While the House Select Committee is laying bare Donald Trump's attempted coup, some Republicans are openly advocating violence. Consider what is happening in Missouri. Eric Greitens is a Republican who is running for the Senate there. He's running a controversial ad. You can see the reaction to it in the YouTube clip at the top of this post. Paul Waldman writes:
With a shotgun in his hand and a pistol on his belt, Greitens accompanies soldiers busting into what appears to be a suburban home. Then he says to the camera: “Join the MAGA crew. Get a RINO hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.”
For the uninitiated, “RINO” is short for “Republican In Name Only,” a term that originally referred to Republicans who were too ideologically moderate for someone’s taste. Now it is used to refer to those who, no matter how ideologically conservative, are insufficiently worshipful of Donald Trump or question the more radical beliefs and tactics of the extreme wing of the party.
Greitens is not deploying some subtle metaphor here. You can even order a “RINO Hunting Permit” sticker from his website. If asked, I’m sure he would say he’s not literally advocating the hunting and killing of human beings. But he kind of is.
Given what happened in the American capital on January 6th, Americans -- and Canadians -- have to be clear-eyed about this. For years, the Conservative Party has been taking its cues from American Republicans.
Caveat Emptor.
Image: You Tube
10 comments:
Eric Greitens is by no means a stupid man - he knows exacting what he's doing. He was a Rhodes scholar who graduated with a doctorate from Oxford. He was a decorated Navy SEAL before being elected Missouri's first Jewish governor.
Since then, things have gone downhill. Like Nixon, he resigned before he could be impeached following alleged campaign finance irregularities and a credible claim of sexual assault.
He realizes now though that his party is more than willing to tolerate leaders credibly accused of financial crimes and sexual assault (see e.g. Trump, Donald J.) So, he's read the wind and gone full MAGA. I wouldn't rule him out at all. He's positioning himself in his party's sweet spot. And, as you point out, where the GOP goes, our Cons are sure to follow.
Cap
I would like to say that I am shocked at this threatening, distasteful video, but that would imply that I see the United States as a salvageable country. The answer is no on both counts, Owen.
Trump may not be very bright, Cap. But a lot of his followers are. And they know in which direction the wind blows.
I agree with you, Lorne -- sadly.
If you ever find this numbing, Owen, just remember that Barry Goldwater would have found these people unhinged.
Goldwater admitted that he was an extremist, Mound. But he wasn't crazy.
All this reminds me of the French Revolution more than ever. The revolution quickly unsettled and threatened other European countries, some of whom attacked France in an effort to restore order from outside. This led to hyper paranoia in France and the emergence of the dictator/saviour Napoleon.
What is happening in the US is likewise attracting great interest and concern from other powers who will not remain passive, I suspect.
I'm sure they won't, ffd. That's why Trump's niece, Mary, calls him "the world's most dangerous man."
Its so much threatre, they have no need for a violent revolution when the democrats are handing them the keys to power, no work to get them required.
Joe Machin should have been thrown out years ago, Biden is useless, Bernie, AOC, and the rest of the squad sold theor souls too senile Biden.
Whose going to stand in Trump's way? Kamala Harris? She's even less popular then Biden.
The midterms this year and Presidential electin in 2024 are going to be a cake walk.
I don't know, Gyor. After watching today's hearing -- particularly the two election workers from Atlanta -- something might change.
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