One of the most consistent things I’ve observed about republicans, sept for the LYING, is the constant PROJECTION they spew in their propaganda “active measures” – to use the Russian term which seems apropos. If the republicans are accusing YOU of it, that means that’s what they’re doing. So, today as I was wandering through Costco itching to spend the money on my “Costco Shop Card” I got for buying a water softener for our home, I checked out the book section to see if there was something I wanted to purchase. As the saying goes, “The cupboard was bare,” although there was a book titled something about “authoritarianism” by someone named Ben Shapiro.

I had heard of him before and my thoughts placed him in the Fox “news” universe – or something similar – and when I read the reviews on the back cover all I could do was shake my head. I’m certain Mr. Shapiro would be a supporter of individual 1 and it seemed awfully strange to me reading about how the “left was pushing an authoritarian agenda” – or words to that effect. Reading the book cover it came across as as much of a distinguished work as one of Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing …………… (Fill in the blank) – other than – my guess is Shapiro may have actually written it.

Based on what I read on the cover his thesis is “the left” wants to “control” everything – your thinking, your rights, etc., etc. As I just said above, when you’re reading (or listening) to a “conservative” these days, if they’re making an accusation, just realize that’s where THEY’RE coming from. After, wasn’t it just about 8 months ago (now), that THOUSANDS of individual 1 fanatics were storming out nation’s Capitol Building chanting “hang Mike Pense.” I have to wonder “what is the ‘liberal’ equivalent to that?”

George Floyd protests, you say? Awe, come on, you MUST be able to do better than that. Even the protests in Portland, Oregon (just across the Columbia River from where I live), covered just a few blocks in the downtown area – around the Federal Courthouse – and, it’s true, some of the “protesters” put “graffiti” on the Federal Building. For that, individual 1 shipped in a bunch of “unmarked” Federal agents who were plucking various PEOPLE (most doing absolutely nothing more than “being there”) off the streets, taking them to undisclosed buildings, interrogating them, and then releasing them. What do you call that?

And, of course, individual 1, after “Portland,” re-instituted some obscure Federal statute which, he claimed, would include a MANDATORY 10 year prison term for ANYONE who illegally entered or did any damage to a Federal building. Just think about that as an aside. So far, the FBI has arrested well over 500 INSURRECTIONISTS with over 300 more in their “crosshairs” as they attempt to identify them. By individual 1’s “standards,” EACH and EVERY one of them SHOULD be facing a MINIMUM of 10 years in prison. Fortunately, our Justice Department has a bit more empathy – even for individual 1’s INSURRECTIONISTS – and they’re recommending much more LENIENT sentences for those who seemed to just get caught up in the “crowd.” (Although, they’re still MOSTLY going to be guilty of a FELONY)

Back to authoritarianism. Earth to Mr. Shapiro: I’m NOT the only one who’s been pointing out individual 1 and his republican sycophants are/were pseudo authoritarians. And, of course, we have the example of January 6th, 2021 to prove it. Not only did our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president first “groom” his followers for months before the election (The only way we can lose the election is if it’s ‘rigged'”), then encourage them to come to D.C. on January 6th, 2021 (“It’s going to be wild”), and then, along with Mo Brooks, Individual 1 Jr., Rudy Giuliani and others, “gin up” the crowd into a froth with phrases like, “Go to the Capitol – I’ll be there with you (another preposterous LIE) – and Fight like Hell, because if you don’t ‘Fight like Hell’ you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

Here’s the thing I’d say to Mr. Shapiro if I could speak to him personally. There’s a HUGE difference between a large MOB storming the nation’s Capitol with the intent of OVERTHROWING a “free and fair” election (Even if they believed the LIE that it wasn’t), injuring OVER 140 Capitol and Metro police officers, and then having over 140 members of Congress vote to OVERTHROW the election AFTER the INSURRECTIONISTS were turned away from the Capitol – with, of course, the blessing of individual 1 as opposed to protests in the streets because Police CONTINUE executing members of the Black Community seemingly ad nauseam. Not only are our African America brothers and sisters sick and tired of this, but so are a bunch of us “white folk” and any other freedom loving Americans. But, progressives DON’T attempt to overthrow out government. We VOTE!

I’m fine with the dialogue which SHOULD be happening between those on the “left” and those on the “right” (and, of course anyone else interested) but, for me, I draw the line with overt racism – such as what we see from individual 1 and MANY of his supporters – the infamous “basket of deplorables.” I can tell you to whom Hillary Clinton was referring when she made that ill advised comment in one of the debates with individual 1 back in 2016. For example, she was referring to the guy wearing the Camp Auschwitz shirt in the INSURRECTION – or the “Proud Boys” with the shirts suggesting “6MWE” (Six Million Weren’t Enough – meaning Jews murdered in WW II – ugh!) – or the Neo-Nazi’s in Charlottesville in 2017 carrying Tiki Torches and chanting “Jews will not replace us” while carrying Confederate flags and wearing Nazi arm bands, David Duke and Don Black – former “Grand Wizards” of the KKK. These are NOT people who are supporters of “democracy.”

And, of course, individual 1 referred to the neo-Nazi’s marching in Charlottesville (They called it the “unite the right” rally) as “very fine people” – to which, David Duke – who was there – responded with positive affirmation for our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president. These are the core of the group which attempted to overturn our “free and fair” election by STORMING the Capitol Building, trashing it, and attempting to find Pence and Nancy Pelosi in order to KILL them. This is their response to LOSING an election! Apparently, they DON’T believe in our democratic republic.

And, I have to say, most on the “left” are fine with VOTING and accepting the results – win or lose. It should be OBVIOUS, neither individual 1 nor his cult members see it that way. In fact, the term “Stop the Steal” was the work of Roger Stone and he came up with it shortly before the 2016 election. Individual 1 was planning his coup attempt way back then – if you remember, he never, even then agreed he would accept the result of the election if he LOST. (Which, of course, he did via the “popular vote” – by around 3 MILLION votes. In 2020 he set the record, he lost be OVER 8 MILLION votes.)

Another area where we find “common ground” between republicans and authoritarians is in the FACT they are fine with CHEATING in order to WIN. As the saying goes, “Whatever it takes.” Or, better stated, “The end justifies the means.” That’s been part of the republican M.O. for years, it’s just that individual 1 has NO “moral compass” and he’s a pathological LIAR which makes him the perfect “leader” for the wealthy “puppetmasters” who surreptitiously CONTROL the republican party. The objective is NOT “governing” – NO – it’s POWER! Plain and simple!

However, as I’ve stated here multiple times, the TRUTH will come out – drip by drip – and our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president is going to be very busy in the next couple of years defending himself in court. For example, in this past week we’ve learned FOR CERTAIN about the surreptitious plan individual 1 was working on behind the scenes AFTER he LOST last November 3rd – well, MOST of us paying attention already KNEW what is being corroborated with DIRECT evidence showing a CONSPIRACY between individual 1 and part of the Justice Department – mainly Jeffrey Clark along with Mark Meadows (chief of staff) and Lindsey Graham (lackey) and others – were attempting to get Georgia’s legislature to override the “will of the people” in what simply confirms these people should be facing serious charges – including individual 1 for the MOST corrupt action by any president in the history of this nation.

And, to Mr. Shapiro, this is the stuff of authoritarianism – not “progressives” demanding rights for every American citizen – including, most fundamentally, the RIGHT to VOTE! The fact you don’t like the results of the previous couple elections might suggest the republican party SHOULD change their “course” and attempt to actually broaden their “base” from the mainly white nationalists – who claim the cover of Christianity – to a more diverse organization which looks closer to the “melting pot” which is our nation. Our nation’s history is based on being a “melting pot” – people from all “corners” of the world immigrating to this country and, in the process, making America a better nation.

Sadly, this core of white “Christians” (and, believe me, I say that with a sense of sadness in my heart, because I’m a Christian) are acting like the Pharisees in the Bible and it seems as if they are wanting some kind of apartheid government in this nation. I believe this “backlash” all started when the reality of a man of “color” was elected president. What is now the republican “base” became susceptible to the fear mongering of the right wing, racist “leaders” of their party – who’ve been practicing out and out BRAINWASHING via the “Big Lie Theory” since the days of Reagan. They do it because, sadly, it works!

I’m not kidding! I can’t even have a conversation with people who watch Fox “news” or the other right wing media outlets. Usually, they start yelling and/or throwing things – in fits of defensive absurdity. That’s simply when I ask them “why,” for example, they support individual 1. I had one friend who I could talk to, but Covid prevented personalized dialogue and after the election (when all his predictions were off by 180 degrees – and, mine were right on – although I couldn’t even imagine the attack on the Capitol Building) his comments got so absurd it just became too hard for me to be, I’m sure, what he considered “civil.”

For example, he asked – after Joe Biden had been declared the winner of the election – how that would be proven. This was after all the votes had been counted! I went over the process in detail which culminated on January 6th, 2021 – and, each step of the way turned out EXACTLY as I explained it to him – including predicting a right wing protest at the certification of the Electoral College votes on January 6th – and, he accused me of “bullying.” Simply because I explained the TRUTH about the process which was unfolding as it happened. I’m sure he then, and probably now, believed/believes the election was rigged – because he allows the right wing propaganda into his head. The last I heard from him was the republican party is “conservative and Christian.” This was AFTER the INSURRECTION attempt! (More on that in a bit)

I point this all out because my former friend, who I see as a microcosm of the republican party, said to me on several occasions he didn’t believe in “democracy.” I always took that to mean pure democracy, not what is in our Constitution, a democratic republic with “checks and balances” designed to protect a “tyranny of the majority.” For years, I’ve suggested republicans are scheming to succeed in creating a “tyranny of the MINORITY” – because they realize they’re in the MINORITY (and, it’s getting worse) and their solution is, instead of attempting to broaden their appeal, to disenfranchise as many of the “other” as they can – so, they can still “win” elections. (While, of course, LOSING the “popular vote”)

As I’ve said, the gerrymandering, the “stuffing” of the courts with right wing judges – including a 6 – 3 majority on the Supreme Court – a Court which might possibly go along with the republican scheme because it WAS the Roberts Court which gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 – allowing for all the VOTER SUPPRESSION bills cropping up across this land as I’m writing this – and working to control “local legislatures” in the states – is the “plan” for the so-called “permanent republican ‘majority.'” So, I’d say to Mr. Shapiro when he brings up the issue of authoritarianism – you’ll NEVER find progressives storming our Capitol in a brazen attempt to overthrow our nation’s government – they’ll do their fighting at the ballot box. Your claim the “Progressives” in America are “authoritarian” is simply MORE projection! Stay tuned!…………..

Final Thought: I keep suggesting, at some point, I’ll write a post on abortion. I haven’t got around to it, but I have pointed out my prayer is America would find a way to minimize the demand for the procedure. In short I’ll say two things: First, MEN should be held accountable for their role in creating unwanted pregnancies and secondly, I’ve come to the conclusion my best advice would be, “If you don’t believe in abortions don’t have one.” It’s the Christian community which is so vocally opposed to “A woman’s right to choose” in regard to her own body. Well, if you believe in the Bible you MUST believe in “free will” and these decisions women make are between the woman and her spiritual beliefs.

I absolutely am thankful I was NEVER confronted with this decision, although I would have never gone along with an abortion unless the woman’s life (in this case my wife’s) was in danger. Many years ago my wife had a miscarriage and, at the hospital, the procedure performed as akin to having an abortion – other than she had already passed the fetus. I say all this because I find it ironic as a NEW wave of “SARS Cov-2” (The “novel” coronavirus) is ravaging our nation from the effects of the so-called “Delta variant” and right wing republicans are encouraging their followers to refuse to get vaccinated. The irony, to me, is listening to these people who want to “control” the bodies of America’s women claiming by encouraging vaccinations our government is attempting to take “control their bodies.” One thing about today’s republicans, they ALWAYS seem to want it “both ways.” Just sayin……………..