E. J. Dionne: Why progressives should welcome anti-Trump Republicans

[brooklynite]

Washington Post

Those who genuinely embrace a creed or hold passionately to a point of view are, in principle, always looking for converts. Yet the old believers are often suspicious of the new arrivals.

Sometimes, the converts are annoyingly rigid and sectarian. This can bother those who are long comfortable in their faith and thus at ease with pluralism. But there is also the opposite fear: that the new allies haven’t really changed their thinking and are only trying to sow heretical notions among the orthodox.

It is the second anxiety that animates an unease among some progressives about anti-Trump Republicans and conservatives. This has fostered a limited but vocal backlash against the idea that John Kasich, the Republican former Ohio governor, might address the scaled-back Democratic National Convention on behalf of presumptive nominee Joe Biden.

The easy answer to this apprehension is to say that if you believe (as I certainly do) that defeating President Trump is the prerequisite for anything good happening again in American politics, you should welcome everyone willing to help get the job done. And in light of Trump’s threats to challenge the results if he loses, the health of our democracy may depend on Biden’s winning by a landslide that would leave not a smidgen of doubt about what the voters were saying. This is an all-hands-on-deck proposition.

[Poiuyt]

1. I'll embrace anyone who helps get trump out of office.

That said, I don’t expect this to be a long term love affair.

[JI7]

2. The so called progressives who have a problem with anyone opposing Trump

are the ones who DID have a problem with anyone supporting Hillary in 2016.

We know what they are about now . Many of us knew back then also.

[still_one]

4. +++

[Cha]

5. Exactly! Hillary Warned Us About Putin's Puppet

and they paid no Attention.

[NurseJackie]

9. You are correct. They're all the same as before. Each and every one...

... in every corner of the internet. From the most visible celebrity to the mousy and somewhat anonymous one-issue "purity" posters (and everyone in between). I remember them well.

[betsuni]

27. The ones constantly posting Goldwater Girl/Goldman Sachs speech/photo of Hillary with Kissinger

as solid proof she was Crooked Hillary the Warmonger Satan Republican (while never ever saying anything bad about actual Republicans, of course), swore up and down they'd vote for Elizabeth Warren but when she ran for president called her a Republican sell out Hillary 2.0. Insisting it was all about policy when it was nothing but attacking character with lies. LOL. So predictable. Ha ha, won't work this time.

[calimary]

28. Yep. And won't forget, either.

[SunSeeker]

3. K & R

[Cha]

7. Aloha SunSeeker.. I don't know

if you've heard on the Mainland but Hawaii is under Hurricane Douglas Watch.

We're Prepared.. hoping for the Best.. waiting for the Boom to Lower or Hopefully Not!

Hurricane Douglas swirls 'uncomfortably close' to Hawaii

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hawaii-prepares-high-winds-rain-hurricane-nears-71992710

[2naSalit]

8. I hope it is mild on that beautiful state!

Do stay safe!

[Cha]

10. Mahalo, 2naSalit!

I needed that!

I don't see any news about here.. I've been busy preparing.. suppose to hit closer to Kauai at around 2am Monday the last I saw.

I've heard from Locals that it could go either was.. they'll know more about 9pm our time.

I'm concerned about the other Islands, too.

Hurricane Douglas nears Hawaii as "pretty nasty" Category 1 storm

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-douglas-hawaii-latest-forecast-path-track-today-2020-07-26/

[SunSeeker]

12. Oh wow, no I hadn't heard. Hold on tight Cha! Hope it misses you!

[Cha]

13. Mahalo, SunSeeker!

It's kind of weird getting ready for another Hurricane.. not knowing if it's going to take a direct hit or not.

The people who have to go to designated shelters will have extra problems with the Safe Distancing protocol.

[SunSeeker]

15. OMG, I hope you don't have to evacuate to a shelter!

🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[Cha]

16. No, Thankfully, we should be good here where we're

located.

Maybe just get in a closet for extra protection.

❤️❤️❤️ My fervent hope along with everyone being safe is.. The Electricity doesn't Go Off!

[calimary]

29. Hang in there, Cha!

Sending lots of protection-and-safety vibes.

Please let us know how it’s going.

[Cha]

31. We Dodged it, calimary! All the Islands are Safe

now. We found out about 11pm last night. We were all prepared and so Grateful it got so close but did not come on land!

Kauai's electricity went off for 2 hours last at 2am.. but we'll take it!

Mahalo!!

[jacksonian]

6. really people accept the aid with gratitude and move on

they are helping. If someday they are not, take that up then.

But now, thanks folks, we appreciate the importance of what you're doing.

[2naSalit]

11. +1

[ChoppinBroccoli]

14. The Enemy Of My Enemy

This election, more than any other in history, has to be one in which the incumbent not only loses, but loses in HISTORIC fashion. Trumpism has to be CONCLUSIVELY rejected. No Presidential candidate has ever gotten less than 40% of the vote. I want Trump to be the first to get less than 40%. This needs to be a THRASHING. And to do that, we have to welcome ALL like-minded individuals into the fold. We'll worry about 2024 later. For now, the first order of business needs to be not just winning, but winning DECISIVELY.

[Cha]

17. +Millions!

[Mr.Bill]

18. I welcome support from Kasich.

But I don't think him speaking at the convention guarantees helping beat Trump in November.

[StarryNite]

19. Absolutely agree!

[mac56]

20. I welcome a principled opposition.

It's been too long.

[rwsanders]

21. Welcome the votes are welcome to the party?

Remember these aren't converts.
It took them 3 years of this to wake up?
What I see is the Tea Party/Neocons looking for a way to gain political control and the only route at this point is to dump Trump. As SOON as they are back in control, they will be back to the old games. They really just don't want Trump to pull us out of Iraq and Afganistan.

[Crunchy Frog]

23. Many of them have been Never Trumpers from the very beginning.

Particularly the most prominent and outspoken ones. They've been burning some serious bridges with old allies too, and I respect them for that.

They may be my enemies again inthefuture, but for right now I'm happy to have their support.

[Skittles]

26. problem is

they support a party that is racist, homophobic, misogynist; they are anti-worker, anti-science - even without Trump they are SICKENING

[progressoid]

24. +1

[Gore1FL]

22. I'll welcome their support in getting rid of Trump

I can do this knowing that these are the people that brought us Reaganomics, wars of choice, economic inequality, anti-choice, conservative judges, Sarah Palin, the stolen election of 2000, etc.

Please don't ever expect em to trust them or ever want to give them power in the Democratic party.

[Skittles]

25. THANK YOU

useful idiots; they STILL make me sick

[calimary]

30. Yep. I wouldn't trust any of them any farther than I can throw my house.