Eric Boehlert: GOP violence is the most important political story in America

[babylonsister]

https://pressrun.media/p/gop-violence-is-the-most-important

GOP violence is the most important political story in America
Ripping at the seams
Eric Boehlert
Nov 22


First, some good news.

The New York Times recently ran an important piece about the rising specter of violence within mainstream Republican Party circles. The article was noteworthy not only because it spotlighted the frightening instances of violent rhetoric and actions the conservative movement is eagerly unleashing in America, but because the Times used clear and concise language to tell the story.

Temporarily shedding the lazy Both Sides blanket that so many newsrooms use when forced to acknowledge how reckless today’s GOP has become, the Times piece didn’t waste time trying to camouflage the trend. “From congressional offices to community meeting rooms, threats of violence are becoming commonplace among a significant segment of the Republican Party,” the daily reported unequivocally. “The most animated Republican voters increasingly see themselves as participants in a struggle, if not a kind of holy war, to preserve their idea of American culture and their place in society.”

That’s the good news — some mainstream media outlets are using succinct language while addressing the most important political story in America today. Honestly, it’s one of the most crucial unfolding stories in the country’s history as the Trump-led GOP fuels an unprecedented, multi-pronged assault on U.S. democracy and gleefully flashes the threat of overt violence in the process.

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https://pressrun.media/p/gop-violence-is-the-most-important

[berni_mccoy]

1. They aren't doing it to preserve their culture

They’re doing it to preserve their privilege

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Bingo!

They have an entire set of social rules that they accept without blinking. One of them is, that the old white guys playing the golfcourse have the power to pull strings in the private and public sector. They believe the old white guys can pull strings to get their under-performing kids in college, or work magic for zoning approvals, and even minimize jail sentences for their relatives. So, they yield everything to them. This is the world they will try to protect. It is also the one they prefer, instead of the system and process that is fair to everyone.

[Rebl2]

23. Exactly!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. Yep

[NEOBuckeye]

30. Fuck their privilege

And fuck their party. The GOP needs to be wrecked and destroyed. I don’t think a one-party state is the answer, though. We need a systemic reform that allows multiple parties to compete, so that older, useless organizations like the Republican Party can be run out of existence.

[gab13by13]

2. They are doing it

to create minority rule for generations.

[ancianita]

14. You think mapping Republican violence helps Republicans establish minority rule once and for all?

I'd like to ask why, but first I'll just think about that one. I've warned them that they won't benefit from an autocratic government as much as they think they will, but I'm probably wrong. Because it's in the nature of corporate media to lean fascist.

[Irish_Dem]

20. I agree, minority rule, white privilege are their goals.

[NEOBuckeye]

31. It won't work

They are creating a tyrannical regime. But it will fail on account of their own idiocy and phobic reaction to new ideas, if it isn’t outright overthrown.

[spanone]

3. ...K&R...

[Amishman]

4. GOP doesn't have a monopoly on idiots making violent threats

There are unhinged idiots on all of the political fringes, look at the crap that keeps happening in Portland. Extremism is a growing problem on all fronts.

That being said, their loons are intrinsically more dangerous given their pronounced tendency to horde guns. Not to mention they have the sole honor of being the only ones to riot and destroy inside a major federal building.

[gab13by13]

9. Only 1 political party

is working to end our democracy. Once the GQP gains power they will keep it for generations. They will use the House to persecute its enemies. The day they control the Senate the filibuster will be gone, and they will appoint more fascist judges to the courts.

There is zero comparison between today's Democratic party and today's GQP party, none.

[Amishman]

10. I'm not saying any of that, I'm just pointing out that this is more complicated than 'RePu are evil'

rising extremism is a bigger and wider problem than is commonly accepted.

[ancianita]

15. Yes, it does. Bellingcat has disproven the 'both sides do it' narrative media put out about Portland

And so did the FBI.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

16. Big difference is republican/fascist violence is organized and directed from the very top.

[unweird]

24. Actually the GOP does

There is no other mainstream political faction demonstrating ongoing, covert and overt threats to our democracy. Only the GOP. And they are happy in that space promoting and encouraging others to make those liberals cry.

[Gore1FL]

26. True, but the difference is like shooting vs throwing a bullet.

One party has virtually made violent threats policy.

[The Magistrate]

27. Cute, Sir, But No Cigar

Point to some connection between Democrats holding office and the Portland 'black bloc', and you might have a point.

That bunch is as hostile to Democrats as any red-hat maggot.

Nor are the 'black bloc' fools something new and rising.

Do yourself a favor, and break that nasty 'both sides' habit. You'll be glad you did.

[Amishman]

28. I think I'll stick to keeping my eyes open

but I'll accept your advice in the spirit it was offered

[The Magistrate]

29. Everyone Has The Right To Be Wrong, Sir

Seldom wise to exercise it, but here we are....

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Glad NYT didn't arrive late to the party

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Boehlert is a treasure. He's been holding media feet to the fire for a long time. . . . nt

[babylonsister]

8. I think that's all he does-that's his mission. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. It's a worthy mission. He does it articulately, cogently, and skillfully. . . . nt

[mountain grammy]

19. Agree!

We need many more like him..

[gab13by13]

12. What has changed?

The MSM is still owned and controlled by the right who control the narrative. People like Boehlert are voices in the wilderness crying out for truth that only get squashed, drummed out or ignored by the MSM.

Turn on cable news and start flipping channels between the stations, they all push the same narrative. Some channels may put a left slant to the narrative but still they are all talking about the same narrative. The vast majority of people don't get their news from print, they get it from social media or talk radio which is off the far right scale.

[ancianita]

17. EXACTLY.

Media won't change its various corporate narratives -- one being that Biden can't save the soul of America.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

18. The Big 3 really do seem to share an identical script, don't they?

CBSNBCABC major daily news broadcasts might have come off the same printing press, ads and all.

American citizens opinion formation is flooded by information and misinformation, but more importantly drowned by no information.

[Irish_Dem]

21. The media was flipped some time ago.

Putin and the US/global oligarchs bought off a big chunk of our government, why not the media?

[KentuckyWoman]

22. I remember people getting roughed up in parking lots over Obama /Biden car stickers.

It just keeps getting worse.

Beyond the traditional RW Timothy McVeigh type dangers ... Random everyday MAGA whacks are threatening lawmakers from school boards to Congress ... even of their own party. Everyday interactions are getting more violent with random people. The Republican party is embracing and encouraging it. In some cases I believe they are even funding it.

RW hate media is hopping people up. Seems like every week I read another case of someone stopped from using a huge load of guns and bombs to do who knows what. I may be overstating but my guess is 100's of hot tempered interactions with MAGAs every day all over America. And Republican leaders and Lawmakers fully support this.

The Republicans now have nothing left but the party of "you ain't the boss of me" and "you'll be sorry". Toddlers. Who like to hit.