Today's MOZEN: Far from Perfect

When looking for political parties and candidates to support, most people make the same mistake; they look for perfection.

Well, later for dat'!

Perhaps, a better place to look for it might be on a white, sandy beach with turquoise water, hot sun, crystal clear blue skies, and an ice cold beer.

But, not in politics.

By its very nature, politics tends to be a dirty game with the participants doing virtually everything that they can to stay in power.

So, what does one do to fulfill their duties as an American and still vote their conscience?

Well, one way is to stop expecting perfection from our candidates and, instead, look to the ones with the values that are most closely aligned to our vision of what we expect our Country to be.

For me, this has become a VERY easy choice. And, that choice was made as much in opposition of one party as it was in approval of the other. And, here it is:

The Republican Party, for nearly my entire voting tenure of 47 years, has been the party of mendacity, greed, bigotry, and exclusion. And, it's not that you can't find fault with the Democrats but rather that the GOP has just about cornered the market on negative policies and abhorrent people.

Let's review a partial list of those Republicans currently making the news for, shall we be kind and say, less than stellar behavior:

• Ted Cruz
• Marjorie Taylor Greene
• Rand Paul
• Josh Hawley
• Mitch McConnel
• Ron Johnson
• Lauren Boebert
• Stephen Miller
• Madison Cawthorn
• Mark Meadows
• Marco Rubio
• Kevin McCarthy
• Matt Schlapp
• Just about every speaker at CPAC

It is also relatively easy to do a web search and find a plethora of local Republican politicians who have been convicted of crimes ranging from embezzlement* to child pornography/abuse.**

So much for their Strength of Character.

Now, let's move on to the GOP policies and the effect they have on Americans.

As recently as last night (2/26/2021), The House of Representatives voted in favor of the Biden Administration's $1.9 trillion Pandemic Relief Bill, virtually along party lines. In other words, ALL of the Democrats but 2 voted for the bill, while ALL of the Republicans voted against it - even AFTER the Democrats compromised by removing a dastardly plan to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour. Furthermore, at least 13 of the gutless wonders skipped the vote entirely to attend the farce that is known as CPAC.

The Republicans claim that they voted against the bill because it was bloated and partisan to the Democrats. Yet, despite the fact that millions of Americans are suffering economic woes due to the Pandemic the GOP felt it was not in the best interest of the American people. However, it wasn't too long ago that they voted for tax breaks for corporations and the most wealthy among us.

So, let's add hypocrisy to their list of attributes. They might as well use this as their slogan: Feed the rich. Screw the poor.

This is evidenced by the fact the great majority of our most disadvantage States are under Republican control. 9 out of 10 of our poorest are in the hands of the GOP***. This is not by accident, but by design! Further evidence of this, and their lust to keep power at any cost, can be seen by their use of controlling the vote by passing voter suppression laws and gerrymandering. This is especially true in minority communities.****

Let's look at their immigration policy. Like most of their other programs, it is based on Fear and Loathing. They charge that they didn't invent the deportation of undocumented immigrants and that is true. In an effort to secure our Southern border, Democratic administrations, including that of Barack Obama, instituted policies that included mass deportations. However, the GOP, under then President Donald J. Trump and his chief architect of the Zero Tolerance program, Stephen Miller, raised cruelty to an art form, seeming to actually delight in the separation of families at the border as an incentive for them not to come. Thousands of screaming, crying children were separated from their parents in a heartless effort to stem the tide of immigration.+

Republicans claim that their core principal is Less Government, i.e. keep the government out of our private lives. Yet, they continually pass legislation that attempts to limit a woman's right to choose what is best for her own body by restricting access to safe and legal abortions.++

The GOP economic platform has always been "Trickle Down", i.e. reward wealthy companies and they will create jobs and, thereby, a thriving economy. There is only one problem: it has been proven over and over again that it simply does not work.+++ Still, year after year the Republicans manage to give tax breaks to the rich while weakening unions and other organizations created to level the playing field between rich and poor.

Look, I could keep adding to the list with things like their support of the Death Penalty and other social issues that unfairly target minority communities. ALL of them seem to based on one simple principal:

FEAR and LOATHING.

Perfection is one thing, a reasonable attempt at fair governance is entirely another - one that the GOP can't seem to get right. Perhaps, they simply don't want to. If they truly did they wouldn't be worshipping a statue of their very own Golden Calf. ++++

Thankfully, this is STILL a Country that promotes freedom of choice - at least for most of us. But, we can never be TRULY free until that applies to ALL of us. And, I just don't see that EVER happening under a Republican administration. They simply don't get it and I fear that they never will. . .  

* https://rantt.com/gop-admins-had-38-times-more-criminal-convictions-than-democrats-1961-2016

** https://www.pravdori.com/en/story/1/republicans-convicted-of-child-sexual-abuse

*** https://www.politifact.com/9-10-poorest-states-republican/

****https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/30/republicans-restrict-voting-access-bills

+ https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/05/28/the-trump-administrations-immigration-policies-are-impossibly-cruel-thats-the-whole-point/

++ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/12/anti-abortion-activists-womens-rights

+++ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tax-cuts-rich-50-years-no-trickle-down/

++++ https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-cpac-golden-calf-trump-statue-is-spurring-backlash-of-biblical-proportions-11614360507

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: The Party of Fear and Loathing.

Since the very beginning of exercising my right to vote nearly 50 years ago, I have been a registered Independent. I chose this course because I didn't want to pledge allegiance to a single political party. My preference is to vote for the person and their agenda rather than strictly by policies chosen for them by their respective parties.

Now, with that said, anyone who follows this blog knows that my mindset skews towards the liberal. And, since the Democratic party, by and large, embraces a more liberal agenda than their Republican counterparts (an understatement?), I tend to support them almost exclusively, but not entirely. Yes, there have been times when I voted for the Republican simply because I felt that they were the best person for the job.

However, that was then and this is now.

With the current lineup of fools, liars, sycophants, degenerates, con artists, grifters, and miscreants as their leaders, the GOP has absolutely nothing of any value to offer to me or any other American. The partial list, in no particular order, includes:

Jim Jordan

Marco Rubio

Ted Cruz

Ron Johnson

Matt Gaetz

Damon Nunez

Lauren Boebert

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Lindsey Graham

Kevin McCarthy

Mitch McConnell

John Kennedy

Ron DeSantis

Gregg Abbott

and, of course, the greatest grifter of them all, Donald J. Trump.

From the insanity of the theory that Jewish lasers in space are creating California wildfires, to the current debacle in Texas, Republicans have fucked up just about everything that they have put their stamp on. Even their ultimate hero, President Ronald Reagan, arguably did more to fuck up the middle class than any president before or since (with the possible exception of Mr. Trump).

Look, all politicians lie when they feel that they need to. They even have a nice word for it: political expedience. They ALL say things that they feel they need to get elected. However, the Republicans have raised it to a fine art. They will not only lie, but cheat and steal to stay in power.

Gerrymandering is a method of redrawing voting districts to insure that your base is now in the right place at the right time to get you elected. Again, the Republicans have become masters at this tactic.* Reagan was called a hero by his fellow Republicans for destroying the middle class by taxing Social Security, eliminating the Fairness Doctrine, lowering the taxes paid by the most wealthy, and diminishing the strength of unions by busting the Air Traffic Controllers strike.**

Virtually every State that struggles with its economy, education, and opportunities is under GOP control, i.e. a GOP governor and legislature.***

And, now, we have the mess that is Texas.

Yes, it was caused by a natural weather event but it was exacerbated by the incredibly inept Texan leadership. And, let's guess who runs Texas - you got it - the GOP. And, if their ineptitude wasn't enough, they pulled a classic GOP tactic, i.e. blame someone/something else. In this case, that means blaming the New Green Deal - even though it's only a proposal and not a law, and renewable energy sources - even though they make up only a fraction of the energy produced for Texas!!!

As if that weren't enough to make them a pariah, Senator Ted Cruz was caught, suitcase in hand, trying to escape the dire situation he found his constituents in. THEN, he had the audacity to try to explain it away by blaming his wife and daughters.

Of course, there is Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene whose most outlandish of her many questionable theories is that Jewish run satellites are deliberately aiming lasers at California and causing their devastating wildfires. Really.

Finally, the Republican Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, is requiring all flags over governmental buildings be lowered to half staff to honor the racist, misogynistic, blowhard Rush Limbaugh - a man who managed to piss off the entire Country except his base of - you guessed it - hardcore Republicans.

These may be the most outrageous examples of their depravity but there always seems to be more, including the fact that 43 Republican Senators could see no wrong-doing in President Trump's OBVIOUS incitement of his supporters to attack the Capitol on January 6th.

By comparison, a woman who is both feared and loathed by Republicans, Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), and in contrast to their own senator, i.e. Cruz, had the audacity to raise $MILLIONS to help those suffering in Texas (she represents NY, by the way) and deliver it directly along with a message of hope.

THIS is leadership!!!

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, for the life of me, I'll never understand how the GOP got, and maintains, the support of working people. It has to be one of the great marketing schemes of all time. All they sell, all they have ever sold, is Fear and Loathing.

Well, I'm not buying it - never did and never will.

*https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/us/politics/republicans-gerrymander-trump-election.html

** htmlhttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/column-how-reaganomics-deregulation-and-bailouts-led-to-the-rise-of-trump

***https://www.politifact.com/9-10-poorest-states-republican/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/us/politics/republicans-gerrymander-trump-election.

Today's MOZEN: Steps

 

In an effort to maintain some decent aerobic fitness, especially during a harsh winter like this one when walking outside becomes more difficult, instead of taking the elevator, I climb the 5 flights of stairs to my duties at the CBS Broadcast Center on W57th St. in Manhattan. If you are at all familiar with that building then you know how massive it is - so, the stairways are equally impressive, i.e. long and steep.

And, for some reason, the set of stairs from the ground level to the first floor seem to go on for ever. In fact, when I look at them from bottom to top, they can be downright intimidating, especially considering it's just the first flight of 5!!

So, I don't look at it that way.

Instead of facing the journey in total, I focus on one step at a time - literally. From the beginning, I keep my eyes and concentration on ascending just one before I precede to the next, then the next, and so on and so forth, never looking up until I reach my final destination. It's as if each step is its own, separate journey.

At the end, I may be huffing and puffing but I have accomplished my mission - and, I feel damned good about it, too.

I try to use this as a metaphor for how to approach life.

Sometimes, it all seems so big. Things come at us with an ever increasing pace so that we can become overwhelmed. We are concerned about our jobs, our relationships, health, and overall well-being, etc. If we try to deal with them collectively, we often get bogged down to the point where nothing actually gets done. Now, if can take on our challenges one at a time, it is much more feasible to accomplish our chosen goal.

The concept of one step at a time is incorporated by others, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (i.e. The Twelve Step Program), to help people deal with issues that previously overwhelmed them, causing great harm to themselves and others. However, this philosophy shouldn't be used only in times of great stress but, rather, in everyday life, for the simplest tasks - one foot before the other, one step at a time, each second separate from the rest.

And, before you know it, you're at your destination.

Today's MOZEN: Without Honor

 

We often think of cowardice in physical terms, i.e. running away from a fight. However, the term may be applied under a number of circumstances. For example, there is the moral kind. The kind that looks for excuses instead of accepting accountability and responsibility.

What we witnessed from the Republican party during the opening of former President Donald J. Trump's historic 2nd Impeachment trial is the perfect example.

Instead of dealing with the issue, i.e. that Mr. Trump's incendiary rhetoric was directly responsible for the January 6th assault on The Capitol, they choose to defend the former President by bloviating on the constitutionality of the whole procedure, i.e. he may indeed be guilty but we can let him off on a technicality.

In other words, they punted.

Their cowardice was on full display. Instead of owning up to the seditious behavior of the man they supported, through all of the lies, all of the bullying, they looked for an excuse to not deal with the reality of his guilt. They found it in Parliamentary Procedure: it's too late to Impeach a President who is not longer President.

The Republicans argued that the entire affair was politically motivated by an opposition whose only agenda was to dump Trump. In the meantime, they ignored the overwhelming amount of evidence presented, often in Mr. Trump's own words, that the former President's fiery rhetoric served as the inspiration for the whole affair.

With rare exception (I believe that 5 Republicans voted in favor of continuing the prosecution), rather that face the reality that Mr. Trump was indeed culpable, they found an excuse instead. 

I'd say shame on them, all of them. But, you can't shame people who have no honor.

YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS SHIT UP: Today's GOP

 

As is my modus operandi, when confronted by complex scenarios and topics, I like to reduce them to their most simple terms. So, here's the latest:

All you need to know about the current state of the Republican party is that they have chosen to censure Congresswoman Liz Chaney, a woman who had the guts to do the right thing, heed the evidence, despite knowing it would be unpopular with the party, and voted to have Donald J. Trump impeached while at the same time have rallied behind Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a gun-toting, QAnon believing, Trump supporting sycophant who has theorized that California wildfires are caused by space lasers operated by a cabal of Jewish businessmen.

Seriously?!

So, just to be sure, the GOP admonished a woman of character and lauded a fucking mental defective. Well, my friends, if you continue to support them, you will get what you pay for - just like the last time and the time before that. The Republicans have sucked their heads up their asses yet again. And, if you don't see that, can I sell you a bridge? A great bridge. The greatest bridge of all time. Cheap.

That is all. . .  

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: A Symbol of Disgrace

 

The Stars and Bars - The CSA Battle Flag

Whenever I hear the term, SLAVERY, I am not only angry, but incredulous as well. However, I should really juxtapose those two descriptions. You see, I am angry because I simply can't believe that there are many today who still believe that there was an adequate rationale to explain why their ancestors fought and died to defend it. This was (and, IS on a regular basis) evidenced by the extraordinary amount of appearances by the symbol of that lost cause; The Stars and Bars, i.e. The Confederate Battle Flag.

Of course, the flag is flown highest and proudest by Southerners, but also by many others who do so in support of the same, damaged mindset. And, it was on FULL display at the latest assault on the rule of law and DECENCY, i.e. The Attack on The Capitol, January 6, 2021.

Confederate Flag inside the Capitol/AP Images

All of them will rationalize their support of this banner by trying to say that it is more than just a racist symbol but of one of defiance against a repressive government, then AND now.

My response is always the same: BULLSHIT!

In addition to its racist roots (that in and of itself should be enough to disqualify it from public display), it is also an emblem of sedition and treason. It literally cost of the lives of over 600,000 Americans during the Civil War and countless others since.

And, for WHAT??

For the right to OWN another human being?

REALLY?

Think about that - owning another human being!

Again, defenders of that symbol will argue that the great majority of Southern, i.e. Confederate, soldiers were NOT slave holders. Well, that to me is yet ANOTHER reason to reject that flag and EVERYTHING it represents. Why would anyone give their life to reward a landed aristocracy that would treat you only slightly better than the people they actually owned? And, I believe there within lies the key: as long as poor, uneducated white people had a group that was even poorer and less educated than they were (are) they were willing to fight to keep the status quo.

Unfortunately, not enough has changed in the 156 years since the end of the Civil War. Systemic racism haunts our legal, judicial, financial, and educational institutions. African-Americans still die at the hands of the police in disproportionate numbers. And, they still lag behind in virtually every other category that reflects success and wealth.

Confederate Flag Rally NC

WHY?

Because thousands, no hundreds of thousands of misguided fools still admire and follow a symbol that represents everything that is WRONG with this Country.

And, if you don't see that, you are not part of the solution, you ARE the problem. Saying it is a "part of our history" may be true, but it is not sufficient to resurrect it as a current meme. Put it work it belongs - in a museum