GOP Debating Points

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

With nearly a year to go before the next presidential election cycle kicks into high gear, Republicans are already giving us a glimpse of the tactics they will use in their intra-party debates.  Donald Trump, who seems to feel (and fear) that Florida governor Ron DeSantis will be his main obstacle in grabbing the Republican Party's presidential nomination, managed cough up a claim last week that DeSantis is a pedophile.   Trump, who clearly does not understand that the term “pedophile” relates to adults who are attracted to prepubescent children, based that characterization on a photo from an old high school party in which DeSantis, as a young high school teacher, showed up at a student party where alcohol was being served.   DeSantis, being the bigger man figuratively, if not literally, seemed to laugh off the Trump accusation.
 
Referring to political enemies as pedophiles has become a standard-issue Republican campaign tactic.  Many, such as Republican Party nitwit Marjorie Taylor Greene, also toss in the word “groomer” whenever “pedophile” is used in their impolite discourse.
 
That's where it begins, especially for Republicans who prefer starting in the gutter and then digging lower.  Someone initiates the exchange on comfortable ground, at least for Republicans, by calling someone else a pedophile.   That person then blusters out a denial, and, in turn, accuses the original name-caller of being a pedophile and a groomer.    After that is denied, the first name-caller will add something like “and your wife is ugly” to the growing list of insults - which sort of automatically forces the other guy to come back with “and your wife is ugly and fat.”
 
Donald Trump, who believes that his own wife is attractive, has a long and colorful history of disparaging women based solely on their appearance.  
 
Since Republican candidates are unlikely to ever engage in meaningful debate, at least among themselves, they might as well start the process early and jump straight into the mud pit.  It is their comfort zone and a territory which they know well.  But for those with a serious interest in policy discussions that could affect their lives, time would be spent more productively by listening to Democrats address the issues.   Democrats at least know what the issues are!