Politics: Extremism finds home in the GOP 

Many Republicans fear they will no longer have a conservative political party after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol to defy the election results and democracy itself. Can the GOP as a party survive?

My response is, there is already a conservative political party. They are called Democrats.

The GOP is often described as not a big tent political party. Oh, but they are. The tent includes gun nuts, anti-vaxxers, religious fanatics, white supremacists, 3-percenters, anti-government militants, Q-Anon followers, Libertarians and Tea Partiers.

Like it or not, if you don’t feel you are one of them, it’s their party, too. You know the old saying about lying down with dogs?

I am tired of hearing “the far right and far left,” as if both are extremists. They aren’t, and if last week’s coup attempt didn’t bring this reality home, then nothing will.

In most First World democratic countries in Europe and elsewhere, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren would simply be considered “left of center.”

But what about “antifa”? you may ask. That word stands for those opposed to fascism? Who isn’t?

Answer: Those who tried to overthrow democracy on Jan. 6.

This story was originally published January 16, 2021 at 10:13 AM with the headline "Politics: Extremism finds home in the GOP ."