In an article this weekend called “Former GOP lawmaker: Republican Party ‘engulfed in lies and fear'” by Jonathan Easley of The Hill, yet another former lawmaker is sharing his concerns about how far his party has fallen. Here are a few paragraphs from the article, plus a link below.
“Former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) argued in a pre-taped interview that ran Friday that the Republican Party has lost its way and become ‘engulfed in lies in fear.‘
Curbelo and former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) teamed up as part of the nonpartisan debate series IntelligenceSquared U.S. to argue that many within the GOP are knowingly pushing a lie that the election was stolen out of fear of retaliation from former President Trump.
In his opening remarks, Curbelo said that by embracing former President Trump’s election claims, which preceded the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, the GOP had lost its credibility and damaged democracy.
‘Here we only have two [political parties] and in order for one to be able to hold the other accountable, it has to be viable. It has to have credibility. With a majority of the voters in the country, it has to be a reasonable choice for most people,’ Curbelo said. ‘And the problem we have today in our democracy is that the Republican Party is losing that position. Why? Because it has lost its way. Because it’s a party engulfed in lies and in fear.’
Curbelo, a moderate conservative, lost his South Florida swing district in 2018 by only about 4,000 votes in what was a big year for Democrats. He has emerged as a vocal critic of Trump and the direction of the GOP.
In the Intelligence Squared debate, he argued that many members of Congress know Trump’s election claims are false but that they lack the courage to stand up to him, knowing that it could cost them their seats.”
Let’s be clear. Fear has long been a tool of the untruthful and bullying former president. He even bragged to NBC’s Lestor Holt in an interview that is his modus operandi. That even led two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward to entitle his book on the Trump White House “Fear,” based on 750 hours of interviews. But, lying is also a tool of the former president as he is well-documented from multiple sources and data points as routinely untruthful.
So, the fact the former president lied about rampant election fraud is not a surprise. If he is talking or tweeting, he is most likely lying. Or, as Thomas Wells, an attorney said about him in 2016, “Donald Trump lies every day even about things of no consequence.
What bothers me more is Republican legislators – Gaetz, Gohmert, McCarthy, Scalise, Jordan, Nunes, McConnell, Hawley, Cruz, Graham et all lying for this untruthful person. Too many continue to believe what Attorney General William Barr called “bulls**t” about the former president’s toddler-like election fraud claims.
To give the former president’s claims the appropriate reporting, use your best four year old voice and say “I didn’t lose. I won by a lot. It was stolen from me.” That is the veracity of the petulant and seditious former president’s claims. As his niece Mary said, her uncle will burn it all down to avoid losing. It should be noted that seven people are dead because of an insurrection he caused.
Former GOP lawmaker: Republican Party ‘engulfed in lies and fear’ (msn.com)
musingsofanoldfart 
It is good to hear Curbelo, Flake and a handful of others speaking out against the Trumpian lies, but many more need to do the same. The ones you mention — McConnell, McCarthy et al — know the truth, for they are not stupid men, but they are so afraid of losing Trump’s base if they speak the truth, that they have sacrificed their integrity, their honour, to perpetuate the big lie. They, along with the former guy, have turned what was once a reputable, credible political party into a three-ring circus … a dark, evil, destructive circus such as one that might have come out of the mind of author Stephen King. Good post, Keith.
Jill, so true. The Stephen King metaphor is apt. We must not forget CPAC has always been an extreme group that, until the seditious former president, Republican presidents did not attend. The former president went while president. So, making it a key part of the Trump Party speaks volumes, but not in the way they intend. The Trump Party is built on a three0legged stool of conspiracies, lies and fear. Keith
“4 year old” voice! YES!
Well said!
Thanks Joy. My kids liked it when I shared that observation as it is truly a toddler’s argument portrayed by a 70 + year old person.
Keith always has a way with words!
Merci beau coup.
Reblogged this on Filosofa's Word and commented:
I’ve often wondered what will become of the Republican Party, aka the GOP. The party has linked itself to the former guy, a ‘man’ without conscience, without intellect, that it seems they have nowhere to go but down. Keith’s post this morning tells us of a few members of the party with the courage to speak out and say, “This is not who we should be!” Thanks, Keith, for giving us hope that perhaps some in the GOP are as disgusted as we are!
Thanks for the reblog. These messages need to be heard. Keith
Yes, they do! Our voices are small, but … maybe if we only reach one or two, it’s enough.
Jill, since i was admonished with a good riddance when I told a MAGA fan I left the Republican Party, these voices become more powerful as the numbers of departures build. Keith
That last line goes through you. How many more might die?
So true.
Have you checked out the shape of the CPAC stage? Coincidence, I’m almost sure.
I think – based solely and wholly on overwhelming compelling evidence – the Republican Party is now an existential threat to the United States of America and any Republican who continues to support this party is in the most charitable viewpoint an enabler of this seditious threat.
Tildeb, the former president has been a threat to national security for awhile. Those who aid and abet him have many questions to answer. Keith
I can’t help but wonder if the current GOP are glad that no-ones listening or whether they wish more were listening. The truth is, if they all turn their backs on Trump there’s very little he could do except try to start his own party and that just splits the vote. Chances are his mind will be occupied with other things soon as the writs are served.
Hugs
David, all good points. Keith
The Trumpster appeared to learn early on – when he was four or younger, that being loud, brash, demanding and a fear-mongering bully worked for him. He was never reined in but only rewarded for this behaviour. And somewhere else, there is young folk or Trump juniors looking up to him as a way to operate because, unfortunately, most of the time it works. Where is the boundary of acceptable behaviour for the tolerant man? Does Trump cross it? Why was he tolerated for so long?
He is truly despicable for his lack of compassion. Many will dance on his grave, and when he is crying out for compassion on his deathbed, there will be none. His legacy, sadly will endure for some time.
Amanda, it is hard to argue with your points. He is boorish behavior has been tolerated and excused for too long. Plus, he has a fixer for a reason to pay people to go away. Keith
A fixer? You mean a stand over man?
Amanda, Michael Cohen, his attorney/ fixer would fix the former president’s problems. Twenty plus sexual assault cases being settled, two known affairs while married to Melania being settled, forcing entities not to release tapes, transcripts, etc. detrimental to the former president. Keith
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
The GOP is engulfed in Trump’s lies and the fear of his followers.
Thanks Suzanne. I appreciate your helping get the word out from the Republicans who care about their country and party.