Take a bow, Republicans.
You fought for unlimited money in elections, since money = free speech.
You mocked community organizers and yearned for a businessman who would run government like a business.
You detest civility and “political correctness” in favor of crudely and obnoxiously “telling it like it is.”
You reject the spirit of compromise in favor of misleading attack ads and the politics of personal destruction.
You want a president you can have a beer with, and who doesn’t talk like he’s smarter than you.
You attack public education, teacher’s unions, the arts and humanities, academics and the “cultural elites” in favor of dumbed-down and simplistic “common sense.”
You attack mainstream media and public broadcasting in favor of ratings-driven hate radio shock jocks and Fox News.
You reject cultural and ethnic diversity in favor of “real Americans.” and demonize immigrants as violent disease-infected marauders who steal jobs from Americans.
You celebrate intolerance, bigotry and hatred as “religious freedom” and “traditional family values.”
You elect clueless, unaccountable anti-government motormouths with no loyalty to their constituents in a misguided effort to rein in the “government overreach” of “career politicians.”
With each new iteration and election cycle you have managed to further coarsen and debase the level of civic discourse and political participation.
Having made “liberal” a slur, you now have made “moderate” an epithet worthy of derision.
And now, as your party leaders cringe powerlessly, you cheer on the unprecedented spectacle of a yahoo and vulgarian, a cartoonish reality TV “boss” with national name recognition, notoriety and multi-billions at his disposal making a mockery of not only your primaries but our country’s entire electoral process.
Congratulations, Republicans, on the fulfillment and culmination of your efforts.
At long last, take a bow.