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Pick a Republican, any Republican! Why did you pick Donald Trump? The GOP started down a bad path before Trump, but something else occurred when he ran for president.
There were a couple reasons prior to Trump; the Supreme Court ruling to allow Citizens United and Newt Gingrich ushering in the attitude of party obstructionism, which Mitch McConnell has adopted "hole"-heartedly and made his life's goal to hold a firm grip over his Republican senate and allow only votes that confirm far-right Republican judges.
The House has sent over more than 200 bills, most are bipartisan, which he has not allowed on the Senate floor. The Republicans in Congress are not doing the job we are paying them for, they are doing the job that big corporations are paying them for. The stunts and behavior shown by republican representatives during the constitutionally mandated impeachment investigations would be grounds for dismissal by most employers. We need to fire them.
Then along came Trump with his own business and personal associations, agendas, and vendettas. For example, because Obama poked fun at him during a White House Correspondents dinner in 2011 -- a dinner known for its political roasting -- he sought revenge. He has stated many times that getting even is a priority for him.
His jealousy fueled his campaign with the purpose of undoing everything Obama achieved. With a history of discrimination in real estate practices and his full page condemnation of the Central Park 5, who were eventually found innocent, it was natural for him to attract a racist base who resented Obama, a non-white president.
Snake-oil salesman that he is, he took, and still is taking, his traveling circus around the country, stirring up the disenfranchised white working class and the white supremacists with their fear of immigrants and their religions, and the evangelicals with the help of bandwagon televangelists who tell their followers that trump is their savior.
Repeal of Roe v. Wade is the promise they believe in. of course we don't know for certain WWJD, but it's a safe bet that he would not have appointed Trump to spread his gospel.
His history of business dealings, loans, and money laundering with Russian oligarchs made him a natural choice for Putin to back in order to salvage Russia's big Exxon oil deal from sanctions, so the cyber interference was orchestrated to help get him elected.
With this motley crew of supporters, to the shock of the GOP, Trump won the electoral college vote and the presidency. Now congressional Republicans had the choice of two evils -- the frying pan of no re-election and cut-off of corporate gifts, or the fire of Trump worship. His base, to avoid cognitive dissonance, sticks with him no matter what.
There were good Republicans. It looks like the breed died with Sen. John McCain. They stood for purposes with merit. Controlling spending, being frugal and using taxpayer money wisely is admirable.
Less government bureaucracy. Adhering to the rule of law and established procedures. Allowing a free economic market, but with sensible regulations on environmental and health damage. The GOP, up until the last decade or so, promoted environmental regulation. According to an article in The New Atlantis, Summer 2013, "At the turn of the century, Republicans were among the foremost advocates of governmental intervention for environmental purposes. Teddy Roosevelt believed that government ownership of forest land was necessary to … foster sound ecological stewardship. … The lion's share of the nation's environmental regulatory infrastructure was erected during Republican administrations. …Richard Nixon created the EPA by executive order and signed into law more major pieces of environmental legislation than any other president … ."
"No other president has done more to try to dismantle President Roosevelt's conservation legacy than Donald Trump with his relentless push to hand over our public lands to enrich some of America's most destructive industries." Nature's Voice, winter 2020.
What happened? True Republicans, Trump does not represent you or understand you or care about you. He is the antithesis of what your party has stood for. Your representatives are going to crazy lengths trying to defend him. Comparing his impeachment to Pearl Harbor? What does that mean? Are we going to war with someone over it? (Looks probable.)
Salem witch trials? What is the punishment, burning, hanging, or drowning? Comparing it to the crucifixion of Christ? That used to be the most sacred tenate of the Christian faith -- now investigating a president for wrong-doing is equal to what Jesus suffered? Yes, Pilate let Jesus face his accusers, but that wasn't to his advantage, because according to the bible, it was they who sealed his fate, not Pilate. Trump has no intention of facing anything. It's never his fault, he will not admit even the smallest mistake and will contrive the most elaborate excuses to show how he was not wrong. (The Alabama hurricane sharpie map, for one example)
Pick any Republican! Any GOP candidate who ran against Trump would have given you a solid GOP platform comprised of all the aims of the party without the craziness -- without the mental deficiency, the empathy vacuum, the ego, the lack of ethics, the mysogeny -- the list goes on. Gov. Bill Weld is challenging Trump as a Republican candidate for president -- why not consider him? He is an intelligent, sensible, honest man. He has no shady baggage to try to explain away. He would allow the country to experience a campaign and debate with whomever the dems pick that is serious and normal! No cheap theatrics! Jeb Bush, Chris Christy, Ted Cruz, John Kasich -- any of them would have provided the same policy agendas and Mitch would be a lot more relaxed! Why, Republican voters? Why?
And why, three years into this administration, are we seeing such slavish support of this nightmare? The economy? The economy is in a statistical holding pattern. The stock market as a measurement of the financial state of the nation tells us we are doing very well. So the economy is great, that makes Trump great. But are we actually doing so much better because he is president? Have wages or the cost of living improved much? How's your grocery bill? Cost of insurance, housing, transportation? Can you afford to get sick?
If you can afford to invest in the stock market, you are not among the majority in this country. Basic needs are a better practical indicator of how well off we are. And who do we have to thank for bringing the economy back from the brink of disaster? It wasn't Trump. The reason for Trump goes deeper than the economy.
The reason comes from threats, both foreign and domestic, as mentioned previously, one being the domestic threat of white supremacy and fear of outsiders. Trump engaged that primal instinct when any civil candidate would not touch it. Other candidates went after Roe, but Trump switched on a halo and the lion tamed the Christians, blinded to his immorality by its light. No one could be more righteous than Pence, but they don't see him as their savior. Why?
Other candidates take money from the NRA, support guns, no difference. Why Trump? Nancy Pelosi is correct about the foreign threat, all roads lead to Russia. That Trump is in Putin's pocket is no hyperbole. He has shown his unmistakable affinity for him. Paul Manafort, now in federal prison, is a cog in the Russian wheel having worked for the pro-Russian corrupt Ukrainian government while serving as Trump's campaign manager. It was on his advice that Trump selected Mike Pence as VP over Chris Christie, and it was Mike Pence who personally delivered the extortion message to newly elected reform president Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelensky. Trump appointed, out of the blue, Rex Tillerson, Exxon executive, as Secretary of State, someone who could help in the lifting of the sanctions on the coveted oil deal.
There is an underlying Russian connection that needs to be explored and that appears to have Republicans in congress afraid to do so. There has to be some pretty convincing forces at play to cause the 180s in senators like Lindsey Graham, who derided Trump prior to his election, and now adore him.
We need a real impeachment trial in the Senate, to get to the truth, to get to the bottom of this Trump contagion. If there is exonerating evidence, why is Trump preventing testimonies? Why are Republicans in Congress covering for him? They should be able to get their agenda accomplished with any Republican president, including the successor, Pence.
Why go to such lengths to protect and drum up lame excuses for his behavior? When every reason that is given to support him could apply to many other Republicans (lifelong ones besides), what reasons are left? What are you not admitting?
Susan Bigler is a Sheridan resident.