Why does the GOP call Democrats on the left side of the political spectrum “radical”? Isn’t it the right-wing nutjobs who carry assault rifles, deny science, and offer conspiracy theories about the election? That sounds far more radical and dangerous than wanting clean water, equal rights, and universal health care. What’s so radical about telling the truth and representing the wishes of the people?            

This reflects a tradition of Republican’s telling the people what Democrats believe in, and of course getting it 100% wrong.

For instance, Republicans are saying that President Biden’s proposed capital gains tax increase will apply to all stock market gains. This is pure fiction. The Republicans want to scare people with false statements. In truth, this proposal exempts 401(k) plans and other individual retirement accounts. And, it will only apply to those earning more than $1 Million a year (the richest 0.32% of all Americans).

Let’s take another example – a hot button issue: Black Lives Matter. Democrats would like the police to stop killing minorities. But put that through the Republican lie-conversion algorithm and they’ll claim that Democrats hate police.

Let’s stay focused on police for a moment. I think most everyone could agree that police are not properly trained for providing psychological care. That’s why you end up with police shooting an autistic man because they don’t know how to defuse the situation with words. Wouldn’t taking those kinds of calls off of the police and giving them to trained social workers and mental health professionals work better?

Well, that’s what Defunding the Police means. Republicans would have you believe that Democrats want to stop paying our police and turn American in a lawless wasteland. More lies, of course. Democrats would see the funds and responsibilities allocated for social services response calls by the police, moved to actual social services providers. The police would still be fully funded for everything in their jurisdiction.

Colin Kaepernick started a movement kneeling during the National Anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. Republicans turned the message into: Democrats hate the flag, soldiers, and America. Nothing could be further from the truth. It takes a true patriot to want to inspire change to make their country better.

It’s as if the Republicans don’t have a position of their own to attract voters, so they lie about the Democrats in order to make people vote red out of fear.

Remember the hum dinger when Trump showed a picture of riots in the streets and tried to tell people “this is what you’ll get in Joe Biden’s America”, yet the pictures were of riots during Trump’s presidency? Classic.

Republicans have spent decades painting a false narrative about Democrats. Those attempts went into overdrive during the Trump administration. They call themselves the silent majority, but in actuality they are the vocal minority. That scares them. They know they can’t win a free and fair election, so they cling to the electoral college and gerrymandering voting districts.

Undoing the lies of the Trump administration and other Republicans before him will take time – if it’s even possible. In some cases, it won’t be possible. It is a lot easier for Republicans to trick someone than it is to convince that person they’ve been tricked.

But, I think the majority of Americans can learn to navigate the waters of truth and lies for themselves. Americans turned out in record numbers in 2020 to ensure Trump was voted out of office. That’s a good sign. Fox News viewership is down 40%. That’s also a good sign.

We can do this – we can take back our country from the nutjobs and corporate criminals. And that scares the hell out of Republicans, because they know it. They’ll double down on their lies like nonexistent voter fraud, but we will persevere by staying true to our purpose in making this a country of truth where we can all prosper.

Just remember, people who feel the need to tell you what you should think, usually have something to hide. Do your research. Be informed.

Peace. Love. Trust.

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