For the love of all that’s good and reasonable, can we stop pretending the GOP has any guiding principles beyond “might makes right” and “the ends justify the means?” Republican legislators want only to seize and hold power. They will say and do anything to accomplish this goal. Slogans like “small government,” “fiscal responsibility,” “family values,” and so on are demonstrably nothing more than convenient public lies for them.
In fact, the unhesitating tendency to lie, cheat, steal, and murder is the primary fact that distinguishes modern Republicans from modern Democrats. Please note carefully that the difference is not in the lying, cheating, stealing, and murdering, but rather in the lack of hesitance. Democratic politicians are sponsored by the same oligarchic entities (some are actual wealthy oligarchs, some are corporate) as the Republicans, and so both sides commit the same bribery-inspired behaviors of first maintaining the status quo and then giving an edge to their donors. The difference is that the oligarchs choose strong (i.e. unhesitant) Republicans and weak (i.e. vacillating) Democrats.
It’s amusingly hypocritical (though not really, because of course consistency isn’t part of the Republicans’ infinitely flexible play book) that A.G. Barr pretends police forces might in any way be motivated to “protect and serve” their communities. The police get their marching orders from politicians, and politicians serve those who pay them. As such, police are designed and intended only to protect the property of the wealthy entities in their community. Kill a homeless person – who cares? Throw a brick through the front window of Whole Foods – you’ll be lucky if you’re not shot dead on the spot.
Beyond that, the police are strictly amateur hour when it comes to “enforcing the law.” They love activities where they can issue tickets or seize valuable property, both being activities useful in funding their organizations. Everything else is a byproduct and an irritation. When you call the police, you’re just annoying them. If you remind them of their ultimate masters (you own land and you’re white), you’ll probably just be on the receiving end of some attitude. If you’re anyone else, you’re lucky to escape without being beaten, tortured, and/or murdered.
