THE GOP’S DARK PATH

Greetings. I am a voting constituent in rural west Texas. “Speaking in Athens, Greece, yesterday, Pope Francis warned Americans, “We cannot avoid noting with concern how today, and not only in Europe, we are witnessing a retreat from democracy." He warned against politicians with "an obsessive quest for popularity, in a thirst for visibility, in a flurry of unrealistic promises,” and called for people around the world to turn away from authoritarianism, individualism, and indifference. Instead, they must rededicate themselves to the common good and strengthen democracy.” So now we even have the Pope worried. Because it’s clear he’s taking about America. I guess we’re done with that ‘shining city on a hill’ hoopla. It’s obvious the game has changed for your party. And the perfect blueprint for speeding democracy’s demise has been created, attempted, and is now being perfected by Republicans across the country. And y’all seem just fine with it. Which, if true, means most likely the Pope should be worried. And American citizens should be scared silly. Meanwhile, folks who actively participated in, and created a blueprint to take down the country, are now happily using the Constitution they want to obliterate to save their own bacon. Pleading the Fifth. Screaming about their constitutional rights. Convincing your half of the country that democracy should die. And that it should die based on a lie. That they themselves created and spread. And learned along the way what a sure-fire way it is to rake in the dough. So if you do not stand up for he country and insist that the folks who set the stage for January 6 be culpable for their actions, to at least show up and tell the country their side of the story, you will be part of the growing faction who is okay with America no longer being America. But I do hope you will remember it was democracy that got you where you are. And that kissing the ring of autocracy will not guarantee you stay there. Please don’t sell yourselves cheap.