Mac Stipanovich: An open letter to my fellow Republicans
But appearances deceive. Hillary Clinton is in the minds of many conservatives an ethically challenged liberal, hatred of whom has become a reflexive part of Republican liturgy. But as flawed as she may be, she is different only in degree from past presidential candidates. She is business as usual concealed by a little progressive smoke here and a few populist mirrors there.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, is different in kind, and dangerously so.
On a personal level, Trump is a boor, a bully, a carnival barker and an embarrassment. Politically, by intent or instinct, he is a neo-fascist — a nativist, an ultranationalist, a racist, a misogynist, an anti-intellectual, a demagogue and a palingenetic (sorry) authoritarian to whom clings the odor of the political violence he encourages.
He appeals to our fears, preys on our anxieties and exploits our ignorance. A worse candidate to sit in the Oval Office for the next four years cannot be imagined.
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If you don't know who Mac is, read up on him. He is a true conservative in the mode of Ronald Reagan. He is very respected in the Republican Party and his word carries a lot of weight with a lot of voters in the GOP.
I heard him interviewed on NPR this morning. He called Trump supporters a "Cult." He is right...
But appearances deceive. Hillary Clinton is in the minds of many conservatives an ethically challenged liberal, hatred of whom has become a reflexive part of Republican liturgy. But as flawed as she may be, she is different only in degree from past presidential candidates. She is business as usual concealed by a little progressive smoke here and a few populist mirrors there.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, is different in kind, and dangerously so.
On a personal level, Trump is a boor, a bully, a carnival barker and an embarrassment. Politically, by intent or instinct, he is a neo-fascist — a nativist, an ultranationalist, a racist, a misogynist, an anti-intellectual, a demagogue and a palingenetic (sorry) authoritarian to whom clings the odor of the political violence he encourages.
He appeals to our fears, preys on our anxieties and exploits our ignorance. A worse candidate to sit in the Oval Office for the next four years cannot be imagined.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
If you don't know who Mac is, read up on him. He is a true conservative in the mode of Ronald Reagan. He is very respected in the Republican Party and his word carries a lot of weight with a lot of voters in the GOP.
I heard him interviewed on NPR this morning. He called Trump supporters a "Cult." He is right...