I hate being a cynic
… but Republicans have turned me into one. There is nothing they say or do that I don’t immediately view with scepticism, searching for the ulterior motive behind every word and action – and alas, there invariably is one.
While I don’t believe that every Republican is a racist, there is no denying that a lot of them are. As a party, they continue to project a persona that is exclusionary rather than inclusive. They cling to an agenda that while not openly bigoted, is clearly aimed at favouring the interests of white citizens over those of people of colour, the interests of Christians over those of non-Christian religious beliefs.
I believe that some of the push-back from Republicans this past weekend was heartfelt, and reflected true outrage on the part of many individuals. However, the cynic in me also believes that a lot of the push-back was simply damage control in the face of the immediate outrage expressed by the citizenry at large. The GOP didn’t see people expressing anger; they saw voters expressing utter disdain for racism and bigotry. They don’t really care what ordinary citizens think about racism. But they do care what voters think when they cast their ballots.
The Republicans know that being seen as the party that condones racism is ballot box poison. They also know that Trump not only failed to address the events in Charlottesville appropriately, but that his own bigotry – which was apparent throughout his campaign – was yet again rearing its ugly head. But this time, it was coming from a so-called “pResident”, and not a blowhard candidate on the campaign trail. This time he was representing the Republican party – and the damage to the GOP “brand” was front-and-center on the national stage.
But I think there is something else at play here. The powers-that-be in the GOP know that Their Boy in the WH is going down. As Robert Mueller’s investigation spreads its tentacles into every detail of Trump’s financial dealings and his probable collusion with the Russians, the writing on the wall becomes more and more apparent – and it spells disaster for the Republican party that elected him and supported him in the first place.
I believe that the GOP is going to use this weekend’s events as a pivoting point. This is where – or so they would have us believe – they are drawing the line. This is where they will start to distance themselves from the racist they were all too happy to support – not because they didn’t know who and what he was, but because they can no longer deny who and what he is.
It was inevitable that Trump’s ever-plummeting approval numbers, along with the investigation noose that keeps tightening around his neck, would eventually trigger the GOP to look for an opportunity to back away from the man who is damaging their “brand” on a daily basis. And the events in Charlottesville provide the perfect excuse to do so.
Again, call me cynical. But I don’t believe for a minute that the GOP is truly as outraged as they are now portraying themselves. It is feigned outrage with an underlying agenda; a display of anger that has little to do with real beliefs, but has everything to do with being seen to be on the right side of an issue that the country clearly sees Trump as being on the wrong side of.
It will be interesting to watch where Republicans go from here. I think they realize that at this point, Idiot Boy’s presidency is unsalvageable. If he doesn’t do himself in with his own insanity and obvious incompetence first, Mueller will eventually take him down.
It’s a lose/lose situation all around, and now is the time for Republicans to get out while the gettin’s good. Whether they’re smart enough to do so remains to be seen. But for the sake of saving what’s left of their “brand”, Trump’s behaviour this past weekend provides the perfect excuse to cut their losses before it’s too late, while pretending their need to save their own asses is actually sincere concern for the victims of racism, anti-Semitism, and bigotry.
And as we all know, pretending to be concerned about their fellow citizens is what the Republicans have always done extremely well.
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I can't add anything. I am a loss for words!
Well done!
