First off: the party is not the people.

No shit, sherlock!
Just 2 hours before you posted your little distorted version of reality I made a post pointing out an example of a Republican taking a moral stance and speaking out... I welcome and respect those very few Republicans that have taken a stand against this fascist coup attempt. So you are actually starting off with a strawman argument here, and then go on to accuse me of doing the same... This makes it very difficult to take you seriously.

It became clear a long time ago in American politics that whatever the Red or Blue corners spit out is different than what they’re made of. I don’t believe for a second that your average Republican supports the far-right any more than the Dems do. Several candidates did compete with Diaper Don for the Republican ticket this year, and if they had won, most of us would have breathed a sigh of relief. Don’t strawman your fellow man, RL – you have a bad habit of vilifying people based on the actions of others.

Donald Trump has maintained around a 90% approval rating among republicans throughout most of the past 4 years. Republicans overwhelmingly voted for him in 2016 and 2020. The republican establishment, and republicans in congress KNOW he has the support of the vast majority of the party and so they show slavish devotion and defend and amplify his attacks on democracy. Trumpism (Which is just fascism with a low IQ) has taken over the republican party.

I am no fan of Romney, but of all the republicans in congress he was the only one that took a stand in the impeachment- for that he gets a little credit- but mostly he went along with Trump's agenda.

Don’t strawman your fellow man, RL – you have a bad habit of vilifying people based on the actions of others.

This is a first for the zone, you create a strawman in order to accuse me of creating a strawman- a recursive strawman? There ARE a few republicans that did the right thing...eventually... and I posted respectfully about one of them just prior to your post.

Those few republicans that did take a stand against Trump should be lauded - and I applaud them for doing so. I have not been flaming against them... I have been directing my flames at those that actively support Trump, those that defend him, those that remain silent: Qui tacet consentiret.

All the conservatives of the zone - except SDG- were supporters and defenders of Trump. RobVG has continually denied that Trump is doing anything wrong- asserted repeatedly that claims that the President that caters to white supremacists is a racist are liberal slander.

Second: The king is beholden to the barons, not the peasants. Once someone from either side is in office, there is very little the average american can do to counter his influence, save speak to our local land lords, and hope they act favorably on our behalf (money helps).

My ire has been directed at those 'peasants' that spoke up in SUPPORT of the actions of the wannabe king... those that remained silent and accepted the atrocities with not a word of objection. Those that voted for this demagogue -In short the VAST MAJORITY of republicans.

Third: You have called for blood. Holy Hell, you have called for blood. You want hyperbole? Every other post you make, you’re calling for the “evil Trump Supporters” to suffer in new and creative ways. I already called you out for that here (https://www.habitablezone.com/2020/06/22/seek-out-people-that-disagree-with-you/), in my response. And that was just one thread. You have a problem.

No, I have not. I have called for them to be held responsible for their actions. They fanned the flames of this madness, and I do hope they get burned- it is the only way they might learn. They deserve to be ostracized, to be treated with contempt- to be reminded of their criminal stupidity until the day they die.

Fourth: Show me those photos. “if you had been on at the time” is a common phrase I’m hearing from you, and it seems you’re using it as a base support for whatever you post.

Wow, that's an odd battle for you to pick... especially with me.
Took just a couple minutes to find this thread: https://habitablezone.com/2017/01/21/the-march-on-dc-dwarfed-the-inauguration-attendance/
The image I posted at the bottom of the thread is now broken sincephotobucket pulled a scandalous move and suddenly started holding everyone's images hostage unless you paid an outrageous fee...

But if you really NEED proof and think it will somehow change the facts we are discussing, here you go:
Women's march:

Science march:

Climate march

March for our lives

There were others, some more local ones... does any of this have anything to do with the topic at hand? Do you need me to post receipts for my donations to the ACLU, Union of Concerned Scientists, numerous candidates for congress and the presidency? Or somehow document the volunteer work I did? Would it be somehow pertinent to this discussion? Or were you just hoping to score some points calling me a liar?

There are repentant Republicans. Repentance is difficult, when people like you are calling for blood. Noone wants to be marched to the stocks, and have their name dragged through the mud as their price for freedom. This isn’t Salem – leave them their name! Doing otherwise – doing what you do know – that’s the sign of smug, self-centered idiocy. Best case scenario, you’re the pot to their kettle.

I have not attacked the repentant republicans... NONE of the zone's conservatives are repentant... (SDG has nothing to be repentant about since he NEVER supported Trump).
To the contrary- FrankC went full white nationalist, Jody proudly declared herself to be Deplorable , RobVG actively defended Trump on here, SteveS and TB went to the comments section of conservative blogs to preach to the choir about how we can't let the libs take down Trump...

They are perfectly happy with the destruction they voted for, if only because it pissed off libs.

Most politicians have “zero” political experience. Their way in office is due to their business connections, not their political level. Trump and the reds are no exception. While the cursus honorum can and should be followed, it’s main route nowadays seems to be leveling up connections as fast as possible. The barons will support the most favorable, not the righteous.

Seriously? Of course when politicians FIRST take an office they have no previous experience, by definition... but to use that as a justification for elevating a reality show actor directly to leader of the free world is - to put it mildly- insane. Republicans railed about Obama's 'inexperience', when he had served in congress... Trump not only had no experience, but he had no interest in public service... his political history was only trying to de-legitimize the first african american president with the racist birther conspiracy.

Seventh: Don’t give me that “If I knew, I wouldn’t have” bullshit. Before his first election, Clinton had the Whitewater Controversy. Before his second, he had Chinagate, DOMA, and the NAFTA signatures. You knew. You knew, and you did the very thing you’re accusing Republicans of – “turning a blind eye”. Obama supported the PATRIOT act, and bills increasing his power, before both terms. You knew.

I didn't "give you that If I knew, I wouldn’t have bullshit"... you are just really trying to stretch and contort reality to claim 'both sides are equally bad', that is just bullshit and you know it...

This president has made even NIXON look like a choirboy, and has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of americans. His racism was undeniable BEFORE the 2016 election, as was his corruption, his misogyny his astounding ignorance, his authoritarian attitudes, his delusional narcissism and his love of war crimes...

If you voted for that, then there is something deeply wrong with you.

I’ll forgive you, the same time I forgave the repentant Republicans: the moment they stopped spreading hate. It wasn’t all of them, but they’re not the representative of their whole party. They are NOT their brother’s keeper.

Again, I may have policy differences with repentant republicans... but If they are taking a stand against this president I am glad to have them on the same side of that issue, and welcome them... where are they?

I see them on TV news shows, so they do exist- I love the Lincoln Project - but where are they in congress? For decades the GOP has been fostering extremism, and catering to its most extreme, bigoted members- and so we have a bunch of spineless ignorant conspiracy theorists in the positions of power in the GOP... The repentant are a small minority of the republican party.

The Trump supporters on this forum (ie all the republicans except one) were HAPPY to support the Muslim ban, and paint all Muslims with the same brush.
It makes no sense to claim that I am 'painting them with the same brush', when they poured the paint on the floor and rolled around naked in it- I am simply pointing what color of paint they are covered in.

The sad part is, this is talk from your generation. I’m guessing you grew up in the 60s, surrounded by flower power.

LOL....
Wow... ummm, no... I will forgive you this error, people always have said I seem mature for my age, so your mistake is perhaps justified. :)

Nope, I don't remember the 60's- and not because of the great drugs of the era... I just was never there.
Is this where you go all birther and demand to see my birth certificate? Will you take Podrock's word for it? He knew me when I was a kid...