The Republicans are a lot of things. Certainly blindly obedient, and in love with their own authority and that of others. Definitely preoccupied with manipulating the economy to favor large companies.
But worst of all, they are terrified of dissent. They eviscerate those within their own ranks who do not tow the party line. They will not come face to face with a disapproving public without an armed security force.
And they brand anyone who thinks differently than they do as a traitor.
I, for one, find this their most abhorrent feature. They damage the possibility of meaningful political discourse in the nation when they do this. Frank Zappa once said, "Progress is not possible without deviation from the norm," and that's what dissent is all about. Dissent forms the environmental variables in the evolution of political thought. Wherever dissent is repressed (such as in Stalin's USSR, or McCarthy's USA, or Henry VIII's England), there begins a process of stagnation in thought.
If action is not taken to free discourse, a nation can be damaged or even destroyed. And Republicans forget this important lesson of history at their own peril.
But the reason their fight is so panicked, so desperate, is because the worldview that sustained them for decades is falling apart. Their faith in the ultimate providence of America is failing because America has shown that it has failed to earn it. America's providence didn't come from nowhere, it arose out of our tenacious adherence to our democratic values.
They didn't realize it. Perhaps they just figured there was something magical about the USA's economic power, just as they figured there was something magical about the 10 commandments or the origins of life. But I don't hate them for thinking so. I feel bad for their credulity. I don't think they are evil, and I don't think they have turned against America altogether.
As such, I must disagree with Maryscott O'Connor. I will not participate in Democratic McCarthyism. I will not accuse them of being traitors. To do so would be to institute a back-and-forth of accusations that will continue on for generations. Do you think it hurt American discourse when Republicans started accusing anti-war groups on the political Left of supporting terrorism? Do you think that it will multiply that hurt X1000 by accusing pro-Administration groups on the political Right of supporting totalitarianism?
Impeach the President? YES.
Return the Democrats to power? YES.
Accuse my well-meaning neighbors of treason? Absolutely not. Anyone who would ask me to do so should look for rabid followers elsewhere.
There. I feel better now.
UPDATE: I just want to clarify why I wrote this diary. I figured someone would read it and get the idea that maybe there was another way of looking at things from the way Maryscott O'Connor did. I never thought anyone would recommend it. I just want people to consider the fact that using the Republicans' rhetorical H-Bombs against them may not be helpful, and may in fact escalate the diatribes to even unhealthier levels. The Internet already has one FreeRepublic. Thank sweet baby Jesus it belongs to the wingnuts and not us.