End of The Tunnel or the Train

Republicans who represent what used to be the GOP are declining to seek re-nomination for their Congressional seats. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee and, today, Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona have both announced they will not seek to hold their seats. I won't try to pretend that I was often on the same side of issues with them but they are people that one can respect even if there are differences. These days the rage is to not only be contrary to but to be all disrespectful about it while calling people derogatory names that defy common knowledge. The other day I had to ask just what a

snowflake is. I figured it couldn't be good but just how disrespectful it is surprised me. The same goes for the epithet “libtard.” I figured that one out but it is disgusting. I don't mean to say that I am above a good euphemism from time to time but when referring to the opposition I will use the term “reactionary” or “right wing” but I have to admit they don't carry the same load of degradation as those other terms.

Senator Flake gave an eloquent speech to announce his intentions and he did not mince his words leaving little doubt as to exactly what he felt about our leader and those who support him in his

disrespectful way of communication. I am awaiting news coverage to hear the latest from tweet central concerning this matter. Senators, Flake, McCain and Corker are becoming more emboldened. Not finding it necessary to cater to the strange proclivities of some of the electorate is liberating indeed. Senator McCain is likely to be set free by another means and he seems willing to joust with the devil before yielding to the inevitable. I say God bless them.

We have spent what seems to be an eternity awaiting the rising of the loyal opposition to reclaim its just place in the hierarchy of political discourse. The mutiny that has seized power within the GOP has recently overcome us. It has been stalking our halls of power for decades funded by obscenely wealthy white men who want nothing less than domination of all that they survey. They view any concession made out of compassion or general good will to be a sign of weakness and detrimental to the hegemony of the United States. Our leader believes that any deal made must not be equally advantageous but must always provide a superior benefit to our country. This is not how we became a great nation that professes to not seek empire but strives for an equitable world in which all are given the opportunity to rise to their gifts.

There are a lot of people whose desire it is to toss out the baby with the bath water and do away with the existing political parties and toss incumbents out of Congress. Drain the swamp, if you will. That is a misguided desire and ignores our responsibility to seek change and improvement within

ourselves to repair a damaged political system. Can they really believe that by installing new people without the electorate itself living up to its charge will result in something better? What it seems that people want is some form of fascism to dictate whatever result they deem proper to be enforced. I despair sometimes that we may not be smart enough to rule ourselves but I am yet committed to that principle because anything else is demonstrably worse.

It is my earnest hope that the actions of these Senators will foster a movement that will result in the reclamation of their party and its traditional tenets. Even if I disagree with them they were people who could be relied on to earnestly seek the welfare of the national being. I hope that these few will be the match that lights the fire of democratic expression in the GOP and burns out the fascism that has reared its ugly head.

A political axiom goes that when your opponent is digging himself into a hole then you should get out of the way. If this is what the Democratic Party is using for a guiding principle then it is sorely misguided. The President has a rock solid 35% base that wouldn't care if he blew up Boston. They are going to be with him. As nauseating as that may be it is the political reality that we now face. If the Democratic Party thinks that a successful campaign can be run by just saying they are not Trump then the party is primed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The Democratic Party must develop a narrative that explains to the American people why they would be better off with them in power than with the GOP. That has not been done to my satisfaction and I doubt that it has for large numbers of

others. Were it so we would not see so many people gravitating to the far left of the party. The Democratic Party must clearly state what its principles are on trade, immigration and global relationships and pray that there are still enough members of the American electorate who can understand or even want to understand that narrative. The attention span of the electorate has degraded to the point that if you can't state a message in 15 seconds you're toast. Remember Ross Perot and that 30 minute commercial complete with charts? The audience would be watching Dancing With The Stars 3 minutes into it. Let's face it. It is harder to build a positive message than it is to just denigrate and tear the other person down. People respond to negative ads and that is a simple truth but if we are to choose leaders based on who is the nastiest then let's just crown Steve Bannon.

I have often said and I believe that the people get the kind of government they ask for. My Take is that they got it in spades this time.