The Reagan Revolution Changed America’s Values to “Greed Is Good” — Can We Take Them Back?

Many Americans, looking at the GOP’s position on the issues, find themselves confused.

Why would the party claiming to be the last bastion of reverence for “life” in America also be the party that supports 50,000 American gun deaths every year, the leading cause of death among children and more than every other developed country in the world combined? Why would they support anti-abortion laws that don’t even contain exceptions for the life of the mother? Why do they fight so hard to keep healthcare out of the reach of so many Americans (12 GOP-controlled states still refuse to offer Medicaid — 90% paid for by the federal government — to their low-income working people)?

Why would the party that claims patriotism and the flag as their logos work so hard to make it difficult for people to vote? Why would they vote against supporting our veterans during their time of need? Why would they support authoritarian Russia and vote against aid to democratic Ukraine? Why do they celebrate an autocrat and fascist like Viktor Orbán and invite him to speak at their CPAC convention when he’s openly taking Russia’s side in its conflict with Europe and Ukraine; has shut down independent newspapers, TV, and radio in Hungary; and now preaches against the dangers of “race mixing”?

Why would the party that claims to stand up for the “average American” and “the little guy” work so hard to prevent working people from having union representation in the workplace? Why do they support giant monopolistic corporations that force the average American to pay more than $5000 a year over citizens of Europe or Canada for everything from airfare to cell service to pharmaceuticals to access to the internet? Why do they constantly try to reduce taxes on the morbidly rich while only throwing the smallest of bones to average working people and sticking our children with the debt?

New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell recently put together a “Republican Vote Tracker” that’s become a meme across the internet. He points out that the Republican vote totals just during this congressional session tell their own story:

0% of Republicans voted for cheaper gas
0% voted for cheaper insulin
0% voted for child tax credits to help out young families
0% voted to end gerrymanders
0% voted for the Voting Rights Act
1% voted to fight domestic terrorism
4% voted for background checks to buy…