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[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here.", ">\n\nAlabama Republican politicians won’t even discontinue the grocery tax and they’re flush with COVID money which they want to feed on with their pet projects" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here.", ">\n\nAlabama Republican politicians won’t even discontinue the grocery tax and they’re flush with COVID money which they want to feed on with their pet projects", ">\n\nIt’d be really nice if the people who elect them would stop being shortsighted idiots." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here.", ">\n\nAlabama Republican politicians won’t even discontinue the grocery tax and they’re flush with COVID money which they want to feed on with their pet projects", ">\n\nIt’d be really nice if the people who elect them would stop being shortsighted idiots.", ">\n\nNotice how all of them are white" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here.", ">\n\nAlabama Republican politicians won’t even discontinue the grocery tax and they’re flush with COVID money which they want to feed on with their pet projects", ">\n\nIt’d be really nice if the people who elect them would stop being shortsighted idiots.", ">\n\nNotice how all of them are white", ">\n\nI’ll take “Well no shit” for $400 Alex…" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here.", ">\n\nAlabama Republican politicians won’t even discontinue the grocery tax and they’re flush with COVID money which they want to feed on with their pet projects", ">\n\nIt’d be really nice if the people who elect them would stop being shortsighted idiots.", ">\n\nNotice how all of them are white", ">\n\nI’ll take “Well no shit” for $400 Alex…", ">\n\nWell the jerk store certainly isn't running out of them" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here.", ">\n\nAlabama Republican politicians won’t even discontinue the grocery tax and they’re flush with COVID money which they want to feed on with their pet projects", ">\n\nIt’d be really nice if the people who elect them would stop being shortsighted idiots.", ">\n\nNotice how all of them are white", ">\n\nI’ll take “Well no shit” for $400 Alex…", ">\n\nWell the jerk store certainly isn't running out of them", ">\n\nToday's republicans: \"Privatize EVERYTHING, because we're a circus of jerks\"\nToday's democrats: \"Socialize EVERYTHING, because we're tired of being picked on\"" ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here.", ">\n\nAlabama Republican politicians won’t even discontinue the grocery tax and they’re flush with COVID money which they want to feed on with their pet projects", ">\n\nIt’d be really nice if the people who elect them would stop being shortsighted idiots.", ">\n\nNotice how all of them are white", ">\n\nI’ll take “Well no shit” for $400 Alex…", ">\n\nWell the jerk store certainly isn't running out of them", ">\n\nToday's republicans: \"Privatize EVERYTHING, because we're a circus of jerks\"\nToday's democrats: \"Socialize EVERYTHING, because we're tired of being picked on\"", ">\n\nlol that’s not happening." ]

[ "Did someone write this 40 years ago and it just got published now?", ">\n\nIt was written by a moderate. A person who self identifies as someone who will enable any right wing extremism to avoid conflict with that right wing extremism.\n​\nThe conservative brain is entirely self centered. If being a \"jerk\" benefits them, they won't ever stop until it stops benefiting them.\n​\nThat's why moderates are so dangerous. They exist to make sure extremist never suffer the consequences of the actions because it would cause too much conflict.\n​\nIt was moderate Germans that gave the Nazi's the support they needed, not their minority of Nazi supporters.", ">\n\nFrum is a former speechwriter for w bush. He's not really a moderate as much as he hasn't followed the republicans hard right turn towards performative cruelty under trump.", ">\n\nWhich makes him a moderate in the republican party. Not a true moderate.", ">\n\nHe is a \"true\" moderate. The differences between him and moderates in the democratic party are superficial. They deliver the same results for different reasons.", ">\n\nAre you honestly going to tell me that a neoconservative cheerleader for the invasion of iraq and a boring, mainstream democrat like idk pete buttigieg would have the same policy priorities?", ">\n\nNot sure you wanna use Iraq as your example on this one. Democratic moderates didn't exactly stand in opposition there. And if given the opportunity, I'm sure Buttigieg would be willing to compromise his policies down to something entirely agreeable to moderate republicans. That's what we've seen consistently over the last 30 years. For example, that's why Obamacare isn't repealed. It got negotiated down to a republican plan. Moderate republicans got the policy they wanted and they got to make it look like they were being hardasses for their base. \nThat's why I'm saying they're superficially different. They have different agendas on paper and probably different ideals in their hearts, but when it's actually time to play the game moderate democrats only really do anything that moderate republicans are ok with.", ">\n\nI'm using Iraq because that's literally who wrote this article and while democrats weren't great at opposing them at the time, they weren't exactly out there lying to the public every day either. While it's easy to criticize them in hindsight, you're glossing over the fact that 63% of the American public supported the military action against Iraq at the time, which makes it really hard to oppose when your job depends on the support of those very same people.\nHere are a few non-superficial differences between everyday Democrats and non-Trumpy Republicans:\n\nThe Democrats would not stack the courts with conservative idealogues. This is useful if you enjoy having bodily autonomy and being able to vote.\nThere was a major policy difference on climate between the two parties at the time this guy was active in politics. Al Gore, the Democratic 2000 candidate, had a powerpoint presentation that he liked to show people and later turned into a book, An Inconvenient Truth. Republicans, much like today, didn't think the threat of climate change was real enough to do much about.\nTrump wasn't the only one slashing environmental regulations, Bush liked to do that too. \nRepublicans would really like to privatize social security and slash social spending. This sort of spending is useful for people who enjoy having things to eat and basic healthcare.", ">\n\nThey need to stop subverting democracy. But yeah sure don’t be jerks too I guess.", ">\n\nThat feels like the kind of talk the FBI should know about.", ">\n\nThat's been their brand my entire life, since the 1960s. \nJerks or not, we need to do a better job putting these criminal, insurrectionist traitors in jail instead of in office.", ">\n\nThe entire conservative ideology is about the idea that whoever has an advantage right now deserves it and should have it entrenched and guaranteed. Rich people, white people, men, Christians, straight people, etc. It is explicitly about being a jerk. Being a jerk is their reason to exist.", ">\n\nYour first sentence there is spot on. You can’t have crony capitalism without the cronies.", ">\n\nGive this up already. In the last 50 years republicans have taken advantage of the idea you think they might come around. The media uses this against you too.", ">\n\nThe republican party is fascist. Their goal is to destroy our democratic institutions. People and ‘the media’ do not recognize this because our grandfathers died protecting us from it.", ">\n\nIt is my belief that the wealthy that own the media, oil, and just about everything else are the ones setting this policy. Even the \"left\" leaning media debate Republican talking points keeping them in the forefront.", ">\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations.", ">\n\n\nThe “left leaning” media are owned by right leaning corporations \n\n​\nCorporations are paper constructs that people hide behind they are owned by some of the same wealthy people that own the GOP members.", ">\n\nIf they stop being jerks they stop being GOP politicians", ">\n\nYeah, may as well tell them to stop breathing.", ">\n\nRepublicans have a warped view of strength. They seem to think that being an asshole makes you strong. It doesn't, it just makes you an asshole. Being a dick to everyone is easy, setting your ego aside and listening takes way more strength.", ">\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"", ">\n\n\n\"You gotta understand the one core value that they hold above all others is hatred for what they consider weakness, because that's what they believe strength is, hatred for weakness.\"\n\nI'm glad to see this is still being reposted. Definitely cuts through the Leftwing's romantic ideas of the political opposition. The two sides are playing a completely different game.", ">\n\nI think there’s a better chance of peace between the Israelis and Palestinians", ">\n\nJared was sooo close to getting that figured out.", ">\n\n“You were born a jerk and you’ll die a jerk and only the jerks you owe money to will mourn you.”", ">\n\nGrizzly bears have to stop eating honey drizzled salmon.", ">\n\nTheir most nourishing and flavorful natural choices of food web options, that isnt what it really is, its a damn amphibious seasponge acting like a treasure mimic, a seasponge that began co-evolving with the bacteria and fungi trying to break down plastics made by mobster monsters for decades, a bowel obstruction that got caught in their collective buttholes one stormy night. they are what they eat after all.\ntheyre so malnourished in reality, they are the mangey dog everyone thinks is a cracked out chupacabra.", ">\n\nThey'll only agree to do that if democrats agree to cut social security, make abortion illegal, repeal the civil rights act, make Trump president for life and get an enlarged poster sized framed picture of Hunter Biden's leaked engorged glistening custard launcher for each member of congress and their immediate families.\nBut only the first Thursday of each month, and only if it doesn't fall on a mildly recognized holiday. And of course they reserve the right to revert to being jerks at any time with a single congressional objection.\nCome on Dems!! Stop constantly governing in bad faith and come to the table.", ">\n\nYeah but then billionaires would stop funding them", ">\n\nIt’s so nice to know that not one democrat is funded by billionaires.", ">\n\nNever said they weren’t. But This is about pathologically chronic jerks in GOP paid to be exactly that.", ">\n\nBut then they would have no personality or identity at all.", ">\n\nLike removing a fish from water", ">\n\nI'd be fine if they were just jerks instead of the racist xenophobic assholes they are.", ">\n\n\"Well, animals are a lot like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they’ve had a hard life or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks- Stop that Mr. Simpson.\"", ">\n\nGOP, the party of bullies and assholes.", ">\n\nIf they can’t run on the bootlicking bullies platform what platform DO they have?", ">\n\nThe problem for Republicans is they need a corporate owned media to brainwash the masses through propaganda to distract the people while picking their pockets clean. Millennials and younger do not consume this media like all other previous generations, and thus are more impervious to their attempts to propagandize. Add on policies that literally crush these younger generations, and you are setting yourself up for some seriously bitter and resentful demographics moving forward.", ">\n\nJerks? LOL. How about lying, criminal, stealing, little pieces of infected DNA, mewling, childish versions of failed adults, insignificant motes of drooling, useless, traitorous, seditious, back biting, racist, fascist, false god pushing, elitist, snot sucking, idiots. Whew....don't need my therapist meeting today! :-)", ">\n\nYeah but only a jerk would lie, be criminal, steal, act childish, betray, be racist, elitist, and stupid!", ">\n\nYup.", ">\n\nThey are genetically jerks, cant help it, wont change.", ">\n\nthey can at least stop being alive then", ">\n\nGQP: the suffering is the point", ">\n\nIf you vote Republican and/or do not vote, this is what you support.", ">\n\nThey're between a rock and a hard place now, it's too late, their supporters view not being jerks as suspicious", ">\n\nThe cruelty is the point", ">\n\nBut that's like... their thing...\nIf they stopped being jerks and actually did good things for actual people (not just for the ultra-wealthy/corporations) they'd cease being Republicans.", ">\n\nJerks? No.\nThey are Fascists.\nThey need to stop the authoritarian Fascism.\nFuck this normalization of fascism. Jan 6th wasnt a bunch of \"jerks\"", ">\n\nJerks? They want to overthrow our democracy. Asking them to stop isn’t going to cut it.", ">\n\nSome real Norm Macdonald energy.", ">\n\nRepublicans: no", ">\n\nI don’t think they can", ">\n\nOf course.\nWhile we’re at it, let’s suggest that the ocean floor cease being underwater, or life forms stop containing carbon.\nIf they weren’t jerks, they wouldn’t be Republicans.", ">\n\nIs 'Jerk' a new euphemism for quasi-fascists now? If anything the Republican party says today would be said by a Politician here in Germany, they'd be under constant surveillance by the domestic intelligence agency.\nAnd i don't say that - them being quasi-fascists - lightly. Do i have to reminding you that the first books burned were about transgender research, and the first people to be send to prison and killed were Gay men. Apparently, anything that isn't some serious Nazi sh*t is 'woke' now.", ">\n\nBut then they wouldn't be Republicans", ">\n\nThen they would no longer be Republicans.", ">\n\nYou're going to need to develop a treatment for the oversized conservative lizard brains first. Which I'm on board for btw.", ">\n\nThey won't. Why would they stop doing something that gets them what they want with little to no consequences? It's the people who need to hold them accountable. Not other politicians. We have to start from the bottom up and help elect local officials who can set policies in place that stop Republicans from being jerks. Arm yourselves with knowledge as to who is running for elections, and support/vote in the people who really have your best interests at heart. Be vigilant. Never stop. That's it.", ">\n\nIt’s more likely that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.", ">\n\nThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.\nJerks don't quit being jerks because they suddenly realize it's not cool. They only do it when they are forced, en masse, to knock the bullshit off.\nVote. \nLess than half of the electorate actively participates in elections. And it shows.", ">\n\nThat’s all they got!", ">\n\nBut being cruel is all conservativism is today", ">\n\nWhy would they stop? Their base loves it when they’re jerks. There’s money to be made out of punitively punishing minorities and the unfortunate.", ">\n\nPretty sure that’s not possible", ">\n\nHow about “Republicans need to stop being fascists”", ">\n\nThe right wing party in America have been \"jerks\" since our founding. Not just in America. Being a right-winger, means that you are by definition, an asshole. Anywhere in the world, at any point in history.", ">\n\nIsn’t that their essence? They’re greedy, hateful, intolerant bigots. If those characteristics don’t define jerks what does? I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to change. They appear to be constantly getting worse. Their base demands it.", ">\n\nRepublicans need to stop being poo poo and pee pee heads too", ">\n\nJerks? We passed that threshold 30 years. We are firmly within straight up malicious and violent now.", ">\n\nReading the article brings home the simple, basic, plain point that most Americans don't like mean and divisive politicians.", ">\n\nThat's literally their political strategy; be a complete douchebag.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. The only way is to defend yourself.", ">\n\nThey need to constantly attack & attack. That’s what their whole belief and persona is about. Kinda like fascists.", ">\n\nEvery republican who reads that headline will laugh and immediately think of the left as snowflakes. Call them what they really are", ">\n\nThe only way to change is if network news tells them to.", ">\n\nMore top notch political analysis from the magazine whose fawning coverage of JD Vance made him into a household name. \nThe Atlantic is the magazine for people who have one of those \"In this house we believe...\" signs on the front yard of their 3 million dollar house in a gated community.", ">\n\nJerks need to stop being elected", ">\n\nBut that's the core of who they are! Birds fly, Fish swim and Republicans Jerk.", ">\n\nCareful the mods banned me for a week because I called a republican delusional on this sub.", ">\n\nThey can’t do that! What would they have left?!", ">\n\nCollectively, Republicanism needs a politcal black eye.\nScandals don't bother them if ethics don't matter, fines don't bother them if they're smaller than lobbying dollars, and laws don't matter if the judiciary refuses to enforce them.\nSo what stops the Republican machine?", ">\n\nIf by jerks you mean assholes, then I agree.", ">\n\nThey can’t help themselves, it’s very profitable.\nAll of the biggest jerks are 1%’ers that pay republicans to wreck anything that would make the country better.", ">\n\nI wish they were just jerks. I know how to deal with jerks.\nUnfortunately, they’re really bigoted, corrupt, phony, self-interested, disrespectful, ignorant, close-minded, xenophobic, obnoxious, sneering, cowardly, fragile-egoed, revisionist, Nazi-admiring, rights-stealing, immoral, people-using, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing, whitewashing, conspiracy-promoting, lying, oath-breaking assclowns.", ">\n\nCruelty is the point", ">\n\nTheir whole identity is being a bully.", ">\n\nWater needs to stop being wet!", ">\n\nVoters need stop voting for politicians who are clearly jerks", ">\n\nAnd murderers need to stop murdering.", ">\n\nSaying this about the party of \"FUCK YOUR FEELINGS\"", ">\n\nThat is funny.", ">\n\nIt's like an entire party of abusive fathers.", ">\n\n…but that’s their whole platform.", ">\n\nThe scorpion kills the frog", ">\n\nSounds like Norm McDonald's comment about Hitler. \"He's a real jerk\"", ">\n\nGop figures and chaotic disco ensemble, Rudy Giuliani, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Dr Mehmet Oz, Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene.", ">\n\nThat's like asking holy-rollers to stop being gullible.", ">\n\nFascist, racist, xenophobic, bigots are some of the things they need to stop being. \nIf Republican’s were just jerks, we wouldn’t be a failing nation.", ">\n\nJerks is putting it very mildly.", ">\n\nI mean it is true. Every time you hear them talk they are ALWAYS so damn aggressive and angry. They have no chill.", ">\n\nThat’s a feature. Not a bug.", ">\n\nIMHO That's not the problem. I'd be okay with them yelling \"Fuck you! I'm going to make sure you have affordable health care and a livable wage, you cuck!\"", ">\n\nIdk I think attempting to carry out a genocide against trans people carries a bit harsher of a title than \"jerk\".", ">\n\nNo let them. Let them abuse anyone who tolerates them in their lives. Let them self destruct.", ">\n\nIn 2023 there will be local and state elections vote in them and the primaries for them.", ">\n\nNo, Y’all need to stop electing them.", ">\n\nRepublicans: \"GASP they called us JERKS? That's it, we're changing! From now on, we will be honest, empathetic, and make positive change for the American people. We are so sorry. We really messed up.\"\nThis is always what happens when we call politicians out on their wrongdoings, so it's sure to work this time. Thank you, The Atlantic, for this noble deed.", ">\n\n\"Republicans bad\"", ">\n\nAh, that’s what the problem was. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I just didn’t realize it was that simple. Thank God for articles like these to clarify, it certainly makes for a more succinct discussion. Now we can just whip out our anti-jerk ray and fix it.", ">\n\nWhat, we’re against anti-jerk rays now? Or are we feeling a slight sting that the article is as juvenile as it’s target?", ">\n\nWritten by David \"Axis of Evil\" Frum. This can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\nThe text is also stupid.", ">\n\n\nThis can be safely ignored even before reading the text.\n\nThat's a nice, crisp ad hominem.", ">\n\nThe title of the article is literally an ad hominem.", ">\n\nWhat we need is a viable third party option. Republicans will never come around and there are a large amount of voters who will NEVER vote democrat, regardless of the nominee.", ">\n\nHeadlines like this just fuels the GOP, why even bother? \nFight back.", ">\n\nPlease carry on republicans, you gave AZ Hobbs, Fontes, and Mayes, we are now lead by competent, ethical leaders. Without you it would not have happened. If I have not said it already, thank you.", ">\n\nThat's all they have.", ">\n\nNarrator: They won’t.", ">\n\nWhat a title. Like, have you been paying attention to Republicans since Nixon? He wasn’t a jerk he was a trailer trash pos racist that would have been better off dying than winning an election. That guy and every Republican after him was a POS and ruined the US just a little bit more as is THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. They don’t even hide it. They literally call it starving the beast as if the government is Satan. How insane and shitty is that? A leadership party that actively attempts to ruin the government since forever. The GOP and conservative values are lies and trailer trash wet dreams.", ">\n\nShit, nobody likes jerks, but I would much rather they stop being pedophiles or supporting pedophile politicians.", ">\n\nNarrator: “they won’t”", ">\n\nWhy on earth would they stop doing that? That's their base.", ">\n\nThey can't stop being jerks because they don't see themselves as jerks, they see Democrats as the jerks. They can't stop subverting democracy because they don't see themselves doing that, they see Democrats doing that.\nRepublicans won't look critically at themselves. I don't see how that would change, ever.", ">\n\nNah, their bootlicking voting base love to have asshole trolls that hate democracy in charge", ">\n\nThe more I learn about Nazis…the more I realize they were a bunch of jerks!", ">\n\nI’m holding my breath starting now!", ">\n\nMisanthropy is the hallmark of conservatism.", ">\n\nIf we’re going to continue or expect them to take the moral high ground at this point then we deserve to live in Gillead. This is never going to stop if we expect them to change. We know who they are.", ">\n\nWell, at least the title got a chuckle.", ">\n\nit's pretty much their stated MO to be jerks other everyone and not give a shit about anything but their tribe.", ">\n\nThey're not being \"jerks\". They lack empathy which means they lack integrity and honor. They are not self-reflective and they would rather see someone get hurt than see someone be helped. This is who they are. They are awful awful human beings. Bill Nye is a jerk, these are scumbags.", ">\n\nIt works. Its what their hog constituency wants. The more they ramp it up, the better they think they're doing. Power begets power.", ">\n\nYea, but being jerks is like 90% of their schtick.", ">\n\nGod this is a pathetic excuse for journalism. Fuckin middle school whining as fascists overtake our democracy. Have some fuckin shame.", ">\n\nSo, Citizens United was overturned? When did that happen?", ">\n\nThis is healing and this entire article is so out of touch. Republicans being jerks is 90% of what has gotten them this far. And it’s the lefts incessant desire to whine about it and keep everything above Board that is holding us back. We need to learn from them and start being jerks ourselves", ">\n\nThey wouldn't be Republican, then", ">\n\nIt was kind of funny 10 years ago but now it’s just obnoxious.", ">\n\nThat's a weird way of spelling \"Facists\".", ">\n\nI think the issue is that obnoxiousness can work if your opponent is equally divisive and/or obnoxious but falls flat if they aren’t. So it could work for Trump in 2016 since he was running against Hillary Clinton, a candidate most of the GOP deeply loathed and was even a touch divisive for democrats. However, it fell flat against Biden, who was respected on both sides of the aisle. \nObnoxiousness could work for DeSantis because he was running against Charlie Crist, who had served as a GOP governor of Florida before switching parties in 2012 after losing a senate primary to Marco Rubio, so a lot of Floridians didn’t trust him. It didn’t work for Dr. Oz, who was running against a beloved lieutenant governor. It didn’t work for Blake Masters, who was running against a former astronaut and incumbent senator.", ">\n\nWhy? It’s clearly a winning strategy for these (expletives deleted)", ">\n\nJerks is a very far understatement for the entire platform. Drop the hate already.", ">\n\nThey’ve been at this game since I started paying attention in the eighties. They aren’t changing anytime soon. Though a trump conviction and and jail time may curb their dickatry a bit…", ">\n\nDon’t hold your breath for that to happen.", ">\n\nThe only direction for them to go is to appeal to the worst in people. Trump has started the campaign season very early and their is nowhere to go but to try to gain control of the angry mobs. It's going to be a competition to see who is going to make trans or Jewish hate the whip that moves the crowd to a candidate and to the poles.", ">\n\nAsking the smallest thing for a bunch of fascists to make everyone else think they aren’t fascists. Nice try", ">\n\nModern republicans were not raised that way. They can’t stop being awful people because they simply don’t know how and they have been taught skewed views of morality", ">\n\nThey learned that they will raise more money by being jerks and then playing victim. Democrats learned that they raise more money by losing elections.", ">\n\nIt’s in their blood", ">\n\nEditorialized title.\n\nTHE GOP IS JUST OBNOXIOUS\nIt’s why they keep losing elections.", ">\n\nGood luck with that. Being jerks is their oldest tradition.", ">\n\nThey can't help it it's in their nature said the scorpion to the fox?", ">\n\n\nThis is not a “both sides” story. Democratic candidates don’t try to energize their base by “owning the conservatives”\n\nYou'll never get a conservative to believe that. They see human empathy and altruism, and they cynically call it \"virtue signaling.\" Their capacity for kindness is stunted, so they don't understand it in others. God knows democrats aren't perfect, but there is an actual platform of policy positions designed to improve life for Americans and the rest of the world. Our main goal isn't just winning and getting all the cookies for ourselves.", ">\n\nFor me it all comes down to All republicans being Giant fucking assholes.", ">\n\nYou mean \"Republicans Need to Stop Being Fascists\"", ">\n\nAny positive change dependent upon Republican cooperation is doomed. Anyone who believes the Republicans will change in a positive way is a dope or is intentionally trying to fail.", ">\n\nI mean, you can’t appeal to misogynistic, racist, religious zealots by NOT being a jerk so…", ">\n\nI’d settle for jerks. They need to stop being violent hateful bigots.", ">\n\nFish need to stop swimming.", ">\n\nThe base LOVES JERKS! Supply & demand.", ">\n\nThis is what happens when we elect raging assholes to public office.\nWe encounter raging assholes everyday in our normal lives. We go to the gas station, we go to our job, there's some jerk in the store.\nWe can navigate around raging assholes in our lives.\nIt's hard to navigate around them when they're in charge.\nBeing a raging asshole should completely disqualify someone from public office.\nNo one should vote for them.\nThe problem is the other raging assholes in our society are the ones that vote for them.", ">\n\nI sort of prefer them in their current form - they've been pursuing essentially the same policies for my whole life, but now they're at least not doing a good job of hiding behind the facade of being very serious super-patriotic americans who know all about business, who regretfully tell us that we'll have to throw grandma off a cliff because of, you know, market forces and stuff.", ">\n\nBut will they?\nNo…no, they won’t.", ">\n\nThey stopped being Jerks decades ago. They are Fascists.", ">\n\nThey can’t. It’s who they are.", ">\n\nThey won’t stop. Almost got trump reelected, have a majority in the House. Why stop? They get money, they get votes.", ">\n\nin other news water is wet", ">\n\nMaybe some of them can change, but the core members of the Trump movement will take who they are to their grave.", ">\n\nThat isn’t going to change anytime soon. These folks are often morally bankrupt by default.", ">\n\nGetting this advice from David Frum is like Joe Camel admonishing you for smoking.", ">\n\nTucker is the scariest one. 20 years from now we’re gonna be shocked he was on the air and that popular", ">\n\nThey are big meanies 😡", ">\n\n“A month after his reelection, DeSantis is bidding for the anti-vax vote by promoting extremist allegations from the far fringes that modern vaccines threaten public health.”\nThis lying anti-vaxxer can never be President of the United States. Yes, I realize Trump was a lying anti-vaxxer too. But these rotten liars put the lives of little kids in serious danger. People who listen to this crap are starting to be afraid to vaccinate their kids. \nCemeteries are filled with the graves of little kids who died because we didn’t have life-saving vaccines. <\\rant>", ">\n\nThe feigned ignorance of these champagne liberals makes me laugh. They think that not calling conservatives what they are makes them better than them. In reality they’re just pussies.", ">\n\nTHEY WILL STOP WHEN SOMEBODY ARRESTS THEM FOR THE CRIMES THEY ADMITTED TO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.\nYOU CANNOT SHAME FASCISTS INTO BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY, YOU NEED TO BREAK THEIR POWER AND ENFORCE CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD BEHAVIOR.\nCALLING THEM MEAN NAMES ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.\nI am so sick of weak-ass opinion pieces \"hey plz stop being mean thx\".", ">\n\nThe GOP feeds into a certain mindset of irresponsible behavior and trying to be adult fuck ups. It’s like bad adulthood is a badge of honor. Act stupid. Behave like spoiled entitled brats. Back stab your own country. It’s like all Republicans act out their failures in childhood and project that anger on the world. They can’t change the world, so they double down on dated ideals that even they know won’t last, hence the whole “woke” thing.", ">\n\nAs I've said before, Republicans seem to be people who carefully think, \"how can I be the biggest asshole in this situation?\" at every turn.", ">\n\nand water needs to stop being wet.", ">\n\n“Fish need to stop swimming”", ">\n\nI mean, they're not going to, but it would be smart. As it turns out, they're kind of banking on the idea that there are enough people in the world who are giant assholes and just want to see other people get hurt. And while there are a large number of those people, I don't think that there's enough to fuel a whole political party.", ">\n\n\ndavid frum", ">\n\nI think we have a better chance at water ceasing to be wet before that happens.", ">\n\nThey lack the capacity.", ">\n\nAnd arsonists should stop lighting fires.", ">\n\nBig Norm energy with this headline", ">\n\nThink about US foreign policy from 1870 to 1975. Imagine that foreign policy turning inward.", ">\n\nYeah I'm sure they will hop right on that...../s", ">\n\nHell needs to freeze over, pigs need to fly etc etc etc", ">\n\nBut they want money", ">\n\nWhy would you say something so controversial yet so brave", ">\n\nLol, everyone point and laugh at how dumb they look", ">\n\nThis is a lot of centrist nonsense trying to convince Republicans to reenter reality (spoiler alert: they won't) but I do kind of love the line that \"Joe Biden... is to politics what Jay Leno was to late-night entertainment.\"", ">\n\nOr they can just stop being.", ">\n\nJerk doesn’t really cover it. There is some more appropriate titles like: bigots, con artist’s, thieves, liars. There is many more and I’m being kind because they choose to make decisions in hate and destroy good people’s lives and efforts to improve our lives.", ">\n\nMore journalists talking about them being jerks means fewer journalists talking about how much their cronies are robbing us blind at every turn", ">\n\nWhy? They are competitive in national elections even when they’re completely incoherent fascists. They’re remarkably successful in state and local elections. They have absolutely no incentive to change, so why would they?", ">\n\nThat’s they’re brand. They pretend to be super angry over bullshit grievances, then they use projection and gaslighting on anyone who responds to their bullshit in anger.\nMeanwhile they accomplish nothing other than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.", ">\n\nYou knew I was a Scorpion, Frog, when I climbed onto your back. Pain is the point.", ">\n\nOkay, make campaign donations from foreign interests groups who want internal disruptions illegal", ">\n\n“Republicans need to stop being jerks”. How do they do that when that’s all they are.", ">\n\nThey can't. That's their base. They are jerks because their voters want to believe that being an asshole makes them better people. \nTheir voters want to be told that greed is good, cruelty is funny, exploitation is smart, and self-centeredness is justified. They want anyone who tells them differently to be punished. They don't want a free and fair society, they want a society where they are the top of the heap without effort or sacrifices. And so that's what they elect: people who are greedy, cruel, self-centered, and exploitive, and who punish anyone who opposes them.", ">\n\nIsn't being a Jerk their whole personality?", ">\n\nYou’re asking a whole lot here… it’s very doubtful that republicans will ever stop being jerks, especially in the current political climate.\nIt’s not like anyone can predict exactly what jerks will do… \nThat’s why they’re called jerks and the GOP has plenty of them.", ">\n\noxymoron", ">\n\nMore hard hitting journalism on r/politics. I swear half this stuff is written just for this sub.", ">\n\nYeah the republicans are being big meanies guys", ">\n\n\nRepublicans Need To Stop Being Jerks\n\nAint going to happen.", ">\n\nNo shit! Learn how to govern damn it.", ">\n\nYou know, it never occurred to me to ask. Let me send off some emails!", ">\n\nno, they don’t. and that’s the problem.", ">\n\nNo. America needs to do a better job of not electing jerks.", ">\n\nCounterpoint: Liberals need to stop being pushovers whose response to resurgent Fascism is \"I'll tell teacher\"", ">\n\nIf you were to take the asshole out of a Republican, you could bury him in a matchbox.", ">\n\nHow about they simply stop acting like subhuman, knuckle dragging cavemen?", ">\n\nYou mean they need to stop being republicans.", ">\n\nThat’ll show em", ">\n\nbut that's their brand.", ">\n\nAll the comments about how the GOP has always been this way are pretty reductive because they ignore the obvious changes in direction and priorities the GOP have today over a even a decade ago. The GOP of today is much more belligerent than the days of John Boehner, even with as shitty things were then. Ignoring these changes are dangerous because it likens the GOP of the past with the GOP of today, which is like comparing a pissed off cat to a pissed off lion.\nWhich leads me to the point of this article. The difference between the GOP of 2013 and the GOP of 2023 is that the former could win elections. \nToday's GOP struggles to do that.This belligerence that the author discusses (like how Oz mocked Fetterman after the latter's stroke) has had a part in their inability to sweep elections in recent years. 2022 should have been (and was predicted to be) a complete flip for the GOP, but they barely won the House of Reps and made no net gains anywhere else.", ">\n\nThe sheer number of comments that say this is how the GOP has always been makes me believe this is intentional spamming of these articles to spread the notion that what is happening today is nothing to be alarmed about. Go back to your business, there is no fascism rising here.", ">\n\nAlabama Republican politicians won’t even discontinue the grocery tax and they’re flush with COVID money which they want to feed on with their pet projects", ">\n\nIt’d be really nice if the people who elect them would stop being shortsighted idiots.", ">\n\nNotice how all of them are white", ">\n\nI’ll take “Well no shit” for $400 Alex…", ">\n\nWell the jerk store certainly isn't running out of them", ">\n\nToday's republicans: \"Privatize EVERYTHING, because we're a circus of jerks\"\nToday's democrats: \"Socialize EVERYTHING, because we're tired of being picked on\"", ">\n\nlol that’s not happening.", ">\n\nI dont like this. It implies 1 side is at fault and the other isn't. EVERYONE needs to stop hating each other. we are all more the same than different. I have seen pretty severe nastiness on both sides of politics. TBH I think I encounter more \"jerk\" behavior from the left. We need to stop feeling we are some superior higher moral group." ]

[]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive.", ">\n\nThey should shoot one down, to see what happens." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive.", ">\n\nThey should shoot one down, to see what happens.", ">\n\nWhatever gets the top secret document story to disappear and a war with China would do just that for all past political figures involved…" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive.", ">\n\nThey should shoot one down, to see what happens.", ">\n\nWhatever gets the top secret document story to disappear and a war with China would do just that for all past political figures involved…", ">\n\nonly one political figure is in actual trouble for that though, both Biden and Pence returned the files the second they were found, Trump did not." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive.", ">\n\nThey should shoot one down, to see what happens.", ">\n\nWhatever gets the top secret document story to disappear and a war with China would do just that for all past political figures involved…", ">\n\nonly one political figure is in actual trouble for that though, both Biden and Pence returned the files the second they were found, Trump did not.", ">\n\nNext on military development agenda longer and longer range air defence systems including the radar component for both low flight patterns as well as high \nTarget a Chinese/RF Jet from a couple 100's KMs avoiding chaff would be the non written RFP using combined system targetting" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive.", ">\n\nThey should shoot one down, to see what happens.", ">\n\nWhatever gets the top secret document story to disappear and a war with China would do just that for all past political figures involved…", ">\n\nonly one political figure is in actual trouble for that though, both Biden and Pence returned the files the second they were found, Trump did not.", ">\n\nNext on military development agenda longer and longer range air defence systems including the radar component for both low flight patterns as well as high \nTarget a Chinese/RF Jet from a couple 100's KMs avoiding chaff would be the non written RFP using combined system targetting", ">\n\nI would say Taiwan should have a few nuclear missiles. Why! China will be keep quite if they saw nuclear missile in front of their country.\nSame to ukrane. Last time when ukraine own nuclear missiles, russian was keep quite." ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive.", ">\n\nThey should shoot one down, to see what happens.", ">\n\nWhatever gets the top secret document story to disappear and a war with China would do just that for all past political figures involved…", ">\n\nonly one political figure is in actual trouble for that though, both Biden and Pence returned the files the second they were found, Trump did not.", ">\n\nNext on military development agenda longer and longer range air defence systems including the radar component for both low flight patterns as well as high \nTarget a Chinese/RF Jet from a couple 100's KMs avoiding chaff would be the non written RFP using combined system targetting", ">\n\nI would say Taiwan should have a few nuclear missiles. Why! China will be keep quite if they saw nuclear missile in front of their country.\nSame to ukrane. Last time when ukraine own nuclear missiles, russian was keep quite.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Taiwan send a few cheap boats into Chinese waters?" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive.", ">\n\nThey should shoot one down, to see what happens.", ">\n\nWhatever gets the top secret document story to disappear and a war with China would do just that for all past political figures involved…", ">\n\nonly one political figure is in actual trouble for that though, both Biden and Pence returned the files the second they were found, Trump did not.", ">\n\nNext on military development agenda longer and longer range air defence systems including the radar component for both low flight patterns as well as high \nTarget a Chinese/RF Jet from a couple 100's KMs avoiding chaff would be the non written RFP using combined system targetting", ">\n\nI would say Taiwan should have a few nuclear missiles. Why! China will be keep quite if they saw nuclear missile in front of their country.\nSame to ukrane. Last time when ukraine own nuclear missiles, russian was keep quite.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Taiwan send a few cheap boats into Chinese waters?", ">\n\nplease, xi" ]

[ "“China is always a force for regional and global peace and stability,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.\n\nThe vast majority of China's neighbors would attest otherwise.", ">\n\nIt’s only a vast majority if you include Russia and North Korea. Otherwise it’s all of China’s neighbours.", ">\n\nKyrgyzstan ✅\nMongolia ✅ \nVietnam ✅ \nAfghanistan ✅\nTajikistan ✅\nBhutan ✅ \nIndia ✅✅✅ \nMyanmar ✅ \nJapan ✅\nSouth Korea ✅\nTaiwan ✅✅✅✅✅\nLaos❓\nNepal❓\nKazakhstan❓\nPakistan❓ \nRussia ❌\nNorth Korea ❌\nI’m not sure how Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Laos would view their Chinese neighbors, but I’m sure Myanmar, Vietnam, India, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would all agree, yeah, China isn’t a “force of peace and stability”.", ">\n\nMost I would intuitively agree with, but what’s your reason for Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Afghanistan?", ">\n\nThe Tajiks and Kyrgyz have border disputes with China, Afghanistan almost definitely isn’t a fan of the anti-Muslim policy of the PRC, and the Golden Triangle primarily emerged in Myanmar following the Chinese Nationalists’ arrival into Myanmar, so while they may not hate the PRC directly, I’m sure there’s a level of resentment about the Nationalists’ having come to Myanmar to flee the Communists. I could be wrong about Myanmar though, and they’re on somewhat good terms with China and I’m just not particularly aware", ">\n\nBoth Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan diplomatically resolved border disputes through compromise over a decade ago.\nThe Taliban as well have not been hostile, and sought better ties.\nMyanmar is a fractured mess and opinions vary depending on what group you're talking to. Rebels on the border are openly pro-Chinese and run a pseudo-Chinese ministate.\nOn top of that Pakistan is much more of an actual Chinese ally and partner than whatever the hell North Korea is.", ">\n\nThis is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 87%. (I'm a bot)\n\n\nTAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing's strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.\nADVERTISEMENT. China has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis, hoping to wear down the island's limited defense resources and undercut support for pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen.\nChinese fighter jets have also confronted military aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations over international airspace in the South China and East China seas, in what Beijing has described as dangerous and threatening maneuvers.\n\n\nExtended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: Taiwan^#1 China^#2 military^#3 U.S.^#4 Chinese^#5", ">\n\nSo same same, different... but still same", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up.", ">\n\nAnd yet every 5 minute EU/Washington/Japan is busy \"warning the world\" that a invasion is imminent. \nIt is almost like schrodinger's China. Either posing a threat to world stability or a paper tiger meowing in the corner.", ">\n\nIt's all the armchair generals on reddit that keep saying paper tiger, whereas real generals regard them as legitimate.", ">\n\nThere are so many soldiers in their army. Zerg rush.", ">\n\nMy life for Aiur.", ">\n\nUnlike Ukraine, Taiwan has been preparing defense and helped by the US for decades.\nIt'll be very expensive for China to take Taiwan if not impossible with the US fighting with them.\nFuck Xi the Pooh!", ">\n\nChina would need to cross the strait with about a million troops. \nThey have naval landing craft sufficient to move 30 thousand.\nChina is bluffing.", ">\n\nTheir plan is, allegedly, to use the landing craft to establish a beach head and then reinforce using civilian craft.", ">\n\nThere are limited beaches that are easily defendable. With nearby mountains to put fortified artillery in.\nIt would be far more difficult than d day in ww2.", ">\n\nYep.\nTheir plan, allegedly, is to rapidly eliminate Taiwan’s air defense so paratroopers and aircraft can enable the landings. Even then, they still seem to be facing long odds on a landing.", ">\n\nLol remember when Putin tried to do that exact same thing? Drop in some elite paratrooper commandos during the first day in a blitz to eliminate Big Z and the Ukrainian government. Didnt work out great.\nAnd doesn't Taiwan have all of our current gen, cutting-edge military hardware ready and waiting? Sounds like a fools errand. I also think it's foolish that they think it would go anything like Ukraine, in that the US would only engage in a proxy war by sending supplies and weapons. PRETTY sure that it would result in the US declaring all out war. Hopefully they aren't this fucking dumb", ">\n\nNot a penny should go to funding mainland China’s war path from our pockets. Manufacturing is leaving the country and continue to do so. Capital and investment should follow as with our consumption of Made in China. \nMainland China depicts most of the world as an enemy. We must all do the same.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP!", ">\n\nNo one's fucking China in this thread? That's progress. Plenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP", ">\n\n\nPlenty of people here are still trying to justify China = CCP\n\nAnyone who's been on Reddit knows that Redditors hate the Chinese people as much as they hate the Chinese government. Just go into any thread about random a Chinese person doing something random and it's all hate comments and various comments about the government.", ">\n\nFuck the CCP, and anybody who supports it willingly", ">\n\nI shit on USA a lot but I do like that were backing up Taiwan. Fuck ccp and I hope reddit stops going in that direction", ">\n\n\nwhether the US will really go to the mat for Taiwan\n\nThat's the beauty of it though.. I really don't believe they ever will need to go to the mat.\nThe US has asserted directly that they will defend Taiwan. While those assertions have the potential to change with new leaders, the US has been very committed since 1979.\nChina may think it can take Taiwan (it'd be wrong, that kind of amphibious assault against modern weaponry would be flat out suicide at their technology level).. but they know they wouldn't ever beat the US, let alone all of it's allies (because you better believe the Japanese will have a vested interest, and I 100% believe Canada would join the fight too).\nIt boils down to risk vs reward. The risk is that China enters into a hot war with the US, Taiwan, and others, which in turn means China gets decimated militarily and economically. The reward is nowhere near sufficient for such a risk.\nChina will bitch and moan. They'll rattle their sabers, they'll stomp their feet. But they won't attack in the present political climate.", ">\n\n\nOn a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Stoltenberg said China is increasingly investing in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without providing transparency or engaging in arms control talks. Stoltenberg earlier criticized China for “bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan” and stressed the need for Japan and other democracies to work together with the alliance to defend the international order.\n“NATO needs to make sure we have friends,” he said, citing escalating Chinese attempts to coerce neighbors and threaten Taiwan. “It is important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo Pacific.”\n\nMr Stoltenberg, you're right, but why not put your money where your mouth is and add a visit to Taiwan to the itinerary of your current tour.", ">\n\nChina’s only strategic opportunity is that the US has a smaller defense force than normal, and we’re split between these guys and Russia. No matter. We’ll be fine", ">\n\nI have read that ever since WW2 the USA has a military doctrine of being prepared to fight and win a two front war. But with Russia's military might being rendered local at best now, I have seen people claim the USA is shifting to a one front doctrine focused on the Indo-Pacific.", ">\n\nSeeing how Russia performs, Europe can probably take on Russia by themselves.", ">\n\nChina making threats it can never back up. It's military does have not have actual combat experience and not trained under realistic conditions. China is just trying to flex it's non-existent muscles.", ">\n\nFuck China fuck commies. Better dead than red", ">\n\nI'm worried about Taiwan.", ">\n\nI am worried about the world. Sure seems like ww3 could break out.", ">\n\nSo let it be written, so let it be done", ">\n\nAre you... gloating about Japanese war crimes?? Wow", ">\n\nCry Bullies are all the same.\n(CCP are the cry bullies here, obviously)", ">\n\nChina would find it 100X more difficult than D day was for the allies. In D day the Germans were expecting an attack at a completely different place and they had to worry about the Soviets to the east. Taiwan has no such concerns and the only suitable beach heads are pretty easy to defend. China would be losing troops arguably much faster than Russia during Ukraine's counteroffensive.", ">\n\nThey should shoot one down, to see what happens.", ">\n\nWhatever gets the top secret document story to disappear and a war with China would do just that for all past political figures involved…", ">\n\nonly one political figure is in actual trouble for that though, both Biden and Pence returned the files the second they were found, Trump did not.", ">\n\nNext on military development agenda longer and longer range air defence systems including the radar component for both low flight patterns as well as high \nTarget a Chinese/RF Jet from a couple 100's KMs avoiding chaff would be the non written RFP using combined system targetting", ">\n\nI would say Taiwan should have a few nuclear missiles. Why! China will be keep quite if they saw nuclear missile in front of their country.\nSame to ukrane. Last time when ukraine own nuclear missiles, russian was keep quite.", ">\n\nWhy doesn't Taiwan send a few cheap boats into Chinese waters?", ">\n\nplease, xi", ">\n\nIf everything Deng, Jiang, and Hu built goes up in flames…" ]

[]

[ "This is a friendly reminder to read our rules.\nRemember, /r/Showerthoughts is for showerthoughts, not \"thoughts had in the shower!\"\n(For an explanation of what a \"showerthought\" is, please read this page.)\nRule-breaking posts may result in bans." ]

[]

[ "I would definitely buy this if it came out. I really like the green one." ]

[ "I would definitely buy this if it came out. I really like the green one.", ">\n\nagreed" ]

[ "I would definitely buy this if it came out. I really like the green one.", ">\n\nagreed", ">\n\nI won’t complain about anything cat related 😸" ]

[ "I would definitely buy this if it came out. I really like the green one.", ">\n\nagreed", ">\n\nI won’t complain about anything cat related 😸", ">\n\nMy criticism is that my wallet won't be able to handle it if you keep making such good designs" ]

[ "I would definitely buy this if it came out. I really like the green one.", ">\n\nagreed", ">\n\nI won’t complain about anything cat related 😸", ">\n\nMy criticism is that my wallet won't be able to handle it if you keep making such good designs", ">\n\nNo criticism, only cat." ]

[ "I would definitely buy this if it came out. I really like the green one.", ">\n\nagreed", ">\n\nI won’t complain about anything cat related 😸", ">\n\nMy criticism is that my wallet won't be able to handle it if you keep making such good designs", ">\n\nNo criticism, only cat.", ">\n\nvery nice! the eyes are just a little creepy to me" ]