The Adults Are Not In Charge
The state of American politics
To preface this article, I would like to share real-life dialogue between two members of Congress. This dialogue took place while they carried out their congressional duties. Feel free to fact-check this. I didn’t believe it at first, either. One member is on the political right, and the other is on the political left. Ladies, gentlemen, people with eyes to see. I give you congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
MTG: “I don’t think you know what you’re here for. I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you’re reading.”
AOC: “How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?”
MTJ: “Are your feelings hurt? Aww.”
AOC: “Oh! Girl, baby, girl, don’t even play!”
MTJ: “Baby, girl? I don’t think so,”
AOC: “We are gonna move and take your words down.”
Hear me out. This is a moment that could bring national unity. Politicians from all sides regularly say idiotic things as individuals, but rarely do they stand next to each other and do it together. Right-wing and left-wing, lower your hackles; let’s point and laugh together.
Ok, now that we have laughed, let’s get serious. Politics attracts a specific type of person. Politicians, by nature of the job, have a tenuous relationship with the truth. That is as generous as I can be. People who seek power rarely deserve it, and people who deserve power rarely want it. This is the reason we have checks and balances in our government. So, one undeserving person can’t ruin the whole thing. Checks and balances only work if the majority of the people in the government are solution-focused, intelligent people. We are teetering on the edge.
These two congresswomen are social media stars on their respective sides. They know it. They are trying to get clips for their social media of themselves “owning” the other in a House oversight committee. We should be collectively ashamed of ourselves. We put them there.
In the political climate we currently live in, it’s tough to make jokes. There is no shortage of tough societal challenges right now. Everyone wants to protect their side. Everything the other side does is an existential threat. Now is no time for jokes, etc. We elected these two. Hypothetically, they are supposed to be the solution to the problems that are so serious that we aren’t allowed to joke. I have to laugh so I don’t cry.
I’m a believer in kindness and decency. I am. I guess the most decent thing to do here would be not even to bring this up. Unfortunately, it’s a little late for that. It is in the congressional record… forever.
I’ll be honest: any defenses for either of these two congresswomen will fall on deaf ears with me. It’s not appropriate or defensible. Etiquette used to be a thing allegedly. Since that isn’t an option here, please pull up a seat, raise a finger, and point and laugh with me.
