The list of Republicans who support Hillary Clinton is growing — quickly … Richard Armitage, Henry Paulson, Brent Scowcroft. Three big-name former George W. Bush administration officials in the past few weeks have announced that they are supporting Hillary Clinton in 2016 — all because Donald Trump is simply a bridge too far for them. –Boston Globe

Trump may be a “bridge too far,” but why are Republicans voting for Hillary Clinton?

In fact, this election has revealed the truth about the US two-party system.

There is only one party: pro-war and pro-technocratic (corporatist).

The fundamental mythology of US politics is that the Democrats are socialist-oriented and Republicans believe in freedom and individual human rights.

But Hillary is corporatist, not socialist.

Meanwhile Trump, whose rhetoric sometimes adopts certain libertarian and free-market overtones, is pilloried by Republican leaders who increasingly state they will vote for Hillary.

More:

‘‘When it comes to the presidency, I will not vote for Donald Trump,’’ Paulson wrote. ‘‘I will not cast a write-in vote. “I’ll be voting for Hillary Clinton, with the hope that she can bring Americans together to do the things necessary to strengthen our economy, our environment and our place in the world. To my Republican friends: I know I’m not alone.’’ He’s not. And below are the big names that are with Paulson — or, perhaps more accurately, with her (Clinton). Members of Congress Representative Richard Hanna of New York, a moderate Republican who is retiring this year, told Syracuse.com that he will support Clinton and that Trump is unfit to lead.

Doug Elmets, former Reagan spokesman is quoted as saying, ‘‘I could live with four years of Hillary Clinton before I could ever live with one day of Donald Trump as president.’’

Important Republicans call Trump’s stances “brutal, substantively incoherent, and authoritarian.”

Strangely, Hillary’s actions and statements provide evidence of the very authoritarianism and brutality that Trump is being accused of.

When she and her husband entered the White House, one of the very first things Hillary did was fire the staff of the travel office in order to put her own people in place.

She didn’t just fire the staff however, she also tried to get the head of the office, Director Billy Dale, put in jail for embezzlement. He was subsequently found not guilty and Hillary herself was investigated for initiating the firings and making false accusations.

Her intimidation and blackmailing of her husband’s lovers is well known by this point- and thus her campaign’s emphasis on “women’s rights” is ironic to say the least.

Her voting record and statements reveal an individual who is most comfortable with US serial wars abroad, no matter the reason (or lack of reasons).

Additional accusations against Hillary and her husband include violence and even murder of individuals whose interests diverged from theirs.

Most notably, Hillary has been accused of orchestrating the death of Deputy White House Counsel Vince Foster.

None of this seems to register with Republicans who are “crossing over.”

The article quotes Mark Salter, former top adviser to John McCain, as saying, ‘‘Whatever Hillary Clinton’s faults, she’s not ignorant or hateful or a nut. She acts like an adult and understands the responsibilities of an American president. That might not be a ringing endorsement. But in 2016, the year of Trump’s s campaign, it’s more than enough.’’

The reality of the US political system is nothing like the rhetoric surrounding it. And now this is being actively and graphically illustrated.

Under both Trump and Hillary, the system has imploded. Its rhetorical pretenses have been shattered.

Conclusion: Whatever else takes place during this federal election, the disintegration of the credibility of the two-party system is perhaps the most important development of all.