The GOP Has Poisoned the Well With It’s Latest Antics in Tennessee

The continued crumbling of political discourse in America is a surprise to exactly zero people. Democrats and Republicans have pushed further and further to the edges of their respective sides over the years and left the majority of voters alone in the middle.

There comes a point, however, when it becomes abundantly clear that one side has taken things to another level.

The GOP has dominated the political news sphere as of late, with none of it being particularly for the good.

First off, there is Florida governor Ron Desantis going after Disney and its special self-governing status in the state. While hardcore conservatives applaud the attack on the “woke” corporation, many are left to wonder if taking on the one of world’s largest media companies is a good idea. Come campaign time during his presidential run, Desantis could see some of Disney’s $55 million daily revenue being donated to his opponents.

Then there’s Donald Trump. Already a record breaker by being the only president to ever be impeached twice, Trump had the distinction last week of becoming the first former president to ever be charged with a crime. He faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in attempt to defraud voters during the 2016 election cycle. On top of that, he has a civil case pending over rape allegations and the looming prospect of charges in Georgia for trying to interfere with the 2020 election.

While Desantis and Trump are the poster boys for modern GOP chicanery, Tennessee Republicans set the new standard for absurdity.

After yet another mass shooting, this time at a school in Nashville, protestors marched on the Tennessee state house to call for stricter gun control laws. Three state representatives joined the protestors from the house floor, cheering them on.

The state GOP did not appreciate being shown up and moved to expel the three Democrat representatives for supposedly violating the rules of decorum.

While Rep. Gloria Jones survived her expulsion by one vote, Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson did not. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Gloria Jones is a 60-year-old White women, while the other two representatives are young, Black men.

It appears that both expelled representatives will be reappointed to their seats, but the GOP has continued to threaten withholding of funds and other retaliatory measures to try to prevent this from happening.

Even after Jones and Pearson regain their seats, the very fact that they were removed because of political malfeasance should anger Democratic voters. The actions taken by Tennessee Republicans is yet another escalation of their efforts to form a one-party state.

There can be no further governing in good faith when the yoke of authoritarianism is trying to be slipped over the necks of the populace.

The well has been poisoned and so has any chance of bipartisanship.