Republican Liars and Crazies

The Republican Party has encouraged and exploited bigotry, extremism, and paranoia for decades. They have done this deliberately and unashamedly in order to acquire and keep power (and gain). Rather than present practical, useful, well-considered, policy proposals to better the lives of the American people, they have found it much easier to attract votes by stirring up fear, anger, and resentment.

The trend in Republican primaries, accelerated by Trump, has favored those with the most eye-popping tapestry of conspiracy theories and unyielding positions. GOP primaries are dominated by a sliver of the electorate on the far right.

Dana Milbank

A democratic government is only as good as its people

The United States Congress, for better or for worse, is a reflection of the people who voted for them. Much of the Republican “base” consists of extremists, racists, conspiracy fanatics, and other crackpots. So it should not be surprising to learn that as the Republican voter base has become increasingly unhinged from reality, their elected leaders have become increasingly timid and their list of candidates for 2022 includes a large number of crazies.

Even before Trump, the GOP’s predilection for unqualified, incompetent, conspiracy spinners has been clearly visible. One notable example, Sarah Palin, managed to rise within the party to the level of vice-presidential nominee before her wackiness became apparent to everyone.

Current examples of elected Republican crazies include Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Louis Gohmert (R-TX), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ). In the Senate we have Ron Johnson (R-WI), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) – just to name a few.

I could easily find examples of crazy things said and/or done by everyone on the above list, but it would make this post too long. I’ll leave that exercise to the reader. I will, however, tell you what I mean by “crazy.” Anyone who deliberately denies reality and actively promotes lies and conspiracies is, in my view, “crazy.” This applies to those who deny science (including medical and environmental science), to those who attack public schools (often over issues that do not exist), and especially to those who believe Trump’s BIG LIE that the 2020 Presidential election was “stolen.”

The Big Lie is a simple test to identify crazy people

The Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol has proven conclusively, through testimony from insider Republicans, that Donald J. Trump knows, and has admitted privately, that he lost the 2020 election. The Committee has also shown that Trump planned to claim that the election was “stolen” as early as the July BEFORE the election.

The BIG LIE is not a claim, it is a strategy. Trump is a master manipulator of people. His BIG LIE is a dramatic example of the brainwashing strategy known as “Gaslighting.”

Gaslighting is an insidious form of manipulation and psychological control. Victims of gaslighting are deliberately and systematically fed false information that leads them to question what they know to be true, often about themselves. They may end up doubting their memory, their perception, and even their sanity. Over time, a gaslighter’s manipulations can grow more complex and potent, making it increasingly difficult for the victim to see the truth.

Psychology Today

The problem, of course, is not so much that Trump is a liar and a manipulator. The problem is that millions of people have somehow been deceived by this clumsy, ridiculous, self-serving lie. People have actually chosen to believe the lies of a selfish, ignorant, malignant, narcissist (and his propaganda-spreading sycophants) over common sense, long-established institutions, expert professionals, and the evidence of their own eyes and ears. That is crazy!

Yet, as the Brookings Institute has documented, “well over 300 candidates” across the country are perpetuating the BIG LIE. All of them are Republicans. The data indicates that more than half of them will probably be elected. Thirty-five percent of the election deniers are Congressional incumbents!

A government of, by, and for crazy people cannot work

When stupidity is considered patriotism, it is unsafe to be intelligent.

Isaac Asimov

Running an open, responsive, government, that serves ALL of the people fairly and effectively, is hard work. If we elect leaders who are reality-challenged we cannot expect them to accomplish real good in the real world.

Indeed, the Republicans in Congress have clearly shown that they are not interested in discussing policy ideas and solutions to problems. They completely politicize every single policy proposal that the Democrats bring up. For them, the game of power and gain has completely replaced responsible governing.

The 2022 midterm election is not a contest between Republicans and Democrats. It is not a contest between conservative and progressive. It is a battle to decide whether crazy nonsense will completely replace responsible truth and sanity in our government. If sanity loses its majority in Congress, it is not likely to come back anytime soon. Idiots and bullies know how to consolidate power once it is handed to them.

I’m finding it hard to be optimistic.

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Sources

Dana Millbank, “Think you already know crazy? Meet the House GOP Class of ’22.” The Washington Post, October 7, 2022.
Elaine Kamarck and Norman Eisen, “Democracy on the ballot – How many election deniers are on the ballot in November and what is their likelihood of success?” Brookings, October 7, 2022.
David Corn, “It Didn’t Start with Trump: The Decades-Long Saga of How the GOP Went Crazy,” Mother Jones, September-October 2022 Issue.
Dana Millbank, The Destructionists: The Twenty-Five Year Crack-Up of the Republican Party, Doubleday, August 9, 2022.
David Corn, American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy, Twelve, September 13, 2022.