Fear-based control, without it they’d be nothing.

Power. Power over women, power over minorities, the power to choose gun rights over children's safety. A love of violence and a hatred of the feminine power. Aaron Sorkin was right (though he was referring to the 'Tea Party' who it could be argued have successfully overrun the GOP), the Republicans are the American Taliban. Aaron tempered that association by asserting that view as reductive, but it is so only because of the power of those who stand opposed. If they weren't opposed, they would do as they will. And they would not stop. We have these charlatans of humanity in my country as well. Here they call themselves One Nation and Liberals, it's a sick and sad irony that they are anything but liberal.

“Ghoulish, empty victories” is pretty much indicative of British politics for the last 12 years Jonathan…we feel your pain…

Power. It gives them the illusion of power.

It's not about happiness for them - it's about power

This was my central question as well. What do they stand to gain? 😞

Not my answer, but one from an NPR interview today. BRYANT: I would say first you need to kneel and pray to God, who is the God of everyone, that in your heart, you can understand that that is a living human being. And so try as you might to find God in this. Try to pray and have him open your eyes and come into your heart and realize this is your child. This is a human being who has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And you're about to take all that away for your convenience. Pray. That's what I would tell them. Pray hard. KELLY: When you say women are choosing an abortion because it is for their convenience, I just want to push you on that, because there are a lot of women who would say, this is not about my convenience. This is not a choice anyone wants to make. This is about my right to control my body. BRYANT: And I would tell men and women that you have a responsibility. We all did, and all of us are - fall short of the grace of God. But please consider your responsibilities. And, men, take the responsibility of being the father. So we don't want to wish - we're not hardhearted. We understand these difficult situations. It's why we work so hard here to make adoption easier for families who can't have children and families who want desperately to have a child. So look. I'm not mad at anyone. I'm not judging anyone. I am just saying that the Supreme Court upheld a law today that said that the states have the right to regulate abortions and that we will continue to do that within the confines of the Constitution of the United States laws. KELLY: Phil Bryant. He was the governor of Mississippi from 2012 to 2020. Governor Bryant, thank you.

Impunity, power, money, control, orthodoxy, enforcement of ideology, reaffirmation of identity, patriarchal hegemony — there’s infinite happiness to be found in the foundry of the Republican shithole, and y’all best be vigilant and clear-eyed.