Mitch McConnell

Happy Mitch

Fandango23 Comments

DFA88FD1-DA0F-4BDC-AC41-25AFEEBB335DThis headline just showed up on my iPhone’s newsfeed:E28FB6D9-EEDF-44F5-ABDF-5058D6719038So, it looks like the impeachment trial of Donald Trump in the U.S. Senate is all but over. No witnesses will be called, no documents will be released, and Donald Trump, the most corrupt president in United States history, will be acquitted.

He will be found “not guilty” of abuse of power even though he clearly did. He will be found “not guilty” of obstruction of Congress, even though he clearly did. The U.S. Senate will essential have declared Donald Trump the King of America.

Now it will be up to the American voters in November to stop the runaway Trump train. But given that the Republicans in the Senate could not be bothered to hear the testimony of even a single witness or to subpoena any critical documents, thus eliminating the possibility of a fair trial, will the election this coming fall be a free and fair election?

Unfortunately, between the GOP’s voter suppression efforts and Republican legislators’ refusal to take steps to protect the integrity of voting machines, I think the answer is no.

The fix is in. How happy Vladimir Putin must be.

One-Liner Wednesday — Crack in the Wall

Fandango13 Comments

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“Cracks in the GOP Wall Against Witnesses”

The words above appeared on a chyron (or text bar) at the bottom of a cable news show yesterday evening. I was watching MSNBC at the time and I think everyone agrees that MSNBC is the most left-leaning of the three major cable news networks in the U.S. So seeing those words on the chyron on MSNBC shouldn’t surprise anyone.

And then there was this headline in a Wall Street Journal article that showed up on my iPhone’s newsfeed:82ACE3A3-F417-4284-9602-F57BE56B82CEPer the Journal, “At a meeting of all Republican senators late Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the vote total wasn’t where it needed to be on blocking witnesses or documents, people familiar with the matter said.”

Yeah, well I think it’s a Democratic wet dream; wishful thinking on the part of liberals who are hoping to get witnesses such as John Bolton, Trump’s former National Security Advisor, and Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s acting Chief of Staff, to testify in the Senate impeachment hearings.

Here’s a reality check. The hard facts are that there are presently 53 Republican senators, 45 Democratic senators, and two senators who are “independents.” In order for the Republicans to lose the vote on having witnesses testify during the impeachment trial, it would take four Republican senators to defect and to vote in favor of calling witnesses plus every democratic Democratic senator as well as the two independent senators to vote for witnesses.

As much as I’d love to see that happen, it won’t. There just aren’t four Republican senators who, when push comes to shove, have the backbone to defy Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump.

What a sad state of affairs.

Written for today’s One-Liner Wednesday prompt from Linda G. Hill. Sorry about this post running a little longer than one line.

An Impeached President

Fandango8 Comments

624C6C04-5D7C-40CE-963A-2F770EB554CCThe Republican majority in the U.S. Senate represents a minority of American Citizens. These Republican senators represent less than 44% of the American population. And yet, these Republican senators can block the conviction of an impeached president.

An impeached president who has committed crimes much more serious than those of Richard Nixon during Watergate, which led to Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

An impeached president who was impeached for acts a lot worse than lying about a blow job, which led to Bill Clinton’s impeachment in 1998.

An impeached president who lost the popular vote in 2016 by almost 3 million votes.

An impeached president who suffered the largest midterm election defeat in U.S. history in 2018.

And an impeached president who abused the power of the presidency and obstructed Congress’ investigation into that abuse.

This is the American democracy in 2020. What a shame.

Political cartoon: Matt Wuerker, Politico.

One-Liner Wednesday — Knowledge and Wisdom

Fandango38 Comments

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“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.”

American writer and professor Isaac Asimov

I was only able to catch brief glimpses of the opening day U.S. Senate’s impeachment trial of Donald Trump, but based upon what I did see, the proof of Asimov’s quote was on full display for anyone who was tuning in to watch it.

I think the actions on the part of Mitch McConnell and every single Republican senator showed not only their unwillingness to gather knowledge, but their inability to exercise wisdom.

Written for today’s One-Liner Wednesday prompt.

Dark Days

Fandango38 Comments

These are dark days in the United States.

I am reminded of it on a daily basis as I read the latest news or watch it on TV.

I wish I had some magic wand. One that I could wave and wash away what has become of our country over the past three years, since Donald Trump ascended to what he certainly perceives to be his throne.

I travel down memory lane to saner times, where political norms weren’t obliterated every day, and where partisanship trumps and patriotism.

I think of that portrait of Barack Obama, the one that says “Yes, We Can” and it’s makes me sad.Obama Yes We CanI wonder how we so quickly became the “No, We Won’t” nation under the “leadership” of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell.

No matter how things turn out, I will never feel forgiveness for those who have stood idly by, pretending that nothing abnormal or out-of-the-ordinary is happening in America, and who have enabled Trump to do whatever he wants to do.

Okay. Rant over.

For now.

Written for these daily prompts: Word of the Day Challenge (dark), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (daily), Daily Addictions (wash), Ragtag Daily Prompt (memory lane), Your Daily Word Prompt (portrait), and The Daily Spur (forgiveness).