I grew up believing democracy was a good thing...

[rustbeltvoice]

...and enough years have passed for me to have observed some history.

There is an old joke: Q. What is the difference between the two parties?
A. Well the Democrats believe in democracy, and the Republicans are the opposite.

Yes, there was tectonic change between the two parties in the 1960s on race, and the Viet Nam war. But it was Reagan. Goldwater was nuts, and his party has ever since continued further into insanity. Nixon was a crook, but even some who liked Nixon knew he was a crook. It was Reagan who started to demolish everything that Roosevelt's New Deal had achieved for America, and he used the white man's resentment of the 1960s to do so. Reagan, foremost, had no respect for the truth. He would spout his bullshit, it was obvious that it was bullshit, people called him out on his bullshit, and they were ignored or damned about it. This mendacity (which had been present in the party since at least 1876) was invincible. gwbjr and cheney are unrepentant liars. Every supporter, and ally of Trump is a liar. Trump is the liar of liars. The so called "Reagan Democrats" were idiots, and the trumpsters are the deplorables.

There is a dialogue in the film Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage (2005), where Sophie of the White Rose is interrogated by police commissioner Mohr. He says there is a choice between being a democrat, and a fascist. There is such a choice in the USA, now. Fascism is violence, and as Solzhenitsyn taught us, before there is violence there are the lies.

[Freddie]

1. Had a wonderful history teacher in HS

Rest In Peace, Mr. P. The year was 1973, the height of Watergate. Nixon would resign that summer. In class we were studying the Roaring 20’s. Harding and Teapot Dome was one of the topics.
Mr. P was very careful to never discuss his personal political leaning. But he did say one thing - “history has shown that Republican administrations tend towards corruption.” He of course was referring to Teapot Dome, and subtly, Watergate. How incredibly correct he turned out to be in the decades ahead.