Orbán Is Teaching, Republicans Are All Ears

Posted on by under Election 2022, Election 2024, Free Press Issues, Global Issues, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, religion, voting rights

On Thursday, the Republicans began their annual CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) meeting … in the nation of Hungary, not here in the U.S.  Not even in a democratic nation, but in one ruled by an authoritarian, Viktor Orbán.  One might ask why they would go to the extra trouble, extra expense, and spend the extra time holding their meetings more than 4,000 miles away.  And I might answer that it is their goal to model the United States on Orbán’s example, to establish the same sort of country that Hungary is today.  Need proof?

The unconscionable Matt Schlapp, the head of the American Conservative Union and organizer of CPAC, told NPR this week that he was bringing his event to Hungary because it “represents Christian conservative values” and American conservatives want to replicate this in the U.S. by learning from the country’s ultra-right-wing authoritarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán.

The conference’s program shows exactly what topics are important to the Trump wing of the Republican Party, with sessions entitled: “Western civilization under attack,” “In God we trust,” “The father is a man, the mother is a woman,” and “Culture wars in the media.”  Joining Schlapp and the rest of the KKK Republicans will be the truly nasty Candace Owens and her current hubby, Parler CEO George Farmer.  Oh, and guess who else will be making an appearance via video message?  The ignoble Tucker Carlson of Fox ‘News’ and Mark Meadows, former chief of staff for the twice-impeached former guy.  What a lineup, eh?  So much filth all in one place!  They may have to burn the building just to get rid of the stench.

But the ‘star’ of the show is Orbán himself, the main reason the convention is being held in Hungary to begin with.  In his opening remarks on Thursday, he said …

  • “We need to take back the institutions in Washington and Brussels. We need to find friends, and we need to find allies. We need to coordinate the movement of our troops, because we have a big challenge ahead of us.”
  • “Have your own media. It’s the only way to point out the insanity of the progressive left. The problem is that the western media is adjusted to the leftist viewpoint. Those who taught reporters in universities already had progressive leftist principles. Of course, the GOP has its media allies, but they can’t compete with the mainstream liberal media. My friend, Tucker Carlson is the only one who puts himself out there. His show is the most popular. What does it mean? It means programs like his should be broadcasted day and night. Or as you say 24/7.”

The press at CPAC is mostly home-grown, from state-run Hungarian media. Independent European and U.S. outlets were largely denied access, and CBS News was one of a small number allowed access to the conference.  Journalists from international media outlets, including the New Yorker, Vox Media, Vice News, Rolling Stone, and the Associated Press, were denied access to the event despite months of requests.

Are you starting to feel the chills going up your spine yet?  I do.

Let me tell you just a bit about Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.  He is a white supremacist authoritarian. He’s restricted Muslim immigration and LGBTQ rights while building a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  The former guy was a big fan of Orbán, saying …

“Viktor Orbán has done a tremendous job in so many different ways — highly respected, respected all over Europe — probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK.”

I rarely repeat the words of the former guy, for in my book he is completely irrelevant, but I do so this time to give you an idea of the sort of person Orbán is … and believe me, he is not a good person and he is definitely NOT highly respected throughout Europe.

All of the international democracy rating agencies agree that Hungary is no longer a democracy.  During his 12 years in power, Orbán has chipped away at the foundations of Hungarian democracy. It has been replaced with an authoritarian regime that wields a cynical interpretation of the law as a weapon; the country is governed by rules like the border journalism permits, regulations that can seem reasonable on their face but actually serve to undermine essential democratic freedoms.

Elections there are free, in the sense that the vote counts aren’t nakedly rigged. But they are unfair: The government controls the airwaves and media companies to such a degree that the opposition can’t get their message out.

Viktor Orbán is an autocrat, he does not govern but he rules … and yes there is a difference, a BIG difference.  Orbán is, by any reasonable definition, a fascist, although some would argue he is merely a ‘soft fascist’.  Fascism … it’s a scary word, isn’t it?  The former guy made no attempt to hide the fact that he wanted to rule rather than govern, and he chipped away at the restraints that kept him, to an extent at least, from doing so.  He plotted not one, but three attempts to overthrow the will of the people in the 2020 election, to install himself as an unelected autocrat for … how long?  4 years?  6 years?  A lifetime?

The fact that CPAC chose to hold their annual convention in Hungary and more to the point to have Orbán as their main speaker should tell you all you need to know about the course being plotted by Republicans aka conservatives for the United States.  It’s an ugly picture my friends.  I’m not a scaremonger or a conspiracy theorist, but the Republican Party has been overtaken by a wanna-be dictator and they are falling all over themselves trying to lick his boots, to please him.  What does that say for the future of this nation?

49 thoughts on “Orbán Is Teaching, Republicans Are All Ears”

  3. I think it’s stupid for this converence to be held in another country, the added fuel costs, the extra time, the added expenses, totally ridiculous and from a group of people who say they’re conservative? they’re not allowing people to conserve their finances if they have to fly to another country just to attend. That’s point 1.
    point 2:
    Denying media access to the event, no matter what the event is, isn’t a good look or optics for the holders of that event, it makes you suspicious and naturally begs the question “what are you hiding”/ I’d say that to any organizer, oh, like the people at the world economic forum who are having their event this week? I wonder how much media will be allowed into that one and if no one is, will there be outrage like there is about CpAC doing the same thing? There should be.

    Liked by 2 people

    • I fully agree on your point #1! And I agree with point #2 also, it does beg the question what is being hidden, but I think their main point is to show that they can control media access just as autocratic leaders do. As for the WHO World Health Assembly, it will be webcast in its entirety, so no need for worrying about secrets there.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Jill, I wrote a companion piece this morning playing up an article in Reuters. In a comment, I included a note I pasted into my two GOP senators and congressman’s web emails. Please feel free to use and vary. Keith
    *******

    It is time for the Republican Party to divorce itself from CPAC. Holding a meeting in Hungary speaks volumes and paints the party in a very unflattering light. Before the previous president, Republican presidents and leaders would ignore CPAC as too extreme. Now, they represent the party. Yet, they certainly do not represent America in the view of this independent and former Republican voter. I urge you to speak against this group and help return the GOP to a party with more veracity. Using the words of one of my favorite conservative pundits, Michael Gerson “the Republican Party is in decay.” Gerson is dead on accurate in my view. We need a viable GOP, but this is not the path forward.

    Liked by 2 people

    • I just finished reading your post … I am very concerned about the ‘new blood’ in the GOP who seem to lean toward an autocracy such as Hungary, Turkey, and Brazil. Thanks for letting us share your letter!!! I will do so tomorrow.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Or maybe forever, but that doesn’t mean we stop trying to make changes for the better. If we just decide this is the way it’s gonna be and don’t try, then we will have failed and we’ll never know if we might have made a difference.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Every day the world gets more scary than the one before it. This guy reminds me of Hitler, but I think he may be a tad bit worse with having support of CPAC. It’s guys like this and 45 that make my blood boil. I really do think it boils sometimes. Men like this having support of the radical conservative really does make me nauseated.

    Liked by 2 people

    • There are a number of autocrats around the world today … Kim Jong-un, Viktor Orbán, Recep Erdoğan, Jair Bolsonaro … and Trump made no secret that he admired every last one of those, while denigrating truly democratic leaders like Angela Merkel. It was obvious that his goal was to emulate them, and to an extent he made a start. If he’s given another term … I have no doubt he will cast aside the constitutional checks and balances and attempt to retain destroy the democratic foundation of the U.S. I’ve heard a number of Republicans say that’s okay with them, that they admire Trump for what they perceive as his “strength” and they want a “strong” leader. Obviously, there are more fools in this nation than I once realized. Sigh.

      Liked by 2 people

      • Some folks do not understand how important that checks and balances really are, but on the other hand, I wonder if they care to learn how this country was envisioned to operate when the Constitution was enacted. I remember that you had to pass certain classes to move to the next grade, American government and history were two of those classes for me. If you did not pass your Constitution test and American Govt class, you stayed in that grade until you passed it.

        Similarly, two of my friends had been in the country for a while from Mexico and the other from the Philippines. They had to take tests to become citizens, and guess what those tests were about…Government and The Constitution.

        What’s good for the goose isn’t for the gander in these times…most folks do not even know how to write in cursive anymore. It’s those little things that make everything so scary when they are disregarded.

        Too many fools and too many terrorists…domestic terrorists. Big hugs my friend.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Indeed, the teaching of government and U.S. History were among the most important classes back in the day. Somewhere along the line, though, the emphasis in the schools became more on technology than on social sciences — a big mistake in my opinion. I often thought, back when Betsy DeVos was Secretary of Education under the former guy, that the intention was for public schools to turn out laborers, but not people who would qualify for government positions or even corporate leaders … those would be reserved for the uber-wealthy in the nation.

          Now about that cursive writing 😄 For as long as I can remember, I have block printed and the only cursive writing I do is my signature. See, I came into this world a southpaw (lefty), but when I started school, in Catholic schools, it was considered a SIN to write with one’s left hand, so the nuns set about to change me. They failed, for I’ve been a stubborn wench since birth, but many a time I got whacked with the steel edge of a ruler for writing with my left hand! And then, in fourth grade, I unfortunately broke my left arm playing kickball, and I had no real choice but to learn to write with my right hand. I write terribly … even I cannot read what I write. So, I print. I think cursive writing is pretty if it’s done well, but also harder to decipher, so I prefer printed words!

          Big hugs ‘n love to you, dear friend!

          Liked by 1 person

          • My class started early, and as I am reading the lessons, I am really glad that I have found my way to wanting to learn about the government of our country and other countries too. I don’t understand why everyone does not involve themselves with knowing what their role is, but I may be biased lol.

            It’s good you know how to write your name in cursive though 🙂 My first semester at West Hills, I was in shock. Someone asked me to re-write my notes that I was sharing out of the goodness of my heart because they could not read or write in cursive. You had a good excuse, but in the current times, I feel like it is more of a lax environment in public schools.

            I write in both block and cursive and combine the two really when I write. My penmanship used to be better, but carpal tunnel is kicking my butt as of late. I’ve been a bit chicken-scratchy lol.

            Big hug and love, and I hope you are well tonight, my friend.

            Liked by 1 person

            • Like you, I don’t see how anyone can consider the history of this nation and the foundation of our government to be boring, but many a time I’ve been told that it is so. Perhaps I was just lucky to have a teacher in my early years who was passionate about the social sciences and I’ve always been the same.

              I might argue with you on the value of cursive writing, for I really see no benefit in it at all. So … I have to ask … why do you find it important? Just a question …

              I hope you’re feeling better now and that you have a great evening ahead! Study hard, my friend! Love ‘n hugs!

              Liked by 1 person

              • I wish I would have had a teacher like that. I really had no idea how our government worked until I was in shock over 45’s appointment. I think it would have been good for me to find my passion before my 40s. My life would have been different I think.

                On the cursive writing, I think I remember how hard it was to get it all done and how it taught me to be more disciplined in my writing. Penmanship could be practiced, like typing and keyboarding now 🙂 It’s more of a preference for me than it is important for others. In my example, I think I was more ticked off because they wanted me to change me due to them not knowing how to read it. Drawback of going back to school in my 40s haha!

                Besides looking like I’m about 4 months pregnant. I feel okay. Still in pain, and I am looking forward to the doctor appointment on Friday. I hope he orders and ultrasound.

                How have you been feeling? Is the ticker doing okay? I know there is a lot going on in the news. I have been working on some things to post up tomorrow.

                My biggest hugs and biggest love, and you can always ask and debate with me 🙂 ❤ It's always a safe place with me.

                Liked by 1 person

                • Indeed, I think that lack of education in certain areas is what’s causing so many in this country to follow a path that can only lead us into an autocracy. My afternoon post is a copy of Robert Reich’s thoughts along those lines. Still, my friend, you have found your passion now and you’re going to make a difference in this world — I just KNOW it!!!

                  Heh heh … yeah, I get that! Why should you stop writing in cursive just because they can’t read it? Ah well … such is life today.

                  I’m sorry you’re still in pain … that can’t be any fun. Fortunately, tomorrow is your doctor appointment … be sure to let me know what he says! Got my fingers crossed that it is a problem easily fixed. I’ve not been feeling too well for the past week or so … losing energy again and a bit of dizziness from time to time, but I’m hanging in. Stress, maybe, or perhaps I’m regressing.

                  I’ll check out your posts in just a bit! Love and many hugs to you, dear friend! 🥰

                  Liked by 1 person

                  • I need to get caught up on posts for sure. I always enjoy those Robert Reich posts that you share.

                    I’m sorry you have been feeling so tired and dizzy. Stress is definitely a drag on the body, and Lord knows we have enough of that in our lives. Our heart stay heavy when bad things happen that are out of our control too. I hope we both feel better soon, and I will always send blessings your way 🙂 Love and hugs, dear friend! Time to get back to work 🙂

                    Liked by 1 person

                    • Thanks, dear friend. So … how did your appointment go today? I hope the doc had a simple solution to the problems you’ve been having so that you can study and work sans pain! Love ‘n hugs!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • You’re welcome! One thing is for certain when it comes to our healthcare provider here. They can’t get crap right. This is what I heard, “Ohhh. We’re not very familiar with the online booking, so we didn’t see your request.” So, I will go after I get back from vacation. They screwed me out of the first available. On the plus side, I am feeling alright besides the heartburn. I have to be careful what I eat. Love and Hugs to you my dear friend!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • Oh for PETE’S SAKE!!! That’s ridiculous!!! Sigh. Healthcare is no longer about providing good service to patients, but all about $$$$$$$. I learned that with my hospital stays last fall … mass production … doesn’t matter if the patient is left on a gurney in a hallway for hours, freezing, dehydrating, and in pain. And now, they want me to pay them money! 🤣🤣🤣 I didn’t know you were going on vacation soon! I hope you have a wonderful time. Going with your sister? Where? When? Details, woman! Love ‘n hugs, dear Amy!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • It’s majorly ridiculous, and I get so sick of dealing with them. I have seen the gurney in a hallway scenario way too many times, and I have seen how they treat transient people here too. I despise this health care system in this area, but the other choices are worse.

                      I’m sorry you had to get treated like that, and I know you will give them what they deserve for doing so! 🙂

                      Yep! Me and sis are at it again haha! We’re going to Vegas 😀 My first time going ever. It’s a belated birthday present, and we are leaving on the 24th for the whole weekend. We are going to eat at Hell’s Kitchen, see Criss Angel’s show, and enjoy some eye candy with the Thunder Down Under show 😀 Ha!

                      All my love and hugs, dear Jill! I will be taking lots of pics!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • It isn’t just your area, my friend … it’s all over the United States. Now, if you have millions of dollars, then you can have excellent healthcare at the snap of a finger. The rest of us, however, will wait 3 months for an appointment, spend an entire day waiting our turn, and come away in worse shape than when we went there. I’m a walking, talking example of it.

                      Oh wow!!! That’s a fun vacation … just be sure to make a budget and stick to it! My parents used to take me to Vegas. At that time, it was against the law for a child to be in the casino area, so they would park me in the lobby with a book and dare me to move, then go in and play the slots for a few hours! I’ve only been to Vegas once as an adult, for a convention, and while I did enjoy it, I was glad I was only there for a few days. I find all the glitter and glitz gets on my nerves after a day or so. I hope you and your sis have a great time, though!!! Looking forward to the pics!

                      Like

                    • My appointments are done like that too since I have Medicare from being disabled, and I just applied to get a little more help too from the state. My bills are getting higher, and I’m not feeling better lol.

                      I am a bit spoiled when it comes to my sister 🙂 She lets me enjoy her needing to get away and go to conferences 😀 She always takes me along, but she’s been spoiling me since I am doing well on my medicine and mental state. I think I will be like you. I think it will be a great place to visit, but I don’t think I would want to be there for too long.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • I suppose that’s what sisters are for! I never had one, so I can’t say for sure. You just let her spoil you for now, for you never know when the tables could be turned and she’ll need you to spoil her a bit!

                      Vegas is too … fake. It isn’t natural … now, the surrounding desert is, but Vegas itself is just not real and it can grate on the nerves pretty quickly.

                      Like

                    • You have a sister now 🙂 You’ll always be family with me, my friend!

                      Me and sis have a pretty cool relationship, but when we were growing up, we clashed. I was such a brat LOL.

                      I am ready for the instant “Whoa” factor, but I think sis is keeping us pretty busy lol. We might be having drinks with our friend David. He is going to be there for a hair show. It will be action packed, and I will be worn out 😀

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • Awwww … thank you, Sis! That means so much 😊

                      Ha ha … I’d bet you were both somewhat bratty … aren’t all kids?

                      Yes, you will be worn out, but hopefully for a few days you’ll be so busy having fun that you’ll forget the problems of the world … we all need to do that sometimes. And then, you’ll come back and hit the books, do your job, and make a difference in this world … I just know you will!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • You’re welcome, Sis! 🌷 The best family can sometimes be the ones we choose for our lives 🙂

                      I was definitely more bratty than most, and I think I still am! HA! 😀

                      It will be a nice little hiatus for sure. I will need it. This class is really time consuming and making me fail at keeping up on my hobbies and enjoyable activities, but that’s what I signed up for 😀

                      Big hugs, fam! Lots of love to you too!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • I absolutely agree … the word ‘family’ doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with DNA!

                      Sorry to hear the class is hogging up so much time, leaving you little for anything else, but just keep your eye on the goal … someday it will all be worth it!

                      Hugs, love, and happy thoughts!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • My DNA relatives (besides my sister and kids) have always been more like strangers to my life. I suppose I could add Mom and Dad to the list, but they were not fully invested in me or my life. It’s good though because I had granny to save the day 😀

                      The class is definitely high workload, but I am staying focused. This is the first time I sat down to read my comments today, and tomorrow I have more work to turn in. (I had 20 assignments to turn in today, and I succeeded.)

                      Love and hugs! ❤

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • Same here … as a small child, I was close to cousins on my mother’s side of the family, but she and her sister had a fight and I never saw them again until we were all grown and had little, if anything other than DNA, in common. You had your granny, I had ‘the uncles’ who were not related by blood, but were my protectors in a manner of speaking. I’ll tell you about them one of these days.

                      20 ASSIGNMENTS!!! In one day? Whoa, girl!!! I don’t think I ever had that much to do in one day during my 7 years or so of higher education! Don’t let yourself get burned out, ‘k?

                      Love ‘n hugs!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • Family dilemmas are always so hard, especially when we are younger. I always say that my raising is why I have always been so socially awkward. I got so excited to be in the company of others, that I almost didn’t know how to act. I am getting better, but I definitely do better behind a computer than I do in person lol. I needed protective uncles. I was a mess Ha!

                      Yeppers…20, and they were the kind that were tedious to be able to move onto the next one. Very whoa lol. This instructor is definitely giving a crash course in four weeks. My brain is screaming already LOL 😀

                      Love and hugs!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • Families are complex, to say the least. I sometimes think we set our expectations way to high. I’m also not a social butterfly! I have always had a stutter, especially when I’m speaking to strangers or higher-ups, and I’m most comfortable in my home. Being near-deaf doesn’t help, either! Thus, I write much better than I speak.

                      I certainly understand why your brain needs a break! Mine would have melted down over so much work! Hang in there … the end is in sight … somewhere … down the road a piece …

                      Big hugs!!!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • They are too complex. I have done better with building my own family lol. I also write better than I speak too sometimes. I really need to work on it. I get flustered really easy if I mess up a speech. I have to learn to suck that up if I want to represent people.

                      I hope your night is going well and that you are having good weather. Big hugs and lots of love!

                      Liked by 1 person

                    • I think most of us are that way, except maybe families in small, rural communities where pretty much everyone thinks alike. In my position as Accounting Manager for a company many moons ago, I had to give a monthly presentation to the Board of Directors … all stuffed shirts! I always stumbled and stuttered my way through it, especially when the financial picture wasn’t a bed of roses. One day, one of the Board members took me aside and said, “Jill, honey, don’t be afraid of us … we’re just a bunch of old guys who put our pants on the same way you do every morning!” And it helped … a little bit, anyway.

                      Hugs ‘n love, dear Amy!

                      Liked by 1 person

  7. Until the left start to get down and dirty, and I don’t mean by violence, the right will continue to steamroll their way over the rights of others and will chip away at the free press until it’s all one voice controlled by the right as it is in Hungary , Turkey and Russia. Conspiracy Theorists will convince more and more people that their flights of fancy aren’t so fanciful until they don’t know what to believe. Fascists and racists will control the airwaves. Fight Back with the Truth and use smear campaigns as the left do, bring them down. There’s no room for that in a Truly Democratic Country nor the corruption that allows it to happen.

    Hugs

    Liked by 2 people

    • Agreed, but I think the problem is that the left doesn’t know how to fight this fight, and I understand that, for I don’t know either. No, violence definitely is not the answer, and speaking facts, proposing logic seems to fall on deaf ears, so … where do we go from here? I wish I knew. But yes, I am very much afraid that the free press is in danger as is our entire system. Trump often referred to Putin, Orbán, and Erdoğan as ‘great’, as men he admired. Obviously, he hoped to someday have their power, to be an autocrat like them. Worse yet, many people in this nation seem okay with that. I think there is a significant lack of education in this country, and in part the Internet has made it far too easy for cultists to convince hoards of people to follow them off a cliff. Ultimately, we will learn a lesson, but how many rights will we lose, how many people will die, before the masses realize the fallacy of their thinking? Sigh.

      Cwtch

      Liked by 1 person

      • Maybe Australia will be the guide the Right need to show them ‘Abandon Corruption or Lose’ and to bring more Independents to the Fore, who owe no party affiliation, just honesty to the voters, No need to tell me not to hold my breath.
        Cwtch

        Liked by 1 person

        • Unfortunately our election rules are such that an Independent has little or no chance, especially for the office of president. I am pleased by the results in Australia, though, and hope maybe we can find a way to learn from them. It’s good to see people rejecting corruption, rejecting those who care only about wealth.
          Cwtch

          Liked by 1 person

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