A Republican discusses the Republican presidential candidates.

[MBS]

From Robert Reich's Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/?

The other night I phoned a former Republican member of Congress with whom I'd worked in the 1990s on various pieces of legislation. I consider him a friend. I wanted his take on the Republican candidates because I felt I needed a reality check. Was I becoming excessively crotchety and partisan, or are these people really as weird as they seem? We got right into it:

Me: "So what do really you think of these candidates?"
Him: "You want my unvarnished opinion?'
Me: "Please. That's why I called."
Him: "They're all nuts."
Me: "Seriously. What do you really think of them?"
Him: "I just told you. They're bonkers. Bizarre. They're like a Star Wars bar room."
Me: "How did it happen? How did your party manage to come up with this collection?"
Him: "We didn't. They came up with themselves. There's no party any more. It's chaos. Anybody can just decide they want to be the Republican nominee, and make a run for it. Carson? Trump? They're in the lead, and they're both out of their f*cking minds."
Me: "That's not reassuring."
Him: "It's a disaster. I'm telling you, if either of them is elected, this country is going to hell. The rest of them aren't much better. I mean, Carly Fiorina? Really? Rubio? Please. Ted Cruz? Oh my god. And the people we thought had it sewn up, who are halfway sane -- Bush and Christie -- they're sounding almost as batty as the rest."
Me: "Who's to blame for this mess?"
Him: "Roger Ailes, David and Charles Koch, Rupert Murdoch, Rush Limbaugh. I could go on. They've poisoned the American mind and destroyed the Republican Party.
Me: "Nice talking with you."
Him: "Sleep well."

[drray23]

1. pretty much what every thinking person would conclude.

However the moderate republicans are at fault. They let their party be invaded by the tea baggers hoping the alliance would lead to winning elections. Now they have lost control of it and are being elbowed out of their own party by those extremists.

Unfortunately I still think a significant number will vote for one of these nuts instead of abstaining or voting dem

[Hortensis]

8. "However the moderate republicans are at fault." SO agree, BUT

now so many of them are the victims of themselves and, as said, the mind twisting of people like Roger Ailes, Rupert Murdoch, and Rush Limbaugh. They drank the Kool-Aid too.

We have some neighbors who are strong traditional (NOT social) conservatives, accepting enough to be friends with us and discuss politics with, both couples long-time Fox viewers, and they are genuinely in despair about their country. Very unrealistically so. They believe everything good is in decline and will continue to decline, or has been destroyed outright, and they see no way out. We can't reach them because they know we're wrong about everything, so just briefly state our more hopeful views and change the subject.

Those 45-54 year old white people with high school educations who are committing suicide and drinking themselves to death in unexplained, rising numbers? Blacks and Hispanics notably NOT among them? This is a demographic that includes Fox viewers and right-wing radio listeners, and, seeing Fox's pernicious effect on our friends, I'm really, really wondering if its poison is literally killing some of its viewers.

[BlueMTexpat]

2. I saw that this am and

loved it. Thanks for posting.

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. LOL. They're like a Star Wars bar room.

[MBS]

4. Perfect description, no?

[Action_Patrol]

6. A wretched hive of scum and villainy

[freshwest]

5. Perfectly expressed. Thanks, will be sharing. n/t

[Hoppy]

7. I blame Ailes and Turd Blossum.

Triangulate. Aim for alienated voters.

Praise the Lard and get them to stop thinking.

Gays bad!

Gunz good!