More evidence that talking to Republicans is useless

[Zorro]

Republicans have proved at every turn that they are not merely incapable of governing but are determined to cause havoc and real harm to America — from the refusal to create a Jan. 6 commission, to their assault on voting rights, to their obstruction on raising the debt ceiling and confirming executive branch nominees.

More examples of their destructiveness arrived on Wednesday. The Post reports that two former treasury secretaries who served under Republican presidents, Henry Paulson and Steven Mnuchin, “held private discussions this month with Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).” The former secretaries and Yellen essentially pleaded with McConnell to vote to lift the debt ceiling rather than wreck the economy. It was no go. The Post quotes former Democratic treasury secretary Lawrence H. Summers as saying, “Reality is not a partisan thing. Raising the debt limit is acknowledging reality, not making a partisan choice.” Well, that is quaint.

Acknowledging reality is the most partisan thing to do these days — whether it’s who staged the attack on the Capitol, how to protect the country from the delta variant, who won the 2020 election or what happens when the United States does not pay its bills. Republicans routinely operate in a parallel universe, in which the fun-house mirror of right-wing media reshapes reality to fit its MAGA agenda. The least effective strategies with Republicans is to appeal to their sense of patriotism or shame them into doing the “right thing.” Republicans operate on a singular principle: Whatever helps them retain or accumulate power, they will do, no matter what the harm to America.

The notion that there are capable GOP interlocutors who can negotiate deals with Democrats crashed and burned when Republicans rejected a bipartisan deal on the Jan. 6 commission negotiated by Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.). They see anyone willing to acknowledge the reality of the attack — such as Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — as a threat to the party.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/more-evidence-that-talking-republicans-is-useless/

Republicans are unfit to govern.

[RKP5637]

1. Today's republicans are demented assholes. It's a tragedy for the US. They will eventually

fracture the US into separate tribal regions causing the US to sink very low on the world state in coming years.

[jimlup]

2. This will take a long time

and a lot of people will be hurt in the process.

But you are absolutely right. They will crash the country before giving up their absurd beliefs. They are NOT patriots though they claim to be and fool a bunch of folks in the process.

[RKP5637]

3. Absolutely! And most incredible is when they wear the flag, tote the bible and say they are

patriots. What they are is domestic terrorists working to tear the US apart and end the democracy. Some people are so brainwashed in the US. They can't see/comprehend what is going on with the GOP as they work to overthrow the US form of government with their terrorist actions.

[Moostache]

5. Brings to mind a certain scene from the film "The Dead Zone" (based on King's outstanding book)

The problems existed BEFORE him, and have grown more malignant AFTER him, but he is the brick on the accelerator in the car speeding towards the abyss. There is NO HOPE of stopping the car while that brick remains wedged against the accelerator.

Trump is the titular and spiritual head of this snake of a party.
He has many enablers and co-conspirators to be sure, but the virulence and danger to the fabric of the republic have been accelerated since 2015 to a nearing of terminal velocity now.
There are sayings about how to deal with snakes...and what portions of it must be excised first.

There are also clear signs that without a major course adjustment, the United States itself is in danger of disintegration and ruin to placate the ego and supplicate the idiocy of one overly entitled loser of a 'man'...we are set against each other even though our differences are small when compared to our shared heritage and similarities...there are those who profit from this and there are those who live to exacerbate this...

Our elections are called into doubt for no substantiated reasons, because a loser cannot accept the verdict of history without a hissy fit that suits a 3-year and a plate of brocoli.

Our politics devolve into wanton cruelty just because cruelty has replaced morals to display "strength" (while actually hiding behind weakness in plain sight) because a sawed off excuse for masculinity uses such tactics and brazenly celebrates the depravity of it.

Our health is threatened by amoral hustlers, pimping out bullshit to gain a temporary edge in a mythical poll, or even by grabbing 'power' without an actual mandate - because a turd in a badly tailored suit gives tacit approval to this and provides shelter and comfort to anyone willing to step out further on the limb of insanity with him.

Our nation is in peril because a loser in life and elections cannot handle the truth.

Our neighbors (at least in Texas) are financially incentivized to spy on and bring lawsuits against us and our doctors and to invade the privacy of our most painful decision points because a filthy pig-man used a wedge issue to pack courts and steal the jurisprudential soul of our government for partisan advantage and through duplicity unbelievable were we not suffering its very slings and arrows today...

Our children are imperiled by simply going to school and trying to protect themselves and others through use of surgical masks - the same goddamn things that made surviving surgical procedures more than a crap shoot...because a senile bastard in search of power in the shadow of his own (hopefully imminent) demise does not like the way a mask looks.

WARNING... BEYOND HERE THERE BE DRAGONS...

When it comes down to it, if you believe your eyes and ears and senses, if you value science and rationale thought over make-believe and fantasy, if you are convinced that the future - whether through climate inaction, political machinations or social upheaval - is set on a grim course by one man and his demented following...what would you do?

?t=122

While I am never one to advocate the doctor's decision here, I have become one who can understand how one might be pushed to such a conclusion. Dark days are here, and worse is yet to come as I fear we are more twilight sky than morning day break...it is said that its always darkest just before the dawn, but I disagree...the fading of the light and the encompassing of the dark feels like the encroaching veil of blackness

[RobertDevereaux]

7. A superb film...

With Herbert Lom and Christopher Walken in top form.

[RKP5637]

9. Sadly, well said. I think it is on track for the events. n/t

[I_UndergroundPanther]

4. Republican party

Is the sociopath party.
Not one of them has a working moral compass.

To me they should not be part of this government.

[NBachers]

6. And the screaming messaging will be 97% "IT'S ALL BIDEN'S FAULT!1!" 3% "but wait, isn't there . . "

[tiredtoo]

8. IMHO the billionaires are going to put a stop to this idiocy

They will suffer also should the economy go to hell.