Joe Henderson: Donald Trump lost the election and hysterics won’t change that
Rep. Matt Gaetz. Image via AP.

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The rules for membership in Trump's Republican Party: Lie, cheat, threaten, and turn off your brain.

Since the usual rules no longer apply in Congress, let’s get ready to rumble. Many House and Senate Republicans are about to write their names in blood behind the impossible scheme — dream, I mean dream — to overturn the presidential election.

Go for it.

Tee up one last blast of hysteria for old time’s sake.

Matt Gaetz, you proudly call yourself a Donald Trump Republican.  Well, you are the perfect soldier for a man with no scruples.

You’re cool with a serial lying con man who will think violence in the streets during Joe Biden’s inauguration is a wonderful thing. It didn’t bother you one iota when the recording leaked of Trump badgering Georgia’s Secretary of State over the election he lost.

You’re OK with a demand from the President of the United States that Brad Raffensperger dig up enough ballots to give him the victory in Georgia.

“There’s nothing wrong with saying that, you know, um, that you’ve recalculated,” Trump told him.

Well, um, yeah there is,

By the way, even if Raffensperger went along with this traitorous scheme and somehow overturned Georgia’s vote, Biden would still win the presidency.

Details.

I guess we expect this from Gaetz, the camera-seeking frat boy of the U.S. House. But Rep. Gus Bilirakis? We expected more from you than playing along with this fantasy of a stolen election.

Along with Gaetz and eight other of Florida’s GOP congressional group members, Bilirakis supported the absurd lawsuit from Texas. That was the one that sought to invalidate election results from Wisconsin, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Why?

In a statement to the Tampa Bay Times, Bilirakis said, “many Americans are disturbed by multiple reports of voter irregularities and what some feel are unconstitutional changes to various states’ mail-in voting procedures. All allegations of election irregularities (should) be thoroughly investigated, and claims of unconstitutional conduct (should) be examined as quickly as possible.”

Those “multiple reports” were mostly Trump tweets and GOP parrots that lacked facts to back them up. That’s how Trump plays the game, though.

He repeats a lie until enough gullible followers believe in their souls he got robbed.

He wasn’t robbed or cheated.

The deep state didn’t conspire against him. The only conspiracy is on the Republican side.

A lot more Americans simply decided they were tired of this garbage than those who wanted four more years of the status quo goop.

Since Trump supporters can’t accept that, though, we have chaos. COVID-19 is raging, and too many American families face economic calamity.

Instead of focusing on those things, we have the GOP dog chasing its tail. Some deranged Trump backers threaten violence against officials who wouldn’t give them what they want. That, too, seems to be part of the plan.

First, you create the lie and stick to it, because anyone who says you’re wrong is lying. Let the consequences fall where they may.

Well, we’ve come this far, so finish the job.

Say something outrageous, Gaetz, when the House meets Wednesday to ratify Biden’s Electoral College win. Get your headline. Throw a hissy fit.

“We aren’t going back to the old Republican party. We’re not going back to losing politely with Mitt Romney,” Gaetz said on Fox News. “We are not going back to the Bushes & the Cheneys. This is Donald Trump’s party. I’m a Donald Trump Republican.”

Translated, that means if you have to lie, then lie.

Cheat if need be.

Make stuff up, and, when in doubt, yell real loud and TYPE IN ALL CAPS!!!!

If your brain can cut through the noise to suggest that none of that is a good idea, tune it out. Knowing the difference between right and wrong? Overrated.

Cower. Grovel.

Obey.

If you want to be a Donald Trump Republican, those are the rules.

Joe Henderson

I have a 45-year career in newspapers, including nearly 42 years at The Tampa Tribune. Florida is wacky, wonderful, unpredictable and a national force. It's a treat to have a front-row seat for it all.


3 comments

  • Ocean Joe

    January 4, 2021 at 8:16 pm

    Ironically, Mitch McConnell, much villainized and with considerable reason, will be the parental figure of the Republican party who puts the kibosh on Trump’s final tantrum.

    All this drama has been an annoying interruption of McConnell’s life work of enriching the rich and screwing the poor. Gaetz, for his part, is just a minnow in the swamp hiding from mosquitos.

  • Jose

    January 5, 2021 at 2:11 am

    Did a five year old with poor grammar write this piece ? Oh wait, it’s an out of work, former ‘journalist’ who’s bitter and angry that his privileged, white male status in society is waning.
    Have a drink, old, irrelevant white man and chill out.

  • Sonja Fitch

    January 5, 2021 at 4:26 am

    There is no Republican Party! There is only the goptrump death cult sociopaths! Traitors! Arrest every US House or Senator that supports the overthrow of our American democracy! Yes Rutherford you are a damn traitor !

Comments are closed.


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