At The End Of The Anti-Government Road Lies Bigotry--And Death

And there's something else that I've said for years about conservatives:  that their anti-government rhetoric is merely a proxy for their bigotry.

In theory, there is no more basic government responsibility than public safety.  And public safety requires not just a commitment to maintaining military forces, but also a commitment to protecting the public health of the nation as well.  There was a time in the not-too-distant past when liberals and conservatives could come together on this, without hesitation or partisan division.

Unfortunately, we no longer live in that time.  Now we have a Congress led by Republicans, that wants to use the deadly threat of the Zika virus to promote the flag of a vanquished, racist nation. Without regard to the ugly history of that nation.  And without regard to any lives that may be lost as a consequence of that promotion.

And people wonder why, despite the President's popularity, a majority of the people think that the country is on the wrong track?

Look at it this way.

The Republicans not only control Congress, but also a majority of governorships and state legislatures, as well as half of the current, down-to-eight-Justices Supreme Court.  And, thanks to Mitch McConnell, they are willing to suspend Constitutional government in order to ensure their control of the judiciary.  In the words of a currently-popular Internet meme, if you don't like the direction of the country, look at whose hands are all over the steering wheel.

Can anyone honestly doubt that the Republican Party cares about nothing but short-term power? Believe me, if they aren't removed from that position of power, the short term may be the only term any of us have.