Sane Republicans, Take Back Your Party!
I Know You're Out There Somewhere
Hello to all you sane, reasonable, and normal Republicans out there! By “sane, reasonable, and normal” Republicans, I mean those conservative-minded Americans who believe in the Republicanism of Dwight Eisenhower and Barry Goldwater. You know, Republicans who put their country before their party.
I am not referring to the Tea Party loonies, nor the election-denying conspiracy theorists, nor the supporters of the scamming, grifting elected Republican wingnuts whose only reason for being, is to create chaos and fool enough people into sending them their hard-earned dollars. No. Not them.
So, sane Republicans, there is something I am curious about: Why were so many Republicans reluctant to get the covid vaccine? The one thing, the one fucking thing the previous guy did right was Operation Warp Speed. It got the covid vaccine developed and into the arms of Americans as quickly as possible. And, a lot of Rs refused get it.
It is tragic that so many Republicans are skeptical of science. According to a Yale University study, after the covid vaccine became available, there was a significant difference in covid deaths between Democrats and Republicans. Many more Democrats were accepting of the vaccine, and many fewer Dems died due to covid. It is just so stupid to have turned the covid vaccine into a political litmus test. People died because of that stupidity, and/or willful ignorance.
If I may say, too many people get their information from podcasters, talk radio, and attention seeking celebrities and politicians. Sure, scientists are not infallible, and there are valid questions that should be asked of scientists who get into bed with the large pharmaceutical companies. But, the bottom line is that vaccines work, and it makes more sense to me to heed the scientists, rather than some jerk on the radio or online, or anti-science politicians caring only for their own narrow agendas.
Was the covid vaccine rushed out to the public before it was fully tested for safety and side effects? I don’t know. However, it’s important to remember there was a deadly pandemic sweeping the globe. Swift, decisive action was necessary. Scientists were saying the new vaccine was safe, and anyway, aren’t Rs supposed to be for cutting regulations and red tape (whatever that is)?
Did the covid vaccine prevent people from getting covid? For the majority of people it did, but not all. Some fully vaccinated people still got it, however for most it was much less serious than it would have been had they not received the shot. The shingles vaccine works similarly. (Not that shingles is a deadly disease.) I still got shingles after being vaccinated against it. When I complained to the doctor, she said it was a good thing I had been vaccinated because my shingles would have been much, much worse if I hadn’t gotten the shot. That’s how some vaccines work. Not all of them prevent the disease. Some make the symptoms less severe, which can be the difference between life and death.
Of course, we all know the reason the previous guy pushed for developing the vaccine so quickly, and it certainly wasn’t because he gave a damn about saving American lives. His only reason for doing so was that he thought it would help him get re-elected. But so what? The reason doesn’t matter. The vaccine saved lives. That’s what is important.
Certainly this in no way mitigates how horrible his covid response was otherwise. All he had to do was communicate the importance of listening to the scientists, and more lives would have been saved. But, no, he could not bring himself to do that. He fostered an aura of distrust and turned covid into an us vs. them political thing. Goddamn idiot.
Look, there’s a reason smallpox, rubella, polio, and other horrible diseases are rare. It’s because almost all of us were vaccinated against them. And, getting the shots never used to be a big deal, at least with most Americans. I guess there has always been a tiny, ignorant minority of anti-vaxxers. Hardly anybody paid attention to them, however. You know why? Since smallpox and many other terrible diseases were virtually eradicated, that was the proof the vaccines were effective. It was all the evidence anyone could possibly need. Science triumphed.
A healthy dose of skepticism about most things in life might be a good thing. Sometimes, though, life requires choices to be made. And, when those moments arise, putting one’s faith and trust in science, I believe, is the sensible course of action.
Hey, reasonable Republicans, here’s another thing I’m curious about: When are you going to stand up and take back your party from the lunatic fringe cult that currently has control of it? Whatever happened to the party of law and order, anti-communism, fiscal responsibility, smaller government, and family values? Was that all bullshit? Actually, I always thought it was, but at least Republicans claimed to stand for something.
Now look where you are. What does the GOP stand for now? Chaos in the House of Representatives? Executing the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff? Rioting in the Capitol? Defunding the FBI and the Department of Justice? Supporting communist thug dictator Vladimir Putin instead of Ukraine? Casting doubt on our electoral processes, thereby casting doubt on our democracy? Welfare for the rich, in the form of more and more tax breaks? Government intrusions all up in every woman’s uterus? (Well, those last two have always been popular amongst many GOPers.)
And, you’ve got Republicans such as Marjorie Taylor Dumbass saying the red states ought to secede from the Union. Christ, Margie, sedition much? Yeah, that’s a great way to uphold the oath of office and express love and support for the United States of America.
Not to mention, normal Republicans, that the leader of your “law and order” party has been indicted on 88 criminal counts. While he may not be convicted on all charges, it is highly unlikely he will skate on all of them. Is this who you want as your party leader? A convicted felon? Is that “R” next to the name the only thing that matters? Really?
I can imagine there might be Rs out there saying, “Great, another flaming liberal going on a crazy rant, cherry-picking the worst parts of our party while ignoring all of the liberal failures.” Or words to that effect. The truth is, I get that. Liberalism is not perfect. And, no one likes to be told the group with which they identify is run by morons and lunatics and crooks. But, in my opinion, this is where we are with Republicanism. Take a look at history. Eisenhower and Goldwater would not be welcome in the current Republican party.
Heck, liberal Republicans like Nelson Rockefeller and Charles Percy might be tarred and feathered by today’s Republicans. (Yes, believe it or not, years ago Republicans actually had room for liberals in their party.)
I may disagree with you Republicans on how to help America become the best it can be, however, I respect those who put what’s best for America first, regardless of party.
It is an unfortunate fact that many elections come down to choosing the candidate who is less worse. And, you all know, deep down in your souls, whether you want to admit it out loud or not, there is no one worse than the current leader of the Republican party. No one. So, what are you going to do? Will you do what’s best for America? Or will you follow your party, blindly?
You know, if sane, reasonable, and normal Republicans stand by and allow the cultists to be in charge, enabling the former president and future convicted felon as he leads your party, and possibly America, down the shithole to oblivion, then you’ll only have yourselves to blame.
