Still Calling Republicans “Hypocrites”? Don’t Waste Your Breath
Every Democrat in the Trump era has a specific fantasy that goes something like this: Mitch McConnell is speaking on the Senate floor about some new, horrible, law. Suddenly, a vision of justice blinds him: it’s our bleeding heart liberal, shrouded in light. They hold up their cell phone: it’s a Vox article, with video footage of a younger, spryer version of the Majority Leader railing against this exact situation just two years ago. Mitch hangs his head; he’s been caught. With a nod, he steps down, resigns as Senator, and slinks home in shame. America is saved.
This is, of course, absolute nonsense.
For every shocking headline announcing some new Republicans carnage, there’s a cadre of political bookkeepers who show up clutching receipts. “Hypocrite!” they cry, “In 2013 you said you were against such tactics! And now look at you!” It’s all very charming, and feels great to retweet, but I’m about to break your heart: Republicans know, and they do not care.
My version of this fantasy involves me handing Marco Rubio, my senator, one of the price tags the Marjory Stoneman Douglas kids made about their personal share of NRA donation money. Rubio sees it, gulps, then calls the president of the NRA right then and there to resign from their rolls. Again: it’s fantasy. But I can dream.
No amounts of goading or prodding or memeing will ever get a Republican to sigh and admit, yes, I changed my position when it was politically expedient, you caught me, I’ll go back to my old idea. There will always be extenuating circumstances; well no, you see, it’s very different, of course, because of these two small details, and besides, fake news. You will never use their honesty or their words against them: both are ever-changing, ever-flexible, and in a pinch, utterly expendable.
The only language Republicans speak is power, and good for them. Even the most vehement foe of the GOP must admit that they have been intensely and consummately successful in their goals. Nothing they have set out to change, even the most unthinkable parts, have been spared. This entire country is dealing with broadside blasts from a party gleefully detached from their former dour selves. We should learn from them; Democrats haven’t matched that success since the 1940s, and one of our ‘successes’ was putting people of Japanese descent in camps. Not exactly a laudable moment.
We need to start exerting power whenever we can. Primarily that must be at the ballot box: get fucking registered, then register a friend. However, you should exert that power in any way you can: march, scream, cajole, block, monkey wrench everything and everyone associated with the Republican Party from your local racist neighbor to the presidential motorcade. Next time you’re about to retweet or share a smarmy post about a Republican’s hypocrisy, save yourself the effort. Calling them on their lies won’t do anything, but yelling at them will. Ask Stephen Miller, Sarah Sanders, or Scott Pruitt: doing is much more effective than dreaming.