Don and Nancy

Written by Tom Being Tom

Well, that must have felt good.

I laughed out loud when that came across. Later, I thought it was probably beneath the dignity of the office. But Trump has set the bar incredibly low for the dignity of an office, so there’s that. Still, why stoop to his level?

Of course, in the long run, it’ll be the only thing anyone really remembers about the speech. Nancy Pelosi is many things, but at the end of the day she is above all calculating. In fact, she’s the only thing anyone really remembers about the last SOTU:

Not that as many people were watching. This was the least-watched SOTU of Trump’s tenure; viewership was down 20% from last year. Political fatigue? Probably so. We’ve had so much coverage of impeachment where we’ve seen the zeroes and heroes of our political landscape in all their tarnished glory. Enough is enough, I suppose.

As Tom rants on.

Speaking of heroes, though, Mitt Romney became the first Senator in US history to vote to remove a president of his or her own party this week. Mitt’s not squeaky clean (who is?), and I don’t agree with him politically or spiritually, but he’s a respected politician. As far as that goes. History won’t be unkind to him for this. In fact, I dare say he’ll be the most memorable thing about this impeachment when the history of it is writ. Petty people are forgotten. Those with conviction are remembered.

As far as Trump himself goes, he just got the highest approval rating of his presidency from Gallup. That last part is important, because this poll is an outlier. His average approval rating is 5-6 points lower than the Gallup poll at around 43.5%, which is still slightly higher than where it usually is. Incidentally, that’s still well behind Barry and George and Bill and Ronnie and Jimmy and Gerald at this point in their presidencies. It’s slightly behind where the other George was, too. It’s well ahead of Harry S, for whatever that’s worth.

But another important poll that came out at the same time showed Trump losing to Joe, Bernie, Liz, Pete, and even Mike if the election were held today. Another showed at least Joe and Bernie beating Don, with Liz and Pete neck and neck with the charlatan. That same latter poll showed a majority of Americans fully believe that Trump abused power and obstructed Congress. It maintained an even split on whether he should be removed.

He should be. We should remove him.

But if I had to lay odds, I’d say our boy Lyin’ Donnie has a better than even chance of reelection as things stand right now. The economy is still humming along and Americans have a hard time booting out an incumbent when the economy is perceived healthy. For most Americans all politics is the economy. Defy the emoluments clause. Use your charity for personal gain. Watch your cronies go to jail. Defy subpoenas. Obstruct justice. Cater to despots. Separate children. Hide your earnings. Trumpet white supremacists. Fire anyone who challenges you. Claim executive supremacy. Disrespect women. Disrespect colleagues. Disrespect allies. Disrespect the National Anthem. Disrespect the Constitution. Disrespect democracy. Destroy environmental protections. Eliminate safety nets.

Go on, son.

Do what you will.

As long as that 401k keeps growing and as long as that jobs report shows low unemployment the president can be a king, for all we care.

But I need more than that from my leaders. I need decorum, and mutual respect for honest allies, honest rivals, the rule of law and for democracy. I need them to think about the impact of policy on human lives, on wellness, and on the planet. I need them to think about more than themselves.

I wish Nancy Pelosi would have taken the higher road. I’m glad Mitt Romney did. We all know that Donald Trump never will.

I still can’t fathom why some of the most morally grounded people I know have sworn their allegiance to a man this morally corrupt. But I guess I’ll never know. To each their own, they say.

For me, I’ll call out those who do wrong things. I will applaud those who choose to do what’s right, regardless of political or spiritual affiliation. I always have. I always will.

I’m still naive enough to think, with our leaders, we can do better.

I’m still foolish enough to believe our best days are ahead.

Despite what we’ve seen from Nancy and Don.

38 thoughts on “Don and Nancy”

  1. The market is still rising. Trump will serve double terms. After that, he’ll refuse to step down and we’ll need a military coup…or, the GOP will change the constitution and allow him to run for a 3rd and 4th term. Get ready for it!

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      1. This whole thing is unbelievable to watch, but the old maxim is true: “People vote their pocketbooks.” So get on the train or get left behind. (I don’t create reality…I call it as I see it.) Who cares that billionaires are getting more billions, while average stupid ass Joe has a temporary $15.00 an hour job that’s going to disappear when this whole fraud comes crashing down? Joe’s happy in this moment. There is no tomorrow.

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      2. Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, and Rush Limbaugh. Need I say more? My blog is about the entire planet living a delusion…but I swear, I can’t write fast enough to keep up with this shit!!!

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      4. “Who cares that billionaires are getting more billions, while average stupid ass Joe has a temporary $15.00 an hour job that’s going to disappear when this whole fraud comes crashing down?”

        I do, and you do. And millions of others do, too. Remember that even as Donald Trump’s approval rating edges up, MILLIONS of more people disapprove of him than approve. We got the numbers. We can win. The motherfucker slipped up there through the cracks (after losing by MILLIONS of votes) and now we have a chance to slip him back out. Is he the only reason we’re failing? No. But, at the moment, he’s the primary reason we are not progressing. So, step one: remove Donald Trump. Spread the word. Vote. Don’t back down, or get sidetracked. We got a long way to go, but we can only get there one step at a time.

        P.S. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off yesterday so I missed your thing!

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  2. I’d like to see decorum and decency, but, more importantly, I’d like to see more focus on real issues. Trump refused to shake Pelosi’s hand. Pelosi then ripped up a worthless piece of paper. Her act was purely symbolic and, to some people, petty–although Trump rips up his own papers all the time, even when doing so is against the law.
    Meanwhile with the blessing of the National Archive ICE is destroying thousands–perhaps more–documents. As The New York Times just reported ICE is being allowed to “delete or destroy documents detailing the sexual abuse and death of undocumented immigrants”.
    We’re focusing on the wrong papers being ripped up.

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    1. Oh, I have no argument against “Trump started it,” there is no doubt that he did. Daily he is disrespectful to his colleagues in the House and Senate, in the press, in the world. He deserves no respect in return. And there are definitely bigger issues to be addressed and battle to be fought. I have no problem with Nancy Pelosi disrespecting Donald Trump, I do it every day. He is beneath respect.

      But this act, in public, will be fuel for the sycophantic fire. Will it rally the resistance instead? Man, if they ain’t rallied by now …

      Thank you for the perspective, Chris. What can I say? I agree!

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  3. Mutual respect and the rule of law and for democracy. These will do. Then why are they so often unattainable? Because we vote dorks Presidents.

    The impact is immeasurable. Remove him/them, wherever they may be.

    You’re not foolish at all. We could do so much more with the right leaders. I’m sure of it.

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    2. I cannot for the life of me figure out why this is so hard. I guess because people are sheep and will believe what they hear over what they see. The “Great Leader” speaks, and his sheep believe. Even when all the evidence in the world, all the evidence of his lifetime, speaks volumes otherwise.

      This won’t be easy. This is a speed bump on the road to progress, as I’ve said before. But it’s a big one. And if his cronies in the Senate continue to be lapdogs to his agenda, it’s going to look more like a barricade than a speed bump.

      So let’s reinforce the grill and smash the barricade.

      This is a battle for the survival of democracy. We must win.

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    1. I Love what rivergirl said lol! I couldn’t agree more… This whole trump thing makes me extremely angry. I am shocked at how many people have been gas-lit by this dude and fox news, etc. I applaud Pelosi for what she did. I have watched trump blatantly disrespect numerous people in numerous ways over the past few years and now when a woman gives him some of his own medicine everyone freaks out?? Come on now😂… I wish she would have pulled out a lighter and set the speech on fire!! Anyway, I love reading your stuff Tom-this is another great one! The way you deliver the message in your writing is a pleasure to read.. Have a great day my friend and I look forward to the next blog entry👍👍👍

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      1. Thank you so much, Eric, that means a lot!

        Brother, I hear you. We’re all so angry at Donald Trump and his sycophants in the Senate that we want to tear up everything. We may have to; we may have to take to the streets yet and demand our democracy. For the moment, though, there are levers of liberty still in place and we must use them. I love what Nancy did, I doubled over laughing at what Nancy did, but I still wish she hadn’t done it. There are people on fences out there who have become numb to the president’s lack of decorum – they expect it from him – but an act of defiance of this nature, from somebody they expect to be above it, could push them away. We can’t afford to lose the high ground.

        This piece was designed to bash Trump (of course), to exalt a political opposite for an act of great bravery (thank you, Mitt!) and to remind those we count on (Nancy) to maintain course and civility.

        We will win by being better.

        Thank you again, Eric! Godspeed, my friend!

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  7. In a way I hate to give you kudos for a spot on, excellently written post. I’d like to be able to say that you’re all wrong but there is very little to disagree with, although I’m not at all upset about Pelosi.

    What I found very alarming but not surprising about the SOTU address was the absence of the words “climate change,” “environment” and “global warming.” Of course for 45 to acknowledge the crisis would be counter to his ultra pro-business agenda. Look no further than his policies of deregulation and business friendly economic schemes and pronouncements to see why the economy is humming along.

    As long as the 401k’s are performing like champs Trump’s sycophants will continue to support him. Some will agree with him that global warming is a hoax and the others will delude themselves into believing that destroying the environment is a small price to pay for a healthy portfolio.

    And then there are the racists, the America firsters, the nationalists who’ve found their voice in a mean spirited ignoramus; a pompous bully. They’ve no interest in the preservation of the Constitution beyond the 2nd amendment. Indeed most have no understanding of history or of the Constitution and that includes the original purpose of their beloved 2nd amendment.

    I’ve little doubt of two things and they are mutually inclusive; between now and November the Democrats will once again find a way to trip all over themselves and Trump will be re-elected.

    As for Pelosi I’ve no real issue with her ripping up what was essentially a self serving invective that was rife, if not with lies, then unadulterated deceit. Her action wasn’t born of uncalculated anger. It was a statement that cried “I spit on your dictatorial manifesto.”

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    1. What an excellent response, Paulie, thank you for being a part of the fight!

      Maybe I’m wrong, and maybe we’re already there where we cannot be civil with “the enemy.” But I don’t think so. I think folks are lost, confused, and misguided out there. Like you said, they understand (and care very little for) history. The history of this man – clearly a charlatan and a crook – or the history of this country, the world, and the fragility of freedom. Even people I know who are very learned, and who hate Trump, cannot see how fragile our democracy is. “Oh, he’s no different than the others; we’re at no risk of tyranny, silly.”

      We are. We are at great risk of tyranny. Why do I say that? Because everywhere freedom fails it looks just like this, right before. Forget that “American exceptionalism” stuff, people. We ain’t no different than everyone else.

      One more point, Paulie: I don’t think Trump’s victory is a forgone conclusion. He lost the popular vote last time, and in fact every Republican running for president has since 1988, except George II in 2004 and that was the most special of circumstances (9/11 backlash). Those who disapprove of Donald Trump outweigh those who approve of him by millions. We have the numbers, still. And the 2018 midterm showed the strength of those numbers. The Democrats are no worse than the Republicans at falling all over themselves, the 2016 Republican primaries were contentious as hell until Trump won the nomination. Even after, it took a while for everyone to fall in line. But they do. Everyone fell in line behind Hillary, too (except me, I guess 😉 ).

      A leader will emerge from this crop. It’s a good crop. We will rally behind the nominee. We can, and must, defeat Donald Trump. Ready?

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  8. I get where you’re coming from, but to me, the symbolic yet important public act of tearing up his bullshit-laden SOTU speech raised Nancy Pelosi in my esteem from someone I respected to someone I almost consider a hero. Remember: those who still need to understand the gravity of the situation are not people who respond to or even notice subtlety, nuance and tradition. They need these kinds of gestures right in their faces if they’re ever to investigate why the hell the decent people of America are so justifiably enraged.

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    1. I get that, too, and thought about that first. Finally a taste of his own medicine! That’s what led me to think about whether or not we really want to stoop to his level. I also have a great concern that some people on the fence might turn to defending the president after this very public act of defiance, and therefore create a negative outcome instead. I don’t know. In the end I had to go to that special place inside where I take the long overview of the situation and say “would I defend this act had it been Paul Ryan behind Barack Obama?” The answer is no, though there are extenuating circumstances here. Nonetheless, it is easier to defend an act done on “our side” than “theirs,” every time. So, the act itself must come under objective scrutiny and the act itself brings, from me, a kind of disdain.

      Overthinking it?

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    1. Thank you, Rebecca! I’m all for calling out the lies and, in fact, support anyDem, Pub, or Other that does so. Still, I think there were better ways to do it. I’m happy to be wrong if this is the “shot heard around the world” that sparks the revolution. 😉

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  10. I looked at the fine print on the poll: “Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Jan. 16-29, 2020, with a random sample of 1,033 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.” I work with a lot of psychometricians and we never rely on results with a sample size that small, especially in a population the size of the US.

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    1. I appreciate that input, Suzanne!

      It seemed to me to be such a small number comparatively, so I appreciate that. It also doesn’t jibe with most other polls. Again, I think it’s an outlier, but the misinformation machine of Trump will use it to its full potential and spread more falsities.

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    1. I fully understand that argument and even echo it at times. It’s a little bit of splitting hairs. The truth is we elect them to lead. We elect the president to be the leader of the country, and our representative on the world stage. We elect members of Congress to represent and lead us, too. “Leader” can be a generic term, but I in no way mean it in the despotic way. I mean it in the figurative way, the way I am the leader of my church. 😉

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  12. The Republic is Dead. Long live the Republic.

    My father is a conservative who sends me Range magazine, quarterly. I doubt he realizes I actually try to read it. I’m sure he thinks I just burn it. The rag is full of Global Warming denial, government bashing, Trump trumpeting and a few nice photos of the West and its dogs, horses and scenic side. There was an article in a recent issue addressing the dichotomy of Left vs Right. The divide grows deeper and wider. As far as I can tell, nothing will reverse this process. Nothing, sane. Or peaceful.

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    1. That was an awfully interesting rabbit hole you just sent me on, as I googled “Range magazine.” I ended up looking up prominent climate change deniers after clicking the article about it on the Range page. Interesting stuff. I guess we could spend a lifetime digging in from both sides of that topic. A coworker and friend of mine spends most of his free time digging into that very topic and has the very opposite opinion of Anthony Watts and Caleb Rossiter. He definitely thinks the end is near. It may be.

      The Republic isn’t dead yet, but it’s definitely on life support. It is 100 seconds to midnight. We have deployed a new nuclear weapon that we aren’t so afraid to use. Our economy is artificially boosted daily to appear strong, fending off the impending collapse. Our devices are already smarter than we are.

      I don’t know what we can do to stop it, the coming end. It may be too late to save the environment, as some speculate, and the powers-that-be may already be quietly authoritarian, manipulating us with memes and ads. Choice may be an illusion, some say.

      I tell my friend that if its true that the end is near, and if its true there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it, why worry at all? The rabbit hole is only worthy if it produces a positive outcome. If there is a chance of survival, of thriving, of hope than the digging is worth the time. If there is not, beers and hugs then. Live and love every day.

      I don’t believe we’re done. And maybe the last only reason I don’t believe we’re done is because we’ve never been done before. The end of the world, the end of civilization and the end of freedom has been coming since we knew any of those words. Twilight is always on the horizon; Ragnarok begins every day. After several millennia as a species, though, the quality of life and the clarity of thought and the spread of knowledge only grows. We’re not dead yet.

      I suppose, until we are, I will believe. I will have hope. I’ll accept the science and also be skeptical. Donald Trump is a speed bump, and another one is coming. But damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead, Anony. We have a date with progress, a rendezvous with utopia, and we can’t be late. 100 seconds. There’s still time.

      Sorry about the long response. 😉 Thanks for the input and journey this morning!

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      1. Yeah, verbose this morning.
        The fact that Drumpf exists, as President, was exonerated for obvious crimes, is supported by the corptocracy, despite, no, due to his incompetence, and with no shining Democratic Knight rising to slay this bloated dragon, says to me the future will become grab as grab can. The end.

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