# The Republican Party is the Party of Evil **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 4, 2021, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187 "2021-03-04T17:43:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 136
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2702 "2024-05-01T14:25:56Z")
I had to check to make sure they weren’t just talking about the internal GOP party processes there but nope - they mean America as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2703 "2024-05-01T14:47:45Z")
The talking point I see often is, we are NOT a democracy, we are a republic. I don’t know what they think they get by claiming that, but I see it a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2704 "2024-05-01T15:01:09Z")
They get to erode the idea that we’re a democracy, which is entirely the point. There’s also the whole thing around the two party names but mostly it’s justification for their attacks on American democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2705 "2024-05-01T15:13:37Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > The talking point I see often is, we are NOT a democracy, we are a republic. I don’t know what they think they get by claiming that, but I see it a lot. Which, of course, ignores the fact that a republic is a type of democracy. It’s common to use this anti-democratic argument to justify the electoral college. The claim is that, if we went to a direct popular vote, we would no longer be a republic, which would somehow lead to tyranny. It’s a stupid claim, because the U.S. would just as much be a republic with direct election of the president as it is now. One reason so many Republicans make this claim is that they know they’re now in the minority nationwide. If the U.S. were to change to a more democratic system by, say, directly electing the president, and eliminating or reducing gerrymandering, it would significantly reduce their power. A really radical change, like getting rid of the Senate, would destroy their power at the national level. Do Republicans ever argue in favor of eliminating state ballot initiatives? That really is direct democracy, as opposed to republicanism. Do they ever argue against the direct election of governors, in favor of something like the electoral college at the state level? Do they argue in favor each state having part of its legislature not directly elected? If they were logically consistent, they’d want the same things at the state level that they favor at the national level. They don’t really believe in these things. It’s all about holding onto power. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2706 "2024-05-01T15:52:40Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Do Republicans ever argue in favor of eliminating state ballot initiatives? Yes, because of the state abortion-access initiatives that are now popular. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2707 "2024-05-01T16:44:06Z")
I believe GOP attacks in Ohio and Missouri (the Alabama of the Midwest) lend credence to the party’s hypocrisy re: citizen initiatives. Great rant, by the way. For. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2708 "2024-05-01T17:27:52Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Do Republicans ever argue in favor of eliminating state ballot initiatives? That really is direct democracy, as opposed to republicanism. Do they ever argue against the direct election of governors, in favor of something like the electoral college at the state level? Do they argue in favor each state having part of its legislature not directly elected? If they were logically consistent, they’d want the same things at the state level that they favor at the national level. They don’t really believe in these things. It’s all about holding onto power. They are not logically consistent and it is entirely about holding onto power. If they don’t control things at a federal level, they insist the states should decide. When they gain federal power, they happily impose laws on a national level, even on issues they previously said should be left up to the states. Lies, hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy are all they have any more. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2709 "2024-05-01T18:18:26Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Lies, hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy are all they have any more. They are very _consistent_ about hating the right people, though. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2710 "2024-05-01T19:01:33Z")
I thought they hated the left people though? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2711 "2024-05-01T21:11:35Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I don’t know what they think they get by claiming that, but I see it a lot. Nominally they get the party name glory. “Were not spreading Democrats worldwide, we’re spreading Republicans.” More insidiously, they are actively gutting democracy. They want to restore Senators to being selected by the State Legislature. That means cutting out voters, one level removed from selecting their representers. They already are trying to limit voters, cut voting access, make it harder for poor people. They want to eliminate all mail- in votes and all electronic means of counting. This is supposedly in the name of vote integrity, but limits access to hourly workers others who don’t set their own schedule. Counting by hand is supposed to eliminate cheating in the system by rigging the software, but it means needing dozens more volunteer staffers, from both parties, to monitor the counts. Like the hanging chad debacle in Florida on 2000. Our the situation in Arizona. I have been saying that Republicans are so afraid of Democrats that they are fighting Democracy - now they go and prove me right. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2712 "2024-05-01T21:54:17Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > They are very _consistent_ about hating the right people, though. > [@Airbeck](#): > > I thought they hated the left people though? Let’s just split the difference and agree that they hate everyone! 👿 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2713 "2024-05-01T22:32:24Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > More insidiously, they are actively gutting democracy. They want to restore Senators to being selected by the State Legislature. **That means cutting out voters, one level removed from selecting their representers.** That also means declaring that the Seventeenth Amendment doesn’t apply to Washington State, apparently. And even if they could make that happen, it’s tough to see how that would benefit the GOP, since the Democrats enjoy a 58-40 majority in the state Legislature. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2714 "2024-05-01T22:53:45Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > That also means declaring that the Seventeenth Amendment doesn’t apply to Washington State, apparently They want to campaign to have it repealed. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > And even if they could make that happen, it’s tough to see how that would benefit the GOP, since the Democrats enjoy a 58-40 majority in the state Legislature. The premise is it makes Senators more beholden to the State. Somehow it nebulously gives the states more power to offset the federal growth in power. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2715 "2024-05-01T23:00:18Z")
Yeah, I can see that, but if they’re beholden to the state _without being beholden to the GOP_, it’s difficult to ferret out a motivation for the GOP to want it. And it’s not like playing the long game is exactly on-brand for these guys. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2716 "2024-05-01T23:14:46Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > More insidiously, they are actively gutting democracy. They want to restore Senators to being selected by the State Legislature. Mainly because they can’t Gerrymander senate races. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2717 "2024-05-01T23:16:10Z")
There doesn’t seem to be any logic to it other than _elections = bad_ and _stupid democracy because it’s Democratic_. “We don’t want to be a democracy, we want to be a republic.” Uh, those aren’t mutually exclusive things. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2718 "2024-05-01T23:22:39Z")
‘People? The Democrat party is illeagle! It’s write they’re in the Constitution!’ **Article IV** , **Section 4** : The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2719 "2024-05-02T02:38:29Z")
And today’s GOP believes _Republican_ means _Authoritarian_. Odd thing, though, is they accuse the Liberals of being authoritarian. I guess this is another example of “every accusation”. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2720 "2024-05-02T12:29:59Z")
For whatever reason, I think this is a good moment to remember a funny line from the 1978 version of _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_: [Matthew Bennell](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000661/?ref_=tt_ch): Do you want to go see my friend David Kibner? [Elizabeth Driscoll](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000724/?ref_=tt_ch): The psychiatrist? [Matthew Bennell](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000661/?ref_=tt_ch): Not like that. Talk to him. He would put things into perspective. -… [Elizabeth Driscoll](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000724/?ref_=tt_ch): I’m not crazy. [Matthew Bennell](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000661/?ref_=tt_ch): No, no, no. I’m serious. He would eliminate whether Geoffrey was having an affair, or had become gay. Whether he had a social disease, or had become a Republican. All the things that could have happened to have made you feel he had changed. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187/2721 "2024-05-02T15:14:18Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > to remember a funny line from the 1978 version of _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_: Or from the SNL parody, where the pods were making liberals into conservatives. “The answer, my friend/is Ronald Reagan…” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187.md?page=135) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-party-is-the-party-of-evil/937187.md?page=137)