(For those of us who grew up in the Republican Party, today’s party is horrendously disappointing. To read the full versions of both of the following pieces on the subject, follow the links embedded in the headlines.)
Both sides, especially Republicans, polluted the first Mueller hearing (July 24):
For a knowledgeable viewer watching the first Robert Mueller hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, the biggest impression is of the utter contemptibility of the performances of almost every committee member.
Again, this is an overall, impressionistic judgment, not a close parsing of individual exchanges between the members and the former special counsel. Not a single congressperson, in any memorable way, departed one iota from the partisan script line. Not a single one showed any dispassionate judgment or willingness to be a neutral arbiter.
Instead, all of them acted in the likeness of a hired hand, either a prosecutor or a defense attorney, rather than as a juror analyzing evidence, much less as an elected House member whose real job is neither to protect nor harm the president but to protect the U.S. electoral and judicial system from abuse.
In short, every member seemed to think the job description is choosing either pro-Trump or anti-Trump sides, rather than serving the broader public weal and the dictates of the Constitution….
Today’s Republicans betray party’s longtime principles ((July 26):
If you are a 1980s and 1990s Republican Rip Van Winkle, just awakened after 20 years asleep, you must think you’re still asleep and suffering from nightmares. You just wouldn’t be able to believe that:
The party of fiscal conservatism is now in favor of spending the country into oblivion. The party’s leader in the House makes pathetic excuses for the big spending, plus the Republican president actually boasts about it.
The party seems completely unconcerned that the Kremlin ran a massive operation to undermine U.S. elections, and is continuing its efforts. Not only that, but the Republican president and his team were grateful for the Kremlin’s support, and then lied about it. Republicans then spent two years trashing an American patriot and acclaimed former FBI director, appointed again and again by Republican presidents, because he dares investigate the Russian interference.
Plus, Republicans don’t mind that the Republican president lies extravagantly and maliciously, and directs others to lie to cover up his lies.
Republicans support their president forfeiting the dignity of the office of the leader of the free world by kowtowing to a two-bit Communist tyrant in North Korea, in support of a chimerical deal, even as the tyrant repeatedly thumbs his nose at us….
