Today we will know for sure where every politician stands compared to values. The easiest way for me to explain this is from the perspective of Germany in 1933, where the 4 main parties had very different policies
SPD
The SPD had strong actions backing their values. They always opposed the forces of evil no matter what, and continue to exist to this day. SPD formed almost all of the major parties
Die Zentrum
Die Zentrum was always trying to find a compromise which ends up helping evil. Not every member of Die Zentrum was a bootlicker, but the leadership of the party gave Hitler the chancellorship.
The Communists
The Communists talked a big talk but in the end helping the forces of evil start the biggest war in history.
The Nazis, DNVP,
The Nazis of course came to power with the help of die Zentrum, ended democracy for over a decade, then starting a massive genocide, followed by starting a war with the Communists. Their rule started with the ReichstagFeuer, and were obviously a hypernationalist party which used violence to intimidate everyone who wasn’t on their side.
There are modern counterparts to all of these parties. The Republicans are made of both Nazis and die Zentrum. The Democrats are composed of counterparts of the SPD (the progressive wing, the traditional branch of the party) and members who are essentially die Zentrum, they’ll talk a good talk, but are likely to oppose progressive policies which more vengeance than they will stand up to the Nazis. We don’t have many communists in this country.
Just like in the Weimar Republic, America has seen the growth of a large ultra nationalist far right movement in recent years. The question remains whether we will let the Nazis win again. Every single American has a choice, do you support the Nazis or do you not. If you support the Nazis, you can vote for them directly, or vote for people who will compromise with them. These are the Republicans who choose to appoint all of the Nazi appointees to our court system and the Democrats who are refusing to call today’s event a coup and are talking about how we should not prosecute them for their crimes against democracy in a futile search for unity. Nazis are never going to come to the table of democracy. In order for democracy to work, there needs to be an underlying belief that democracy works, and a willingness to accept the results of a democratic election even if it means you lose. There appears to be a very strong current in the Republican Party today which has this attribute.
Then of course there are the SPD who always opposed the Nazis from the very beginning, they never compromised with them, and they always upheld the values of democracy. This is the side I choose to be on.
I’m too emotionally tired from today’s events to continue writing this essay, so I’m just going to end with one question.
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?