Thread by @JoyAnnReid

People seem shocked, given how craven they have been in bowing before the likes of Donald Trump, how eagerly they have embraced misogyny, bounty hunting women, book banning, anti-immigrant hysteria, anti-Blackness and even fascism, that Republicans remain so politically viable.

The idea that so many people would ignore all of that, and even shrug off the potential end of democracy and its replacement with fascism and autocracy simply because they are annoyed by late Amazon deliveries or sick of wearing masks or angry about price hikes seems off to some.

It shouldn’t. The truth is, Democrats are almost always at a disadvantage because they are the party of government, while Republicans are the party of messaging and memes and feelings. They don’t really DO government; they do tax cuts for the rich and complain about government.

So when you’re annoyed about government, you’re generally annoyed about Democrats. And when you’re complaining about government, Republicans are chiming in with you. They’re like the absentee parent who’s never there to feed or discipline you but shows up occasionally with gifts.

And the gifts they show up with are all about feelings. Sick of COVID? They’ll tell you to ignore COVID. Hate masking up? They’ll ban mask mandates. Don’t want the shot? They’ll rail against the shot (even though they all took the shot. If you get COVID? That’s a YOU problem.)

Hate high gas prices? They have no policy to fix it but will scream with you and demand more Americuhn Oil!! “But that would ruin the environment,” Democrats will warn! Republicans will share your annoyance at Dems’ green-moaning and scream “F— the Earth! Drill baby, drill!!”

Can’t remember the right pronouns? Republicans will roll their eyes with you. Call “them” whatever you want. It’s your world! Sick of being politically correct? Wanna tell a racist joke or perform N-words in Paris with the hard “R” with your friends? The GOP is with you! Say it!

Can’t stand it when you call customer service and hear “press 2 for Spanish?” Republicans feel you. And if you feel no empathy for the brown men, women and children fleeing poverty and violence to cross our southern border because America is “full”? The GOP will build the wall!

Think it’s Black people’s own fault when police kill them but white shooters should go free cuz they remind you of your family members or yourself? Republicans got your back. They even have some Black friends who’ll say that for you on TV and social so no one can call you racist.

For Republicans, your heroes are their heroes, even if they shat in the Capitol and tried to overturn an election. I mean, whoever you vote for should always win anyway. It feels so much better when you win. And you’re the REAL Americans so you should always win and feel good.

Whatever feels bad for you, Republicans are against. They hate that damn kneeling like you do and want those Blacks to just shut up and play. It feels bad when people say our Founders owned slaves so Republicans will ban that for you, so history always makes you feel good.

Democrats are the provider party; the good and stable parent who gets you healthcare and immunizations and child tax credits so you won’t be poor and good roads and bridges and wifi so you can do school at home during COVID. They are the “be careful dear, button your coat” party.

Republicans are the “I won’t tell your mom if you whip off your coat and roll around in the snow but also I won’t take you to the hospital if you catch pneumonia because I gotta go hang out with my boys and anyway doctors are for the weak. Just take this supplement,” party.

They’re the fun dad who doesn’t pay child support because “that’s HER kid—she had it, I just had fun making it,” party. The fun dad who let’s you smoke from their weed stash but won’t bail you out if you get arrested for it because “personal responsibility.”

Democrats are the good, stable parent who takes all the heat for enforcing bedtime and not letting you eat Starbursts for dinner. The one you “can’t stand” til one day you actually go LIVE with “fun dad.” And 4 years later 700k people are dead from COVID and the economy is shite.

So you go back to the good parent, who does the unpleasant work of fixing things but they also go back to telling you what to do and they’re not fun, so America forgets how unstable, incompetent, abusive and even frightening absentee dad was, and want to go live with him again.

And around and around we go. This is American politics.