Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Ex-president Donald Trump’s influence over the disturbing 70-plus million people who voted for him is still powerful.
It is disturbing because the party Trump hijacked, the Republicans, now indulges in Trump’s brand of re-inventing the world for their convenience, regardless of demonstrable facts.
Currently, the biggest lie the Trump Republicans are perpetuating is that President Joe Biden’s policies alone have caused the current immigration surge on U.S. southern borders.
It’s convenient to say that, because it may decrease Biden’s popularity.
According to several sources, however, the usual drivers of immigration — poverty, violence and corruption — have been made worse by two recent hurricanes that have left thousands homeless, especially in Honduras.
Yes, perceptions of easier immigration policy are a part of the reason, but far from being all of it, despite Trumpist proclamations from the border in talking points written before they traveled there.
The Republicans should instead lend a hand to deal with a problem as a shared concern.
It is also inconvenient that despite all of our longings and weariness with restrictions, the COVID-19 pandemic is still very much with us.
Conveniently, however, Trump-emulating governors in Texas and Florida proclaim precautions are no longer necessary because they hamper state economies. That would be OK, only they think people will re-elect them based on the economy alone.
Rather than rallying people to continue the struggle for health and safety and assuring their people get the help they need, Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Texas’ Greg Abbott cynically pander to misconceptions by easing restrictions way too much, way too soon.
Florida’s beaches now host shoulder-to-shoulder crowds and a Texas stadium recently was filled to capacity with mostly unmasked patrons just as a more infectious, deadlier strain of the coronavirus started to predominate in the U.S.
The last time I was in Texas, most people were wearing masks and distancing, though, demonstrating more sense than Abbott.
I regret to note that California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is also easing restrictions prematurely, but at least he intends to reinforce mask mandates.
Inconveniently, on Jan. 6, Trump supporters, acting on a lie about stolen elections, invaded the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to throttle a legitimate government exercise. We know this because New Mexico’s most visible pro-Trump extremist Couy Griffin was among them, cheering them on while participating in some of their lesser felonies.
And yet, polls say most Republicans would rather believe mouthpieces who blame “far-left extremists” for this Trump-inspired riot than their lying eyes.
Acting on the stolen election lie, however, Republican Georgia has found it convenient to impose unnecessary restrictions on voting in an attempt to prevent another election “theft” by a majority of voters.
In the past, I have often thought Republicans made more sense than Democrats when debate was based on facts, however skewed by either side.
I would hope the Trump GOP’s current platform based on provable lies is doomed to a short, unhappy life, and I hope the day comes soon that wiser heads lead the greater GOP to again base policy on facts, not convenient untruths.
Steve Hansen writes for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at: