Mark Small

As I started to write this blog during the evening of January 7, the results of dt’s actions were playing out on TV. Twice I have watched, in real-time on TV, attacks in the Middle East that involved U.S. military forces. 2/21

The second time was Gulf “War” II in 2003. The first time was Gulf “War” I in January, 1991. In each case the Oval Office was occupied by the GOP: George W. and George H.W. Bush, respectively. 3/21

For too long progressives - ppl who believe in human rts, oppose militarism & the huge corporate state, and favor intelligence - have seemed 2 sit back, politely, as stupidity, ignorance & hatred dominated the GOP. 4/21

In 2010, the so-called tea party used the political primary - and transformed a noun into a verb - to challenge candidates in the GOP who, in the views of the tea party, were not sufficiently doctrinaire, i.e., right wing. 5/21

Both the Democratic Party and the GOP, over their histories, have embraced policies & philosophies on the continuum fr liberal 2 conservative. At various times each has had conservative and liberal wings. 6/21

Some who label themselves “conservative” and decry any approach to “socialism” have cheered as the current occupant of the Oval Office has gutted programs for clean air and water, housing for the poor, and public schools. 7/21

If one believes such programs are socialistic, then the last “socialist” President of this country was Richard Nixon, who, despite many - many, many, many - flaws, was proud of these policies and to have been a lifelong Republican. 8/21

The 2010 play by tea party ppl to take over the GOP & force it to be ideologically pure was both cynical and strategically savvy. Each party, in 46 States and four commonwealths, is a corporate entity. Corporations are not people. 9/21

The current occupant of the Oval Office - I do not like to write or speak his name; I’d call him Voldemort, but dont want 2 insult death eaters, so I use lower case initials “dt” - made a move similarly cynical when he decided to run for Prez. 10/21

In 1987 was GOP; 1999 he switched to Independence Party of New York; 2001 he became a Democrat; 2009 he rejoined the GOP; 2011 he marked "no party affiliation"; finally in 2012 he rejoined the GOP. 11/21

In 2004, he told CNN: In many cases, I probably identify > as Democrat ... seems economy does better under Democrats we've had some pretty bad disaster under GOP. these fr Wikipedia. 12/21

Corporate entities are legal fictions created by State. If Machiavelli were alive, he probably would see dt’s vacillations for what they are and applaud; I doubt he’d work for dt. Machiavelli had morals. 13/21

dt did not win popular vote but lost by 3 million in 2016 - close enough 4 Russia to flip votes in 3 States so dt could take the majority of the electors. dt utilized anger, mainly by white people, who believe USA has gone downhill. 14/21

USA caught glimpses of greatness w/events dt’s supporters see as USA failings: people of color, women, and indigenous peoples began to gain rts, American people sd “enough” to fraudulent war & put stop 2 Vietnam 15/21

dt cussed, made fun of others, and appealed to people who wanted to take out their anger. They have taken over one of the two major political parties, even though they are a definite minority of the voters. 16/21

I am running in the GOP. I think it’s wrong to sit back and allow hatred and ignorance to keep a stranglehold on this country through their stranglehold on the GOP. 17/21

GOP ppl forget Roe v Wade was wr by GOP-nominated SCOTUS justice, that @ 1 time Nixon & Dr King were friends, & the ultimate conservative Barry Goldwater said the evangelical effort to take the GOP was a terrible thing. 18/21

I run as a Republican, with a platform that reflects what the GOP has held as values since its founding in 1854. I live in a “red” State. There are people here who want to vote for a pro-choice, anti-war candidate, but never would vote for a Democrat. 19/21

That’s why I am running Might seem like I’m tilting at windmills, but we - the real majority of people in the USA - cant afford to abandon one-half of our political structure to the chaos created by ignorance and bigotry. 20/21