At Least They Didn't Burn a Cross

​Yesterday, the Republican's "Invite a Nazi to CPAC" Convention kicked off at the Dallas Beer Hall.  If you can’t quite envision what such a thing is, think of it as sort of the conservative's version of Comic-Con, except the cosplay is Come Dressed as Your Favorite Fascist Brownshirt.

Fascist Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, so deeply fascist that his long-time advisor quit a few weeks ago after saying an Orban speech sounded like “pure Nazi text worthy of Goebbels, “ was the keynote speaker and came dressed as himself.

I can’t tell you exactly what he said, though I’m sure – to quote the great Molly Ivins – whatever he told the cheering crowd, who gave him a standing ovation, it sounded better in the original German.

The reason that I can’t tell you what he said exactly is because I don’t have it in me to listen to fascist, authoritarian, racist directives and propaganda.  But commentary made it pretty clear that the Fascist Uberlord would have approved.  And I won’t quite them because spreading the neo-Nazi gospel is not in my playbook.  But hearing him talk about never mixing the races and Christian nationalism to the adoring conservative Republican crowds in the United States was more than enough.  The good news though is that the audience didn't seem to have anyone raising their right arm in appreciation -- although in fairness I didn't see if Laura Ingraham was there.

And anyone who tries to tell you that this isn’t the Republican Party, "just CPAC" (which has long been the convention wing of the Republican Party) is trying to flim-flam you and hide who they themselves are.  Here are just some of the scheduled speakers at the Invite a Nazi to CPAC Convention --

Donald Trump

Ted Cruz

Marco Rubio

Ron DeSantis

Mike Pompeo

Matt Gaetz

Rick Scott

Marsha Blackburn

Andy Biggs

Madison Cawthorn (yes, really)

Jim Jordan

Lauren Boebert

Ronny Jackson

Kristi Noem

Donald Trump Jr.

Kimberly Guilfoyle

Papa John Schnatter

Glenn Beck

Larry Kudlow

Sean Spicer

Sebastian Gorka

Eric Greitens (yes, really, even he is still showing up)

Ben Carson

Dr. Mehmet Oz

James O'Keefe (of Project Veritas)

And, of course, guest Nazi Viktor Orban

So, yes, please, try to tell us that this isn’t today’s Republican Party.   This is the A-List of today’s Republican Party.  It's the Who's Who of the GOP.  And not one of them withdrew when Viktor Orban was invited.  Not one of them even criticized the decision to have him speak.  Not one of them has disagreed with anything he said.

I believe that among the seminars at CPAC are such events as –

Tips to Keep Your Brownshirt Clean and Pressed After Being in a Mob

The 10 Phrases in German You Must Know

How to Dog Whistle

Book Burning 101

Living Your Best Life in an Alternate Reality

Memories of Krystalnacht

Secret Topic Seminar (special entrance fee of $250) – SOLD OUT

Making Your Own Arm Bands

All Your Problems are the Fault of Jews and Black People.  And Muslims.  And Mexicans.

Finding the Best Assault Rifle for Your Child

Screening of Leni Riefenstahl’s “Triumph of the Will”

So, yes, meet today's Republican Party.  Going all out with fun time at "Invite Your Favorite Nazi" CPAC Convention.  There is no separating party, policy, interests and fascist convention.  They are all the same.  It is all fascist, all the time.  This is who they are.  Not a single voice of Republican leadership was raised in outrage and horror at inviting fascist Hungarian leader Viktor Orban -- whose words have been compared to pure Nazi text by his own longtime advisor -- to speak.  Not a single voice of Republican leadership criticized his words.

Because this is who today's Republican Party is.