When delusional thinking becomes policy

A standard definition of delusion is: characterized by or holding idiosyncratic beliefs or impressions that are contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder, such as the crowd that welcomed the “Gaetz & Taylor traveling circus” that promotes falsehoods about elections, and denials about criminal behavior.

Then there’s rabid Republicans who believe the likes of: Senator Ron Johnson (RWI) who checks his emails for the latest Russian talking points on vaccines, the January 6 insurrection, or anti- democracy babble; Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) who declared his fealty to the person who publicly called his wife ugly; and of course Josh Hawley (R-MO) who claims his raised fist on “Insurrection Day” was a simple waving to peaceful, patriotic protesters.

Here’s a sampling of the many delusional pronouncements and bold faced lies at a House Oversight Committee hearing on the January 6 assault on our Capitol: “Let me be clear: There was no insurrection,” said Rep. Andrew Clyde (R- Ga.), “the day’s violence looked to him like ‘a normal tourist visit.’”

Let’s not forget about the 70% of Republican voters who believe President Biden was illegally elected, even after the last administration’s security chief said the 2020 election was the “most secure” in our history, AG Barr said an exhaustive investigation found no voter fraud, and 60 judges, many Republican appointed, refused to give credence to the nonsense the former president’s “nut job” legal team was promoting. Apparently delusional thinking is now the Republican norm for making policy.

— Roger S. Beadle, Chico