Oh dear lawd, how stoopid I am. Trust me, I am. Money? Yes. Kompromat? Sure. But THIS:

[Leghorn21]

Link to tweet

?s=17


I can viscerally FEEL THIS as an explanation for the gop stone wall of support. The desperation, the sweaty fear = “MOB TACTICS 101: Threaten Families & Bodily Harm”.

I am no longer so stoopid and naive as I was 7 minutes ago...

Day-am.

yes, I am floored, floored indeed

[A-Schwarzenegger]

1. Yes, because the Repubs could not possibly be this corrupt, unprincipled, and evil.

They must have had their families threatened.

[Leghorn21]

4. Oh no, they are capable of all you have listed, A, but to me, this threat of physical harm

hanging over them just better explains (to me) their intense level of - insanity.

But hey, maybe it’s just me, that this notion helps me better “understand” the actions of an entire political party acting in 99% harmony at all times, which has been so unbelievable for all these months on end - - aarrghh

[A-Schwarzenegger]

6. We're all trying to understand the inexplicable.

Nobody wants to think that ANY elected or appointed leaders in our country could be doing the inhumane, destructive things theyre doing, much less so many of them at once. We're all looking for deeper rational explanations. I personally think it's part the Republican party at its rotten core, and part cult thinking in which people convince one another that there is some plausible rationalization for their behavior. Also denial about the harm theyre doing to actual human beings and to whatever is left of the good the country once at least represented.

[Leghorn21]

9. Thank you, A, for this thoughtful response. Much appreciated!! - nt!

[wishstar]

2. If they are compromised and indebted because of Russia help in election

It stands to reason they would feel compelled to act in TrumpPutin's interest out of concern for their own physical well-being and their families if they are disloyal and betray TrumpPutin.

[Dustlawyer]

11. Remember, the Russians hacked the RNCs emails too!

I am sure they have dirt on a lot of Republicans who also received Russian money in their campaigns.

This has been my theory for a while as it makes the most sense and could explain all of the retirements by Republicans lately.

[unblock]

3. Occams razor says no. Its simply not a necessary assumption.

What have they done that’s not consistent with extreme right-wing republicans philosophy and decades of hate radio and foxnews propaganda?

Bigotry, ridiculous tax cuts for the rich, lying, spilling classified information, authoritarianism, cheating, and contemptuous of the majority after losing the popular vote? The shrub administration did all that, too.

The *only* thing donnie’s really doing differently is he’s more obvious, more incompetent, and has zero class.

That’s really it.

[Leghorn21]

5. Copy, unblock - not necessary. They are just doing as they do...no physical fear needed...

Thanks!

[NCTraveler]

7. They are desperately trying to hold their party together...

When the leader of their party is unstable and actively trying to divide them. The house and senate also have to be viewed differently. The house has a lot of far out Republicans right now.

[jberryhill]

8. I doubt it

That would also generate evidence.

That works among people who cannot go to the authorities with the threat - i.e. fellow mafia members against whom there is already dirt.

[pansypoo53219]

10. and america is hostage.

well, most of america.