Republicans are far more successful at getting things done than Democrats. They are relentless and don’t let science, common sense, or the Constitution get in their way. And what they’re best at is convincing a large percentage of the population that they’re working in their best interest when it’s only a precious few that benefit.
Republicans are better at messaging; they will convince their base that banning books is good and call it parental freedom. They say there is no such thing as voter suppression while they implement barriers nationwide. They ban teaching actual history in the name of protecting children unless those children are LGBTQ, in which case they are not to be mentioned.
Republicans are about control, not freedom, and they have been working to control every aspect of government, from the school boards to the courts to the dog catcher. Meanwhile, Democrats will focus on a presidential race every four years. Republicans have saturated the courts at every level to ensure they eventually get the outcome they desire. It should be no surprise that Roe v. Wade was obliterated. Republicans promised they were going to do it for fifty years and now have done so.
There was one temporary moment of weakness on the Republican front when the George Floyd video was released. Americans of all colors took to the streets demanding police reform. The video of police officer Derrick Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while other officers assisted was so heinous that for a month, they were at a loss. It looked like new legislation might pass in Congress, and support for Black Lives Matter was at an all-time high. Police reform was at least being discussed in major cities across the country. Republicans waited patiently, and then they began an unrelenting attack on Black Lives Matter, linking them with Antifa and Marxists and smearing their leaders as grifters. The tactic isn’t new, having been used against every Black organization and leader in America ever, but it’s working.
The George Floyd Justice and Policing Act of 2021 died in the Senate. Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina was allegedly negotiating with Democrats to find a compromise, but he showed his true colors when he announced, “America is not a racist country.” He seems to have forgotten the multiple times he has been stopped driving while Black and even walking in the halls of the Senate due to racial profiling.
The efforts not to defund the police but reorganize allocations so that maybe someone trained to deal with mental health disorders can de-escalate a scene instead of shooting someone fell apart. President Joe Biden spoke of the need to provide more funding to police because of pressure from Republican messaging.
In the aftermath of the George Floyd protests, Republicans needed to wipe away the inference of systemic racism, so they found a way to remove any suggestion of it from being taught in schools. They led protests at school board meetings, replaced Board members, fired teachers and principals, and banned books. Say what you like about Republicans. They get shit done.
One of the things they do is stand by their man (or woman). If they toe the Party line, they can be insurrectionists, have sex with minors, sexually harass women, commit fraud, and get caught in any type of corruption. Then, they can stay in office and likely get re-elected unless they actually get convicted and taken to jail. How long have we known about Matt Gaetz transporting a teenage girl across state lines to perform sex acts, yet he walks the halls of Congress? Will Biden’s Justice Department take action against those who attempted to steal the last election? Republicans defend the conduct of their own because the ends justify the means and also because they have no shame.
The solution for Democrats, hopefully, isn’t to become like Republicans, but they can at least stand for things. They are at their worst when they have held majorities in both Houses of Congress and the Presidency. They don’t wield power when they have it for fear of losing it. It’s why they haven’t restored potency to the Voting Rights Act, why Roe v. Wade isn’t codified into law, and why police reform isn’t happening while voter suppression is. When Republicans get the chance to accomplish their will, they do it, no matter how vile. Democrats hesitate, often letting members of their own ranks scuttle progress. Democrats have to do better because the Republicans will certainly do worse.
This post originally appeared on Medium and is edited and republished with author's permission. Read more of William Spivey's work on Medium. And if you dig his words, buy the man a coffee.