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Yes, Republicans, you knew.
You knew when you let Trump run on your partys ticket that he was a proven liar who had cheated workers out of their pay, bilked students through his fake university, and a used funds from his charitable foundation to pay personal debts.
You knew he was an abhorrent bigot, a racist, a misogynist; a man so lacking common decency, he openly mocked the disabled.
You knew he was a divider who incited violence between citizens at his own rallies.
You knew he was a self-serving, ego-driven narcissist who had no regard for the country, and was absolutely devoid of the intelligence and the character necessary to fulfill the duties of the presidency.
You knew all of this and more. These things were not hidden; on the contrary, they were on full display from the day Trump announced his presidential run.
And yet you supported him, encouraged your party members to vote for him, and elected him to the most powerful position on the planet.
Since then, you have defended him as he distances us from our allies, puts incompetent people in positions of power, and threatens nuclear conflagration. You even stood silent when he accused his predecessor, President Obama, of committing a felony with no evidence whatsoever.
You have excused his idiotic tweets; you have tried to reason away his apparent stupidity, and you have attempted to cover-up his obvious mental incompetence.
Over the past few days, we have heard a number of Republicans speak out against the events in Charlottesville. They expressed their disappointment that Trump did not immediately denounce the actions of white supremacists, KKK adherents, and neo-Nazis. And now today, Trump literally defended those groups and has tried to shift the blame to those Americans who stood-up to the hatred and bigotry they represent.
The words of Republicans, whether heartfelt (or, more likely, borne of political convenience) are falling on deaf ears. You knew it would eventually come to this. You knew how divisive Trump was while you cheered him into the Oval Office. You knew he never hesitated to encourage violence between citizens, and sow the seeds of discord.
You knew. And feigning "shock and surprise" that the rhetoric of the racist, bigoted idiot you elected to our highest office would result in events like we saw in Charlottesville is, to put it bluntly, beyond credible.
There is no coming back from this. There are no actions Trump can take that will undo the damage done. There are no statements he can make that will erase the words he spoke today.
There are only two roads open to you now. You can take the necessary steps to remove this Nazi-KKK-white supremacist-defender from office, or you can stand with him and have your party forever associated with bigotry and racism. Your choice, your call.
But dont insult the intelligence of the American people by pretending you didnt know exactly who and what Trump was before the events of the past weekend. Dont stand there, slack-jawed, acting surprised that he has now shown himself to be what you knew him to be all along.
You knew. And the whole country knows it.
rzemanfl
(29,565 posts)bigtree
(85,998 posts)democratisphere
(17,235 posts)Hayduke Bomgarte
(1,965 posts)dalton99a
(81,515 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Doug the Dem
(1,297 posts)But, like Trump himself, they didn't give a fuck!
BigmanPigman
(51,609 posts)Docreed2003
(16,863 posts)The Wizard
(12,545 posts)can be written using Trump's own words. He's a degenerate of the lowest order and should be exiled to Elba or Mississippi.
First Speaker
(4,858 posts)...and reaping the whirlwind. Well, the Republican Party is about to get a real, first-hand lesson in that little reality. They've been sowing for fifty years now--ever since the "Southern Strategy" became their rallying cry. Well, boys, it's whirlwind time. I just hope it doesn't blow all of us away with you...
Leith
(7,809 posts)He's made the US an international pariah. We're not going to recover for a long time.
Lithos
(26,403 posts)There actions legitimatize and support this evil each and every day.
George II
(67,782 posts)sandensea
(21,639 posts)For them, racial hatred was only a question of learning to dog-whistle it effectively.
bora13
(860 posts)do something!
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)Hekate
(90,714 posts)...stopped him even then. But they decided to go along for the ride, to take a chance on seizing power, and fooled themselves into believing they could control this monster.
I remember the night of the Convention, when the GOP sealed the deal and sold their souls. Ana Navarro, Nicolle Wallace, and Steve Schmidt were all beside themselves. Schmidt was close to tears.
When people here bitch that all Republicans are evil, I think of those three. They are my fellow citizens and fellow patriots. I would happily break bread with any of them and discuss (not fight, discuss) the pros and cons of true conservatism and liberalism.
Thanks as always, Nance.