BaronChocula
BaronChocula's JournalRepublicans get the White Man Pass
If a Democratic president doesn't get the credit they deserve, if mainstream news media reports more on the perception of that president rather than their monumental achievements, If a known Republican rapist who's racked up dozens of indictments for plotting a coup is competitive in a race for president, if Republicans continue to be elected in numbers that don't reflect how unpopular their policies are, there is a reason.
Regardless of what people may claim, when Americans look at the two major parties they see demographics. When they look at the republican party they see white, male, Christian, and straight. When they look at the Democratic Party they see a lot less white, male, Christian, and straight. Even the most dim American understands the history of the American power hierarchy atop which are white men who want to advance the supremacy of white men. It is in the DNA of Americans (particularly other white Americans) to give white men credit even for things they don't deserve. White men in America have enjoyed a benefit of the doubt that no one else gets. That credit and benefit of the doubt has been handed over by people who either fantasize about being part of that power structure or who just don't want any trouble.
The republican party wrongly gets more credit for skill on the economy and national security because they are the "more white party." Joe Biden doesn't get any credit for presiding over an otherwise envious economy because he is the head of the "less white party." The news media doesn't cover Republican attempts to scrub black history in schools as white supremacy because they don't want any trouble with the "more white party." People who support reproductive freedom and a progressive tax structure vote for republicans because they don't want to be lumped with the "less white party."
Many women and nonwhite people of note have publicly attested to the fact that not being a white man requires working twice as hard to get the same amount of credit. It rings true when looking at Presidents numbered 44-46. The one in the middle infamously has had scores of former aides testify either to reporters or in hearings that the guy they worked for was incompetent, dishonest, unknowledgeable, dangerous, and ignorant. If he was a Democrat he would not be getting the white man pass.
The anti-fascist republicans will have to endorse Biden eventually
This summer will be a test of courage for all the republicans who have been outspoken about the Florida rapist's lack of fitness for office. By mid-July the Mire-a-Lago misogynist will most likely be the official republican nominee. That official nomination will be the time for all of those anti-trumpers to metaphorically crap. While it's not beyond belief that they all may just extricate themselves from the pot instead of doing the right thing, July will be the time for any of them to fully realize their relevance as defenders of American Democracy.
One could guess there is a particular conflict going through all of there minds these days. it's one thing to speak out about a fellow republican whose cerebral deficits are disqualifying, but it's another to admit that those deficits are enough to cross party lines and support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Flexibility is a natural nemesis of modern conservatism. Stepping out of line as a Republican today is like stepping out of line as a white person in old-school dixie. White southerners had a hyphenated word for any of their peers that expressed sympathy for or stood up for Blacks. This label and the terror it brought was part of what kept white southerners in line just like republicans today are kept in line. But republicans don't even need called names like RINO to feel the fear of independence. Just like white southerners, republicans know the wages of full support for real Democracy.
Mitt Romney is open about the fact that republican senators secretly agree with him that the 45th president can not be the 46th, but are too afraid to proclaim that publicly as Romney has. But the question for Romney is does your courage end there or will you commit to the only practical option for someone who believes what you do about the future of American Democracy. Will you support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris?
The Democratic National Convention will be in August. If need be, there will be blocks of podium time made available for any conservatives in the Romney Camp, including Romney himself to declare the importance of the moment. Then they can hit the road in a Biden/Harris bus and put their money where their mouth is. Or they can tragically try to mitigate in vain the betrayal they showed to their party out of some remaining fealty to the people they've already thrown under the bus. They can do the latter by meekly endorsing a no-hope third party or write-in candidate. They can also end their protest by sitting silently through the presidential race. It will be a defining moment that determines who is Mitt Romney, who is Liz Cheney, who is Adam Kinzinger, who is John Kelly, etc. American Democracy should outweigh the need for tax cuts for the wealthy and other backwards policies embraced by Romney et al. But for all the courage they've displayed thus far, it would be a betrayal of their own values if they don't back Biden/Harris.
What I'd say if I was a White House Spokesperson
"You're questioning the ability of one of the most effective presidents we've had in 50 years, who's passed infrastructure legislation, climate legislation, he's reduced the cost of insulin, he stood on the picket line with union workers who won, he's presiding over the best economy in years, and you're asking about his ability to fulfill his duties. If there are doubts about his abilities, maybe that's why."
GO ON OFFENSE!
We all know why the "GOP" gets all the passes and all the breaks
The realignment of the two major political parties since the Civil Rights Era came down along cultural lines. The Republican party has cemented itself as the party for white men who want to preserve the hierarchy of the Old White American Order. The Democratic party has served as the body more concerned with extending rights to groups against which Republicans seek their culture wars. Even the most unsophisticated of voters get that basic gist.
Today's Republicans routinely get more credit than they deserve. Polls continually reflect that a plurality of Americans trust Republicans more on economic issues in spite of data showing they are not as successful as people believe.
https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2016/6/the-economy-under-democratic-vs-republican-presidents
That same plurality considers the Republican party "the party of national security." Yes, the party whose last president had to rescind an invitation to the Taliban for talks at Camp David during a 9-11 anniversary.
When a Republican president inherited a positively trending economy from President Obama, that Republican was seen as helming a strong economy. He began trade wars that hurt U.S. farmers who still stayed loyal to him in spite of the financial hit they took. They quietly accepted payouts which in any other circumstance would be considered welfare by Republicans. When Democrat Joe Biden delivered the U.S. from a depression to a booming economy with record low unemployment and rising wages, expectations of a mythical recession that never came about prevented him from getting any credit that would have bolstered any Republican in the same position.
American news media buys into the same false notions held by the American plurality by mostly reporting on people's perceptions rather than the reality. In simple terms, that American plurality believes "white men are better" or "white men are more capable" or "white men deserve a break" and the press plays along, not wanting to upset the Old White American Order.
Yes, Joe Biden is a "white man," but as a Democrat he is seen as a white man more concerned with "minority issues," and as such doesn't have the same know-how as a white man who is only concerned with the welfare of other white men. It's how every Democrat is viewed. Even after the economic success of the very popular Bill Clinton and the success of Barack Obama who also happened to inherit a near-depression from a Republican, false perceptions of GOP superiority continue to get Republicans elected.
In a color blind country, we would have so few Republicans serving in public office. Donald Trump would be seen as someone who squandered the good economy he inherited. Joe Biden would be hailed as an economic savior. And while there is a good likelihood of a Biden reelection, the drag of false perceptions makes every fight harder for Democrats than it is for Republicans who rarely get the bad grades from the public that they deserve.
The Confederates got the break when Hayes ended Reconstruction. Emmett Till's killers got a break after torturing and killing the black teen. Coup plotter Donald Trump is free and running for reelection. There is a direct line through all of it. You can call it Affirmative Action for Whites.
The Teflon is almost completely off Stinky
The President of the United States is taunting him.
Nikki Haley, a Republican woman of color is taunting him (with no fear)
The doofus goopers are admitting they're open to supporting Haley (the ones that aren't swatting her home)
He's loosing money in case after case
His age is showing
His schtick is getting old and wearing on people
Fox News has imposed a "soft ban" on him
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/03/fox-news-soft-ban-trump-murdoch-sean-hannity
Republican infighting is increasing over support for Trump's wishes
I don't know if this means the cult will disband and personally I don't care about them. It does mean that his appeal to swing/independent/squishy center voters will all but erode completely as he continues to lose it. It will be like this scene below from "Training Day."
(Warning: harsh language including epithets)
Rapist Brags About Reversing Roe v Wade
That's pretty much the headline right? He was found civilly liable for sexual assault and he brags that he appointed the SCOTUS justices that tipped the balance on ending female reproductive rights.
The fatigue around this rapist is accelerating just in time. But I'm saving that for another post.
Arizona GOP chair resigns, alleges pressure from Kari Lake team
Source: The Hill
The chair of the Arizona Republican Party announced he will resign Wednesday after leaked audio appeared to show him attempting to pay Senate candidate Kari Lake not to run for office in 2024.
Jeff DeWit said that the audio was “selectively edited.” He said he chose to resign because he was threatened by members of Kari Lake’s team that more tapes would be released if he did not step down.
DEVELOPING
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4427081-arizona-gop-chair-resigns-alleges-pressure-kari-lake-team/
The good news for Biden Harris continues
Inflation easing
Wages rising
U Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index at a 2.5 year high
GDP Q3 increase at 5.2%
Interest rates forecast to drop in 2024
It's good news for all Americans. Bad news for maga (yes, I'm saying maga ain't America)
Stink Bigly Bigly is a lot like this movie character
Trump always reminded me of Al Pacino's Big Boy Caprice from "Dick Tracy." If you to to the IMDb link below with Caprice quotes, you'll see why. It's kind of scary.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099422/characters/nm0000199
Such an insult on today of all days
As the nation celebrates the extraordinary man who forced the U.S. to recognize its constitutional obligations to all citizens, the news coverage is of Iowa voters who see white nationalism as the American Dream. They are defenders of the Old White American Order in which white Christian men sit atop a social hierarchy and decide which rights go to which Americans. They don't want competition so they assail the notion of diversity, equity, and inclusion which they claim is unfair to them. That should say it all.
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Gender: MaleHometown: Long Island, Vermont, Los Angeles
Current location: Los Angeles
Member since: Wed Aug 2, 2006, 03:27 AM
Number of posts: 1,547
