Image credit: DonkeyHotey

Remember when the former guy referred to some countries as shithole countries? Although we don’t like the term, what defines a country as a shithole country? Is it corruption? Probably yes. Is it undemocratic government? Also, probably yes. Is it politicians with a fascist leaning suppressing people’s personal freedom? Absolutely yes.

Now let us see how we in the USA measure up to this. Let’s start with the first one, corruption. We have some of that here. Let’s look at Clarence Thomas. His wife was actively involved in organizing the January 6 insurrection. But Justice Clarence Thomas did not recuse himself from a related case that came before the Supreme Court, in spite of an obvious conflict of interest. That is corruption.

Then, for decades, Justice Thomas accepted lavish vacations on luxury yachts, private airplanes, and in luxury accommodations, from a billionaire with severe Nazi tendencies. He did not declare any of that either. Again, corruption.

Now we learn that the same right-wing billionaire bought a number of real estate properties from Clarence Thomas, which by law the Justice has to report, but didn’t. Surprise? No, systematic corruption.

Then there is the Republican lead House of Representatives where Jim Jordan is corruptly trying to breach the barrier between the judicial and the legislative branches by demanding that Alvin Bragg hands over all the evidence in the investigation into the former president’s corruption trial. Of course, the only reason he wants this information is that he can then give his guy a heads up about what evidence the opposition has. Corruption.

Want more examples of corruption? How about the former guy suing his former lawyer Michael Cohen for $500 million. This is pure witness intimidation. It’s a crime, and it’s corrupt. There are many more examples in the USA about corruption, but we will leave it at this, and move on to the next criteria for being a shithole country. We will note however that by far most of the corruption we see in this country comes from the GOP. That means that the voters have an easy fix.

Now, let’s talk about undemocratic and oppressive government. Main example right now is Ron DeSantis. The Disney corporation did not agree with Ron’s “don’t say gay” bill. As a result Ron tried to take away their lawfully established limited self governing rights. Fortunately, the Disney corporation thwarted that idea.

Next, Ron focused on book banning. Books about Rosa Parks? Shouldn’t be read by children at all according to Ron. Books about the true history of the USA? Students should not be exposed to that either. Ron is on a mission to totally whitewash (pun intended) our history.

LGBTQ+ events? Ban them! Transgender bathroom rights? No way! Transgender athletes? Also, no way. Taking in asylum seekers from Texas and then putting them on a plane and sending them unannounced to Martha’s Vineyard? Nothing is below Ron.

Oh, and to “fight crime” Ron now signed a law that allows concealed carry of a handgun without a permit in Florida. Yeah, that is really gonna reduce the number of murders isn’t it?

They don’t come any more corrupt and undemocratic than Clarence Thomas, Jim Jordan, other Republican house members, the former president, and Ron DeSantis. And how about suppressing people’s personal freedoms? That certainly must be a sign of a shithole country.

A number of states have not only made abortion effectively illegal, they have also created laws that make it illegal to assist women who need an abortion, not just by treating them, but even by driving them to the hospital. Or helping them get out of state. All for something as fundamental as women’s personal healthcare, and having control over their own bodies.

In many cases there is not even an exception for rape, incest, or for women at risk of losing their life. Teenagers are being dragged into court for trying to terminate a pregnancy that is the result of incest, or trying to get out of state treatment. Hundreds of women being forced to have a child by a rapist. All of these oppressive laws are created by Republican politicians in deep red states. Again, for the voters there is an easy fix.

We love this country, but we seem to be on our way to becoming a shithole country if corruption, fascist behavior, and oppressive government are all the trademarks.

The GOP of old is gone. That party is now ruled by exactly the kind of people that will turn this country into a shithole country.

It is time for some of those in the Republican Party, if they still exist, who have a spine, and a common sense of decency, to take back their party or start another one. In the absence of that it is up to us, the voters, to take care of this.