Where Have All the Republicans Gone?

Republicans? Where? I Haven’t Seen One in Years.

I am old enough not only to remember legitimate Republicans, I actually voted for some of them. I miss them. Our entire system of government depends on two political parties who deliberate and compromise, eventually passing the necessary legislation. That no longer exists in Washington.

Instead of working with Democrats and Independents, “Republicans” have begun a second Civil War, and in the world of public opinion, they are losing.” This group of pretenders is opposed to every issue supported by the American people.

If you doubt that these pretenders are opposed to the beliefs and the needs of most Americans, look at what happened on Tuesday in the House.

Up for vote was the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022. This bill would discourage human trafficking by adding more severe penalties and offering assistance to victims. As you would expect, it passed. Even more surprising, it was not unanimous. The final tally was 401 in favor and 20 opposed.

“Human traffickers never take a holiday, nor can we,” said Rep. Chris Smith, the author of the bill. “Because traffickers and the nefarious networks they lead always find new ways to exploit the vulnerable, especially women and children, we must aggressively strengthen laws and their implementation.”

It is no surprise to anyone that all 20 of the ‘nay’ votes were men and women who only pretend to be Republicans, and of course, Matt Gaetz was among this group. You might remember that the disgraced Representative from Florida has been accused of trafficking a seventeen-year-old girl across state lines to have a sexual liaison. Who is the male member of a right-wing extremist threesome, including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert trying to protect?

Here is the full list of fake Republicans who voted to allow human trafficking to continue.

• Brian Babin (TX)
• Andy Biggs (AZ)
• Lauren Boebert (CO)
• Mo Brooks (AL)
• Ken Buck (CO)
• Andrew S. Clyde (GA)
• Matt Gaetz (FL)
• Louie Gohmert (TX)
• Paul A. Gosar (AZ)
• Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA)
• Andy Harris (MD)
• Jody B. Hice (GA)
• Thomas Massie (KY)
• Tom McClintock (CA)
• Mary E. Miller (IL)
• Troy E. Nehls (TX)
• Ralph Norman (SC)
• Scott Perry (PA)
• Chip Roy (TX)
• Van Taylor (TX)

If many of these names are familiar, it’s because they have been fighting to see who could kiss Trump’s humongous derriere the most. Others have been seen speaking before Neo-Nazi organizations.

I will never cease to be shocked that these incompetent fascists won elections. What in the hell were voters in their states thinking about? The only thing which comes to mind is there must be many more men and women in America who hate what our nation stands for and would prefer a white supremacist returning to defile the White House and replace democracy with fascism. Nothing other than that assumption makes any sense.

Republicans cannot be trusted to do the right thing. They will lie and literally say anything to win elections and then serve special interests, selling their votes for cash remuneration. Our government is less engaged in governing than doing business with other criminals and plutocrats who have complete control over our country in the 21st century.

On November 8th, remember, it’s your country, and your vote can save it.

Op-ed by James Turnage, Novelist

Sources:

Daily KOS: About that GOP Civil War 2.0 – a followup
Daily KOS: House passes a new anti-human-trafficking bill—no thanks to these 20 Republican members of Congress; by Aysha Qamar

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Michael van Gool’s Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Victoria Pickering’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License