Day 5: “Oily Spill” 6–24–2022
It was with great pride that I watched Day 5 of the January 6th Committee’s public hearings as the various members of the DOJ time and time again rebuffed each and every “whack-a-mole” crazy conspiracy theory Trump found on one of his exhaustive, late-night, repeatedly interrupted by porn and online gaming detours no doubt, Monte Python inspired online searches for his personal Holy Grail.
It’s Christmas, 2020 and the time for our limped, insipid yet intrepid internet super surfer usurper to find his chalice, a story, post, or meme that has enough truth of voting corruption to satisfy the DOJ’s need for validation and send that damn alternate electors letter to the States.
From there, “‘just say it was corrupt, and leave the rest up to me” along with his R co-conspirators in Congress, Andy, Matt, Mo, Marjorie, Mark, and Louie or, as I now refer to them in the collective, the Pardon Posse.
To avoid possible confusion, I would mention that I often refer to former VP Mike Pence and his ripe for sedition coalition, as the wimp or P_ _ _ _Y Posse. Let me know when you’re finished playing hangman, if you know what I mean and I’m sure you do.
I was duly impressed and filled with hope as former DOJ official Steven Engle warned Trump that if he appointed Jeff Clarke as Acting Scumbag and Sycophant of the DOJ, hundreds of the Department’s officials could resign within days and inevitably, would result in Clark “leading a graveyard”, leaving the toxic avenger’s ambition to lead, Dead in the Polluted Water (DITPW).
But for me, the best part was when the Committee began separating out the white and black hats in congress, by calling out the members who requested pardons, one name at a time. If that isn’t an “I’ll be your huckleberry” moment, I simply don’t know what is.
In context of a rather busy day, starting with the FBI’s pre-dawn raid on the home of a still in his pajamas Jeff Clark, the purposeful, seriousness and the impact of the January 6 Committee Hearings and the likelihood of subsequent criminal charges came squarely into focus.
No longer will I even entertain the notion that letting Trump off the hook will allow the nation to “heal”. That the public is more interested in high gas prices or inflation. Don’t tell me the American public wants to move on when the truth is America wants to see the perpetrators of bad acts held accountable for their actions.
Don’t tell me America does not want to see the ocherous orc of pork subject to prosecution in, if nothing else, preserving the rule of law and the axiom that no man or woman, not even a President is above the law.
And if my magic crystal 8-ball is working properly, the same sentiments will be attached to the various justices on the Supreme Court as well.
For in an act of extreme arrogance, the SCOTUS, or whoever is running the show from behind the scenes, showed the level of contempt they have for We, the People with the release of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc., Et Al. v. Bruen, Superintendent of New York State Police, Et Al. regarding a now we know unsupported 2nd Amendment right to “bear arms” in public.
This latest conservative concoction/revelation coming despite overwhelming public support for sensible gun laws, with the Congress in negotiations, and get this, authored by the now exposed as nothing but a corrupt and possibly seditious political hack Clarence
Thomas.
For when coupled with the explosive testimony revealing many of our lawmaker’s behind-the-scenes, anti-democratic behavior during today’s January 6 Hearing, it is clear conservative, let’s call them legal circles have concluded the best way to emasculate We, the People’s constitutionally protected rights is to find and exploit any scoundrel willing to “play ball” at the highest levels of government.
Then by hook or I’m not a crook, diminish, reduce, deny and destroy all of the protections they don’t “like” previously found in the Constitution by legitimate interpretation and codified by appropriate legislation, by turning the Constitution into an instrument of coercion, oppression and division with the “quaint” notions of defending our natural rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, a soon to be forgotten fractured fairy-tale.
Isn’t it time, if you haven’t already, for We, the People, to step up, or step it up another notch by supporting those good and principled officials dedicated to public service who are not standing by idly, doing nothing in the face of the now an all-too obvious and insidious attempt to turn our democracy into a fascist dictatorship?
Ostensibly headed by an autocratic dictator too self-absorbed and stupid to comprehend the pain and suffering inflicted upon the daily lives of average Americans for the sake of money and power. No? Then how did we get there? By accident, or design?
We must continue the fight to maintain our freedom. I ask that you consider re-examining We, the People’s place of power and authority in a nation characterized by its dedication to the proposition that all persons are created equally.
First and foremost, stop turning every sound bite or meme of bad news into an existential crisis. As Liz Cheney so eloquently stated:
“Tonight, I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.”
Let us limit our efforts to effectively deal as much as possible with the remaining basket of deplorable and dishonorable. We can effectively do this by espousing the big ticket concepts and ideals of American exceptionalism that do form the backbone of our democracy.
My first move is to admit freely that ours is a nation born out of dissatisfaction with a monarch and we engaged in a revolution to escape the tyranny of King George III.
Our early history is filled with uprisings for diverse economic issues including the Boston Tea Party, Whisky Rebellion and Shays’ Rebellion. We are no strangers to homegrown often violent protests, armed rebellions and in general, domestic instability and strife.
For their part, the Founders thought about tyranny and the best way to form a representative form of democracy while limiting the ability of any one person or group from seizing power. There are many ways the Framers expressed their ideas for fostering, protecting and expanding our right to form a more perfect union. Free from interlopers both foreign and domestic.
They expressed their views often and usually in broad, sweeping strokes about how they felt the best way to protect our democracy was by cultivating an educated, informed and ready to speak out population. We, must do the same.
In this area, I have always found the quotes of the Founding Fathers as illuminating to what ways, means and measures, both inside and outside the actual halls of power, they thought best ensured the longevity of our nation and essential to the defeat of tyranny.
In short, the Founders advocated for a majority who were educated, well informed and willing to speak their minds when necessary.
Accordingly, when asked about the need for a public school system, rather than take the “prayer in school bait”, perhaps ask your questioner “did you know that (fill in the blank) or in our case, Thomas Jefferson may have said:
“An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a republic. Self-government is not possible unless the citizens are educated sufficiently to enable them to exercise oversight. It is therefore imperative that the nation see to it that a suitable education be provided for all its citizens.”
You may recognize the better well known but incorrectly attributed quote expressing the same general sentiment but wrongly attributed to Thomas Jefferson:
“An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”
My advice? Use the latter. They’ll never know.
If suddenly confronted with issues involving the right to protest and freedom of speech, I’m fond of quoting Benjamin Franklin:
“Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.”
And my catch-all for maintaining our blessed right to liberty is by John Adams:
“Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.”
Lastly, don’t be afraid to express your reasons, logic, or opinions. George Washington wasn’t. As part of the resolves of Fairfax, essentially a “love letter” written in 1774 to George III explaining the Colonists’ reasons for revolt. At one point, George includes a stark warning to his majesty.
We “can not be considered as a conquered Country” because we are “Descendants not of the Conquered, but of the Conquerors.”
For by his hallowed words of long ago, my fellow American, no less than George Washington, proclaims you a warrior too.
