On compassion for Republicans

[angrychair]

I had this question put to me over on Instagram on a story about horrible pollution coming from a mine into a West Virginia community.

Sorry, they voted for their Republican controlled state government by a huge margin. They voted for Mango Mussolini by over 70 points.

But what about "compassion"? I have no compassion for Republicans.

It went away when Republicans started voting to force 12 yr old rape victims to have their rapist's baby.

I lost compassion for Republicans when Republicans went from screaming about prosecuting people in the Epstein Files to defending them once they found out their dear leader was neck deep in them.

I lost compassion for Republicans when they decided to criminalize being an immigrant in a country literally built by immigrants.

I lost compassion for Republicans when they cheered at the idea of stopping other Americans from voting simply based on the color of their skin.

I lost compassion for Republicans when they decided that genocide was acceptable as long as it was brown skinned people.

I lost compassion for Republicans when they decided that concentration camps in the US was fine as long as it was brown skinned people.

I lost compassion for Republicans when they decided that women were nothing more than maids, sex toys and "birthing vessels".

I lost compassion for Republicans when they decided their religion should be forced on everyone if they want it or not.

I am tired of their feelings or changing hearts and minds. I don't want these people anywhere near me. Republicans are hateful, nasty and vile people and I dont give a shit about them or their problems in their shitty ass state that is doing exactly what they wanted them to do.

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. And yet...

It will be the FAFO suffering of these Republicans that will motivate a significant number of them to vote for Democrats in November.

If their suffering gave them an inkling of compassion and empathy for the marginalized people suffering under Trump, a delayed awakening you might say, then I welcome their votes to grow the Blue Tsunami coming in November.

Others may not be able to bring themselves to vote blue, and will likely just stay home.

I welcome that too.

[angrychair]

2. "Republicans will vote for a Democrat"

This was a common refrain from people justifying heavily courting Republicans while simultaneously throwing progressive Democrats under the bus as the enemies of the country. For me it was the most significant mistake made by the Harris campaign.

What did all that courting of Republicans get us?

It got us a Republican controlled House and Senate and lost the WH too.

Republicans are not going to vote for Democrats. Ever. They would happily vote for him to be president a third time and I'm not convinced they will not try.

How does that comment from President Johnson go...

If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.

[Fiendish Thingy]

6. I'm not suggesting Dems "court" Republicans

I’m just observing that some of them are realizing they have no other choice if they want to vote to relieve their suffering.

That’s all.

Republicans are not going to vote for Democrats. Ever.

You are wrong - They already are.

It’s already been documented that recent Democratic victories in Texas and Florida in areas Trump won handily, were a result of Republicans (and independents) voting for Dems in significant numbers.

[angrychair]

9. I think people want to believe that

Republicans do not vote for Democrats. Ever. It could be attributed to disaffected Democrats or centerist Independents but definitely not Republicans.

[murielm99]

11. You are correct.

In my more than forty years as a precinct committee person, and from talks with the local election judges I have recruited, that does not happen. They would rather die. Instead, they stay home and do not vote.

[paleotn]

16. And yet I know some who voted for Obama in 2008. Not only a Dem, but a black Dem.

Vs. John McCain? And that was in ruby red western NC. Go figure.

[paleotn]

15. You're defining Republicans in a nice, neat little box.

Typical human heuristic that's wrong much of the time. We don't live in nice neat little boxes. We span a continuum. For those on the far right of that continuum, I agree with you. But not all people who regularly vote Republican live there. And those who don't can be reached. It's been done before. See Obama's 2008 run. But if you want to whine about the progressive left not getting enough love, fine. They whined, pouted and many stayed home in 2024 and look where the fuck that got us. Whining and cutting one's nose off to spite one's face isn't confined to the far right.

[angrychair]

20. So they were just to bend the knee?

Or be burned in dragon fire? Hell of a take. Harris was running around the country, literally holding hands with Republicans. Totally fine. Did she do a single event with a progressive? She dismissed universal healthcare. Dismissed any changes in policy on Palestine. Literally had Republicans speaking at the national convention but completely shut out progressives or any discussion on our policy on Israel and Palestine.

Yet here we are in 2026, two years later and it is one of the dominant themes in this election. Most Democrats are now reevaluating their positions on AIPAC and the funding Israel with billions on dollars in military hardware while they use that hardware to murder innocent civilians in Palestine and Lebanon. People are talking about universal healthcare. People are finally waking up to the realization that billionaires are the real enemy.

We are sending billions of dollars to a country that gives universal healthcare and free university to its people while we are told here in the US that we can't afford it.

Progressive ideals are what the electorate wants in 2028 and it was what the electorate wanted in 2024. It was ignored because they thought they could get enough votes from shifting right to court moderate Republicans.

Now they know, there is no such thing as a moderate Republican.

You can ridicule progressive Democrats all you want but it's their ideals that people are embracing, here in the US and around the world.

[paleotn]

22. I'm not ridiculing you. Just looking at things rationally. Interesting how that's your take.

Seems many suffer from this strange idea that their vision of virtually everything must be perfectly matched in any political candidate or policy. When it's inevitably not, they end up spending most of their lives being disappointed and eternally angry. That dynamic seems to be endemic on the far right as well. Funny how that works. A very irrational view of the world many share on opposite ends of the political spectrum.

[angrychair]

24. Not ridiculing progressives?

What do you call this?

But if you want to whine about the progressive left not getting enough love, fine. They whined, pouted and many stayed home in 2024 and look where the fuck that got us.

In that paragraph alone you called progressives whiners and blamed them for Harris' lose in 2024.

Also, let me be very clear I have supported Harris since she was the AG of California. I voted for her 2024. Don't believe me just look at my profile and history. I did so already realizing she was going to lose because I knew that her embracing people like the Cheneys and excluding progressives from the DNC had destroyed her chances. It wasn't so much her fault as it was bad advice from advisors that were not her own.
I think or at least I hope, that she would run a very different campaign if she runs in 2028. If she runs I will support her for 2028 as well.

So people can blame and ridicule progressives all you want but our ideals are the mainstream now and that has already been reflected in the elections that have happened so far and will be heavily reflected in results in November.

[Fiendish Thingy]

21. So all those Never Trump Republicans are lying?

Your cynicism is clouding your perception.

[angrychair]

25. Point taken

There are exceptions to every rule but as the 2024 election showed those disaffected Republicans did not show up in numbers that many in the Democratic Party leadership were betting on and the results of that election bare that theory out.

The shameless embracing of Republicans, even having them speak at the convention in place of any progressives, was a serious miscalculation that very literally cost us that election.

The intention of my OPs like this are to start dialogue that will help discourage it ever happening again.

[Fiendish Thingy]

27. 9 million fewer voters cost us that election

And it wasn’t completely due to embracing never Trump republicans during the campaign.

[angrychair]

28. On that we agree

As I said it was also the icing out of progressives and a multitude of other issues, that all combined to create a perfect clusterfuck of circumstances that allowed that imbecile to win another election.

There is a lot of things to blame but my point is that embracing Republicans was not an insignificant component of that failure.

[rampartd]

5. these people will NOT be voting for democrats in november or ever.

if they are deporting the immigrants, for whom are they building the privatized mega prisons ?

[Fiendish Thingy]

7. You are wrong - they already are.

It’s been documented that recent Dem victories in Texas and Florida in areas that Trump won handily were a result of significant number of republicans voting for the democrat.

[mr715]

10. Dick and Liz Cheney, Adam Kitzinger, Christie Todd Whitman

[paleotn]

18. Is this the flip side of Republicans worried that Obama was building FEMA camps for them?

Gee, didn't happen.

And you know "these people"? All of them? Really?

[Skittles]

3. they absolutely DISGUST me

and I NEVER capitalize "republican" out of sheer disrespect

[Wounded Bear]

4. I do the same with trump...

[ck4829]

8. My compassion is reserved for their victims

[Fil1957]

12. Not all Republicans are the same. Some are evil, and some are just plain stupid. I have compassion for the stupid ones.

[Skittles]

14. they root for the party of xenophobia, misogyny, homophobia, etc.

ZERO compassion for those fucking ASSHOLES

[Keepthesoulalive]

17. I agree

They voted to hurt people but now that they are hurting they want sympathy and forgiveness. I suggest they find a competent therapist.

[Wifes husband]

23. Cannot agree

They are all the same. Some are just more vocal than the others.

[Joinfortmill]

13. Amen

[paleotn]

19. Two words. Personal responsibility.

Something Pukes love to talk about yet never seem to walk the walk. I simply apply their own standard to them. Bootstraps, people. Find them. Or stop voting stupid. Their choice.

[biophile]

26. Bootstraps- I love that for them

[kimbutgar]

29. Compassion and republicans are antonyms

Even using the words in a same sentence are disturbing!