It is time get down to brass tacks. Republicans need to say pretty quick – and definitively – whether or not the flabby moron heading their party accurately represents Republican values, ideals, and ethical frames of reference. Voters who chose Trump as a “lesser evil” certainly deserve a pass – unless they still stand by their man. If they do, well, bless their hearts. And if you run a church and continue to support Trump and Trumpism, allow me to refer you to John 11:35.
For the Democratic Party, and Democrats generally, I encourage you to stop chasing shiny objects. The Civil War monuments quarrel is a shiny object. Steve Bannon, the political strategist that Trump continues to hold dear, refers to Trump’s alt-right supporters as “freaks, goobers, and clowns.” Nationalists, like Trump and Bannon, depend on these useful idiots to distract rational people away from rational consideration and effective action. Don’t fall for it. Register some voters instead.
The same thing is true about protesting the placement of religious monuments on public property. Republicans have trouble keeping the 10 Commandments; they’ll never have trouble raising money to celebrate or litigate their hypocrisy. By all means, give them, and a few dozen peaceful pigeons, a quiet place to roost, even if it’s on “our” State Capitol’s lawn.
Honor the 1st Amendment and rejoice in its exercise. Unconditionally support the right of yappers like Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos to freely speak, anywhere, and at any time. Peaceably assemble when they do and drolly distribute smiley face vomit bags (packs of 30 available from Amazon, $12.95+s/h) to the assembled. Have some fun, for goodness sakes.
A final bit of advice for Democrats: stop chasing your own party’s shiny objects. Quit listening to gibberish about minimum wage hikes and start demanding to know what your party is going to do about today’s workers earning 30% less in constant dollars than their mothers and fathers earned doing the same work in 1976. Trump’s base enjoys being fooled by Build a Wall and Coal Renaissance fairy tales, no matter how often they hear them. Democrats say they’re smarter than that. Let’s see if they are.
Amen to Democrats and shiny objects. If you live in a Red State, there needs to be a major dose of Big Picture and concessions to WIN. Not only are statues a loser; you can’t beat fascism with fascism. The alt-right boys need to be ignored to death and not beaten beaten to death. I like one German way to handle the neo-Nazis. They measure out their torch-lit marching course and then collect for charities especially onerous to racism, bigotry, and, sexism as markers are passed. Turn Hitler-love into Jewish relief dollars.