July 31st 2020

By Scott Trimingham

How many times have we caught Republicans doing absolutely traitorous, reprehensible and illegal acts such as in-your-face voter suppression, gerrymandering, racial dog-whistling, paying porn stars to be quiet, promoting theft as “economic policy”, insider trading, soliciting and accepting assistance in elections from foreign governments (“Russia, if you’re listening . . .” – Trump 7/27/16) and, most egregiously, denying climate collapse - even though they know it to be real? And then, astoundingly, they show exactly no shame when caught in trying to kill us all.

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Another measure of their criminality would be that since 1969 there have been 89 criminal convictions in Republican administrations and only one criminal conviction of a Democrat. (This tally is approximate and dates from 2017; it’s vastly increased in the last two years of the Trump administration.)

How many times have we caught Republicans - in glaring hypocrisy - complaining about deficits? Remember the self-proclaimed Tea Party “deficit hawks”? Then, once in power, they spent lavishly by giving their wealthy patrons tax breaks that increased the deficit even more? Their “passionate” opposition to spending and deficits was all a ruse of mock outrage and lies.

In the 1950’s, Republican Joseph McCarthy and his henchman Roy Cohn grandly railed against and mercilessly persecuted “suspected” Russian collaborators in the United States. Fast forward to 2017 and President Trump was providing classified information directly to Russian representatives right in the Oval Office. 

So, even within topics, Republicans swing wildly from one end of the spectrum to the other. In the 1950’s they perpetrated the “Red Scare” and the “Lavender Scare” that terrorized innocent people and members of the military by claiming they were communists or homosexuals. Seventy years later they are openly asking the Russians, on U.S. television airwaves, to help them win election. Then, rewarding them with classified information that put the lives of our service men and women, and our allies, at risk. For Pete’s sake, pick a lane! Do you fear Russians or do you love them?

By the way, disgraced Roy Cohn served both Joe McCarthy and Donald Trump as their personal attorney. Indeed, Roy Cohn is considered to be an early mentor for Trump. Roy Cohn also served for mobsters Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno, Carmine “The Cigar” Galante and John “Teflon Don” Gotti. Consequently, Roy Cohn is a through line for Republican horridness from the 1950’s to today, as embodied by his protégé, Donald Trump. 

Until recently, I would have thought that “Teflon Don” would be a good nickname for Donald Trump.                                                                       

Yes, the crimes and hypocrisy of the Republican party are legendary. Yet they show no shame, no remorse or any acknowledgement of their hypocrisy. It’s like water off a duck’s back to them. 

How can this be? How do they do it? How can they lie without shame, directly to our faces, without even a blink?

I’m about to tell you how. It is the secret to their evil superpower.

Why Republicans Lie and Cheat

You see, their ability to lie and cheat unabashedly is based on their ultimate motivation. Their ultimate motivation is their own best interest. It is the motivation of “me”. You can’t argue the logic of this thinking, but you can argue its humanity.

Democrats, on the other hand, have an idealistic notion that all of us can, and should, prosper together. We’re in this together. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We believe that a rising tide should lift all boats and that we should help those in the smallest boats first. It is our obligation to 

help those of us who need help. It is what makes us human. If we are not on this planet to help each other, then what are we here for? It is the motivation of “we”.

(Of course, I’m speaking in broad generalities to make a point. There are some rotten Democrats out there just as I am sure there are some fair and noble Republicans. But the exceptions make the rule in this case too.)

How to Lie and Cheat Shamelessly Like a Republican

So, how can you lie and cheat like a Republican and keep a straight face? Here’s how!

First, assume that the only, the only important thing in life is that you benefit somehow. You believe that there are “winners and losers”, and you are a winner! Viewed in this context life is but a game. Consequently, everything you do is merely a tactic or a strategy to advance your interests while playing a game. The Game.

Now, convince yourself that everyone else knows – or should know – that life is merely a game. And importantly, that the people who don’t understand this obvious reality are chumps who deserve to be fleeced. (This helps assuage any guilt you may experience.) See how that works? 

Let’s explain further why Republicans can be immune to shame or hypocrisy in the context of The Game.

For example, if you’re playing poker and you “bluff” the other players into thinking that you have a weaker or stronger hand than they do, would you feel like you’re cheating or lying? Of course not, it’s part of the game. 

Another example is in basketball where there is an honored statistic for “stealing”. In fact, if you’re good at stealing the ball from the other team you’ll get a bigger contract and your fans will love you. 

And don’t forget good old American baseball where one of the most exciting plays is stealing a base. But you better not get caught stealing signs or you’ll end up like the disgraced 2017 Houston Astros, because even professional sports have their limits. (As a Dodger fan, I’m still bitter.)

In football it’s the fake hand-off and the “quarterback sneak”. In hockey it’s the deke feint. All part of the game.

But life isn’t a game.

Democrats, liberals and progressives don’t have the advantage of this callousness. Their more evolved notion is that life is not a game, it’s Life. And though they wish to prosper too, they don’t wish it to be at the expense or misery of others. That’s called empathy. Republicans, for the most part, don’t have empathy. That gives them an advantage – if you choose to call it such. 

Scott Trimingham writes about the environment and politics

Send your ideas to prevent climate collapse to: evergreentea2000@yahoo.com

“We didn’t inherit this Earth from our parents, we’re borrowing it from our children.”

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