Chris and I are the only two sane people left in the world!

Well, in that case, allow me to rephrase the question(s) ...

Did the Republicans of old believe in taxation?
What kinds of things should taxes be paying for and what should tax dollars not be spent on?

tee hee.

Message: Trumpism is a LOSER.

Message: the Resistance is real.

You have to first of all understand that like many young males, I tried libertarianism on for size in the 1980's, believing it to be, as many do still, a political antidote to the bonds of oppressive rule-makers, who at that time I perceived as impinging on my right to smoke, drink, and carouse at will.

That led me to Republicanism, whence I dwelt until GHW Bush broke the spell, and it all deconstructed before my eyes, and I started to notice lie after lie after lie, and really quite obvious bullshit.

So I can tell you what I thought before my conversion: that Republicans were the more 'responsible' party, interested above all else on balancing the books both intellectually and financially, while asking for more personal responsibility from citizens in return. William F. Buckley and George Will were my 'never miss' pundits.

I also believed, as I've said, that Republicans believed that we should all have more personal freedom, not just to speak our minds, but to live as we please, without government dictating our actions. But I'd soured on that misconception when Ed Meese began attacking first amendment freedoms, and again when more rights came under attack during Bush's tenure. I used to joke that Bush ate shredded rights for breakfast.

But since then, Republicans have abandoned all pretense to being guardians of decency, sobriety, or tradition. I can only imagine what Buckley would have thought of Trump, but I'd bet money that it wouldn't be good.

I also know that George Will, once the very soul of sober Republicanism, has since declared his independence from the once Grand Old Party, because he doesn't recognize it anymore.

So that was sorta my point. I've since come to realize that even Buckley's learned rationalizations were often predicated on inaccurate assumption, dogmatic theory, or righteous elitism, yet I find that I can still overlook his ideology and appreciate the rigorous logic and novelty of his arguments, as I might with Orwell, H.L. Menken, or Shaw.

When did the Republicans stand for responsibility and freedom? Whose responsibility and whose freedom, by the way ... ??

Yep. There they go again.

just a ruse to hook in Bernie supporters so they could eventually be absorbed into the Democratic establishment, a la Robert Reich?

Why else would a prominent economist support the establishment, if not as a ruse to lure unsuspecting liberals into considering reading Galbraith?

we'll quickly hear that it was because they had the backing of that newly dominant faction on the American political scene known as the Russski Hackski Party!

Have a good laugh, because when the Russki's decide they've had enough of GOP bad faith promises, they'll come for your guys too, and thanks to the Trumpophants, we will have done nothing at all to stop them.

All of the things that used to make me soft for Republicans is gone. They used to stand for responsibility and freedom. Not any more.

You've hit the Democratic story line on the head (IMO).

On the Fox News side, I'm sure the Virginia result will be either ignored (Texas Shooter was a Democrat! Sad stories about the TX victims; and Democrats politicize TX massacre just like they told Trump not to do after NY, etc.) or if the Republican wins there will be a full on 4th July parade and 45 will dial into some show to gloat.

I'm betting it's all a bunch of Bullski Shitski!