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Sure, I’ll Explain Today’s GOP in 1,500ish Words

I also chime in on the Democrats and the internet, btw

7 min readFeb 26, 2024

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I’m constantly reminded these days of the no-bullshit Texas journalist Molly Ivins’ observation that Americans get it wrong: politics isn’t about left or right; it’s “top versus bottom.” Ivins passed away in 2007 but is still right—top versus bottom. And these days, the top is winning.

That is how power in this country is structured, and any story to the contrary is just that. A story. Made-up. Fairy dust. Pur fantasme.

I know the noise is apocalyptic and constant. Everyone is screaming: It’s the end of the world! Our times are more than interesting; they are terrifying. But I don’t think this moment in history is uniquely complex. So, I will try to explain a couple of things using as few words as possible (I will fail at that.)

First, our republic was broken from the beginning, so nothing currently happening is new. Second, there is no quick fix to our nation’s problem unless someone invents a bomb that explodes and spreads clouds of chemical empathy. Absent a mass compassion event, we’re stuck being selfish, paranoid humans stabbing each other in the back for food and entertainment.

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John DeVore

I created Humungus, a blog about pop culture, politics, and feelings. Support the madness: https://johndevore.medium.com/subscribe