Giving Thanks

 

We give thanks for this wonderful country, even with its numerous flaws.

We give thanks for those that seek, speak, and believe the truth.

We give thanks for those who strive to help humankind, both here and throughout the world.

We give thanks for our democracy, that has withstood threats throughout its history to become a hope for Americans and a beacon to the world.

We give thanks for the wonderful spectrum of fellow citizens that provide new ideas, fresh energy, and a reminder that our nation has welcomed those who others once termed “the wretched refuse”--just as when my own immigrant ancestors, or those freed from enslavement, or those whose land was taken from their people, battled for their rights (and still do) for their homes and for their families, helping to make this a stronger, better nation.

We give thanks for the kindnesses shown every day, from inclusion of others with differing viewpoints and lifestyles to those exhibiting civility every day in their words and actions.

We give thanks for our self-determination to choose freely the path of compassion and cooperation over that of selfishness and division.

We give thanks for this remarkable, fragile planet, and for those who work tirelessly to protect and honor it.

And we give thanks for the undying belief that we can continue to make this nation, this world, a better place.

Thank you.

"Thank God It Was Only Incitement..." (from the None-yun)

(The None-yun is LeftBrainedPolitics satire--the first section is real news, the rest, not so much)

(TheHill, 11/18)

An attorney for former President Trump celebrated Friday's ruling that Trump could remain on the (Colorado) ballot. "We're pretty satisfied with the outcome," attorney Scott Gessler...said in an interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins...His comments came after District Judge Sarah Wallace said that while she agreed with plantiffs that Trump "incited" the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol, that 14th Amendment wording means it does not apply specifically to the presidency. Thus, she ruled in Trump's favor.          

"Phew, what a relief," continued Gessler, "the judge only ruled Trump incited an insurrection."

Noting Collins's perplexed look, Gessler clarified, "With all the other crimes Trump's committed--business fraud, illegal hush money payments, sexual battery, defamation, withholding aid from Ukraine, witness intimidation, obstruction of justice, classified documents, political harassment, and this whole "overturning the election" thing, we were thinking it could have been a lot worse."

"So," asked Collins, "what's next?"

Gessler chuckled. "To be honest, we're hoping to turn this into more fundraising; his gullible base will eat it up if we can come up with a catchy phrase, such as we did with "collusion delusion." So far, though, the only rhyme we can come up with for "incitement" is "indictment," and Jack Smith's already spoken for that one."

"In the meantime," said Gessler," we'll have to just go with the old "tried and true" slogans that have always worked for us: "Witch Hunt!" "They're coming for you!" and "Hunter's laptop!" All the greatest hits..."

Trump, reached outside some courtroom somewhere, pronounced he had been "TOTALLY exonerated."

 

The GOP is a Mess

Well, it's official.

The GOP is a mess.

"Clean-up on the GOP aisle!"

As the House GOP FINALLY passed a Continuing Resolution to fund the government until January/February and headed off to their Thanksgiving break (thanks to support from, I'm guessing, disgusted and disbelieving Democrats), it's time to see where, exactly, the "Grand Old Party" now stands.

And it ain't pretty.

Regarding the House of Representatives, where the GOP holds a majority, some have called their current tenure a "clown car," while others have offered a challenge on the floor to "explain to me one material, meaningful, significant thing the Republican majority has done." 

And these comments, amazingly (and tellingly) are from their own members!

Seemingly forever bogged down in the morass of Speaker drama, it took 15 votes (and numerous back-door dealings) for long-time favored candidate Kevin McCarthy to earn enough votes to take the gavel, only to have it wrenched away from him--the first time that ever happened in the history of Congress-- just nine months later. And, for three weeks--as wars around the world raged and domestic issues such as inflation consumed the minds of the voting public--the GOP floundered, trotting out Speaker candidate after candidate--Jordan, Emmer, Scalise--who weren't able to secure enough votes despite having received their own caucus's recommendation.

Let that sink in.

GOP members met, debated, and, after careful consideration, voted to advance their recommended choices for Speaker. And, then, time after time, decided, "Eh, maybe not."

And it's only gotten worse since then.

It turns out (as highlighted in an article by the Huffington Post), this Republican-led House has passed only 21 bills this session--the fewest this deep into a session in more than 90 years--that include world-changing imperatives such as minting a commemorative coin and naming government offices after people. And then, FINALLY passing a resolution to continue to fund the government.

And, believe it or not, the mess has STILL gotten worse.

On Tuesday, GOP Rep. Tim Burchett, was "sucker punched" in the kidney by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Fighting for you!

Coincidentally(?), Burchett was one of the House GOP who voted to oust McCarthy from the Speakership. 

In his own defense, however, McCarthy--who, as Speaker, had been second in succession to become US President--proclaimed, "If I kidney punched someone, they would be on the ground."

And, later in the day, a Senate hearing included panel member Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin (yes, that's his name) challenging a witness to a fight right there in the chamber.

In Mullin's defense, he later said, "This isn't anything new. Andrew Jackson challenged nine people to a duel when he was President (my note: Jackson served from 1829-1837), and he also knocked one guy out at a White House dinner. There's been canings before in the Senate, too. Maybe we should bring some of that back."

The caning Mullin refers to took place in 1856, when a pro-slavery Representative attacked (and bloodied) an abolitionist one. 

If this isn't a mess, then I don't know what is.

Well, come to think of it, it IS even worse.

The GOP-led House is spending much of their "effort," not on important issues, but on trying to pin impeachment on anyone in Biden's administration (that of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was already voted down). The current "investigation" into Biden's own "misdoings" has yielded a $200,000 check to Biden from his brother for a "loan repayment" (notably, when Biden wasn't in office). If the GOP actually cared about facts, though, um, they'd note that the same subpoenaed bank records list a $200,000 check Biden loaned to his brother six weeks earlier.

Interestingly enough, the head of that "investigative" committee, Representative Jim Comer, apparently loaned his own brother some $200,000. When Comer was questioned about it, he called Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz a "liar" and, for some reason, a "Smurf."

Say hi to the new GOP! 

So, that's where the GOP is.

Of course, their presumptive nominee to run for President in 2024 is a twice-impeached, four-time-indicted-facing-91-felony-charges, sexual-assaulting, defaming, fraudulent businessman from Florida.

So, um, yeah, that's a mess.

And there doesn't seem to be one GOP member in their own house/House that is capable of cleaning it up.