Politicians are not and should not be required to denounce their own supporters when those supporters get out of hand or go too far.

in politics •  3 years ago 

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I am not now, nor have I ever been, a registered Republican, and I feel no need to defend the GOP. But this statement by a Republican congresswoman, attacking the GOP, strikes me as false. As far as I know, the Republican Party is not anti-Semitic. If it were, I think I would notice, and I would denounce it. Nor does Liz Cheney's unsupported claim that "The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism [and] white supremacy" ring true. Of course, anyone can claim -- especially if they provide no evidence for their claim -- that an individual or group or organization is racist or white nationalist or white supremacist. But without offering any explanation or examples of such a claim, it's just a cheap shot. It's too easy nowadays to call people names and have those names stick, simply because of the reputation of the speaker, whether that speaker ever offers to prove their claim or not, whether the claim is true or not.

Liz Cheney has spoken out against Trump and against the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Therefore, some will conclude, she must be believable! She must be speaking the truth! But that doesn't follow. The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend. And a Republican who speaks out against the Republican establishment is not necessarily a truth-teller, even if she is a maverick.

A public denunciation may serve the other political party, but it might also alienate the politicians from their own constituents. And once their constituents are alienated, the politicians have less ability to educate and influence their wayward followers.

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