I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it. As it is presently constituted, the GOP represents a small minority of people in this country who think being cruel to people is a virtue.
We all know about the disgraced former president. We’ve seen the hatred he spewed as president and now as a private citizen. He is the standard-bearer for this type of behavior. He’s got a group in Congress who continue to support him no matter what. And, if he’s indicted, we know that support would continue. Many of those same GOP politicians mirror the personality of their dear leader, who relishes every chance he gets to insult and lie with impunity.
And they wouldn’t do it were it not for millions of people in this country who love every minute of it. And they do not cross the former president because they know the death threats and intimidation that will come with any denunciation or criticism they might level at him. Thus, they go along to stay in power, spewing racist comments and memes, making fun of the vulnerable and needy, and calling Democrats every name in the book.
It’s not just members of Congress, of course. We’ve got crackpot governors who do the same, some with lofty political ambitions. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida fits the bill, but so does Greg Abbott of Texas. It’s hard to distinguish which of these men is worse, but they’re doing their best to outdo the other.
If I had to rank the two, DeSantis would probably nudge Abbott out on the despicable meter, but only by a hair or two. The recent political stunt by DeSantis, gathering up asylum seekers in Texas and sending them to Martha’s Vineyard to supposedly showcase hypocritical sanctuary cities and embarrass President Biden, was one of the most brazen attempts to exploit human beings for political gain as you’ll ever see.
Again, though, why would he do such a thing? You would think most governors would never try such a stunt because of the backlash and ensuing criticism. Well, you and I would be wrong. Because we know that MAGA world and a massive chunk of the GOP are not only ok with what DeSantis is doing, they can barely hide their glee. Instead of immediately thinking DeSantis is toast in his reelection bid in Florida, I’d venture to say he ends up winning by a relatively large margin. I hope I’m wrong on that, by the way.
But it certainly would not surprise me. Florida is a large state, the third largest by population, and a state that continues to get redder by the day. Many of them are the older white folks who watch Fox News and revel in the hatred and division brought to them every night by the likes of Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity. You know the spiel; black and brown folks are coming for your jobs and are the reason for your misery. Why can’t America be like America was in 1950?
Until the current iteration of the GOP has a radical and transformational revolution within its ranks, we seem destined for things only to get worse. Our political discourse is beyond rotten and divisive. Death threats to politicians and the like are now a daily occurrence.
I want to believe in the basic decency of the American people. But what we’ve seen over the past several years, especially with the election of the number one despicable man in American politics, it’s hard to feel positive. We can argue whether Russia helped him or not. The fact is, he won and took the oath of office. We let this happen.
The only way things can change is for people to be held accountable. Trump needs his comeuppance, as does DeSantis. Trump’s legal entanglements must come to a close at some point. We can’t keep seeing investigations languishing forever. There must be an accounting; otherwise, the movement toward authoritarianism will continue. The same holds for DeSantis. If what he’s been doing isn’t illegal, something is very wrong with our judicial system. Thankfully, the Sheriff in San Antonio, Texas, is investigating the stunt. Will our Justice Department do the same?
If not, we’re doomed as a country and as a society. Politicians and the well-connected and influential cannot be above the law. We’re a nation of laws. At least, that’s what we’re told. Millions are more than willing to overlook and scoff at any crime the former president might have committed. After all, he’s their savior. He’s the guy who said what they believed. What may have been off limits before, saying racist things and treating people with disdain, is now something they feel they can express themselves.
So when Greg Abbott or Ron DeSantis want to bus migrants to Vice-President Kamala Harris’ house or ship them off to the “liberal elitist” Martha’s Vineyard, they cheer for the cruel treatment of “those” people. The fact that millions feel this way makes me ashamed to be an American, to be honest. Hell, many of them are our neighbors and co-workers. And, sadly, family members.
And it’s why the likes of Trump and his ilk say and do what they do. They wouldn’t if they thought enough people wouldn’t vote for them. In our crazy way of electing presidents through the outdated and ridiculous electoral college, you don’t have to get the most votes – only enough in the right states. With gerrymandering, they can create districts that ensure they stay in power for years.
When Barack Obama told us that we were the United States of America – not red or blue states, I believed he meant it. At the very least, he hoped that we could get to that point. Unfortunately, the former president was wrong. We’re not only far from united but also growing further and further apart as we speak.
Is there a politician who could unite this country? Is there someone who could bridge the gap between red and blue America and those who remain in the middle? Never say never, I suppose. But it sure seems like a distant and naive thought at this point.
It’s hard to reach inside someone’s heart to probe why they hate folks for no other reason than they are different from themselves. Maybe it’s the color of their skin, or perhaps it’s gender bias or religion. Whatever the case, it’s a dark place to be. And in today’s divisive climate, we have a political party that’s more than willing to exploit that hate. If it means obtaining and keeping power, nothing is off-limits.
Will we spiral into a civil war? Is that where we’re headed? I hope not, but when you have politicians like Trump and DeSantis riling up the masses, it could be where we end up. Keeping these zealots as far away from power is the only answer. The only question is, can we and will we do what is necessary to prevent that from happening?
On The Fence Voters 
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