No Longer Any Doubt

The GOP has for some time claimed to be the party of business and low taxes and free enterprise. Time and again leaders of the GOP from Kasich to Rubio to Cruz to McCain to McConnell have claimed the mantle of “conservative”.

All the while, many liberals have claimed that the GOP was giving quiet approval to the racist tendencies of the mob. Quiet approval to the coded language of race hatred. The dog whistles. The winks and the nods.

The GOP, of course, has denied that charge. They have given lip service to “freedom” and condemned, in the most general terms, racism. It is easy to do. To condemn evil in the abstract. “Racists are bad. OK. I’m done.”

If there was ever any doubt that the “Party of Lincoln” has become the party of bigotry that doubt was erased this weekend. The president of the United States, the leader of the GOP, refused to condemn the KKK and Nazis that marched and murdered in Charlottesville, Virginia

And the rest of the GOP fell in line with the leader. Not a single member of the GOP , to my knowledge, has condemned Mr Trump for his refusal to call evil by it’s name. Not a single member of the GOP “leadership” has stood up for American values.

These same “leaders” who took every opportunity to degrade and diminish President Obama now stand shoulder to shoulder with Mr Trump. Along with the skinheads and under-educated morons who marched in Virginia in support of racism, the leaders of the GOP have given the silent Nazi salute to Trump and his supporters.

They are standing shoulder to shoulder with those who have lynched.  Those who have set up death camps. Those who have burned books and destroyed synagogues and bombed black churches. They are standing tall with those who will reinstate Jim Crow laws. Those who kill blacks with impunity by appealing to “stand your ground” laws. This is the bed in which they are sleeping. These are the fleas with whom they awake.

The leaders of the GOP are standing with David Duke and Mr Trump and Steve Bannon. Against the values of freedom and non violence and racial harmony.

The leaders of the GOP needed to come out forcefully and condemn Mr Trump and his association with the racists.  In no uncertain terms. In specific and strong language. Unequivocally. They did not.

Next time your GOP Senator or Representative mouths the empty phrases  of “Let’s work together” and ” I condemn racism” keep in mind what they have said today.  Hear the deafening silence as the race haters gain the upper hand in the corridors of the White House.

If there was ever any doubt that the GOP has become the party of hate that doubt was erased this weekend. By silence.

Those Phone Calls…Very Presidential

Mr Trump has (once again) claimed that something has happened which did not happen.  Despite what he has said,  he did not receive congratulatory phone calls from the president of Mexico. Nor from the Boy Scouts. In fact, the Boy Scouts apologized for his remarks.

While some might suggest that the erroneous statements made by Trump are untrue, that is hardly the case.   As his current spokesperson. Ms Huckabee Sanders , has stated about these falsehoods: “I wouldn’t say it was a lie — that’s a pretty bold accusation.”

But, in the world of Trump, up is down, right is left, truth is lies and real news is fake. This incident did remind me of some phone calls I have received over the years from parents, public figures and various members of the animal kingdom. I shall share. While these might not be completely “true”, none of them are “lies”. According to Ms Huckabee Sanders.

The Pope called to beg me to return to the one, true apostolic church. Since I had left the church attendance at all Roman Catholic masses had declined. A lot. The Pope told me that I was the best Catholic ever, except for my sins. He said I was an amazing apostate. And he wants me back. Honest. He said that.

Tiger Woods called to congratulate me on my latest golf score, a scorching 89 (from the women’s tees). He told me I had the most amazing hook he had ever seen.  He wished he could play as well as I do. And my 3 putting was fantastic. Really. He did. He said that.

A former principal I worked for called and left a message. He told me I was the best employee that he had ever supervised. And he loved the many suggestions I made to him as to where to place his various suggestions for improvement. He said my creative responses were the best he had ever seen. Although he was finding it difficult to actually insert my suggestions into the appropriate orifice. But, according to him, I was the best! Amazing. Really. He said that.

Then there was the parent whose kid failed my class. As a result he was not admitted to Trump University’s School of Relativity and Prevarication. Even though I ruined the kid’s life , the mother insisted that I was the best teacher ever. She praised my firm stand on the issue of doing at least some homework once in awhile. She placed the complete blame on the situation on her son. I was blameless. I was fantastic. I was amazing. Honest. She said that.

The Donald himself called me just last week. He insisted that I was a political genius. He stated that he had never read any comments as clever or “on the spot” as mine. He talked about how he welcomed criticism as a way to improve his performance in the difficult task of president. He told me to keep up the great work. I was doing a fantastic job! Amazing! Really. He said that.

And the list goes on. But I am too modest to continue.

If you don’t believe me, please contact Ms. Huckabee Sanders. She can explain that it is not a lie to tell a story that isn’t true. It is presidential.