I rarely get invested in single aspects of political debate, simply because it can obscure the big picture. However on the issue of the GOP defence of Marjorie Taylor Greene, I simply have to record my thought of the day here for the record.
I never in my wildest dreams, ever thought I would see a congressional minority leader, defend a member of their party, who had threatened the lives of lawmakers and spread hatred and bile. A member that has caused so much pain and heartache to families who have lost children and loved ones, to senseless acts of violence. It is beyond any sense of decency and integrity, that anyone, let alone the leader of the Republican congressional caucus, could even contemplate such an act of disrespect. Republicans hid behind the process argument, that the vote tabled by Dems to remove her from her committee assignments, would set a dangerous precedent. This is frankly preposterous and an insult to common decency. I offer my respect to the 11 Republicans that voted with their Democratic colleagues. Whilst I may not agree with their politics, I respect and commend their integrity.
MTG, gave the most insincere laughable defence of her actions and invoked the God card all in one disrespectful statement. It shined in all its crass inarticulate glory, with unapologetic undertones for all to hear. She represents all that's wrong in a society where a large segment, have wandered into a world of ignorance, hatred, bigotry and racism. These are not the values that define a nation, they are values that pour shame on the reputation of a beacon of democracy. The sickening defence of her right to retain her committee assignments, was punctuated by Jim Jordan's effective adulation of her and by association, her abhorrent views. Republican's attempts to hide behind a process argument, is a calculated political move which makes it even more unconscionable. The tone of her non apology, was as disturbing as the statements she has made. Whilst I would like to see her removed from congress altogether, my respect for democracy precludes that, as I have to respect the will of those that elected her, no matter how much I believe they were wrong.
Let's get to the heart of the matter. MONEY. The hard working people of America are depending on those they elected, to work hard to uphold their values and beliefs. They didn't elect them to represent those that provide them with buckets of cash. I may of course be wrong, but if I am, then I am in the wrong place. It has long been accepted that 'money talks' in politics. There has been a reluctant acceptance that it's 'just how it is'. The likes of Trump and MTG have relentlessly tapped into what I can only describe as 'hate money' and have uncapped an ocean of 'morally dirty money.' To compound this crime against society, they have weened the GOP from their longstanding funding sources, tied the tourniquet and mainlined this new 'dirty money' into the veins of the Republican party. The result is what you are witnessing today. The likes of Josh Hawley, Tom Cruz, Matt Gaetz and crew, are effectively the outward sign of their addiction to this tainted funding. They are now dependent on it and without it, they just can't face the consequences of withdrawal.
So why is it doubly wrong? Trump's reputation is built on a huge lie. That's why he has absolutely no trouble saying whatever he thinks will get him what he wants, regardless of the truth. His entire tenure in the White House saw him deliver over 30,000 untrue statements, a mixture of brazen lies and what I call premium lies, the ones laced with a grain of truth to add plausibility. He has built an empire on twisting the truth and exploiting human weakness, with a promise of jam tomorrow. Social media remains one of the best vehicles to perpetrate his stye of criminal activity and Trump and his cohorts knew that, as does MTG. In their world, it equals power and money. It could be argued that just like Trump, MTG perpetrated a crime of deception on those who elected her. However, if the integrity of democracy is to be upheld, then she has a legitimate right to sit in Congress, regardless of her abhorrent views. It then becomes the duty of congressional members to mute her ability to infect the legislative process. The truly frightening thing is, unless congressional Democrats had stepped in to remove her committee assignments, then the GOP were effectively placing the legislative process at risk of contamination from fringe actors. Just take a breath and think about that. Republicans were saved from themselves by Democrats.
The world is looking on with incredulity, as one man heroically tries to heal the deep societal wounds inflicted by his predecessor. Joe Biden's State Department statement was both moving and comforting to a global community that had mourned its absence on the world stage. America is back, is the message, but at home, the heart of opposition politics is in a crisis, rooted in a willingness to hurt the American people for political gain. The GQP is now officially a cancer on democracy. They have immersed themselves in the fountain of insurrectionist violence and are unable to clean their hands of the blood of a slain police officer, the suicide of two others along with further unfortunate victims. The whole world looked on in real time, to watch a Republican sitting president play a role in a seditious conspiracy to incite insurrection, hunt down lawmakers and threaten the life of the Vice President of the United States. That is an indelible stain on the integrity of the Republican party. It is truly chilling and any attempt to move on without accountability would be a travesty of justice.
If you look at the American dilemma from outside the US, you swiftly come to the conclusion that the guardrails to protect the democratic process, are grossly inadequate. The concept of winning an election in November and having to wait until January 21st to take power is bizarre. Traditionally, administrations facilitate peaceful transitions, but Trump proved that if you resist that process, even at the expense of national security, there is no corrective mechanism that assists the incoming administration. When Biden looks back, he will see that this effectively placed him behind the black ball. Logic tells you, that the outgoing president can burn down the house before he or she has to leave and that is exactly what Trump did. Not only is that unpatriotic, it severely restricts the work of the people. Vetting candidates might be a good place to start for the future. Might it not be an idea to use the same vetting as for senior members of the military and intelligence services? I am unsure as to the vetting procedures in the US, but the UK DV vetting process used for top intelligence officers, would have laughed Trump out of the room. There needs to be some structural changes made to ensure a handover takes place on a specific schedule regardless of any hostile intent from the outgoing adminstration.
Rather than focus on the impending impeachment circus, I want to look at a very important event that happened yesterday. You might have missed it while you were listening to an idiot lie and feign repentance. The President of the United States along with the Vice President went to the State Department, each to deliver a statement. Let me begin by saying Anthony Blinken, the newly appointed Secretary of State's credentials read like a cv people would die for. His experience in national security and previously as Deputy Secretary of State in the Obama administration, puts him in the A-Team of leaders. The relationship he has with Biden, is a key additional benefit that allows the president to be comfortable, that the most qualified guy fo the job is in post. Relationships integrity and trust, trust, trust, is the mantra that Biden lives by. Regardless of your position in government, the man at the top insists NOT on loyalty, but integrity and the truth. For context, please feel free to view the remarks of President Biden below. For convenience you can find the transcript of the remarks here
The fatal flaw in Trump's 'America First' ideology, is the resulting isolation and breakdown of trust around the world. Trump's intellectual deficit led him to make stupid decisions that the average American citizen never really tuned into. His blizzard of disinformation and mistruths led many to look the other way, whilst key alliances were being dismantled. Allies in Syria were literally left behind to face the enemy without the support that they had had from US special forces. Stabilising forces in Afghanistan were also withdrawn, along with all sorts of measures that effectively left US foreign policy in tatters around the globe. It really is hard to articulate the damage done and for no good reason.
In President Biden, the US has an old hand in matters of international diplomacy. His extensive experience in the foreign policy space, is an invaluable asset in piecing back relationships around the world. It's not until you hear Joe articulate his ideas that you realise just what a really smart guy he is. The key to global diplomacy is trust and trust is in Joe's DNA. This helps allies and friends respond to that, in the knowledge he can be trusted to do what he says. You only have to look at the global response to his statement, to understand how lucky the US is to have him as President. His relationship with Kamala Harris just says so much. It provides a real boost of confidence that he's all in with her having a major part in everyday decision making.
As you will hear if you take time to listen to his remarks, he's not messing around with Russia and China. He leaves them in no doubt that this is a new era. No more trying to play the leader of the free world, and he gives notice that he will not hesitate to protect the interests of the US, whilst making clear, he's open to dialogue for the mutual benefit of the global community. I said it yesterday and I'll say it every day if need be, Republicans DO NOT want this administration to succeed, they want power back and so Joe Biden will not only have to address overseas threats, he'll also have to deal with the threat from domestic terrorism which has been tacitly supported by elements of the GOP. I doubt any US president in the modern era, has had to face such a challenge.
In conclusion for today, I return to optimism and to say don't get distracted by idiots like Kevin McCarthy, MTG, Lauren Boebert, Jim Jordan and the like. Their petty infighting and snipes are just that, petty. The new Administration is pressing on with policy implementation, adopting budget reconciliation to press on with passing the American Rescue Plan. Despite the obstruction of the GOP, cabinet nominees are slowly dropping into their roles and there's a lot of planning going on behind he scenes. You should be heartened by the transparent sharing of information with experts in their field. This allows you to better understand the steps government is taking to protect Americans and prepare the country for economic growth. There are no Tweetstorms or campaigns of lies and disinformation, just delivery of the facts and a passion to succeed for all parts of American society. This will continue through the circus that will be next week, so sleep easy in the knowlege that the grownups are back in charge.
Thank God it's Friday I hear you say. Me too. I'll be back on Monday, so in the meantime, thanks for stopping by and stay safe out there.