There is much in your post I agree with and I certainly understand where you are coming from. I can well imagine how the people in southern California feel. Anyone who can't understand it, particularly after viewing the picture of that rally, simply has no empathic abilities.
And also we've got problems in my neck of the woods.
However, if you don't vote Republican, who will you vote for?
It hardly matters.
What does matter is that the "Grand" Old Party get it through its thick countryclub skull that "the base" will NOT vote "R" -- even if it means not voting, period, rather than throw away our votes for RINO pols.
It's called "holding their feet to the fire", and that's how it's done. They must learn that if they want our votes, they'll have to earn our votes.
They don't own us -- and they don't own our votes.
So it's high time they stopped acting like they own us and our votes.
It's high time they stop beliving it.
But as long as we grimace, hold our noses, and vote "R" even knowing that the SOBs will betray us, NO amount of "talk" from "the grassroots" will amount to squat. They'll hear us out, politely bobblehead their noggins in our general direction, smile, hand out for some more contributions, and as soon as our backs are turned, they'll once again laugh at us fools -- and if pressed, they'll shoot back with, "well, who are they gonna vote for?"
The answer, ultimately, is NO ONE, if that's what it comes to.
It's time for my knees to heal. Those decades of broken glass have taken their toll.