This Republican ‘Thing’
In the 1972 movie The Godfather, Kay (Diane Keaton) questions Michael (Al Pacino) regarding his decision to join “the family business.” He had earlier told her that he was not like his father, and he would take his life in another direction, but now he reneges on that promise.
“I can’t go against the family,” he proclaims. Kay shows her disdain for his position, bitterly criticizing what she calls “this Sicilian thing!”
Fast forward to the present time.
Mitch McConnell accurately states that Donald Trump is “practically and morally responsible” for the events of January 6. Bill Barr states that Trump “should not be allowed anywhere near the White House ever again.” Yet both men have now announced that they will vote for Trump in November. They just can’t “go against the party”! We can close our eyes and hear Diane Keaton mocking “this Republican thing.”
Party loyalty is one thing, and is practiced by members of both major parties, but voting for a candidate that you have already proclaimed “unfit to be President” is just nuts. What are they thinking?
Hodge Barton, State College
Trump Is a Disgrace
It’s hard to believe that the likely Republican nominee for president is the first former president in U.S. History to stand trial as a criminal defendant. He’s charged with illegally falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to a porn star.
What’s even more baffling is the way so many Republicans actually profess to believe Trump’s whining about being persecuted.
This comes from someone already found liable for sexual assault and defaming his victim. At least 25 other women have credibly accused him of sexual assault or harassment. He was even caught on tape bragging about being able to get away with grabbing women “by the p_ _ _y.”
Trump’s three other criminal indictments reveal more of the same. To hear him tell it, “It’s politically motivated,” a “corrupt DOJ,” “a scam.” This is from the guy who has already been found guilty of corporate fraud and whose fake university and charity have been fined and shut down.
I suppose it was also “perfect” when he tried to extort the Ukrainian President—and asked the Georgia Secretary of State to “just find 11,780 votes.”
Trump’s motivation is purely self-interest. He has exploited every possible defendant’s right and misused campaign contributions for legal fees. He routinely attacks and endangers law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, mainstream media, military leadership, and even his own vice president.
Our national interests, our free press, and even our democracy continues to suffer damage from Trump’s self-serving lies.
The American people are the real victims here.
George Polycranos, Port Matilda
READ: Project 2025 Reveals a Radical Plan to Reshape the World
Trump’s Authoritarian Plans for the Country
Donald Trump has predicted a “bloodbath” for the country if he is not elected later this year. His supporters tried to soften his message by saying he only meant the country would be in trouble without him in charge, and we should not take “bloodbath” literally. But they also claimed his January 6 directive to “fight like hell” was not to be taken literally, and look how that turned out.
It’s no secret that Trump admires the world’s authoritarian leaders, such as Russia’s Putin, Hungary’s Orbán, North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un, Turkey’s Erdogan, and China’s Xi Jinping, and has spoken longingly of their ability to easily silence their political opponents. While he praises and envies them, he refers to his own political opponents as “vermin.”
He has never publicly expressed admiration for Adolph Hitler (as far as we know), although General John Kelly has reported that he once said to him, “Hitler did a lot of good things.” He does, however, publicly make use of Hitler’s language, disparaging immigrants by calling them “animals.” His infamous line that “They’re poisoning the blood of our country” is right out of Mein Kampf.
Although he has promised to act like a dictator “only on day one,” his pro-dictator behavior suggests he is unlikely to keep that promise. If we want to retain our democracy and our decency, we need to stand up and say, “Enough is enough!”
Ross Adams, Boalsburg
