U.S. Politics in Plain Language

When my kids were little, I explained a summary of American politics to them like this:

If you have an honest concern for everyone on this planet, now and into the future, you’re a Democrat. This means you believe that government needs to help with things like good education, clean air and water, and healthcare.

If you don’t care about the well-being of others, and only want what’s good for you and your family, you’re a Republican.  That means you want as little government as possible, because government costs money in order to function.

I’m a Democrat, but I don’t disrespect most Republicans.

If I had to do this today, I’d have to add this: to be a Republican, you have to believe things that are obviously untrue.  Trump is not a good person.  Climate change is not a hoax.  The proliferation of guns doesn’t make America safer.  The steady influx of immigrants across our southern border is not causing huge surges in crime.  Biden is not senile. The prosecution of those responsible for the January 6th insurrection is not a politically motivated “witch hunt.”

For this reason, I’m finding it harder to maintain my respect for Republicans.