Republicans suffering from auto-immune syndrome

Tallahassee Democrat

Republicans suffering from auto-immune syndrome | Opinion

Chuck McMurry – February 13, 2022

Florida Surgeon Gen. Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo before a bill signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, in Brandon, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Florida Surgeon Gen. Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo before a bill signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, in Brandon, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Republican politician’s solutions to problems like COVID are similar to an auto-immune reaction in your body. Instead of fighting against a known intruder, the body fights against itself, somehow triggered by false information that there is a problem.

This is what we have seen in Florida, as demonstrated by our Governor’s response to the pandemic. Instead of enacting measures to help fight and reduce the threat, he takes the opposite approach and proposes laws and regulations that perpetuate and exacerbate the problem. No masks required in schools and the hiring of an anti-establishment doctor to lead the state over the cliff with more infections and deaths.

All in the name of getting re-elected.

Florida law requires that children wishing to enter schools must receive vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella, to name a few. Who in their right mind would not want to protect their children from disease? Why would you fight to stop your child from getting the vaccine or wearing a mask?

Well, DeSantis, and like-minded Republicans, have discovered that the basket of deplorables spoken of by Hillary Clinton, represents a sizable number of truly ignorant voters, who if excited enough will support politicians who pander to anti-establishment, anti-authoritarian ideas that spit in the face of conformity.

These folks reject government in most forms and cheer on the likes of Trump, thumbing his nose law and order, and encouraging the total disruption of the established norms of our society.

Imagine if, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Republicans had pushed back on the idea of declaring war on Japan. People don’t like war, so let’s just try to disrupt this whole response and make a wedge issue out of it.

Supporters of former President Donald Trump attack the U.S. Capitol in an effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times/TNS) ORG XMIT: 33028519W
Supporters of former President Donald Trump attack the U.S. Capitol in an effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times/TNS) ORG XMIT: 33028519W

We could attract anyone who did not want to get drafted into the army to vote pro Republican. Or in the present scenario we have our ex-El Presidente, claiming he would pardon all the rioters who attacked the capital because they are true pat-riots, fighting against the fraud of the last election.

Do we really want anti common-sense leaders? Do we want politicians who can turn issues like gun control into a choice between upholding a Second Amendment right crafted several centuries ago, or the safety of our children to be free from being shot at school?

Mass internet media and 24-hour news cycles has become an Orwellian dream come true, because like every sporting contest you must have competing teams to sell tickets. Our politics today makes no attempt to stand for what is right or wrong, only to support what can get you re-elected.

If it is important to have open and free elections, then the other side will somehow say the system needs to be restricted to prevent fraud- whether there is any proof of such problems.

What we are seeing with this modern wave of Republicans is an attempt to destroy our country by creating issues to attract that minority of knuckle draggers who worship “professional” wrestling, and NASCAR pileups.

The true Republicans are dragged along for fear of losing, whether their candidate has a whit of integrity or leadership. Mainstream Republicans need to distance themselves from the party and reject this auto-immune syndrome by charting a different course.

Our country needs you.

Author: John Hanno

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Bogan High School. Worked in Alaska after the earthquake. Joined U.S. Army at 17. Sergeant, B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 84th Artillery, 7th Army. Member of 12 different unions, including 4 different locals of the I.B.E.W. Worked for fortune 50, 100 and 200 companies as an industrial electrician, electrical/electronic technician.