What’s Up with the Republican Leadership
“Absolute power corrupts absolutely” ~ 19th century British politician Lord Acton
Somewhere late in the Clinton Administration era, the power structure of the Republican party woke up to the realization that a new political dawn was rising. If the party continued to lose voters at the current rate, there would never be another Republican president.
Their political research revealed that the immigrant population moving toward citizenship leaned toward the progressive party. Bad news for the 1% party. Slowing down the tide of immigrants might help, but only temporarily. What must they do to stop the drain?
The current party platform planks are no longer appealing to the masses. As the demographics change, new ideas are slow to emerge among the party leaders. Instead of growing with the voters and listening to their pleas, the party leaders turn tribal. Embracing the dark side, lies, betrayal and cover-ups become the survival strategy.
The simple fact that in recent memory two Republican presidents were chastised for treasonous behavior should have thrown up a big red flag (one president impeached twice in his first term). Instead, it seems to have embolden the dark side. Panic does that to some people.
It is hard to let go of or share power once attained. History reveals the pitfalls of this philosophy, but few take the time to review it. It is a miracle our Republic has lasted this long. The Founding Fathers understood this and warned us over and over that caution is necessary ere we falter.
Meanwhile the economic breach between middle class Americans and the top 1% grow wider. The voter starts to loose faith in the American dream. Since the 1960s, funding for education continues in a downward spiral. As a nation, we are slipping toward third-world status. As more educated immigrants fleeing from tyranny pour into the United States, the voting public begins to grow restless with the status quo.
Why should the American worker that supplies the bulk of the government’s income slide down the quality-of-living scale while more billionaires are born every year? Why are Americans denied free health and child care, quality free higher education and even low-cost Internet service? Just across the pond, Europe supplies all these benefits to their citizens. And the United States is the richest nation in the world. Really?
The ruling class, refusing to let go of power and share the financial benefits with the middle class, shoves America closer to mass poverty. For the last 17 years, one man has spearheaded that movement. As head of the Republican party in the US Senate, Mitch McConnell campaigns to keep financial equity out of any talking points.
Currently his goal is filling the courts with what he hopes is the salvation of the Republican party. Apparently, McConnell’s mantra is “if you cannot win by the numbers, try cheating with tribal judges.”
McConnell’s determination to control the power at any cost is starkly clear when debating his Democratic opponent during his recent re-election campaign. McConnell declares that he is above promising his Kentucky constituency any rise in living standards or offering any explanations for his wrongful behavior. He never even asks for their vote.
His “clout” is the intimidating ribbon through his entire debate. If he is gone, who would negotiate, bully, or threaten business interests to bring money into the state of Kentucky. Especially since he lost his partner in crime when his wife, Elaine Chao, resigned as Secretary of Transportation before criminal charges could be instigated.
McConnell repeatedly pointed out during this debate that his focus on Kentucky is and always will be on business interests in his state. What happens to the people there is someone else’s problem to fix. Though over 50% of Kentucky’s residents need Medicaid to survive, McConnell is actively campaigning to keep Medicaid benefits from expanding in his state.
The arrogance of this man who threw away his oath of office and the constitution to stay in control is infuriating to say the least. Aiding and abetting Donald Trump to do the same, makes McConnell the most dangerous of the two. Demonstrating his power by bringing the country to its knees, illuminates this strategy perhaps for the first time. He could have forced the President to honor his office, but it made McConnell more powerful if the president’s office stayed weak.
Yes, Donald Trump is a first-rate con artist tutored by his father, but I thought we all knew this. Apparently not! News of this type is not usually of any interest to Midwesterners. After a hard day’s work, they would rather be entertained by other sources. Those of us on the East and West coasts choose politics for our comedy relief (just saying). Donald Trump is a perfect example of “if lying was a job, I know some people that could be billionaires.”
For the last 40 years, Donald used his father’s bankroll to scam thousands of people and companies. The damage runs into the billions. Forcing all who wish to be in his presence pay excessive rates at his hotels or golf courses puts another hundred million or so in his pocket during his reign. He probably takes about $350 million, scammed from his fan club, out the door right now, so he gains much, gives little.
His daughter, Ivanka, married into another family of con artists, the Kushners. The patron Charles Kushner, just pardoned by President Trump, is a case on point. Kushner was serving a federal sentence for trying to scam his brother-in-law with a sex tape to keep his own sister from testifying to a grand jury (jury tampering).
The Trumps (and sometimes the Kushners) stay out of jail by paying huge fines and/or bribing the necessary functionary. In the year 2016, Donald Trump won the Presidential election, he also paid a $25 million fine to compensate the victims of Trump University. Trump never showed up for classes, imagine that.
This family of con artists must find it depressing to think their time may be up. However, I am sure they have faced tough times before, probably have a trunkful of tricks still to be used.
Our entertainment continues….
