Republican Party has been moving in a more extreme direction in recent years. by Mark Rose

 It's no secret that the Republican Party has been moving in a more extreme direction in recent years. They've become increasingly tolerant of racist and sexist language, they've been trying to roll back voting rights, and they've been using increasingly aggressive rhetoric. But now it seems that they're taking things one step further by adopting some of the tactics of fascism. Fascist regimes typically seek to gain complete control over the government and the population. They use violence or the threat of violence to intimidate their opponents and consolidate power. And they belittle or attack minorities, immigrants, and other groups that they perceive as threats. Trump has embraced authoritarian dictators around the world and shown contempt for our allies. And he's repeatedly threatened violence against his opponents.

It's clear that the Republican Party is increasingly willing to use whatever means necessary to grab power. And that should be cause for concern for everyone who cares about democracy. Trump while president has seemed to embrace every authoritarian dictator in the world, and belittled our allies. Using violence or the threat of violence to gain power is the definition of fascism, and we cannot deny that this is happening within the Republican Party. The people who have been elected into office via these tactics are not interested in democracy or working for the people. They are only interested in gaining and then clinging to power at any cost.

This is a grave threat to our democracy, and we must do everything in our power to stop it. Otherwise, we will find ourselves living in a dictatorship sooner than we think.

 The Republican party is in decline, and its unwillingness to accept a loss in the 2020 election is evidence of that. Trump supporters have clung to the lie that Biden did not win the election, despite all evidence to the contrary. Now, they are taking President Biden's call for an end to fascist tactics in the republican party as a call for civil war. This is incredibly dangerous and shows just how far down the rabbit hole the Republican party has gone catering to the MEGA crowd. The republican party's talking points are lies and conspiracy theories instead of facts and reality. This decline is sad to see, but it is also scary. The Republican party has become a party of lies and conspiracy theories, and that is not a party that true conservatives want to be associated with Republicans. 

The word Republican used to describe an American political party that was once defined by fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, and a commitment to personal liberty. A party that believed in the notion of American exceptionalism and stood as a bulwark against the advance of socialism. All of that changed when Donald Trump came onto the scene and Republican became synonymous with racism, bigotry, ignorance, and xenophobia. For many Americans who still identify themselves as Republican, the rise of Trump has been a source of shame and embarrassment. They can no longer in good conscience call themselves Republican and they cannot in good conscience vote for the Democratic Party.

This leaves them in a quandary come election time. However, there is a solution. They can vote for a third-party candidate. By voting for a third-party candidate, they can send a message to the Republican Party that they are no longer willing to support a party that has Lost Its Way. If enough Republican voters abandon the Party in this way, it will be forced to change its ways or face oblivion at the polls. So, if you are a Republican who cannot in good conscience support the Party any longer, remember that you have options come election day. You can help to save the Republican Party by voting all the MEGA supporters out, in the future there will be a chance to vote for more third-party candidates. But for now republicans that truly believe in democracy, women's rights, everyone's rights, the rule of law, our constitution, our Nation's Secrets, will need to suck it up and vote Blue or not vote at all this November.

Biden has done so much for our country in the short two years he has been in office. After Trump pulled us out of international deals and agreements, Biden was able to quickly get us back on track. He also passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which will help to stabilize the economy after Trump tanked it. But it wont be instantly! The PACT Act was also a huge accomplishment, as it addressed the needs of our service members who were exposed to burn pits and other toxins. Biden also signed the CHIPS and Science Act, which helped to reduce gun violence in our country. Overall, Biden has been an amazing president and has accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. We are lucky to have him as our leader in this point in our Nations History!

It seems like a never-ending cycle since Watergate, maybe before I do not know. But since I was in High School I have observed this over and over. The democrats come in to clean up the messes that the republicans have made. Then things go well and the electorate gets bored and votes the republicans back in. They rob the treasury and tank the economy. And then a democrat comes in, and takes the heat for the mess and fixes it. Watergate, Iran-Contra, recession by Bush sr, Recession by Bush jr, Iraq War,- these are just a few examples. And now we are facing another republican disaster with trump. It's time for a change. We need to break this cycle and vote for someone who will represent all of us- not just the rich and powerful. Please take the time to vote this November and please vote for reason, vote for republicans that are not buying into the lies of Donald Trump but please no more MEGA disasters. Trump has destroyed the Republican Party are we really going to let him destroy our Country too?

                                                                                                          by Mark Rose