The Oxford dictionary defines Dogma as: A principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true: the dogmas of faith. Example: The rejection of political dogma.
Conservative dogma is stifling America, killing Americans, and if allowed to go unchecked promises to do much worse.
I have come to believe that the Republicans would have treated any Democratic President the same way they have treated Obama. They are dedicated to destroying the Democratic Party and democracy in the U.S.
Strong words but what am I left to think?
Remember back in the 1990's the Republicans publicly stated that their aim was to capture the government (politically) so that they would be in power for a 100 years. Since then they have tried to do just that. Gerrymandering has made Red states almost impossible to win. This translated into George W. Bush winning the election even though the Democratic candidate, Al Gore, had over 1,000,000 more popular votes. Since then it has gotten much harder to dislodge Republicans through the democratic process.
And now as we face a climate calamity and need all hands on deck, Republican Governors and Presidential Candidates are doing their utmost to destroy any attempt to correct this global threat. Why would they do such a thing?
Dogma. Republican's greatest weapon is their inflexibility and blind adherence to bankrupt ideas. It is a mix of religious zealotry and unbridled free market greed, similar to 1930's Germany when it led to the rise of the Nazi's.
Too harsh a word? The Republicans are working to withdraw the right to vote from hundreds of thousands of Americans for fanciful reasons such as the non-existent threat of voter fraud. This is a form of social ostracization that leaves the weak and vulnerable to political exploitation. The Nazi's used social ostracization on their enemies which later led to their internment and extermination. Their enemies were the Jews, Gypsies, religious opponents (priests, nuns, ministers, lay folk), political opponents (Democrats, Liberals, Socialists, Communists), the most vulnerable (birth and mental defects, infirm, and Prisoners of War).
Germany is an excellent example of dogma destroying a nation. There are others, including the Soviet Union, Pol Pot's Cambodia, the Christian Crusades and DASH (aka ISIL, ISIS).
Whenever dogma, inflexible thinking, runs into a rapidly changing situation disaster is likely to ensue. That is the situation now with the environment and climate change. All that dogma can offer is the word NO. Today, though, we need flexible, creative problem solving which the Republicans can not deliver. Even those Republicans who understand the issues and would like to help solve them are handcuffed by the dogma of their party.
After decades of propagandizing and lying the Republicans have painted themselves into a corner. They are incapable of dealing with the problems of the modern world. They have become philosophically irrelevant, their power only coming from obstruction.
Doubt me?
What is the Republican's plan to combat climate change? Drill Baby Drill.
What is the Republican plan for anything? Dogma. Cut taxes to the wealthy, which is the least productive use of money, while requiring everyone else to carry the load, which is extremely damaging to the economy and society. Remove laws, regulations and government departments like the EPA and OSHA that are responsible to the health and safety of the American people. This would leave us even more vulnerable to the predation of business and the wealthy.
The Republican Party is not equipped to deal with the 21st Century.