GOP POLITICS: Divisive behavior a threat to democracy

I’m a Democrat but I’ve always been willing to listen to ideas from people who are members of a different party. In the past I often found Republicans and other non-Democrats who were willing to support their position on issues through discussion. That is not the case these days. That trend has now morphed into a win at all cost attitude including attacking those who disagree, with lies and unsupported claims.

The saddest outcome of that is those same behaviors have now become the methods that are used by Republican politicians: lie, invent false stories, refuse to deny unsupportable positions of fellow Republicans. The resulting “them” and “us” attitude has become prevalent in that party, with very few exceptions.

Until recently I thought of other Americans, without considering politics, as fellow citizens. When I learned someone’s politics that did not change. I do not want it to change because when that attitude is prevalent democracy has an opportunity to survive.

At this time, it’s survival is tenuous. The latest results of that development is that Republican politicians looking to be reelected do not even have to demonstrate success. They just very vaguely attach themselves to ideas they know their constituents like, or worse, claim failures on the part of their opponents without any reference to facts. That is a sad state of affairs and, if it doesn’t change, a serious threat to true democracy.

MORTON KRAUS

Coeur d’Alene