Words matter. Truth matters more. I learned this decades ago at my mother’s knee.
Many Republicans seem to have missed these lessons. Continuing fealty to a defeated, twice- impeached, thrice- married, womanizing, lying, foul-mouthed former president and confessed assaulter, and supporting candidates of his choosing, brings shame to a once-proud GOP.
In Westmoreland County, they gave 46% of their votes to big lie-embracer Sen. Doug Mastriano for governor. Having once supported commissioner candidate Republican Doug Chew, who pledged to donate a portion of his salary back to the county, then reneged and only gave in after pressure from the Tribune-Review and others, is another example of county voters backing those untethered to the truth.
Reading the draft of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade indicates five Republican appointees lied their way onto the nation’s highest court. There they join the ethically challenged Justice Clarence Thomas, who voted in a case where his wife was a stakeholder. Ginni Thomas was among those attending the Jan. 6 insurrection (along with the aforementioned Mastriano) and acted to try to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has embarrassed even his supporters with lies about his lies. Even Charlie McCarthy never did that. Maybe Pinocchio.
Republicans can use more than a new moral compass. They need their mouths washed out with soap, as was a threat of my youth.
Glenn R. Plummer
Unity