The president that Republicans and conservatives desperately need right now

Driving home from work this morning, I was thinking back to a piece I wrote back in 2017.  Six months into his term, I wrote an essay on Trump and why I thought that he was “The president America rightly deserves“.  When I got home and re-read it, I felt that it needed to be updated a bit.  Although, I still have my reasons to believe that Trump is exactly the president that America deserves to have in office right now, I feel that it’s more important that Republicans need Trump.  They desperately need someone like Trump in office right now, but it’s likely not for the reasons you’d think.  Give me a minute to explain.

Whether they want to admit it or not, most Republicans and conservatives are in quite a pickle right now.  The overwhelming support for Trump directly contradicts the image the GOP has tried to cultivate for itself over the past generation as the staunch defenders of the Constitution and American way of life.  Remember the pocket Constitutions that Republicans used to carry and wave around as props?  Where are they now?  Have you seen any of them hold one up to view since January 20, 2017?

Trump is the perfect test case for testing the limits of political power vs Constitutional authority and norms.  Since he’s taken office, Constitutional norms have disappeared from the GOP lexicon.  The GOP-controlled Congress ceded their Constitutional authority and power to allow Trump to do as he pleased with no push back at all.  As a result of that, we see Trump’s former lawyer heading to prison for lying to that same GOP-controlled Congress over issues that appear to show that Trump may have broken laws after he took the oath of office as well as before that time.  Now, some of those same Republicans want to cry foul over the moves made by the Democratic-controlled House to investigate these potential violations.

Most recently, we’re hearing that Trump ordered his daughter and son-in-law to receive security clearances after background investigations flagged them both as not meeting the necessary requirements to be granted those clearances.  I’ll be the first to admit that the president does have that authority to grant those clearances in that instance.  Considering the current president AND his party made the 2016 election all about classified information security, you would think caution would be the play in this case as opposed to giving a finger to the process that’s been in place to guard our secrets.

Hillary Clinton’s emails?  Give me an effin’ break about that now.  That dog won’t hunt.  Reality Winner’s leak?  So much for that one too, huh?  Edward Snowden?  Bradley/Chelsea Manning?  The list goes on and on in regards to security clearances and violators.  Now, Trump has turned the whole security clearance process into a joke.  There was even wide reporting on how some countries sought to leverage knowledge on Kushner to help with their negotiations.  God only knows if we’ll pay dearly for this one.

Even beyond the security clearance issue, there the Emoluments Clause to deal with.  Don’t forget the Muslim ban.  There’s the immigration “emergency” which led to parent/child separations at the border as well as the recent emergency declaration to reallocate funding to build a wall on the southern border.  On the horizon, there’s the issue with Hoda Muthana’s citizenship and whether she will be allowed to return to the US and face justice over her actions.

Republicans long portrayed themselves as defenders of the Constitution and the party of competent governance.  We’ve all heard about their fiscal stewardship and other things.  We’ve listened to them warn about the socialism and other boogeymen we’d face if we did not keep them in control of the government.  All of that is garbage when you look at how the GOP has abandoned the Constitution altogether and turned to Trumpism.  I saw the GOP as completely giving up on the Constitution as soon as they decided to go along with Trump’s emergency declaration for the wall.  They were already turning their backs to the document, but that cemented the deal.

Donald Trump is exactly what the GOP needs now.  They are at a crossroad where they have to decide on whether they love the Constitution or whether they love Trump.  There is not room for both, especially considering how Trump has behaved thus far while in office.  If I felt that Trump was able to change, I wouldn’t see this as an either-or choice for Republicans.  There was evidence before the election to point out that Trump wasn’t fit to be president, but they voted him into office anyway.  Now the country, especially Republicans, have to deal with this.

Just as the dilemma posed in the short story “The Lady, or the Tiger?”, Republicans are facing two stark and distinct choices.  Unlike the lead in that story, the GOP has a clear view of their choices and the ramifications of their choice.  The moral dilemma boils down to whether they want power or sound governance.

Death of a legacy

I enjoy talking politics and history.  Whether separate or combined, there are always some interesting stories to be learned.  Watching the brouhaha over the NFL protests has led to quite a few different discussions online, at home, and at work.  After watching an online conversation where I saw a few conservatives trying to school blacks on the issue of slavery, I had a moment of clarity that made me realize how much things have changed.

The Republican Party, or the Party of Lincoln, has always advertised itself as the Party of Civil Rights.  There’s no stopping any Republican or conservative when they decide to preen on their laurels of yesteryear.  Even Black Republicans love to talk about how the Democratic Party is the home of racism and racists while they’re the Civil Rights party.

While indeed that is the history of the GOP, the legacy that began by the founders has died.  I’m not saying that it is dying.  I am suggesting that it is dead, not coming back like Jason Voorhees dead.  How did I come to that realization you ask?  The reaction to Colin Kaepernick and the NFL.

See, the parties have become more ideologically pure over the past century.  Right after the Civil War, there were liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats.  In those days, it was the liberal wing of the Republican Party that pushed much of the progressive issues forward.  As time moved forward, progressives migrated towards the Democratic Party and conservatives towards the GOP.  Now, the parties have completely switched when it comes to civil rights.

Now that the parties are so ideologically different, there are very few Republicans left to take up the mantle of Civil Rights.  That’s why you have state GOP parties enacting voter laws that adversely impact minority and poor voters.  You have a GOP president who is barking orders to the NFL as though he’s a dictator as opposed to someone who would advance equality under the law.  You have a GOP Attorney General who is backing away from consent decrees with police departments who have shown themselves to be less than upstanding when it comes to the civil rights of minorities they have sworn to protect.  And finally, you have an entire conservative movement that is so out of touch with civil rights that they’re angry that NFL players are allegedly disrespecting the flag, the military, and the national anthem, when the players are actually protesting for the respecting of civil rights of Americans who lack the platform to protest on a national level.

Indeed, the “Party of Civil Rights” is actively and aggressively trying to fight a protest that is actually seeking equal civil rights for all citizens of this country.  If you don’t believe me, ask any conservative about why the NFL players are taking a knee or sitting during the anthem.  I will put money that 90-95% will come with some response about disrespecting the country, flag, anthem, or military.  Very few, if any at all, will mention anything about civil rights or police brutality.

On the other hand, ask any liberal or progressive about the protest, and you’re more likely to hear them mention police brutality or civil rights.  That’s not even to suggest that the left overwhelmingly supports the protests.  There are many on the left who disagree with the protests, but they will also acknowledge the right to protest as being American.  They also realize the protest is not done to demean the service of our military personnel or to disrespect any part of this nation.

When these two guys get what the protest is about and can participate, why can’t the rest of America catch on?  When the Party of Civil Rights cannot take the mantle of pushing for civil rights when the issue is being served up on a silver platter, then that party’s legacy is dead.  It died and those who rest on those laurels have yet to acknowledge it.  I guess it’s better to live in a glorious past than to address a bleak present and future.  As sad as it is, I am glad to see the liberals pick up the mantle and carry on with the challenge of pushing for equality.

 

The revolution has been televised

I’m not referring to the revolution that Gil Scott Heron warned us about.  I’m talking about a more recent revolution that has been taking place on American soil.  From the looks of it, we may be heading into the final stages of that revolution where things start to get messy.

The revolution that I’m referring to has been called the Reagan Revolution, but I see it more as an attempt to push this country far right, and it’s been quite successful so far.  Starting in 1980, Reagan started the movement right with the defection of the “Reagan Democrats” from the Democratic Party.  This pulled a lot of working class Whites from the Left and gave the Right more support.  In the South, you had party realignment going on where Southern Democrats were either shifting to the GOP or getting out of politics.  As a result, you end up with a second rightward lurch with the Gingrich Revolution.

Under the Gingrich era, the GOP moved even further to the right.  Trying to keep up, the Democratic Party moved rightward as well, especially under the presidency of Bill Clinton.  The continued movement to the right led to those farthest on the right gaining even more power and clout which led to them demanding more and wanting more control of the party direction.  As a result, it was full steam ahead to the right.

Under GWB, we saw people voluntarily giving up constitutionally protected rights for “freedom” with the Patriot Act.  It was explained away as the price to fight terrorism to keep us safe.  I’m not going to say whether that’s correct or not because I really don’t know.  However, it’s telling that people who support the “Party of Freedom”, or the GOP, are willing to give up their rights under the Constitution and demagogue the left for trying to protect those rights.

Under President Obama, we’ve seen further rightward movement by the Dems attempting to keep pace with the GOP.  Several times, Obama threw his own party, especially the liberal wing, under the bus while attempting to get agreement and acceptance from the GOP.  Never mind the fact that the GOP wouldn’t agree to anything that Obama suggested or even hinted that he liked.  I think that opposition was so complete that some Republicans would have probably stopped breathing* if Obama came out in favor of breathing oxygen.  All Obama ended up doing was push the Democratic Party further to the left just as President Clinton had done before him.

Ultimately, we’ve entered the final stage, otherwise known as the Age of Trump.  We have a candidate for president openly suggesting that people should be beaten up, and nobody blinks an eye.  He says that he will cover the costs of anyone arrested, and then backtracks and the media gives him a pass for lying through his teeth.  What other candidate has ever said the following and was still in the running to lead this country?

• “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters,”
• “I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically. I think you’d have riots. I think you’d have riots. I’m representing many, many millions of people.”
• “Maybe he should have been roughed up because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing.”

I can’t answer for anyone else, but my idea of the leader of the US is someone who wouldn’t openly condone violence, bigotry, or discrimination.  Regardless of our race, religion, or sex, ALL Americans have rights that are guaranteed and protected by the Constitution.

I say the Revolution was televised because we’ve all seen this play out before our very eyes whether we were aware of it or not.  The media has been a great sidekick in helping this happen.  Under the guise of being impartial, they have abdicated the responsibility of truthful reporting.  Those who try to call out the extremism get accused of being biased, yet nobody calls out the bias of those who are complicit in actively pushing this country to the right.

Where is the media when we have politicians openly and purposefully passing legislation to discriminate against people?  Where is the media when citizens are openly having their protected rights trampled?  They’re all circling around in the feeding frenzy of the one that has started the last and messy phase of the revolution.  If you don’t believe me, notice that whatever happens locally or worldwide will be reported but not given any coverage when compared to the Daily Trump Report.

I honestly don’t know if this was the plan all along or if it’s just something that came to pass.  I do feel that the GOP brought this on themselves by constantly feeding red meat to the fringe of their party, promising them more and more without ever being honest or truthful with them.  With great power comes great responsibility, and the GOP used their power while completely ignoring their responsibility.

If you think I place this all on the GOP, then you’re wrong.  It takes two to tango, and the Dems have danced the dance all along the way.  At no point did they have to lurch to the right, but there were those who chose to do so.  Instead of cowering to the right-wing media machine, the Dems could have stayed true to their base and called the rightward movement for what it was.  So many ifs and buts, but none of that can be changed at this point.  All we can do is see the impending train wreck coming and try to slam on the brakes to avoid catastrophe.

See what I see or something different?  Let me know your view…

*Stopped breathing only until they would have literally had to gasp for air.

Democrats have jello spines

Yesterday saw a whipping that made Adrian Peterson wince.  Ok, maybe that wasn’t right, but the Dems got waxed off at the polls without the common courtesy of a wax on.

I’ve been laid up on sinus meds, so I could hear the pundits all talking nonsense about the election.  My assessment can be summed up in one sentence.  The Democratic Party has the collective spine of a bowl of jello.

They ran from Obama like politicians running from a whore house.  They let the Republican party control the message throughout the entire campaign.  It basically looked like the Democratic Party tried to run a two-minute offense with only a center, quarterback, and a single receiver.  I think the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man has more testicular fortitude at getting his thoughts, ideas, and beliefs across when compared to the entire Democratic Party apparatus.

One thing I realized with this election is that I’m tired as hell of politics and politicians.  More than anything else, I’m tired of my fellow Americans who allow this crap to continue like this.  I saw these notes from a Yahoo article that talked about preliminary exit polling, and it really makes me wonder if anybody takes voting seriously, or is it just an exercise in picking the opposite party every two years.

4. 53 percent have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party and 56 percent have an unfavorable view of the Republican party.

5. 53 percent say the government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals.

6. 54 percent of voters disapprove of Barack Obama’s job performance as president and 61 percent are dissatisfied or even angry with the Republican leaders in Congress.

7. Seven in 10 voters say the nation’s economy is in bad shape, fewer than in 2012, 2010 and 2008 — but still seven in 10.

Source: Yahoo

So, if I read this right, the Democrats are favored more than Republicans, Obama has a better disapproval rating that Republican leaders in Congress, more people think the economy is better now than it was in previous elections, but the voters that went to the polls thought that Republicans were the better option?  If these numbers don’t show how weak and ineffective the Democratic Party is, then I’m not a middle-aged Black man raising a family in the South.

I wrote that I loathe some things about the current GOP, but I do have to say congratulations to them anyway.  They tapped in to the fears or concerns of people and got them to vote them into office.  Kudos to Tim Scott who became the first Black Senator elected in a Southern state since Reconstruction.  The only party that has elected Black Senators in the South to date has been the Republican Party, so I’m interested to see how they work with Scott.  As the party is far more conservative than it was when Hiram Revels was elected right after the Civil War, I’m also interested to see how welcoming all conservatives are towards him.  Mia Love of Utah also became the first Black Republican woman elected to the House of Representatives, so I tip my cap to her.

Can we get off the seesaw long enough to allow one group the opportunity to straighten things out?  I don’t see anytime in the near future where both parties are going to work together.

I’m glad the Republicans won majorities because they have to govern now.  Show us what conservatism does for America.  The last time the GOP had control over most of the government, we were losing hundreds of thousands of jobs every month.  We’ve had slow, anemic growth under Obama and the Democrats, but we’ve had growth.  I’m waiting to see what the GOP has in store for me.  I’ve already seen what the Democrats could do, and I only wish they had the testicular fortitude to stand behind what they’ve done.  I’ve only seen spineless slinking away from the tough road and battles thus far, and I’m one that likes to have leaders with a spine.

 

The Sanctity of the Ballot

Source: Slate.com

There have been much chattering going on about Democratic candidates who are reluctant to tell reporters or questioners who they voted for.  From Alison Grimes, Michelle Nunn, Natalie Tennant, and Mark Begich, reporters or campaign lackeys have been following them around asking them who they voted for in order to get that gold-plated sound bite saying they voted for Obama.  If they don’t want to answer the question, then they can hire me instead to answer the question for them.  I’ll give them the answer these questioners need to hear.

None of your damn business!!

My services are free, of course, but I can attempt to channel my inner Samuel L. Jackson when I deliver that answer for a small donation.

In the grand scheme of things, we can all pretty much guess how most politicians and candidates vote based on their campaigns and actions.  There’s no need for a “gotcha” moment that has to be captured on video.

I find it interesting that the candidates being asked this question are all Democratic candidates in close races.  Having them on video saying they voted for Obama does nothing but give their opposition an excellent and undeniable soundbite to run their next campaign attack ad.  That’s what this is all about.  Let’s be serious.

If this were not the case, then there would be people asking Republicans who they voted for.  Unfortunately, or fortunately if you’re Republican, being tied to Mitt “47%” Romney isn’t a ratings draw for the news media.  Otherwise, we’d have people asking that question to all politicians.

I find it funny that it really matters to some people who Grimes and the other Democrats voted for.  The same people who are whining about their voting were the same ones vigorously defending Mitt Romney’s refusal to release his tax returns for the years that may have shown him to be one of the people who received amnesty from the government for evading taxes.  So much for consistency in private matters, huh?

If any of you need an Angry Black Man to handle your press for you, then let me know.  As much as I loathe politicians, I’d have no problem at telling people where they could ream that question.  You are all Democrats, and I seriously doubt that any of you voted for Romney.  If you did, then that’s for you to know and not me.  If you wish to volunteer that information, then that’s on you.  I’m totally against using coercion to extract information from people though, even those whom I disagree with.

Related articles

• Grimes refuses to answer whether she voted for Obama — four times
• Column: Grimes and the unanswered question on Obama
• The question unanswered: Kathleen Parker
• ABC’s Jonathan Karl Mocks Alison Lundergan Grimes During White House Press Briefing
• More Dems Won’t Answer Vote-for-Obama Question