USA FACTS says there are 36 million Americans who are registered republicans. The site admits the actual number is much higher than that because in a number of states party affiliation is not part of their voter public records. Given that tidbit of information we know there are a whole lot of republicans out there, not to mention registered independents who hang out in the right corner of political attic.
The other day the results of a national poll conducted jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Public Religion Research Institute. It found 19%, or nearly seven million of those 36 million people believe, Donald J. Trump should, do whatever it takes, to return to power. That includes calling the election rigged and invalid if he loses.
It goes downhill from there.
The poll also reveals 29% of republicans, around 10 million of the fuckers thinks True American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to, "save the country." The same is true of 16% of independents who participated in the poll. Things have gotten so far out of control even eight percent of the democrats who responded say the same thing. Another 12% believe Kamala Harris should reject the results of the election if she loses.
But wait, as the TV ads say, there is more. 41% of voters who primarily watch right wing news outlets think using political violence to achieve political goals is a legitimate idea. 30% of Fox News viewers believe the same thing. At the same time 28% of white evangelical Protestants are convinced those, "true patriots," will have to resort to violence to, "save the country," while 33% of Mormons do. When it comes to other demographics, 18% of Hispanic Catholics, 14% of black protestants, and 10% of American Jews feel the use of political violence is somehow justified.
The president and founder of the Public Religion Research Institue, Robert Jones was quoted by Axios as saying, "I've been doing this for 20 years and these answers are keeping me up at night."
Get in line, Bob.
For those who could be, or rather, should be terminally depressed and appalled by the results of the poll, there are two glimmers of light in the darkness. When it comes to the Supreme Court, 73% of everybody believes there should either be a mandatory retirement age, for the justices, or a set number of years they are allowed to sit on the court. And, 68% of those responding, despite their party affiliation, believed people should be allowed to receive any FDA approved medication, including so called, "abortion," pills through the mail.
Still, these are just brief flashes of sanity in a nation that has seemingly gone mad. Just the other day Trump compared the conviction and incarceration of the January 6th insurrectionists to the internment of Japanese-Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. (For those not up on actual history, the Japanese-Americans were thrown into prison camps without the benefit of a trial because they were--well--Japanese-Americans. The January 6th rioters were tried and convicted of violent crimes we all witnessed on national television.)
Nearly eight years ago when Don Trump first took office we all saw his outraged befuddlement when it dawned on him the national media, or at least segments of it, wasn't his PR department and Congress wasn't just a bunch of corporate toadies there tell him he was right about everything. That realization and the 2020 election defeat, not to mention some, let's say, legal problems, appear to have pushed him over the edge. His lifelong disdain for the laws of the land spread to everything the Constitution says and means.
These days, when Trump isn't playing the martyr, or accusing his opponent of committing crimes against humanity and nature, he likes to take credit for a lot of stuff he had nothing to do with--like he is the, "father of IVF." However, let us give credit where credit is due. When it comes to survey responses like the ones we've just seen it is easy to say, with all confidence, Donnie, my boy, this pro-violence shit is all your fault.
There is no doubt he will proudly acknowledge what he has done. Indeed, this time around there won't be any screw ups. You see, The Big Orange Guy has laid the foundation for victory, no matter what. Who cares if the process cost many their political souls? This is party over nation, baby, ego uber alles.
Congratulations, Donald Trump! After only nine years in politics, you've managed to convince millions of Americans that democracy and the rule of law are, as you put it once about military service, "for suckers and losers." That'll show those teachers who thought you'd never amount to anything.
There are two weeks until the 2024 Presidential election. Thanks to Donald Trump, only God in heaven knows if there will be any more.
10-22-24
The Supreme Court issue should be addressed. I doubt it will be anytime soon, but am very uncomfortable with lifetime appointments to anything. At minimum, justices should have to undergo some sort of review every few years.
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