A major portion of the information networks are firmly in the hands of extremists who are intensifying their message of hatred on a daily bases. The leadership of the Republican Party are prisoners of their own making and don't dare contradict the even the most extreme spokesmen of division.


It is little wonder that many have concluded that we are headed for disaster. What force of events will change the situation is unknown. The nation may be in for a prolonged and perhaps even fatal adventure of crippling polarization.

[atreides1]

2. With Trumpers

There is no bottom...his supporters are already lower then whale s**t...and they continue to find ways to go even lower!!!!

[Laxman]

3. That's A Difficult Question....

unfortunately, I don't think it does end. Even a Stony Lonesome moment where Trump is caught live on national television belittling his supporters as stupid uneducated rubes would probably be met with justification and praise. You are correct. We live in a seriously ill society. Paying off porn stars is evidence of his "manliness". A draft dodger trashing a war hero is evidence of how "tough" he is. A disgusting human being unconditionally supported by an army of disgusting human beings. I can't believe I'm writing this because I always try to find good in everyone-especially people I disagree with. Today, I just don't see it.

[Guilded Lilly]

4. We, as a nation, have bred this over decades of Reality Show mentality...

and the fix will be extremely difficult.
When things have hit rock bottom, apparently there are men already in power willing to crawl further under THAT rock.
It is debilitating to fight this particular disease that has deeply infected our country and all I know is that I certainly don’t know the answer!
I...
Can only resist as much as one person can and cling to the decency that the MAJORITY still have.
The vast majority.

I want to live long enough to see them go down.
In flames. In public and BY the public.

[2naSalit]

9. +1

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. as we've seen in past world history, the unfathomable can and does happen.

we are in one of those moments that just causes utter disbelief in thinking, decent people.

the power of propaganda, brainwashing, ignorance, greed, and envy - and tribalism - all being played out right here, right now.

[TrishaJ]

6. LOW CLASS...

that's Trump's behavior and the 'Murikans who continue to support him.

That's what I remembered it being called.

[ScratchCat]

7. Keep in mind

That 95%+ of those who voted for Trump voted for this man who said Trump was dangerous and had no business being President.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

10. Part of the biggest contortion of all.

Supporting a draft dodger over someone who served. More than that, demeaning his service. The fine "patriots" who support Trump need to do some serious mental gymnastics to justify that.

[Ponietz]

8. Like witnessing the death of Socrates all over again

[link:http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/socrates.htm|

[geardaddy]

11. Excellent post.

It's well past time to stop thinking these assholes will come to their senses. They are mentally ill assholes.

[OMGWTF]

12. For decades I have been saying that the bottom of the barrel

for Republicans is through the center of the molten Earth and out the other side.

[DarleenMB]

13. Goes beyond just support

Rick Wilson tweeted that Fox news had to lock out comments on all the McCain stories because of the vile comments by trumpsters.

[lunatica]

14. Tribalism

He’s their chief. It doesn’t matter what he does. His people will bow to him in complete abeyance for that reason alone. Their capacity to accept his behavior is limitless. They are good followers and will obey their chief no matter what.

[AlexSFCA]

15. there is no bottom for them

and as soon as the n-word tape comes out, watch them openly using this word like it’s nothing. Seems like every month there is a new low.

[bucolic_frolic]

16. seriously ill? or rational

For Trump, it's about Trump, unless you subscribe to the idea that we are under occupation by a foreign power to which Trump is beholden, and therefore not honoring traditional American values. Something more serious is going on than Trump being perverse to everything America and Democrats stand for.

[hibbing]

17. It gets worse almost every day n/t

[aggiesal]

18. UNITED STATES CODE TITLE 36, CHAPTER 10, PATRIOTIC CUSTOMS ...

§175. Position and manner of display

(m) In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff.

The flag shall be flown at half-staff
- thirty days from the death of the President or a former President;

- ten days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

- from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession;

- and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress.

http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#177

*************************************************************************************
Got this from earlier post on a different thread.

[ThoughtCriminal]

19. Imagine the outrage if Clinton was President and did the same thing.

But, Hillary Clinton knows honor and service.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/26/politics/hillary-clinton-john-mccain-cnntv/index.html

[duforsure]

20. How anyone in the military

Or law enforcement can back this monster in the White House now is unbelievable they could do that to OUR country backing such a corrupt , and anti american person . He praises putin , and other corrupt criminals who have murdered his own and a terrorist murdering others in other countries, yet shows no respect for a American war hero , someone who has served their country for decades. That's showing us all how much contempt he has for America now, its values, its rule of law, and its respect for those that DO choose to serve this country, and worships dictators instead. Pathetic and not surprising.

[Scurrilous]

22. K&R