On the Life of a Wayward Republican
It’s hard to be a Republican these days. Especially if you come from a swing district and occasionally feel like you ought to satisfy the needs of your constituents. Every move you make, they are watching you. The “they” are allegedly on your side of the aisle, but these aren’t normal times and the opposition is increasingly lethal. Vote with the crazies, or die you traitor bastard.

Fred Upton (R-MI) was one of 13 Republicans who voted for the “bi-partisan” infrastructure bill. He hails from a manufacturing District that has a keen interest in upgrading the nation’s infrastructure. The good people of Michigan’s sixth District heartily endorse federal spending on their roads, bridges and broadband. So, like the foolish past-due Republican he is, ole Fred voted for just that. That’s when all hell broke loose on him and his dozen other co-conspirators who crossed the Party divide.

It started as a grumbling. Then the former President blasted the dirty thirteen. That was the signal for the political cultists to let loose. Hate began to mount against the “traitors” and Fred Upton got a death threat. Clearly the needs of the people can’t get in the way of the Republican march back to power. Upton and his cohorts sin was to help the current President achieve any positive goal. How do you campaign on a “do-nothing” Democratic Party, when they are getting stuff done?

Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy remains silent on these attacks and intimidation from his own Party. If some crazy aggrieved loon decides that the R’s are wasting a lot of time waiting to get “the right people” elected into their ranks, we will see the death toll rise. Remember, it was this kind of stoking of the “untethered” that brought on January 6th. The fact that real people died that day is fading. Nor do we see media coverage of those who regret, that the Congressional and Administration people targeted for death by the mob, were not found. As one political strategy summarizes it, “the worse the better”.

This is a “no holds barred” assault on anyone who disagrees with the far-right extremists. The weapons are both political ostracization and physical intimidation. To some, this is war. Our nation has an element that can’t make the distinction between political opposition and anarchy. If someone does succeed in putting Upton or Cheney or Kinsinger to death, for still believing in their democratic obligation to represent their constituents, don’t think for a minute that even that outcome will change much. For some, it’s a legitimate way to “cull the herd”.

We see this in the current trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. He’s America’s million-dollar baby. People have donated millions to him, as they vicariously live his vigilante story. Their fervent hope is that the kid they radicalized, weaponized and put in the middle of a scene of insanity, will be exonerated. Emboldening others to take the political fight to the streets. But beware, others had guns that night and got the drop on young Kyle. Will the message they take from an innocent verdict be, to shoot first?

The bottom line is that America’s political temperature is rising. Civil debate and democratic processes are seen as failures to a significant portion of the population. The quest for power has now been accepted as an excuse to block progress and derail solutions. Those who dare try to operate in a “get something done mode”, face the point of a literal spear. No time for weak leaders. No time for weak citizens. For those who feel aggrieved and either tacitly or openly encourage the breakdown of civility and democratic processes, beware. It never turns out the way you think it will.

Ihg 11-12-2021

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