Saying the quiet parts out loud

It's well known that Matt Gaetz, drunk Republican of Florida, is a moron. He and Louie Gohmert of Texas are usually tied for the dumbest members of the House of Representatives. But Gaetz's performance on "The View" yesterday was something else.

He seems to think that presidents are sovereigns, in the way that kings and queens are. You rely on the sovereign for grace and mercy.

Of course, this is twaddle. But it's indicative of what Republicans want.

They really don't want a democratic republic. In our system, we the people are sovereign. Power is vested in us, which we then allow elected representatives to wield in our name. But the power always rests with us; we have regular elections to affirm or remove these representatives. This includes the presidency.

Democrats still hold on to these ideals, which are the cornerstones of our commonwealth. But it's been quite evident for some while that Republicans don't. They've become monarchists, wanting to turn the elected presidency into a monarchy, one which will always be in GOP hands. They've found their moron king in Donald Trump, and eagerly dress him in ceremonial robes, a crown, scepter, and orb.

The fight we're in now is not merely a petty political squabble. I'd love it to be just that. It's a fight to determine whether or not we'll have a democratic republic in the future. It's a fight between democrats and authoritarians. That an elected member of Congress could suggest that a president is a sovereign is all you need to know about that party. Power is its own purpose; they don't want to use that power for anything except itself. They're greedy for it, and want it just because it feels good to have it. They have adopted the philosophy of The Party in Nineteen Eighty-Four, as I've written before.

Know what we're fighting for: Not just an election cycle, but the very shape this country will take for the foreseeable future. Gaetz showed us yesterday what future he wants: as a lickspittle to a king.