Win, win, win. Always winning. What a simple, stupid mantra. That was it for you? That’s all you’ve ever wanted out of life? Just… win? You sad, sad man.

It’s too late now. It’s too late in the game. And that’s what this has been, right? A game? It’s too late for you to change course, to give your image a facelift. You are who you apparently have always been– a pretender, a calculating, ignorant, insensitive cheap shot artist, a carnival barker, an egomaniac, a dictator-in-training, a spoiled lost boy who never suffered a consequence in his entire life. Until now.

You’ve treated bedrock principles like so much else in your life– as rules that don’t apply to you, for some reason. But you finally met your match, you imbecilic waste of space and breathable air.

You will leave office believing that you were the greatest President in American history, just one delusion among so many. But the reality is that you weren’t even close. The tragedy is that you’ve got half the country believing this, too. Half the country believing in you when you couldn’t care less about them, or muster any behavior worthy of such reverence.

You’ll probably get the send-off you so badly want, but not because people respect you or feel you deserve it. It’ll be more out of respect for the office you’ve sullied and rendered unrecognizable in the time you’ve held it.

It may sound like “Hail to the Chief” one last time, but really it’ll be “good riddance, asshole.”

So this is the day the shit is supposed to start hitting the fan in state capitols from coast to coast. Watch out, Harrisburg. Keep your eyes open, Atlanta. Lansing, are you ready for this?

Maybe chaos will instead sound more like a quiet summer evening. Nothing but crickets. Though it’s possible things could get dicey. It all depends on Trump disciples remaining convinced and committed. Do they really have a cause worth dying for? There probably is enough desperation and blind rage out there to warrant a “yes” to that question.

Maybe not desperation. Maybe just a yearning to kick somebody’s—anybody’s—ass. Just for something to do. Just to have a story to tell. Something that makes them feel alive.  

You gotta be proud, Donald. This is your legacy.

A person of some prominence and respect in ecclesial circles was recently opining on the events of the past week or so, referring to the political polarization and the “soul-searching many are doing about the failure of America’s promise…”

This person goes on to describe an awareness of “the distance between our national myths and the realities they disguise.” There was further commentary which spoke to a certain pessimism regarding our capacity as a nation to deal with change, and that “we are just not that good at grasping a clearer reality if it challenges our prejudices, or acting on a higher moral and ethical level, if it involves personal sacrifice.”

This sums up my feelings regarding the behavior and language of many during the pandemic and the recent election cycle. Certain behaviors have angered and mystified me, in light of what one might think would be circumstances calling for a collective concern for our well-being, where unity of purpose would be a powerful tool in addressing the viral assault on our health.

What has unfolded instead is a disheartening selfishness and refusal to accept reality. What seems practical and beneficial to the community is indeed questioned and doubted and cast as the dubious efforts of a “lamestream” media and the “radical left” to undermine the policies of an administration who many were led to believe had the best interests of the nation in mind…

The “failure of America’s promise” has never been so painfully visible. “One nation, under God” has become at least two nations with a plurality of understandings and misunderstandings of God, hand in hand with selective, self-serving, and often tortured interpretations of scripture.

Many are convinced of an autocrat’s legitimacy, and they are apparently more than ready to heed his calls for revolt. Despite overwhelming evidence that there was next to no election fraud, despite widespread evidence that the coronavirus is as lethal as ever, many have chosen to stigmatize reason and logic, and to vilify people who heed the science. They’ve responded to the perverse and empty rhetoric of a tyrant and other political opportunists who love nothing more than to stoke hatred and ignorance and small-minded provincialism.

I suppose there is reason for pessimism, but I have a feeling that we are going to survive all of this– the pandemic, the political upheaval. Everything. If we have been paying attention, we have been learning things as we go– about the fragility of this grand experiment we call American democracy, about the comforting predictability of science properly done, and about an unquenchable desire among enough of us to right wrongs and make life better for the people of Earth.

Sounds pollyannaish, I know. But I prefer pollyanna to Darth Vader and all the sons of bitches who have never and will never learn that their lust for power is by its very nature simply ambition run amok. A sign of weakness and dysfunction.

And still a majority of Republicans are willing to stand behind Trump.

Why?

Do they like and respect him? Is it a matter of blind loyalty, of stubbornness masquerading as “principle,” that they don’t want to give in to any Democratic demand? Is it still just political theatre, all about optics and personal goals and aspirations?

Or is it more that they are afraid? Afraid of pissing off the empty-headed hooligans who are ready to drink the kool-aid for Trump? Afraid for their lives and for their loved ones? Is this what it has come to, what it boils down to?

Is this the sad situation we all find ourselves in at the moment—that we are all being held hostage in some way by a megalomaniacal toddler who is still pulling the strings?

What. The. Hell!  

Somewhat satisfying, though hollow and predictably unfinished.

This is how it feels the morning after the House impeached Trump for a second time. What a distinction. Does #45, in private—or maybe for all to see—have a shit-eating grin on his face? Does he feel a perverse pride in having the ignoble distinction of being the only President in American history to be impeached by the House TWICE, within a year? And this most recent iteration with at least a bit more bipartisan support.

Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell still can only summon a selective sense of expediency. With little hint of urgency, he proclaims that the Senate trial won’t start until the day before Joe Biden is scheduled for Inauguration. It doesn’t matter that there is precedent for impeachment after someone leaves office. It matters more that having this weighty task to tend to at the same time a new, Democratic administration tries to implement its agenda may be exactly the kind of distraction that has McConnell salivating and twirling his invisible Snidely Whiplash moustache. Mitch wants to keep the new administration off balance, from hitting the ground running. That prospect is what gets him up in the morning.

Who does this with a clear conscience? Has there ever been anyone who’s so willing to stand in the way, to play politics while opportunity passes by, and while so much is unraveling? He has to know that Trump indeed incited insurrection, that a fucking pandemic with all its fallout continues to rage, yet all of that can wait while he has one more opportunity to gum up the works and orchestrate a power play.

It is hateful. It is calculated. It’s not genius, it’s not “good politics.” It is negligent, criminal, ignorant of ghastly need, ignorant of history and who it is he still, for some reason, appears willing to protect. He could have reconvened the Senate today if he wanted to.

There was no time like the present to ramrod the confirmation of a new Supreme Court justice a week before the election. But the current predicament, somehow, is different? Not as urgent?

McConnell’s days as Majority Leader are numbered, but he seems intent, before he leaves, on setting the table for the Biden administration, minus utensils. And maybe he’s afraid of the Base. It’s the first time in a while that being a member of Congress comes with a more realistic threat of bodily harm for doing the right thing. Or the wrong thing, depending on whose flag you’re flying.

It’s been interesting to listen to the posturing and theorizing with regard to the pending impeachment resolution up for a vote today in the House. As of last night, it looked like momentum was slowly building among Republicans—including Mitch McConnell.

Are they beginning to see the light? Are legislators daring to put reason and facts above party and personal aspirations, as they take a closer look at what Trump said and did last week? Or will this ultimately be just another calculated move with benefits for one side over the other?

Part of the ongoing struggle, the ongoing reality, is that when Reps and Senators talk about being mindful of “the will of the American people,” we have to qualify that by realizing there are two substantial groups of people they might be referring to—those who voted for Biden, and those who voted for Trump. It’s a relative majority for those in the Biden camp, but it’s not something that lends itself to being described as a clear majority of Americans. Not when 74 million voted for the other guy.

I don’t see how anyone can claim to be speaking for “the American people.” There’s a need to be more specific. A need to acknowledge just how divided we are. 

It’s probably best to be wary of Mitch McConnell’s enthusiasm regarding the House impeachment resolution. What is he envisioning, what is he hatching now? What’s he got up his sleeve? Is he yielding to mounting pressure from colleagues, or is he plotting his next move?

Even Rachel Maddow is excited about this, but another rep came on and basically said “Hold your horses.” Remember who we’re dealing with here. McConnell is shrewd, calculating, and still wants to bog down Democratic legislation whenever he can. The chess match never stops with Mitch.

It seems like the trip from quid pro quo to concessions and compromise can be a short one. I wonder what that will look like if the impeachment res passes.

No big surprise regarding last night’s NCAAF championship. Alabama again. No. 7 for Nick Saban, six in Tuscaloosa. Impressive, but starting to get boring. Guess he found his niche coaching college ball.

So the weird season is complete.

There was some talk about postponing because of covid protocols at OSU, so not sure if this affected their chances. Anyway, Saban and crew seem to be able to summon another level, rise to the occasion. They are a juggernaut, in a class by themselves.

Is there any brand of nationalism that doesn’t raise eyebrows or conjure images of swastikas and mindless allegiance to demagogues? Our hackles should be permanently raised in this country, yet look at what’s happening right now.

Enough people willing to buy what Trump is selling have gotten the nation’s attention, threatening to cause trouble in the days leading up to and including Inauguration. So far they have stopped at threats, though there were indications that some among the mob last Wednesday were looking for hostages, or victims. The next round of encounters could be even more violent.

Trump, of course, could step forward and try to calm things down, but he’s under siege and probably in no mood to kowtow to Democrats or neuter his rabid dogs who are apparently ready to die for the cause, whatever that is. I guess we may find out how genuine is their bravado.

Just to reiterate– freedom is an illusion. We’re not as free as many apparently think we are.

Laws and rules, and even what may be perceived as archaic ritual, are necessary in a civil society. They are what hold the center when untethered jackasses like Donald Trump emerge and try to ruin the day, or rule it.

The Impeachment saga continues. Sounds like Ms. Pelosi has given a 24-hour ultimatum to Mike Pence for Trump’s removal. I’m sure the Pres is shaking in his boots. Just another opportunity for him to double down. He’s been really good at that.

He does need to go, though. No more passes, no more avoiding consequences. No time to waste. He’s said and done way more than enough to warrant this sequence of events. He deserves nothing more than an ignominious exit from the stage he’s undeservedly dominated for way too long.

The person who’s always had next to nothing good to say, who’s done little of value during his time in office, who turned his back on this country during a pandemic and incited seditious mobs, is being forced to leave in shame, tail between legs.

It really shouldn’t end any other way.