The original sin of the Republican party was Nixon’s Southern strategy--the appeal to southerners through racial and social animus, similar to the fascists of 1930s Germany. This Southern strategy has reemerged in America and come home to roost in Montana politics.

Since losing the Presidential election in 2020, rather than represent the majority of people in America they have expanded this strategy to all 50 states by suppressing the votes of rural and non-whites. And when Trump attempted a coup to overthrow the fair/legal election they also attacked the rule of law.

When you attack the rule of law and the judicial process, when 147 US Representatives still do not recognize Biden as the legitimate winner of the 2020 election, you are at war with the Constitution. Montanans will remember Rep Matt Rosendale and Senator Steve Daines among them while Governor Gianforte signed two laws that significantly restrict the voting opportunities of Montanans.

The Republican party has evolved into a cartel. A syndicate. Rather than promoting a set of principles to make America better, their purpose is to defeat Democrats and maintain power like OPEC. What are their guiding principles? Are they conservative? What do they stand for? Defeating Democrats and owning the libs? What have they done to help the nation? Do they have a jobs plan? Health care plan? Infrastructure plan? Economic recovery plan? 

They pass a $1.9 trillion tax cut to help the wealthy and appoint federal judges that aren’t qualified even though some never tried a case; yet, they now serve on the court for life. Considering the high unemployment, closing of thousands of businesses, over half a million lives lost, record numbers of evictions, millions losing their unemployment—the worst economy since the Great Depression—Not One Republican voted for the $1.9 trillion COVID relief to help Montanans or the rest of the nation!

We’re looking at you, Senator Daines, and Congressman Rosendale. It's all reactionary politics. Their position on social issues of white grievance and voter suppression laws is also not popular with the majority of young voters. How can the GOP go to the young in Montana and America and argue to put them in charge of their future? 

Also, consider this. Since the Supreme Court considers corporations as citizens and there are more people that patronize corporations that oppose these new voting restrictions, it is easy to understand why organizations like MLB, NBA, Apple, Microsoft, Delta, Cisco have publicly opposed the GOP’s voting Jim Crow 2.0 in Georgia and elsewhere. Instead, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell chastises corporations to stay out of politics but still wants CEOs to continue sending campaign contributions to Republican legislators. By this strategy, America would devolve into a quasi-Putin Russia where CEOs must agree with Putin--or else death or prison. It’s crony capitalism at its worst.

The greatest danger to America now is not realizing the great danger! And here is the point: The GOP believes elections in America should not be decided by the people if your side loses. This is NOT a democracy. CEOs realize this situation and that’s why many of them feel this needs to be confronted.

The solution is NOT to pretend the January 6th coup did not happen but a bipartisan commission to address the causes, events of 1/6/21 and safeguard voting rights for all eligible voters and bring more confidence to the naysayers about our elections. It is also why HR1 is popular because it restores the Voting Rights Act to strengthen the right to vote and limits dark money in elections.

If the GOP intends to stay in power in face of changing social dynamics of the country by ignoring issues of young and people of color through gerrymandering and voting restrictions, we as a country are back to the original sin and the attempted coup of January 6 was only practice. And like Germany of the 1930s, the final coup will come through the legislative process. It is the southern strategy 2.0 and the coup is not over. 

David James, Eureka

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