rumitoid

The impeachment of Donald Trump demonstrated what still feels to me like a weird new development: The Republicans are the evil party, while Democrats (presumably now the “stupid party”?) seemed much more sane, moderate, and honorable. 

For most of my life, things appeared the exact opposite. For most of my life, it felt like the Democrats were the ones who were pandering, playing the politics of victimhood, insulting my intelligence, and saying borderline sacrilegious things. Today, the roles are reversed. Just as the parties seem to have switched positions on a myriad of issues like Russia, tariffs, and reverence for the Founding Fathers and American Exceptionalism, it is now the Republicans who are viscerally repellent. 

If you watched the debates during impeachment day, you know these are not honest brokers. Their talking points—which I’m assuming are poll-tested—were maudlin, offensive, and manipulative.
 
The Republican Party Made Donald Trump. Now Donald Trump Is Destroying the Republican Party.
The not-so-greatest-hits of Republican backbenchers included demanding a “moment of silence” for the 63 million Americans who v**ed for Trump, comparing impeachment to Pearl Harbor, and comparing Trump to Jesus.

In case you missed it, it was Ohio Rep. Bill Johnson who asked for that moment of silence, which Republicans stood and honored. And, in case you missed it, reminding us that the sneak attack also happened in December, Rep. Mike Kelly declared that December 18 would also be “a day that will live in infamy.”

But if you’re okay with having your patriotism questioned (for the sin of holding a president accountable to the rule of law), you might really enjoy Republicans weaponizing Jesus to score partisan political points. 
As a flawed but practicing Christian, I found the references to the Lord and Savior to be gratuitous and inappropriate—especially during this Christmas season. 

In case you missed it, Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia declared that “Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than the Democrats have afforded this president.” (Actually, Trump declined an invitation to testify or to send counsel.) “When Jesus was falsely accused of treason, Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers,” Loudermilk continued. 

But he wasn’t alone. Rep. Fred Keller told Democrats he “would be praying for them” adding, “as Jesus said, Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do.”
Without getting into the weeds regarding either theology or impeachment, it’s worth noting that Trump (much to the chagrin of his supporters) is not Jesus. Likewise, being impeached isn’t quite as big a punishment as crucifixion.

Otherwise, the analogy was... still flawed.

It is, perhaps, telling that at least some Republicans do see him as a sort of savior who is selflessly sacrificing his body for their sake. Personally, this seems idolatrous and blasphemous and yet another example of debasement. Just me? 

Those ridiculous comparisons have gotten a lot of attention. But the one that struck me as vastly underrated was the introduction of an idea that can only be described as The Big Lebowski defense: The notion that abuse of power is not a high crime or misdemeanor, but rather, an opinion. 

This argument came to us via Florida GOPer Greg Steube, who literally said: “The Democratic majority would have you believe that ‘abuse of power’ is a ‘High Crime’ or ‘Misdemeanor’. It’s not. It’s an opinion...The second article, ‘obstruction of Congress’...[impeaches] for asserting constitutionally-based privileges.” This is a truly toxic idea, which suggests that something must be specifically prohibited in order to be bad.

If ideas have consequences—as conservatives once believed they do—just imagine the precedent that Republicans are now setting. I can think of a lot of past sins—think of any abuse of power that, once upon a time, wasn’t explicitly statutorily prohibited—that could be waved away, if one were to follow this argument to its logical conclusion. 

Bullying is just an opinion. Blackmail is just an opinion. Sexual harassment is just an opinion... 
Apparently, the “opinion” of constitutional law experts (not to mention, the majority of House members) don’t matter. Must Congress pass a law saying, “Thou shalt not shake down the President of Ukraine in order to hurt Joe Biden” before doing so would be impeachable?

Regardless, this is one more example of how the GOP is embracing a postmodern philosophy that says there are no absolute t***hs. 

One more example involves the politics of victimhood. We see this all the time from Trump, but one obvious case was his assertion (in a letter to Nancy Pelosi) that "More due process was afforded to those accused in the Salem Witch Trials." This same sense of entitlement and victimhood led Trump to attack a widow at a rally on the night of his impeachment, suggesting her husband was looking up from hell. 
 
Donald Trump’s Republican Party has adopted all the worst qualities I used to h**e about the American left. The good news is that this has created an opening for the Democratic Party to seize the moral high ground. The bad news is most of the so-called conservatives have followed Trump down the drain. 
https://www.yahoo.com/news/lifelong-republican-gop-now-evil-212416470.html

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

But.... But... But... A Democrat just switched allegiance to the Republicans..

How could this haooen

Was he drugged and brainwashed by the party of evil

Lonewolf

That's how I became a democrat ,they keep saying their moral because of their anti a******n stance, but there really pro birth once born there against providing any help that child might need!

Lonewolf

It's kind of like a elephant graveyard he just went there to die with the rest of them

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans can claim the moral high ground...

manning5 Loc: Richmond, VA

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The Republicans I know are upstanding citizens, and I make every attempt to be the same. The Democrats I know are not as upstanding...they seem bent on rewriting the Constitution, and spending us far further into debt. However, I suppose CD is at least partially right in his assessment.

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

I see a lack of morals (or an overabundance of political maneuvering) on both sides of the aisle...

In general terms, I do find conservatives to have stronger morals than liberals... But of course, a liberal would claim that that is subjective

Crayons Loc: St Jo, Texas

This is true of all "l*****t-lawfare-lawyers" who make up fictitious scenarios, and insist they are facts

billy a Loc: South Florida

A politician is a politician is a politician... Trump is not a politician.
If the clinton person had taken office in '16, I
feel as a country we'd be in real trouble today.
To stay in line with Rumitoid's lead, I'd say the Man Upstairs has bought us eight years to either straighten this Nation out, or kiss it good-bye. Just my take.
Merry Christmas, all.

Tug484

Democrats in Congress are the most immoral bunch I've ever seen.
They sure don't know what the Constitution says.

crazylibertarian Loc: Florida by way of New York & Rhode Island

So, you, who claim to be pro-life and you take up with the party of unrestricted a******n at all phases of pregnancy? And that's just for starters.

Carlos

But Republicans don't believe it's all right to k**l children as the democrats do. That alone covers everything.
They also think it's fine to give billions to a country that has a slogan that says, " death to America".
They also believe that getting rid of religion is fine but encourage the Muslim religion.
They also believe that saluting the American f**g is a bad thing, take it out of schools as well as prayer.
It's OK for the Teachers union to march for more money while carrying a huge red banner with the clenched fist and the hammer and sikle on it. Makes good teachers.
Great for A****a mobs going around
beating up old people with the governor telling the police to "stand down". Great to say, "You can keep your doctor"..........then laugh at the lie that wa just told.
oK to say to a Russian president , "I'll be more flexible when I'm President".
Fantastic to impeach a president in a closed basement with no evidence. And on and on and on........




What fools these mortals be.

Carlos

agree one hundred per cent.

crazylibertarian Loc: Florida by way of New York & Rhode Island

Like all progressives, he exists only to denigrate conservatives, Republicans and Christians.

Lt. Rob Polans ret.

Trump wasn't impeached for one thing. Pelosi has a time limit in which to get the Articles to the Senate, she hasn't done it yet and it doesn't look like she will. The whole h**x was never about Trump or any of the distractions. The real reason was give the country to the g*******ts. They don't know that it's when a revolution will begin in earnest. The democraps are simply pawns in their game, not very bright ones at that.