Can Decent People Be Republican Anymore?

[n2doc]

By Rich Barlow

Is it possible for decent people to be Republican?

With members of the Grand Old Party more robust in supporting Donald Trump than Democrats or independents, the question inevitably bleeds into another: Can anyone besides an ethical eunuch support our increasingly radioactive president? We’re getting some counter-intuitive responses along the political spectrum.

Diane Hessan, a researcher for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, sympathizes with Trump voters. She talks regularly with them as part of a reconciliation project. For example, she says that they were as appalled as anyone at the racist violence in Charlottesville, but they feel that the media obsessed over Trump’s wan condemnation of white supremacy, ignoring more pressing national problems.

While Hessan gazes benignly on the voters who spurned her candidate, conservative columnist David Brooks glowers. He suggests that some portion of the GOP “has become more of a white ethnic party, ethnic nationalist party,” adding that if the party becomes “aligned with bigotry in some overt way or in any way, you can’t be a Republican and try to be a decent person and be a part of it.”

more

http://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2017/09/11/trump-republicans-rich-barlow

[ananda]

1. No

Decent and Reep are now mutually exclusive.

[Solly Mack]

2. ...

but they feel that the media obsessed over Trump’s wan condemnation of white supremacy, ignoring more pressing national problems

Probably the same people who obsessed over a blue dress and claimed to be worried about what to tell their children about blow jobs.

A president's actions involving sex with an adult? Oh, no! Sex! Scandalous! Think of the children!

A president's actions involving the lack of actual condemnation of racism, the hugging of nazis, and the murder of a person by a racist? Meh. Don't be so melodramatic. No biggie. Think of the wall!


You can claim certain things bother you but if you vote to allow those things, you're a liar. You can tell yourself you don't agree with all the bad things happening but if you vote to continue the bad because a candidate/president makes you feel good - you're a liar.

You like the bad. You want the bad. You simply don't want to admit it to others. You're hoping to get something out of it even though bad things are happening to other people. You don't care.

You dismiss bad things because, golly, there are worse things happening - what you are really saying is that particular bad isn't happening to you (and you probably think the victims deserve it anyway), so why should you care - instead, you want everyone to focus on how you've been wronged and you don't really give a fuck about others.

[stonecutter357]

3. if you vote for a racist pig you are a racist pig ....

[irisblue]

4. "reconciliation project" statement used by a Dem?

thanks for posting this n2doc

"The barnacles among the electorate who still defend anything Trump does can only be called “decent” under a dumbed-down definition of decency..."
worth the read

[CrispyQ]

5. I've been asking that since he mocked a disabled person.

When the Access Hollywood tape came out, my friends said, he's done, he's toast. I reminded them that his base didn't mind that he mocked a disabled person - they will be okay with this too. And they were.

I question the integrity of all people who identify as republican.

[ThoughtCriminal]

6. No, but a growing number of indecent people are starting to hate him too

For the wrong reasons, but he is giving sociopaths a worse image.

[Aristus]

7. I don't think so.

Last edited Sun Sep 17, 2017, 01:22 PM - Edit history (1)

Mrs. Aristus, one of the most loving, compassionate, open-hearted people I've ever known (lucky me, I'm married to her...), used to be a staunch, rock-ribbed Republican, the product of a wealthy, conservative Christian upbringing.

She was initially dismissive of the disaster Election 2000 turned out to be, but quickly grew to despise George W. Bush and his ham-fisted, incompetent, war-mongering misadministration.

By Election 2008, she was so disillusioned by the GOP that she voted for Obama/Biden, despite her opposition to Biden's Catholicism. She voted for Barack Obama again in 2012 without a qualm, constantly praising his grace, compassion, intelligence, and humanitarianism.

She was so horrified by the prospect of a Trump Presidency that she voted for Hillary Clinton without hesitation.

She now swears she will never vote Republican again, and intends to vote for every Democrat on every ballot.

[YoungDemCA]

8. The amount of mental gymnastics for a "decent person" to be a Republican these days is too much.

So in a word: No.

[shockey80]

9. NO

The end.

[MFM008]

10. No

next.

[Initech]

11. They threw all common sense and decency out the window after Obama got inaugurated.

Also their dignity, conscious, self-righteousness, and anything that makes them human.

[Achilleaze]

12. No

I was once a republican, and I respected other republicans. But no decent or honorable person can or should associate in any way with the party in its current woefully degenerate state. Sad. Anti-American, frankly.

[Weekend Warrior]

13. I think decent people can be conservative, but not registered Republicans.