Those of us who once numbered ourselves among the ranks of Republicans now find ourselves in a difficult position.

We have witnessed (again!) the betrayal of our American values and bedrock principles by those who begged our support, pledging to defend that which they now so brusquely discard for expediencies' sake.

I've been urged to run for office so many times, but have always declined, preferring to remain beholden only to myself, always anchored to the truth as I may find it. I have always felt an aversion to the "ick" that attaches to the politician.

The "next-man-in-line" candidate protocol, slavishly followed by the Republican party has proven less than productive, given our necessity is always for the "man-of-the-moment," not the man who has waited around the longest.

Now, we find our conservative minds assaulted by betrayal, perfidy, and intrigue on the one hand, and facing bald retribution, driven by outright insanity on the other.

What are we to do?

Well, we must begin with what we cannot do, ever again. We must never again leave our throats vulnerable to tearing, snapping wolves of our own making.

Taming a wild predator only offers the animal an easier alternative to following its instincts, which is to hunt, kill and feed. By eliminating the necessity of the first two by providing it the third with regularity, we delude ourselves into believing the animal has adopted a new nature. It has not.

So it is with politicians. Like their forbears, feudal lords and the like, today's "representatives" of government follow the scent of gain, accruing power to achieve ends of their own.

As a lord demanding tribute of his vassal, our new Barons extract liberties from us, slowly taking to themselves that which they convince us they must have, if they are to keep the worst monsters from the gate.

In the person of Donald Trump, we received the President we had always thought we'd been voting for all those other times. Promises became real, not merely "goals," never actually achieved lest we might grow accustomed to results.

We supported those who "opposed" our enemy, only vaguely sensing the depth of the charade in which we were unwittingly engaged.

The popularity of Trump forced the hand of the wolves. His vast support meant nothing less than brazen, overt fraud could overcome his organic appeal.

The masks came off. The painted scenery was soon shuffled offstage, no longer useful, now we victims have discovered both our defenders and our assailants check in and out at the same timeclock, paid by the same conglomerate, under the same ownership.

And, with hubris enough to choke the most jaded propagandist, they expect us to believe in their painted panels, ignoring the dark, infested corners they hide, and urge us again to play our role in their damnable production. “We have to prepare for the next election!”

81 total cases of election fraud, 30 of which are still active, having been neither dismissed nor withdrawn.

Literally thousands of sworn affidavits, tens of thousands of documented deviations from the established election law of various states and more scientific, mathematical evidence of statistical impossibilities present in the final certifications of the vote than evidence that water is wet, and yet, the pompadoured fops of the Republican party (and their hand-licking toadies at the state and local level) tell us our eyes have deceived us, and it's "time to move on."

Perhaps there might be wisdom in their words, had a SINGLE one of those cases seen the inside of a courtroom, ALL having been dismissed without the arguing of evidence; ALL dismissed under clear mis readings of existing law and precedent; ALL summarily declared out of bounds, not on merit, but on "procedure."

That's right. Of the 81 cases filed, and the 30 cases remaining, not even one has been heard. One couldn't get such a clean tranche of rulings on ANY subject, even whether water was wet.

We are indeed at a time of choosing, and our choices are not without power, as our most efficacious choice is to no longer play any game at all.

Politics requires money. Give it none.

Parties require loyalty. Neither one deserves any.

It's time to recognize the parties (and those who operate them) for what they are and treat them accordingly.

If you are a member of the Republican Party, abandon it.

If you are a donor, cease all ongoing pledges immediately. Don't give a penny to the Party, or to any candidate willing to run under its banner.

If you are a volunteer, shift your focus to more worthwhile causes.

Above all, make it clear to any who hold office that we're no longer extras in their play, nor are we spectators.

We are Dissidents, and will live, work and function as such.

We make the parties work. We make the towns work. We make the counties, states, and municipalities function.

Civil disobedience begins with your own hand; to whom you offer it, and from whom you withdraw it.

“But, that’s a prescription for disaster next election” you cry! Are you willfully ignorant, or simply unable to grasp the true nature of your predicament? We have lost the next election already, along with every one that follows, at least until the fraudsters eventually tire of maintaining even that fig leaf of legitimacy.

Those who have stolen their heart’s desire aren’t given to remorse. And those who have acted as accomplices, or accessories to the crime have already shown their stripes, and as difficult as it is for you to hear this, it must be said…

These are your friends, your neighbors, even your family. They are people for whom you may hold admiration, but you must appraise the situation with clear-eyes, recognizing their choices have placed them where they are, as your choices will you.

Some things must end, and since we are Conservatives, not Marxists, or Progressives, we cannot do to the Democrat Party what we must do to the Republican party for simple lack of access. As for the Republicans, well, they are one leg of the same stool with the Democrats and corporatists the other two.

I pray there remain enough patriots within the Party to be willing to put it out of its misery, like the rabid thing it has become. Never forget, it’s not your party anymore, and hasn’t been for a very long time. It’s just the Amen caucus for the profiteers, the bankers for the Uniparty, the holders of the coats of those willing to kick your teeth in.

Destroy the Party, before it finishes the job on you.