They are not listening

 So I saw this disturbing article in Politico, “House Republicans unfazed by protests: ‘We’re moving forward with the cuts,’” By Ally Mutnick and Lisa Kashinsky. Basically, it says that the GOP Congressmen and -women are ignoring the protests and demonstrations breaking out in the country. They simply don’t care what protestors, or you, think about what they’re doing. 

But that makes sense. They haven’t represented ordinary voters for such a long time. They represent Great Power, particularly great economic power. They are owned by Musk, now. What you want, or what anyone without a billion to their name wants, simply doesn’t matter.

Which means, unfortunately, that the traditional methods of influencing our government and its policy no longer work, at least not when you’re dealing with House Republicans. Demonstrations, messages, email, letters, and so on are useless. They couldn’t care less.

The question now is what do we do instead. I’m not sure. But, I notice with some interest that the one thing that does seem to be impacting the GOP is angry confrontations at town halls and meetings. That’s unfortunate. I wish there were a way to get our message across in a polite, civil, and controlled sort of fashion.

But if there isn’t…?

Well, one uses the tools one has at hand.

Including rage. And fury. And confrontation. 

Fear and Loathing in Congress

So I gather that one of the reasons that GOP congressmen and -women have been so supportive of Donald Trump is that they fear retribution. By that, I don’t mean simply that they will be rebuked or punished by their party–not even the extreme form of party discipline handed out by, for example, the fictional character Francis Urquhart in Michael Dobbs's House of Cards trilogy–but rather actual physical violence. 

At least according to an recent article in Vanity Fair, “‘They’re Scared Shitless’: The Threat of Political Violence Informing Trump’s Grip on Congress,” by Gabriel Sherman, Republican Congressmen have faced everything up to and including “credible death threats” from Trump’s more ardent followers if they fail to bend to the President’s will.

If this is true (and we do have to ask if that is the case), then it means we have entered a new and distressing period in American politics. We would have to ask if we still have a two party system, or rather one party and one political mafia that uses threats and intimidation to keep its minions in line.

And worse, it would be a mafia…

Without even the charisma and the cunning of Vito Corleone.

Mike Pence....hero?

 

There is something amazing in the fact that Mike Pence, of all people, is emerging as a hero…one of the few figures in the GOP actually willing to take on Trump and MAGA. I certainly wouldn’t have thought it back when he accepted the VP role in Trump’s first administration.

Admittedly, I don’t think he’ll be able to achieve much. His party is now too fully wedded to the oligarchy and to corruption to follow him. Yet, the mere fact that he is present is comforting. Something about better a single candle than cursing the darkness in the Republican soul.

“Mike Pence emerges as one of the few Republicans willing to challenge Trump 2.0,”  By  Jill Colvin, Updated 6:53 AM CST, February 17, 2025, Associated Press (AP), https://apnews.com/article/pence-2025-interview-trump-lobbying-agenda-relationship-c035c2d4a235ec685eb5e8bfb4170f7b?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

In 1995, Hilary Clinton referenced the “vast right wing conspiracy” that had targeted herself and her husband. For this, she was roundly mocked and ridiculed.

Yet, here we are, just about 30 years later, and what have we discovered? Well, that there really was and is now a vast network of right wing think tanks, PACs, activists, politicized churches, schools, and organizations all of them directed and funded by a small coterie of extremely wealthy, extremely right-wing individuals. 

And moreover, this group is within a hair’s breadth of imposing an entirely new form of government on the United States--the plutocratic, theocratic, oligarchy envisioned in Project 2025 and embodied in Donald Trump.

So what do we do about it? Honestly, I don’t know. I do know that we have to keep fighting. And we have to make absolutely certain that never again does the GOP control all three branches of the government. Or, if possible, any of them.

And I also know this. Our Republic will not again be safe until we have confronted “the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.” And the people who created it.

The people who for some reason believed that their right to obscenely great wealth, and enormous power...outweighed our right to truth, justice, well-being, and, indeed...

To life itself.

The vast right wing conspiracy...is real. 

A word of explanation to the Republican National Committee

So, the other day, I read that the Republican National Committee, and the Republican establishment in general, just couldn't understand why Trump...a radical populist demagogue who openly employs quasi-fascist rhetoric...could possibly have become their party's front runner.

Shocked, they were, they said, just shocked...and utterly mystified.

I therefore did this little video to, shall we shall, explain things to them.

https://vimeo.com/166115668

deadly passions

I was reading the news on the web the other day and came across an article about Congresswoman Giffords. The piece reported that she had asked one of her longtime associates to run for her vacant seat.

It was innocuous enough story. But, then, for reasons that I can only describe as masochistic, I scrolled down to read the commentary left by other visitors to the site There were a few remarks left by well-wishers, and then scores of vituperative attacks…on her, on her husband, on President Obama, on Democrats, on liberals and moderates in general.

I'll spare you the details of what was specifically said. Suffice that they were quite awful. The least offense of them referred to Giffords herself as "mush head." Other posts from other readers announced that of course all politicians were parasites and would be duly removed in the coming libertarian revolution. Still others repeated the Birther fantasy which, for reasons I will never understand, remains alive and kicking.

I knew, of course, that these incredible remarks were the work of a few sad, sick bastards who otherwise would be scrawling four letter words in their own excrement on the walls of public rest rooms. The only difference is that now the Web, and its anonymity, allows them to smear their feces across the globe.

I knew that. Yet, I found myself depressed. Consider the recent GOP debates with all their venom. What if this is the new norm for political discourse? What if this…the verbal abuse, the bald-faced lies, the utter lack of empathy, the demonization of others, the thinly veiled calls for violence…is the rhetoric of our age?

What then? Where do we go? In the grip of such deadly passions?

Compassionate Conservatism

I saw recently that the Republicans have at least temporarily blocked legislation that would have provided hot meals to thousands of needy children. It was to have been part of a program that had the support of, among other people, Michelle Obama.

In a word, cripes. Why doesn't the GOP just hang out a big sign that reads, "Hi, We hate widows, orphans, and small fuzzy puppies" and be done with it?

Ah well. It's a PR disaster but at least it's in time for Christmas. Should make a great factoid for all those op-ed writers doing stories about the season …and Scrooge.

Here's to Tiny Tim, y'all. And God bless us, every one.


source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101201/ap_on_bi_ge/us_congress_school_nutrition