"I urged Republicans to stay. Now, months later, I'm leaving the party. Here's why"

[brooklynite]

Arizona Republic

In February, I wrote an op-ed urging Republicans not to leave the party.

My hope was that the GOP could still be saved by decent people working from the inside. After more than two decades as a Republican, I had seen, met and worked with the many good folks who make it up.

I hoped that the extremism we were seeing – those questioning the results of the 2020 election, those advocating against a peaceful transition of power, those defending the terrorists who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, those ignoring science and advocating for horse dewormer as a public health measure – was a fringe element.

While many Republicans failed to show leadership during Trump’s presidency, it seemed that in the wake of Jan. 6, those leaders would finally stand up for truth and democracy.

I was wrong.

[Vogon_Glory]

1. I was another Republican who left their party

The difference was when I realized that not only was the Cold War over, but that the hard right had taken over much of the Republican Party and was dictating terms to the Republican Party’ surviving moderates. In 1992, I decided that it was time to leave and started voting Democratic. Even then, I could never imagine the depths that today’s Republican Party would sink to.

Mr. Gonzalez had a late awakening.

[Hortensis]

10. I was just thinking it was a very late awakening, a good 3 decades late!

What a coincidence.

[dutch777]

2. I think so many Repugs are one or two issue voters and just follow along on the rest

I see folks who are one of the following: 1) racist, 2) anti-abortion, 3) anti-tax (they really like what government does for them, they just don't want to pay for it) and a few other things. And if that is your hot button, you really have no hope of a political home in the main stream other than the Repugs. Some even apologize for Trump and his spawn privately but it's not enough to get them to do other because of their strongly held core issue.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

4. That really sums it up. -- nt

[GoodRaisin]

5. Add guns, socialism, and "small government" to

that list. The really stupid people who have always voted for whoever has an “R” beside their name for these dumb reasons. Lot’s of magats in this group are probably confused after The Fascist Guy told them not to vote for Rs but they don’t fit in any other box.

[hibbing]

7. Glad you have racism as #1

It was heartbreaking to realize just what a large percentage of Americans are that racist. What the heck is wrong with white women voters who the majority of voted for him? It was his biggest appeal to his voters imho.

Peace

[calimary]

13. Guns should be #4 then.

Racism, anti-choice, anti-taxes, and guns. They’ll throw in #5 - religion, situationally, when it fits their agenda.

[Cartoonist]

3. the many good folks who make it up.

Show me one.

[Fla Dem]

6. Comments interesting. Several former Republicans chiming in.

[Ford_Prefect]

8. The OWNERS of the GOP now call the shots, determine the direction, the write the propaganda.

and chose the victims to blame...And Bannon is their instrument. As Oliver North was to Reagan/Bush so Bannon is to the RW Oligarchy.

[NQAS]

9. We see what happens when Democrats hold power unchecked

This is what this guy said. As a comment I read somewhere this morning observed, the Democrats have had the WH and Congress for less than 10 years since Reagan. What happened? Go look it up. Everything was fine. You want wars? Republicans. You want budget deficits? Republicans.

So go fuck yourself Gonzalez. As a "lawyer and tech executive," you're enjoying the tax cuts. You don't have the courage to do the right thing and join with a party that, oh I don't know, stands for democracy. But, by all means, join a third party and split the RW vote, or stay home. It's all the same to me.

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Freudian slip

"the many good folks who make it up."

That's the problem. They make it up as they go along, to suit themselves and their radical right agenda.

[calimary]

14. I didn't even need that whole phrase.

I was stopped at the “many good folks” part.

Who?

Where?

Since when?

I think you have to be a NOT-good folk to be part of it now. GOP= Nogoodniks Inc.

[Nevilledog]

12. No paywall

https://archive.md/vjjh3

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

15. He says, "[W]e've seen what happens when the left holds political power unchecked."

Let's see what has happened when the left holds political power:

Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, workers comp, the Affordable Care Act, laws supporting clean air and clean water, protecting government lands for the common good as reserves, monuments and national parks, support for employees organizing into unions, civil rights laws, voters rights laws (subsequently gutted by a conservative SCOTUS), support for affordable housing, food stamps, and other social programs vehemently resisted by the Right. Oh, then there's the recent Recovery Act which was passed without a single Republican vote (which the Repugs were happy to take credit for in their home districts).

On the other side we have tax breaks for the very rich, tax breaks for corporations, substantially increased military spending, starting and staying in unnecessary wars. And denying a legally elected president his constitutional right to appoint someone to fill a vacant seat on the SCOTUS. Did I mention tax breaks for the very rich and corporations?

I think that about sums it up.

[tanyev]

16. +1

Well said.