Underwhelming

There’s not much to like in the Republican stance on so many things. If they were advocating for the more traditional platform planks of fiscal conservativism and small government, that’d be one thing. But they seem angry and lost, distracted by their fascination with authoritarian notions of governance; not doing much but saying things unbecoming of adults elected to public office—threatening and incendiary things. Dumb things, often with the disclaimer that “the American people” have had enough or deserve better. I’m never sure which American people they’re talking about, because they’re not speaking to me and many others. In fairness, the Democrats often make the same claim regarding different topics.

Republicans gripe about the economy, which had to be rescued and resuscitated after 4 years of Donald Trump and the damage caused by his and his administration’s kowtowing to the 1%, along with incompetence and an unwillingness to acknowledge an actual pandemic. Inflation persists in part because of the pandemic, because of certain supply and demand issues, along with the lingering and insidious habit of price gouging by slimy, opportunistic profit hounds looking to make a quick buck.

Tom Cotton has gone ever lower by calling for vigilante action regarding pro-Palestinian protesters. Marjorie Taylor Greene has threatened to call a motion to vacate because Mike Johnson has the audacity to work with Democrats on legislation. Articles of impeachment have been introduced because Republicans need a distraction, not because Mr. Mayorkas has done anything wrong. How do these people justify such wastes of time, or getting elected?

I seem to remember a time when the political climate wasn’t this toxic, though maybe we weren’t paying as close attention as we are today. We’re made more acutely aware of the discord now because it’s in our face 24/7, no matter which direction we turn. And the onus is falling on us to decipher and distinguish between what is real and what is fake.

Not Trumpian fake, though. Everything is fake to Donald Trump, except that which works in his favor or makes him look good.