Republican election strategy is the same one used by the tyrants of ancient Athens.
Wealthy landowners in the pre-democratic period fired up their political bases with crazy denunciations of other landholders, accusing them of undermining the prosperity of the city, messing with temples of the gods, and offending good law and order.
Speakers at the Republican National Convention said things along the lines of, “Our stock markets and 401(k)’s will collapse,” “Democrats will take your gun and take your God,” and “You will have no safety, no justice, no peace.”
Athenians got tired of the system of tribal politics and set up a system of democratic government. They also set up a penalty for any citizen who tried to fan the flames of partisanship. Such a politician was “ostracized,” meaning forced to leave town and cool off for a period of time.
Americans are getting tired of the tactics of tyranny. It’s time to cool off our leader.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross