Seven reasons Democrats should respect Republicans
Despite Trump
Jeffrey Denny
Some of my fellow Democrats believe all Republicans are terrible horrible no good very bad people.
Just because the overwhelming majority of Republicans are hellbent on returning Donald Trump to the White House to destroy America.
This identity stereotyping and shaming is wrongful, hateful, even bigoted. And does violence to Republican personhood.
If you’re a Democrat with Republican family members, friends, neighbors or colleagues, here are seven ways to love them anyway:
1. Some are very fine people.
It’s wrong to tar every Republican with a broad Trump brush of sticky, stinky, viscous, bituminous liquid.
Around 30% of Republicans don’t support Trump, including:
· Trump refuseniks such as RINOs, Never Trumpers, and desperate Nikki Haley donors throwing good money after bad. Trump has a plan for enemies of Trump. Poor dears, we’ll miss them when Trump Putinizes them.
· Wool-dyed Republicans offended by Trump but always vote GOP like it’s an involuntary bodily function because generations of paterfamilias haven’t voted Democratic since FDR turned America socialist.
· True American patriots who care about America and all Americans.
2. Some are merely Trumpsymps.
They’re not card-carrying Trump Party members but innocent fellow travelers because Trump is more likely to deliver tax and regulation breaks than the Democrats.
Or they’re addled by a constant stream of Fox propaganda to hate liberals so much they’re willing to let Trump happen.
3. They’re fiscally smart.
Most Trump Republicans aren’t loud, proud MAGA cretins who take nasty delight in Trump destruction as they suck up the sewage he spews.
Many are highly educated wealthy elites who smartly leverage the poor MAGA slobs for power and money while avoiding them like the Covid.
For instance, they hope never to encounter a Trump rally-goer yahoo at the Trump-crowning Conservative Political Action Conference with $30,000 Platinum Plus tickets to rub elbows with the GOP coastal elite Deep State Washington swamp lobbyists and muckety-mucks who laugh at MAGAs all the way to American oligarchy.
4. They follow Jesus.
Jesus taught love and acceptance. Many Republicans are devout, pious, churchgoing, Bible-guided Christians.
Like Jesus would, Democrats need to open their heart to accept them. Even if they pray for a Second Coming of Trump to wreak vengeance against his nonbelievers such as Democrats and lord over the land.
Right-wing evangelicals aren’t lost sheep just because they want Trump to rise again to smite his enemies, reject tired poor huddled refugees, slash help for poor fellow Americans, and ban respect, recognition and rights for anyone not like them.
Bless them for they send thoughts along with prayers when children — urban and suburban — are slaughtered by unfettered gun rights, which they care about equally with right to life. Jesus loves the Second Amendment — it’s right there in the Bible.
5. They care about a strong economy.
Sure, Biden somehow turned around the Trump-destroyed economy. Democrats always clean up after Republicans like circus janitors following the elephants. (Look it up.)
Bidenomics defied the Republican gloomy hype, tamed inflation while forestalling recession, brought down gas prices, grew jobs and wages beyond all expectations, and boosted the stock market to a record high, making the Trump Republican rich even richer.
Even the Trump-craven Republican media had to eat crow about Bidenomics because the economy is “a lot stronger than anybody understands,” as top Fox business anchor Maria Bartiromo had to admit through gritted teeth.
All this without big Biden tax breaks for the rich that Republicans declare create jobs and prosperity for all.
But how about bigger Trump tax breaks for the rich that create more jobs and prosperity for all, as Republicans ask not greedily?
6. They love government too.
Sure, the House MAGA Caucus routinely threatens to bankrupt America and destroy our economy if they don’t get big federal budget cuts.
How dare you suggest it’s only political theater for the roar of the MAGAs. Many who are on the government dole and would be hurt first and worst.
Not to worry: “Far-right Republicans who have pushed the government to the verge of shutdowns in recent months are set to win hundreds of millions of dollars for their districts in earmarks,” a Washington Post analysis found. Then they’ll brag about the government spending to boost their reelection.
7. They care about social justice.
Republicans have always ripped Democrats as soft on crime.
They say liberals put social justice over public safety, care more about criminals than victims, demand to defund the police, and handcuff the courts with lenient laws even for deadly repeat offenders.
Republicans delight in sneering when liberals say the solution to crime is not more policing or blaming and jailing perps, but addressing the root causes of crime. And how we shouldn’t call even convicted and incarcerated murderers “convicts” or “felons.” That’s insensitive. Call them “justice involved.”
Yet Trump Republicans have come around to coddling criminals. They not only forgive but even thrill that their justice-involved individual faces 91 felony charges, committed high crimes and misdemeanors, and was declared guilty of sexual assault and defamation. And he’s proud of breaking the law and promises the biggest most beautiful crime spree like you’ve never seen.
Like progressives, Trump Republicans hate Blue Lives. Not for killing Black Lives, but for bringing justice to White Lives like Trump and his co-conspirators and MAGA rioters. And like progressives, they believe judicial system is rigged against their chosen victim.
So I ask my fellow Democrats to think before knee-jerk smearing Republicans for overwhelmingly supporting Trump.
We’re the party that opens our hearts and minds to understand and respect our differences and seek common ground.
Let’s recognize that Republicans who love Trump or merely go along with his destruction of all we hold dear are people too.
Jeffrey Denny is a Washington writer.
