There is a part of me that wants to reach into the TV and grab not just Joe Manchin by the throat, but Pramila Jayapal too…not to mention every single one of the talking-heads who have been wringing their collective shirt-fronts all week as Democrats have tried to get their act together to pass this goddamned infrastructure bill and whatever they’re calling the reconciliation bill this week.
When is someone going to turn up the heat, back McConnell (and/or some of his toadies) into a corner and ask, "And then what?" (Concerning their desire in "stopping this new administration".); best done with a large "loaded finger" being wagged in his hideous mug.
It bears repeating, "Democrats, while very far from perfect, at least want to enact measures that '...Provide for the 'Common Good...' Whereas, Republicans have shown repeatedly and consistently their MO is to take things away from their constituents." (Well, unless you're a wealthy constituent. In which case, "Come in and help yourselves, Mercers, Kochs, Waltons, et. al. Feel free to make our treasury, YOUR treasury! Roll in your dough, like Scrooge McDuck, you schmucks!")
We voted these people in to get things done, and all they can do is squabble about the price tags and what they'll put up with. They have no idea what the average American is going through right now, nor do most of them care.
I'd just like them all to become one of us for about a week and see how that changes their goddamn attitudes!
Gah! I'm sick of it!
Just get it done and over with so you can all crawl back to your lovely little lives with your paid for health care and little perks like that while the rest of us survive a pandemic the likes of which none of us have ever seen in our lifetimes.
I argue with a retired Air Force general's wife who doesn't believe Trump hates women. She has never heard about his scandalous behavior from the RW press.
Repubs hate America because Former hates America and all it stands for.
Lucian, I attended Infantry Officer Basic Course with you many years ago. I appreciated your wit and knowledge as you sparred with the TAC officers. I have read several of your books and have just subscribed to your email “ newsletter “? I am glad to see you are still defending the United States Democracy and the people of America. Thank you! Major Dennis Palmer U. S.Army Retired
Dennis! Wow. So great to hear from you. As I recall, I did a little more than "sparring" with the TACs. What a couple of goofs. Do you remember I used to write marching cadence verses about them that we would sing as we marched to various classes? I had a whole pocket notebook of them that I wish I still had today. I'm still in touch with Airborne Leslie (Rob) my classmate. This will amuse you. The guy who stood next to me in ranks, who arrived at IOBC a day after I did, and I was a day late being assigned to the company, so I stood in the last rank to the left of Zupsich, another classmate of mine. Anyway, the guy who stood to my left, I always suspected was a military intelligence agent assigned to keep an eye on me and report back. I ran into him again in 1970 at Fort Bragg when I was covering a thing called the "Concerned Officer's Movement," which was getting ready to place an anti-war ad in the Fayetteville Observer. I was at the house of the group leader, a second lieutenant, when in walks a Captain in the transportation Corps, who had joined the Concerned Officers Movement and was offering to pay for the ad in full. It was the guy who stood next to me in rank, same guy, with a different name, different rank, different branch. I introduced him to the others as a MI agent, and he fled the house. Jesus, those were the days, huh?
So true, Lucian. And one of the heartbreaks here is that it is out here for all to see. I‘m gobsmacked that so many of our fellow citizens will happily slide into a totalitarian situation, falsely believing themselves to be the victors in that scenario. And oddly enough, they will still salute their overlords as they sink Into the mire. Perhaps they will enjoy a weird adrenaline boost as the pop off one last round for „freedom.“ But they will perish too, and possibly sooner.
What passes for the repug party these days is vile and loathsome. It is, very literally, mind-boggling. Not to mention soul crushing. I'm trying to remain hopeful, cause what else can you do (from a little blue state in the NE corner of the country , but got my "vote NV" postcards in the mail today, so there's that).
for Republicans and most of the parties on the right in Europe, there is only one point in their programs: only we have the ability and legitimacy to govern, the rest of the parties are "evil”. starting from this premise, they have all the justifications to oppose every other initiative in the most cruel way. the problem is that this position forces them to oppose everything by default and worse, they create this climate in which a large part of the population stops believing in the legitimacy of the democratic process.
Lucian, you're absolutely right in wanting to get into the faces of the strutting peacocks, and yell at them like you're an exasperated, over-the-top Drill Instructor. I think part of the problem is that these people have been on television much too much. Nobody can negotiate in a goldfish bowl, and that's what this media circus is been all about. I heartily approve of President Biden going up to Capitol Hill today to talk up his program, and get people focusing on that which we really need, that which would be better left to a future time when the stakes are a little lower, and our political future is not on the table. I have this vision, which I may have mentioned here before, a fantasy about the D-Day Invasion in which a group of soldiers are huddled in a landing barge approaching the Normandy Beach. In this particular scenario, they are not puking their guts out from seasickness, or losing bladder control from fear of what they face once I hit the beach; no, they are in heated argument over where they are going to spend their first leave in Paris, once they hit the shore. Everyone has a different idea about where they want to go, rather than working together to survive the battle ahead so that they succeed as a group. They're not even considering what they need to do to survive the landing on the beach head, or the fight to move inland, because those prospects are far too terrifying and depressing to contemplate.
Sadly, there are Democrats who tend to think this way. They've already got the wedding planned before the first date. The supreme sense of self-worth, their towering indignation, and their disdain for any opinion that's not their own is more than simply caricature of the modern Democratic Party; but among self-styled Progressives, this can artist closer to the truth AOC and the rest of her Squad might enjoy universal acclaim within their respective election districts, but nowhere else. These are junior members of the Democratic coalition; and sadly too, they conflate good press and the accolades of liberal pundits with actual accomplishment. Right now, they have accomplished nothing that will survive the end of the current legislative session. They need to come together and unpack their hopes and dreams into two piles: 'must haves', and 'pet projects'. Like rock climbers ascending a pentacle, gravity works both for and against them. It keeps them attached to the rock if they can maintain their balance, or can end up in the long fall with a crash at the bottom. Like rock climbers, these people need to work together so that everybody gets to the summit. They need to travel light, and with equipment that is both versatile and durable. It is the same with ideas and programs. It's not simply trading elderly parents need for eyeglasses and hearing aids against two years of free tuition in community colleges. They need to figure out which programs have the most bang for the buck, and the most immediate impact, because an election is coming next year in which they, the president, and perhaps democracy itself will be judged. Hearing aids and eyeglasses have flash impacts that are recognized and appreciated the moment they are applied. Free college tuition works in the long-term, but it requires effort and determination on the part of prospective students (with an assist from their families) in order to make good on the promise of a free education. In today's world it is not the least bit easy, no matter how little out-of-pocket cost falls on the shoulders of students and their families. Pre-paid sick leave for families are needed now because a certain fraction of our working families will always have medical emergencies that require caretakers to forgo paid employment in order to take care of the immediate need. That which is the most urgent, however, is not always the most important; and deciding which among many different spending programs we would want to pursue requires nuanced and balanced judgment. Getting to work in the morning, on time for roll call, is more important than other so-called public goods that are worthy objectives but don't put food on the table. It is also important to differentiate which programs benefit people who already have resources against those people who struggle from day to day. Democrats need to sort out amongst themselves what they believe their constituents both want and need: affordable daycare, without which people cannot take a job; public utilities that deliver clean water and clean air… And the list goes on.
These Senators and Representatives have a single job, to craft two bills that include sufficient essential improvements to pass the test of accomplishing that which is meaningful and important over the long haul. In President Joe Biden, they, and we, have the most accomplished legislator they are ever likely to meet in their lifetime. They need to listen to him, and put their personal preferences aside, and forget about how they are likely to appear on MSNBC or CNN, or on the editorial page of the New York Times. They need to absorb the lesson that their sole job is to craft two pieces of legislation that passed muster and get signed by the president. Those are all that matter.
Here’s all you need to understand Manchin: “CLEAN COAL.” Bullshit then, and bullshit now. Democrats need to kick him to the curb for playing to the Repugs. He IS a Repug.
The pandemic has caused millions of voters to pay attention to Washington in ways they did not before. One wonders if Sen. McConnell understands just how deep public hatred has become for him? The republicans act as if the country will cynically allow them to stop everything, under the guise of 'No new Taxes, for ever' that they've used for a decade. Truth is, most voters are fed-up with obstruction and abuse of the filibuster. There is a real chance that in November 2022, just as in November 1998, the republicans will get a serious smack and Democrats will gain seats in both the house and Senate.
Nothing the Rs do should surprise anyone, if you remember what their true strategic dream is;
to turn the USA into a week third world country, Controlled by oligarchs, a subservient military with boys running around in gold braid and big hats. Their heros are the Perons , Batistas, Francos and Pinochets of this world.
When is someone going to turn up the heat, back McConnell (and/or some of his toadies) into a corner and ask, "And then what?" (Concerning their desire in "stopping this new administration".); best done with a large "loaded finger" being wagged in his hideous mug.
It bears repeating, "Democrats, while very far from perfect, at least want to enact measures that '...Provide for the 'Common Good...' Whereas, Republicans have shown repeatedly and consistently their MO is to take things away from their constituents." (Well, unless you're a wealthy constituent. In which case, "Come in and help yourselves, Mercers, Kochs, Waltons, et. al. Feel free to make our treasury, YOUR treasury! Roll in your dough, like Scrooge McDuck, you schmucks!")
We voted these people in to get things done, and all they can do is squabble about the price tags and what they'll put up with. They have no idea what the average American is going through right now, nor do most of them care.
I'd just like them all to become one of us for about a week and see how that changes their goddamn attitudes!
Gah! I'm sick of it!
Just get it done and over with so you can all crawl back to your lovely little lives with your paid for health care and little perks like that while the rest of us survive a pandemic the likes of which none of us have ever seen in our lifetimes.
Why do Republicans hate America?
I argue with a retired Air Force general's wife who doesn't believe Trump hates women. She has never heard about his scandalous behavior from the RW press.
Repubs hate America because Former hates America and all it stands for.
Easy peasy!
Rs have been actively trying to destroy this country since St. Ronnie Raygun.
easier than loving it?
Bingo.
Lucian, I attended Infantry Officer Basic Course with you many years ago. I appreciated your wit and knowledge as you sparred with the TAC officers. I have read several of your books and have just subscribed to your email “ newsletter “? I am glad to see you are still defending the United States Democracy and the people of America. Thank you! Major Dennis Palmer U. S.Army Retired
Dennis! Wow. So great to hear from you. As I recall, I did a little more than "sparring" with the TACs. What a couple of goofs. Do you remember I used to write marching cadence verses about them that we would sing as we marched to various classes? I had a whole pocket notebook of them that I wish I still had today. I'm still in touch with Airborne Leslie (Rob) my classmate. This will amuse you. The guy who stood next to me in ranks, who arrived at IOBC a day after I did, and I was a day late being assigned to the company, so I stood in the last rank to the left of Zupsich, another classmate of mine. Anyway, the guy who stood to my left, I always suspected was a military intelligence agent assigned to keep an eye on me and report back. I ran into him again in 1970 at Fort Bragg when I was covering a thing called the "Concerned Officer's Movement," which was getting ready to place an anti-war ad in the Fayetteville Observer. I was at the house of the group leader, a second lieutenant, when in walks a Captain in the transportation Corps, who had joined the Concerned Officers Movement and was offering to pay for the ad in full. It was the guy who stood next to me in rank, same guy, with a different name, different rank, different branch. I introduced him to the others as a MI agent, and he fled the house. Jesus, those were the days, huh?
You were and are a great American, soldier and leader, may God bless you, A great American. Great to hear from you.
So true, Lucian. And one of the heartbreaks here is that it is out here for all to see. I‘m gobsmacked that so many of our fellow citizens will happily slide into a totalitarian situation, falsely believing themselves to be the victors in that scenario. And oddly enough, they will still salute their overlords as they sink Into the mire. Perhaps they will enjoy a weird adrenaline boost as the pop off one last round for „freedom.“ But they will perish too, and possibly sooner.
Failure is a hard habit to break, hoping the Dems can kick it;
stakes are way too high to screw this pooch
What passes for the repug party these days is vile and loathsome. It is, very literally, mind-boggling. Not to mention soul crushing. I'm trying to remain hopeful, cause what else can you do (from a little blue state in the NE corner of the country , but got my "vote NV" postcards in the mail today, so there's that).
for Republicans and most of the parties on the right in Europe, there is only one point in their programs: only we have the ability and legitimacy to govern, the rest of the parties are "evil”. starting from this premise, they have all the justifications to oppose every other initiative in the most cruel way. the problem is that this position forces them to oppose everything by default and worse, they create this climate in which a large part of the population stops believing in the legitimacy of the democratic process.
Just another in a series of superb, articulate, perceptive posts. So many thanks! I am proud to be a subscriber to this important site.
Lucian, you're absolutely right in wanting to get into the faces of the strutting peacocks, and yell at them like you're an exasperated, over-the-top Drill Instructor. I think part of the problem is that these people have been on television much too much. Nobody can negotiate in a goldfish bowl, and that's what this media circus is been all about. I heartily approve of President Biden going up to Capitol Hill today to talk up his program, and get people focusing on that which we really need, that which would be better left to a future time when the stakes are a little lower, and our political future is not on the table. I have this vision, which I may have mentioned here before, a fantasy about the D-Day Invasion in which a group of soldiers are huddled in a landing barge approaching the Normandy Beach. In this particular scenario, they are not puking their guts out from seasickness, or losing bladder control from fear of what they face once I hit the beach; no, they are in heated argument over where they are going to spend their first leave in Paris, once they hit the shore. Everyone has a different idea about where they want to go, rather than working together to survive the battle ahead so that they succeed as a group. They're not even considering what they need to do to survive the landing on the beach head, or the fight to move inland, because those prospects are far too terrifying and depressing to contemplate.
Sadly, there are Democrats who tend to think this way. They've already got the wedding planned before the first date. The supreme sense of self-worth, their towering indignation, and their disdain for any opinion that's not their own is more than simply caricature of the modern Democratic Party; but among self-styled Progressives, this can artist closer to the truth AOC and the rest of her Squad might enjoy universal acclaim within their respective election districts, but nowhere else. These are junior members of the Democratic coalition; and sadly too, they conflate good press and the accolades of liberal pundits with actual accomplishment. Right now, they have accomplished nothing that will survive the end of the current legislative session. They need to come together and unpack their hopes and dreams into two piles: 'must haves', and 'pet projects'. Like rock climbers ascending a pentacle, gravity works both for and against them. It keeps them attached to the rock if they can maintain their balance, or can end up in the long fall with a crash at the bottom. Like rock climbers, these people need to work together so that everybody gets to the summit. They need to travel light, and with equipment that is both versatile and durable. It is the same with ideas and programs. It's not simply trading elderly parents need for eyeglasses and hearing aids against two years of free tuition in community colleges. They need to figure out which programs have the most bang for the buck, and the most immediate impact, because an election is coming next year in which they, the president, and perhaps democracy itself will be judged. Hearing aids and eyeglasses have flash impacts that are recognized and appreciated the moment they are applied. Free college tuition works in the long-term, but it requires effort and determination on the part of prospective students (with an assist from their families) in order to make good on the promise of a free education. In today's world it is not the least bit easy, no matter how little out-of-pocket cost falls on the shoulders of students and their families. Pre-paid sick leave for families are needed now because a certain fraction of our working families will always have medical emergencies that require caretakers to forgo paid employment in order to take care of the immediate need. That which is the most urgent, however, is not always the most important; and deciding which among many different spending programs we would want to pursue requires nuanced and balanced judgment. Getting to work in the morning, on time for roll call, is more important than other so-called public goods that are worthy objectives but don't put food on the table. It is also important to differentiate which programs benefit people who already have resources against those people who struggle from day to day. Democrats need to sort out amongst themselves what they believe their constituents both want and need: affordable daycare, without which people cannot take a job; public utilities that deliver clean water and clean air… And the list goes on.
These Senators and Representatives have a single job, to craft two bills that include sufficient essential improvements to pass the test of accomplishing that which is meaningful and important over the long haul. In President Joe Biden, they, and we, have the most accomplished legislator they are ever likely to meet in their lifetime. They need to listen to him, and put their personal preferences aside, and forget about how they are likely to appear on MSNBC or CNN, or on the editorial page of the New York Times. They need to absorb the lesson that their sole job is to craft two pieces of legislation that passed muster and get signed by the president. Those are all that matter.
Here’s all you need to understand Manchin: “CLEAN COAL.” Bullshit then, and bullshit now. Democrats need to kick him to the curb for playing to the Repugs. He IS a Repug.
The pandemic has caused millions of voters to pay attention to Washington in ways they did not before. One wonders if Sen. McConnell understands just how deep public hatred has become for him? The republicans act as if the country will cynically allow them to stop everything, under the guise of 'No new Taxes, for ever' that they've used for a decade. Truth is, most voters are fed-up with obstruction and abuse of the filibuster. There is a real chance that in November 2022, just as in November 1998, the republicans will get a serious smack and Democrats will gain seats in both the house and Senate.
Nothing the Rs do should surprise anyone, if you remember what their true strategic dream is;
to turn the USA into a week third world country, Controlled by oligarchs, a subservient military with boys running around in gold braid and big hats. Their heros are the Perons , Batistas, Francos and Pinochets of this world.
Truth my brother in arms, the most embarrassment I had during my multiple tours in Southeast Asia were ops conducted under CIA supervision.
I am convinced that not only are you an amazing writer, but you also seem to be somewhat of a mind reader.