(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Crying Game: Tears of Joy and Relief — The Week in Editorial Cartoons, Part 1 (Update x 2) [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-04-16 "I was alright for a while, I could smile for a while, But I saw you last night, you held my hand so tight, As you stopped to say, "Hello," Oh, you wished me well, you couldn't tell, That I'd been crying over you, Crying over you." You cannot defend the indefensible. In an excellent article in the Atlantic magazine, Peter Wehner describes the current state of mind of the modern-day Republican Party. It seems to have little to no resemblance to the GOP of yesteryear. When Richard Nixon committed crimes in the 1970s and the Watergate Committee investigation concluded who the guilty party was, a delegation of Republican lawmakers on August 7, 1974, led by Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), informed the President of the United States that the gig was up. If Nixon didn’t resign his office, then, the US House of Representatives was poised to impeach him. Furthermore, having lost virtually all support in the United State Senate, it was a near certainty that he would be convicted and legally removed from office. Richard Nixon Resigns — Herblock, Washington Post, Credit: Bill of Rights Institute The next day on August 8, 1974, Richard Nixon resigned as President of the United States. Almost five decades later, as unconstitutional as it was in that political era, the Watergate Scandal seems far less serious than the crimes committed by Donald Trump. Most rational-thinking people would assume that other Republican lawmakers know this in their gut: they are defending a criminal who does not deserve — in any way, shape, or form — to be defended. In recent weeks, the Tennessee GOP was being hammered nationally for expelling two black legislators protesting the proliferation of guns and lack of gun reform on the floor of the state House. Only a few days later, both Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson were reinstated and returned as members of the Tennessee legislature. The lesson learned was that you can engage in Trump-like shenanigans for only so long. At some point, it is politically destructive to continue doing so. Why do other Republicans across the country still engage in either defending Trump or continue using his repulsive political tactics? This article provides some clues. An Acute Attack of Trumpism in Tennessee Shame is a toxic emotion, and it often causes people to direct hostility outward. Peter Wehner: “We’re watching Trump-induced idiocy. For more than seven years, Republicans have defended Trump’s cruel, unethical, and deranged behavior. They are constantly having to deny what they have become in service to him. It’s created cognitive dissonance. How can the party of “family values” defend a moral degenerate like Trump? How can law-and-order Republicans defend a violent insurrection and threats against judges and prosecutors? How can “constitutional conservatives” rally around a man who attempted to subvert the Constitution by overthrowing an election?” x Cartoon by @Rob_Rogers for Counterpoint.https://t.co/Iv9Fo18mXG pic.twitter.com/82oZoFyN3z — Counterpoint (@newcounterpoint) April 11, 2023 “The human mind’s capacity to rationalize such things is extraordinary, but not limitless. Some Republicans have the sense, even if it’s only in their quiet moments, that they have acted not only hypocritically but dishonorably. And it gnaws at them. They know they would eviscerate any Democrat who did a fraction of what Trump did. They therefore have to expend enormous psychological energy to keep from becoming sick with themselves for what they have become. Shame is a toxic emotion, and it often causes people to direct hostility outward rather than inward…” “As we’ve seen in Tennessee, this frantic state of mind leads Republicans to preposterous places and to act in politically self-destructive ways. One of the two most important political parties in the world is dominated by people who are enraged, embittered, and anarchic.” Tennessee Republicans Run for the Exits Tennessee Republicans want to end the national scrutiny they received for expelling two Democratic lawmakers and are scrambling to end the current legislative session sooner than expected, the Tennessee Holler reports. x Cartoon by @Nick_Anderson_ for Counterpoint.https://t.co/Iv9Fo17P88 pic.twitter.com/P5xvUg9K2x — Counterpoint (@newcounterpoint) April 14, 2023 Note : I’ll post another 10-15 editorial cartoons either as updates or in the comments section of this diary. I will also try to post Part 2 of the diary on Monday, April 17 between 7:00-9:00 pm ET. Thanks for supporting these diaries. Attribution for the above cartoon: Mike Luckovich @mluckovichajc. “Crying” was a hit song written in the 1960s by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. It was also sung by, among others, Don McLean. Trump: Same as Jesus? x All Trump did, just like Jesus, was to be friendly to a sex worker, and now they want to lock him up. (Brilliant sketch) https://t.co/84u2nuk7CE — Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) April 9, 2023 Oxymoron: Compassionate Conservatism A Deadly Combination His Crowds Are Always the Best… the Greatest One of the Biggest Trump Apologists x @Jim_Jordan will stop at nothing to ensure that Trump will never be held legally or politically accountable for his actions. #TrumpIndicted #RuleOfLaw @timestribune pic.twitter.com/wEZfl52MXo — John Cole (@ColeToon) April 9, 2023 Rebranding Still = Defeat in 2024 x Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator @mackaycartoons pic.twitter.com/ipsq8PHsqi — Editorial & Political Cartoons (@EandPCartoons) April 6, 2023 The Honorable Gentleman from the Great State of Ohio The NRA: Some of Trump’s Biggest Supporters x More thoughts and prayers from the #GOP & #NRA for Dadesville, Alabama & Louisville, Kentucky, Andy Marlette, The Pensacola News Journal @AndyMarlette pic.twitter.com/v5g6JNtGay — Editorial & Political Cartoons (@EandPCartoons) April 16, 2023 No Words x Rob Murray pic.twitter.com/bflqFw31pm — Editorial & Political Cartoons (@EandPCartoons) April 8, 2023 Sheer Stupidity x If guns aren't the problem, and people are the problem, why would you want to make guns more accessible to the problem? @MotherJones #TheDeathOfCommonSense pic.twitter.com/RarJqW2d6B — Editorial & Political Cartoons (@EandPCartoons) April 16, 2023 Great Looking Tie “Throwing Ketchup Against the Wall” Time 20 to Life Sounds About Right In a Perfect World… Rolling With the Punches Not Your Father’s Republican Party Surprise, Surprise! x Bill Bramhall, The New York Daily News @BillBramhall pic.twitter.com/HkDZ8a4jvZ — Editorial & Political Cartoons (@EandPCartoons) April 8, 2023 So Long, Tucker Just a Sleazeball x Bring evidence and charges or shut the fuck up. Sick of this shit. A US Senator acting like he’s powerless to act on corruption. Yet another reason almost everyone hates Ted. Spineless, ineffective toady. https://t.co/ltBtnwf0LV pic.twitter.com/aSzpiiy5HT — Garthtoons by Garth German (@garthtoons) April 16, 2023 Not Giving Up on “Trickle Down” Theory x Pat Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune @Patbagley pic.twitter.com/uGUecR3Yqb — Editorial & Political Cartoons (@EandPCartoons) April 7, 2023 Ass Kisser Extraordinare Lindsey Graham Pardon? No Cuts to Social Security and Medicare… Promise! Diary Poll Nothing lasts forever. Not unlike the America First Movement, the John Birch Society, and the Tea Party, political movements lose steam and are often replaced by something else — for better or for worse. How long will Trumpism last? Remember to take the diary poll. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/4/16/2163842/-The-Crying-Game-Tears-of-Joy-and-Relief-The-Week-in-Editorial-Cartoons-Part-1 Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/