A Republican Blaming Rush Limbaugh for Poisoning the American Mind

I know there are millions of Americans, other than myself, and millions more, world-wide, who find the current crop of Republican presidential candidates to  be embarrassing on a level we have not seen before.

As in jaw dropping embarrassing. So much spewing of utter nonsense.

While I know that I am  not alone, I have thought maybe my high level of being so appalled might be a function of being older, more jaded, maybe wiser. I do not remember Republicans being so embarrassing during the Reagan and Bush years. Obviously I am referring to Bush 1, not Bush 2. It was during the Bush 2 debacle that I think the Republicans lost their collective minds.

The only Republicans I remember being embarrassing during the Reagan/Bush years where the two Pats, Robertson and Buchanan.

So, this morning on Facebook, via one of the wisest Americans on the planet, Robert Reich, I was pleased to see that I am on the same page as Mr. Reich in terms of wondering if I am being somehow overly appalled by that which seems so appalling.

The entirety of the Robert Reich Facebook post for your reading pleasure....

The other night I phoned a former Republican member of Congress with whom I'd worked in the 1990s on various pieces of legislation. I consider him a friend. I wanted his take on the Republican candidates because I felt I needed a reality check. Was I becoming excessively crotchety and partisan, or are these people really as weird as they seem? We got right into it:

Me: "So what do really you think of these candidates?"

Him: "You want my unvarnished opinion?'

Me: "Please. That's why I called."

Him: "They're all nuts."

Me: "Seriously. What do you really think of them?"

Him: "I just told you. They're bonkers. Bizarre. They're like a Star Wars bar room."

Me: "How did it happen? How did your party manage to come up with this collection?"

Him: "We didn't. They came up with themselves. There's no party any more. It's chaos. Anybody can just decide they want to be the Republican nominee, and make a run for it. Carson? Trump? They're in the lead, and they're both out of their f*cking minds."

Me: "That's not reassuring."

Him: "It's a disaster. I'm telling you, if either of them is elected, this country is going to hell. The rest of them aren't much better. I mean, Carly Fiorina? Really? Rubio? Please. Ted Cruz? Oh my god. And the people we thought had it sewn up, who are halfway sane -- Bush and Christie -- they're sounding almost as batty as the rest."

Me: "Who's to blame for this mess?"

Him: "Roger Ailes, David and Charles Koch, Rupert Murdoch, Rush Limbaugh. I could go on. They've poisoned the American mind and destroyed the Republican Party.

Me: "Nice talking with you."

Him: "Sleep well."

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So, it is pleasing to read that there are some Republicans who recognize the damage uneducated right wing nutjobs, like Rush Limbaugh, have done to the psyche of way too many Americans.

I really think it might be a good thing if President Obama used one of those Executive Orders which the right wing ignoramuses think are some illegal usurpation of the Constitution, to issue a new version of John Adams' Alien & Sedition Acts.

Arrest the right wing hatemongers, charge them with treason and send them  to that Guantanamo Bay location so many of them are so fond of....