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I have many friends that are Republicans. Well, some. And they are all Never Trumpers now. And we need Never Trumpers and Republicans of conscience. But please GOPers who understand the Trump threat--spare us your wisdom & condescension. You got us here.
If you supported Bush's fiasco in Iraq, you helped get us here. If you supported the Tea Party or the McCain choice of Sarah Palin, you helped get us here. If you supported the McConnell majority, you helped get us here.
If you supped at the trough of Koch money, you helped get us here. If you backed moves in the party to support gerrymandering or voter suppression or to load the courts with right wing judges, you helped get us here.
If you supported policies that served the 1% and the rich, you helped create the angry, disenfranchised Trump base (which he of course, is screwing like crazy because of his commitment to serving the 1% and the rich.)
If you bought into the spin of right wing columnists about promoting American values or fighting the welfare state or less government being more or of American exceptionalism or of the threat posed by the UN and int'l institutions, you definitely helped get us here.
Trump did not appear like Athena, full grown, popping out of Steve Bannon's forehead. He is the product of 40 years of policies of the right that have divided the country, blown up our deficits, promoted inequality, weakened America, despoiled the environment and promoted racism.
You may not have bought into all of that. But you promoted some of it and thus you own some of it. Your patriotism in opposing Trump today is welcome. Indeed, it is essential. We praise it. But your views are not the answer for the Democratic Party.
Nor are they the last word in righteousness or justice. Spare me your contempt for the weakness of Dems. Our party dithers and hurts itself as it always has done. But the values that drive it, elevate it and the country. Making it more like the GOP is not the answer.
Not for the country. Not for the party. So let's work together to get rid of Trump. But let's do it with our eyes open about the past and the future. With respect for each other...but also for the facts of how we got here and where we need to go.
