While puppet Donald Trump is turning our government over to Vladimir Putin and Steve Bannon, while Americans are protesting the horrors of the promised anti-immigration decrees, our Democratic Party is still debating who will run it.
You may not recall that in Florida, the National Democratic Party last year chose not to waste its time throwing support behind Patrick Murphy, even though Marco Rubio had been scalded during his run for president, and Murphy was a solid candidate. Had they put some energy into that campaign, it might have given us another senator; it might also have helped Hillary win Florida. Just sayin'.
Then, after the election, when the country was shocked at the "victory" of Donald Trump and looking for a way out, the Democrats were nowhere to be found in Louisiana's December runoff for Senate between republican John Kennedy and Democrat Foster Campbell. Unlike a game of Where's Waldo? the Democratic Party wasn't even hiding in the crowd; meanwhile both Trump and Pence were out stumping for what was pretty much an assured win. Here's the thing: it may not have resulted in a win for Campbell, but it would have proven that the Democratic Party wasn't going down without a fight. BECAUSE IT WAS JUST THAT IMPORTANT.
And in Georgia, we now have Rep. Tom Price who is likely to be confirmed for Secretary of Health and Human Services on Tuesday. Two issues here: Price is an animal. He is a physician who wants physicians and pharmaceutical companies to be able to set prices for services under Medicare until, that is, he takes down Medicare. And by the way, he is determined to rid us of the Affordable Care Act once and for all. With Donald Trump's blessing he will fulfill the dream of Speaker Paul Ryan. Number two is that he is leaving an opening on the House of Representatives.
In a district where Donald Trump won by only one percent, there will be a special election for a House seat.
As a Democrat I can barely conceal my excitement. This is an opportunity we surely can't pass up. Can we?
At a time in our country when Americans are more dissatisfied and suspicious of their president then they have been since the end of the Nixon years, and for good reason, the Democratic Party should be front and center of this fight. Instead, I heard one Democrat saying that the people were taking care of things with their protests. WHAT???
Democrats RIGHT NOW have the opportunity to save the country. They should be educating and confronting the media constantly about the freedoms that are at stake in the abomination that is called the Trump administration. There should not be a day when there is not a pronouncement by members of the Democratic Party in our major newspapers and our nightly news.
This is not a time to try to appear reasonable. There are enough reasons for outrage over the actions of this illegitimate president. The author of that uncompromising assessment, John Lewis, is a true leader of the party and the country. But after his comments about Trump's legitimacy, he was invited to meet with Trump. As he answered questions about that upcoming meeting, I was horrified to hear caution instead of outrage, if not actual walking back, a measured, "we'll see." Which, by the way, is how the Trump power game works.
I don't believe I have ever had a criticism about Elizabeth Warren, until now. Apparently, being incompetent is not a reason for a no vote for a cabinet position. She defended her vote for idiot savant Ben Carson in something that sounded like, "at least he hasn't said he wants to get rid of the department he has been appointed to lead." She didn't actually say that, but I am hearing what I've never heard from Warren, compromise and a willingness to accept the low bar of the Trump administration.
Again, to all the Democrats that are trying to appear reasonable by voting for Trump appointees that are not total Nazis: it is not about whether they could be trusted to not destroy the department they will be heading. It is not even about competence. It is about the fact that they are being appointed by a president who is indeed illegitimate.
At this time, Democrats should be refusing to cooperate with republicans until there is "extreme vetting" of this clown president and his minions. Steve Bannon is now running the Oval Office. And in the latest move to privatize and take over the White House, Trump has given Bannon the power to reorganize the National Security Council. The first of these measures will be to remove the Director of National Intelligence and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, among others, from NSC meetings. The excuses given are the intention to reduce the bloated council and to free up principals' time. We can also look at it as the logical conclusion by a man who gets bored at Daily Briefings. But this actually represents the consolidating of control of Trump's White House under Steve Bannon, the brains behind the bully. And the exclusion of any members of the security team that might present arguments or opposing views. Or who might feel the need to inform members of Congress or the American people when something is going very wrong.
Democrats, it is absurd that you are still fighting over control of the party when our democratic process is being dismantled. Now is the time to get in the face of the republican Congress and challenge them to investigate -- immediately -- if not impeach -- Trump. This is the time to hound the media constantly about what is going on behind closed doors.
Members of Congress have taken to leaving their mailboxes full and sneaking away from angry constituents. Bernie Sanders, who is no longer a Democrat but an Independent, has sent out the following message:
If you're getting a full voice mailbox when calling your senator or congressman, Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to know about it. His office is tracking these, as it appears that some of these full mailboxes remain that way intentionally. Reach his D.C. office at 202-224-5141.
Why are the Democrats not all over this? Perhaps it is because they are still spinning over what is wrong with the Party? Let me suggest that this, in fact, is the answer.
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