The current GOP, Trump, and what it means to be a Democrat
I will begin with a criticism of today's GOP and I will end with what I think being a Democrat is all about.
Today's GOP is built on the idea STRONG leadership is what this country needs as it has been for at least 50 years. The idea of STRONG leadership has an intellectual basis in the GOP. The GOP rank and file are desperately looking for a STRONG daddy figure so they can worship him as if the person is God on Earth. It's almost like a cult. It's like the GOP authoritarians have been indoctrinated with a religion based on monarchy which advocates a single authority at the top with a bunch of obedient slaves at the bottom.
With Trump, the GOP seems to want to return to a King James type government. King James believed in the divine rights of kings and wrote about it in his book, "True Law of Free Monarchies." The divine right of kings claims: "In European Christianity, the divine right of kings, divine right, or God's mandation is a political and religious doctrine of political legitimacy of a monarchy. It stems from a specific metaphysical framework in which a monarch is, before birth, pre-ordained to inherit the crown. According to this theory of political legitimacy, the subjects of the crown have actively (and not merely passively) turned over the metaphysical selection of the king's soul which will inhabit the body and rule them to God. In this way, the "divine right" originates as a metaphysical act of humility and/or submission towards God. " The GOP doesn't believe in the rule-of-law. The GOP believes in the rule of STRONG leadership which is monarchy. The GOP wants STRONG leadership and obedience to authority above every other consideration!
Contrary to the idea of STRONG leadership, is what Democrats and Democratic leadership does. Democrats are more concerned with building a consensus, coming up with a public policy, voting, and the idea that each of us has something important to say. Democrats stand for equality, no one is above or below the law, voting, democracy, women's rights, and the fellowship that comes from considering everyone as being equals.
I just cannot accept the nature of today's GOP party. I cannot accept the way the GOP puts STRONG leadership and obedience before equality, no one is above or below the law, voting, democracy, women's rights, and the fellowship that comes from considering everyone as being equals. I'm done with the GOP. I will never accept monarchy over the rule of law. I just can't stand it.