The Republicans’ ‘closing argument’ sure feels like a coffin lid
by Tom Toles
Close the borders. Close the Environmental Protection Agency. Close the independent media. Close the hearings. Close the investigations. And the larger message? Close the American mind. Close down the opposition. Close the doors to two-party government. That is one powerful closing argument.
One can understand the fervor of the Democrats. They have, despite the majority of voters on their side, exactly no power whatsoever. The White House is not on the ballot this year, and it is occupied by someone who got fewer votes than his opponent. The Senate is becoming increasingly out of reach because of a crazily disproportionate distribution of senators. The Supreme Court is gone, thanks to the aforementioned unrepresentative Senate. That pretty much leaves nothing but the House, which is afflicted by gerrymandered districts. And so, the out-of-power voters are desperately trying to win that tiny foothold to bring some small measure of balance and accountability to American government.
And the Republicans? What exactly accounts for THEIR reported fervor? That they feel it viscerally important to maintain one-party rule? That they have zealous devotion to the premise that the minority side in American politics should hold ALL the power? And then, what is the driver of all this fervor? More divisive language, more hysterical fear-mongering, more strutting and shouting from the Dear Leader.
So on the one side, you have the majority of voters desperately trying to reclaim some representation in government. On the other side, you have a clearly anti-intellectual, anti-democratic, anti-diversity, anti-science party working around the clock on policies that will guarantee ever more glaring inequality. Ever more power for corporations and the rich. Ever worsening climate with ever worsening weather disasters. Ever less accountability. Ever less rationality.
The Republicans’ closing argument feels like an effort to close their fingers around the throat of the America most of us dearly want to live in.
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OCU
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