American Friction

Inside the Republican Party's long war on democracy

Jun 23, 2025
Thom Hartmann, a progressive talk show host and author of The Hartmann Report, dives into the GOP's long-standing antagonism towards democracy. He discusses how historical beliefs surrounding wealth influence modern Republican ideologies and highlights the hypocrisy entwined with political and religious values. Hartmann also critiques the ongoing threats to voting rights, rooted in conservative philosophy, and reflects on the current political climate, revealing the dire implications for American democracy.
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INSIGHT

Wealth, Power, and Safety Nexus

  • Wealth accumulation drives power dynamics and safety needs in societies.
  • This pattern underlies historical falls of democracies and rises of oligarchies.
INSIGHT

Burke and Kirk’s GOP Influence

  • Burke and Kirk shaped modern GOP's oligarchic mindset favoring the wealthy.
  • Their ideology opposes broad democratic participation, fearing "riffraff" empowerment.
INSIGHT

GOP’s Religious Hypocrisy

  • GOP hypocrisy exploits selective religious teachings to justify wealth and power.
  • Prosperity gospel links faith to material riches, masking contradictions with Christian doctrine.
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