They will try to push you around either verbally of physically because they have no sensible position from which to appeal to your willing adherence to their thinking. In short, they have nothing reasonable to say and because they can't convince you to believe them they think that berating you, degrading you, or hitting you in the head will make a believer out of you.

This one of those chicken/egg deals. Bullies came first, then they discovered the refuge of republicanism.

and will try anything that's illegitimate, illicit, or illegal.

There once was a time when Republican meant mostly 'just slow down and lets see what happens, save for what we want, and grow'. It was not always like it is now.

But I am calling for us to come together and stand side by side and say "No! Enough!" If this election is stolen, we should make Occupy Wall Street look like a small gathering of friends.

... threatened and had a data base of their names published by the State's largest paper. I refuse to be intimidated.

under various benign guises like 'rugged individualism' and 'self improvement'. But the American theater of cruelty seemingly knows no limits.