Trumping the shark
Thanks to Dave Cieslewicz for challenging state Republicans over support for their party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Donald Trump (“The Moral Moment,” 6/2/2016).
Citizen Dave suggests that Trump is so vile no moderate Republican could support his candidacy.
Trump is certainly a phenomenon, but also an unsurprising outcome of an engorged multimedia-politico-infotainment industry, among other social forces. For some of us, who have been having out-of-body political experiences for a while, Trump is simply jumping the shark Republicans let loose long ago. Remember when Paul Wolfowitz promised the Iraqis would underwrite our war with them? Sounds like Trump’s Mexican wall scheme. Remember the Clinton impeachment? Iran-Contra? Sarah Palin? Torture?
Nearly all of the most significantly loony American politics of the past several decades have been largely and disappointingly supported by Republicans both nationally and locally. In Wisconsin, most telling is the silence of “moderate” Republicans, as Gov. Tommy Thompson’s protégés continue to systematically disassemble the governmental and educational institutions and environmentally positive culture that had once proudly defined Wisconsin.
Republicans are not solely to blame. Progressives/Democrats/Rationale people continue pick-axing away in a long-empty mine in search of a vein of Republican moderation. “Well, that John Boehner is a good fellow,” PDRs said. “The tea party is an outlier.” “Bush is okay, but Cheney made him do bad things.” “Ronnie is nice; who needs welfare?” And, in Wisconsin, “Republicans can’t possibly support Walker’s efforts to [name an issue here].”
Perhaps it is time to recognize that reason and real morality have no sway over Republican governance. Republicans are like dogs. As individuals, with proper training, one can be a fairly civil, socialized creature. In packs, however, they all chase the same, sick calf.
Daniel R. Bohrod (via email)
Corrections
In “I didn’t Know There Were Jews in Wisconsin” (5/26/2016), Morris Heifetz’s name was misspelled in a cutline. In last week’s “Fest Bets,” the performance day and time for Kid Koala at the Fête de Marquette was incorrect. It’s Fri., July 15, 9:30 p.m.