Republican Fuckery Part VII: Losing GOP Candidate Shoots at Democrats, George Santos’s Continual Lies, and the Debt Ceiling

To say that the American government is in a state of chaos these days is an understatement. It is thanks to one party and one party only. While the Democrats are doing the job of the people, the other side is all about power and nothing more.

The latest fuckery is as follows:

In what only be described as the love child of Kari Lake‘s extended tantrum and January 6th, a GOP candidate who lost his election for the state house in New Mexico was accused of shooting at the homes of state and local Democrats. Beyond the obvious issue of gun control, what I find disturbing is that these people think that violence is the answer. What the voters want does not matter to them.

Meanwhile, George Santos continues with his lies. While the questions continue to pile up, he acts as if he did nothing wrong. Adding insult to injury is the right has taken him into the fold. BTW, he was the subject of SNL‘s cold open last night. It was brilliant and Bowen Yang was hilarious. When someone is being parodied on the show, they have become a national figure.

And finally, the debt ceiling became a major headline last week. It is as follows:

The debt limit, which is set by Congress, represents the maximum amount the federal government is allowed to borrow to pay its debts. 

If the amount of government debt reaches that threshold and lawmakers fail to lift the borrowing limit, the U.S. would be unable to pay what it owes and could default. 

It goes without saying that decisions have to be made. The question is, what will be sacrificed? As usual, Kevin McCarthy is putting the country last. He would rather hold onto the gavel than prevent another recession. If I don’t pay my bills, my credit score will go down the toilet and I will eventually be evicted from my apartment. What makes the Republicans think that they can play with our financial future?

Just another day in the United States.

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Republicans and the Hypocrisy of Small Government

Every political movement, big and small, has a core ideal that governments their policies and legislation.

If we are to believe the current Republican party, they are governed by the idea of small government. As per Thomas Jefferson, it is as follows:

[A] wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.

On paper, it doesn’t sound hypocritical at all. It comes off as fairly reasonable. The powers that be should not be interfering in the day-to-day life of the average person on the street. But the reality is another story entirely.

• Roe v Wade was overturned a little more than a week ago. The repercussions are only beginning to be revealed.
• In Texas and Florida, the vitriol against the LGBTQ community has reached a new level.
• In the wake of Covid-19 and the destruction that the virus has unleashed, some GOP-led states (Texas and Florida, again. What else is new?) have made it illegal for businesses to enforce mask mandate policies.

When they are called out for their duplicity, they claim “free speech“. What about my right to free speech? Why is it they are allowed to speak their truths, but if I do it, I am labeled a radical lefty snowflake?

If they want to live in a right-wing, sexist, and racist Christian theocracy, that is their choice and their decision. As we say in Judaism “Zolst leben un zein gezunt!” (Yiddish for you should live and be well!). but do not impose your beliefs on me and expect me to quietly give in.

Can Mike Pence and Liz Cheney be Redeemed?

In politics, reputation is everything. That reputation, whatever it may be, can make or break your career.

The reputations of two specific politicians, Mike Pence and Liz Cheney are going to be made or broken by the time the January 6th commission hearings are over. Will they be redeemed or go down in history for their misdeeds?

In any job, the ability to work with anyone within the organization is important. But there is a difference between knowing when to respectfully disagree and kissing ass. The former Vice President is the latter. For the entirety of the Presidency of you know who, Pence was a lapdog who did his boss’s bidding without (at least in public view) questioning his actions and motives. The only time he developed a backbone was when he did not go along with the lie that the election results were fraudulent. Now that he is back on the election circuit, Pence now claims that President Biden is one who is lying constantly.

I have a feeling that Pence’s place in American history will not be a good one.

Liz Cheney is the American political royalty. The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, she has been a stalwart Republican for decades. Between 2016 and 2020, she consistently voted along party lines. Then January 6th happened. Cheney is one of two members of the GOP on the committee (the other being Adam Kinziger). Though I disagree with her on many things, the fact that she has put country and the saving of our democracy over party speaks volumes.

What will future historians say about Cheney? I think the jury is still out.

We cannot predict what posterity will say about this era. But I hope that we will remember those who stood up for our nation and those who didnt.

P.S. Who else wanted to reach out through the screen and hug Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and  Ruby Freeman? The treatment they recieved is digusting, immoral, and in my opinion, unAmerican.

Cutting SSI & Medicare Benefits is the Wrong Decision For the GOP (Unless They Want to Lose)

As we get closer to the 2022 midterm elections, politicians and those around them need to make smart decisions to ensure that they either maintain their position or win their election.

Possibly cutting SSI & Medicare benefits in five years is not a smart decision.

Last week, Senator Rick Scott of Florida proposed a bill that states that Congress has to reauthorize SSI and Medicare benefits every five years. His rationale is as follows:

“Force Congress to issue a report every year telling the public what they plan to do when Social Security and Medicare go bankrupt.”

Of course, Senator Scott is a member of the GOP from Florida (why would he not be?).

Historically, Americans of a certain age are known to vote in larger numbers than younger citizens. If these benefits are cut, how many of our elders would be on the streets and without access to medical care.

Potentially cutting off these programs is practically handing the Democrats a win in the fall. If they want to shoot themselves in the figurative foot, that’s their decision.

The TN Child Marriage Bill Tells Me Once Again Everything I Need to Know About the GOP

Marriage, in its ideal form, is the promise between two adults, who are ready, willing, and able to make what is hopefully a lifetime commitment. But the reality is that it is often used as a form of barter (with the woman being the thing being bartered) or a way of silencing an accusation of rape or pedophilia.

Last week, a bill was being passed through the Tennessee statehouse that would have opened the door for a grownup to marry a child. As of this weekend, it was amended to ensure that the couple saying their vows are at least eighteen. The only reason why the minimum age was added was because of a lot of people who made a lot of noise.

These people claim to represent “family values”. But their image of “family values” is rooted in the past. By attempting to control the lives of Americans via the anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ (i.e. the Don’t Say Gay law) legislation, they are again showing their true colors. They don’t care about the people of this country. They only care about catering to their base and the archaic ideas do not represent where this nation is going.

By holding onto what was, the GOP is holding us back. I firmly believe that we cannot let them do so. The only way to stop them is to vote them out and make sure that we have representatives in government who are doing the job we are paying them to do.

Thoughts On the Latest Health/Political News: The Fourth Covid Shot, Insulin Prices, and NYC Celebrities Vaccine Mandate Exception

At the end of the day, our health is our most important asset. Without it, nothing else matters.

Last week, one of the bills that Congress was scheduled to vote on was the possible reduction of the price of insulin. Americans living with diabetes can potentially spend up to $1,000 a month on the drug. If the bill had passed, the cost would have been capped at $35 a month. As expected, some members of the Republican party voted against it.

I hate to use the word “hypocrite” because it is overused when it comes to the GOP. But there is no other way to describe them. We are not talking about a bottle of aspirin that is opened occasionally due to a headache. The choice between taking lifesaving medication and keeping a roof over your head/food on the table should not be necessary. Anyone with even a modicum of human decency would recognize that.

In Covid-19 news, the CDC has announced a new recommendation for a fourth shot. At this point, the priority is people over the age of fifty or anyone of any age who is immunocompromised. But we should all get it eventually. I get it, this virus is still new. But a fourth shot? Does this mean that we will have to get one every six months for the rest of our lives?

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams announced two weeks ago that performers and athletes are exempt from the vaccine mandate. While I understand the economic benefits, it feels like it is half-finished. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. The basketball player making the winning jump shot at Madison Square Garden and/or the actor taking the final bow at the end of the Broadway show should have the same status as a member of the cleaning crew. It just creates a bad taste in the proverbial mouth and reinforces the class status.

We forget that our health is paramount, until, for many of us, it is too late. Unfortunately, it took a pandemic to remind us of this fact. It is a reminder that we can never forget.

In Trump’s Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP Book Review

Just as in life, there are lessons to be learned in politics. Both the 2016 Presidential election and the 2020 Presidential election, were if nothing else, an eye-opening experience.

In Trump’s Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP, by David M. Drucker, was published last month. With you know who finally out of power (thank G-d), the question among members of the GOP is who will replace him? Will it be someone who is a die-hard and will potentially repeat the last four years? Or will it be another person who is a little more particular about the policy decisions they make?

If nothing else, this is a playbook for the 2022 Midterm elections, the 2024 Presidential election, and beyond. This book should be a must-read for every Democrat, both on the individual level and at the highest levels of power. If they are to retain control of both branches of Congress and the White House, they must not only know the other side inside out, but come together. Only then will the rule of law and some version of decency return to this nation.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Ticked Off Vic and the New Voting Prohibitions in Georgia

At the core of our country’s ideals is the promise that every adult citizen has a right to vote. More importantly, the vote is accepted and counted, regardless of any affiliations or labels. But there are some politicians, who for either personal gain or ideological reasons, would prefer to limit who has access to the voting booth.

In Georgia and Arizona, several GOP lawmakers have presented bills that if passed, would put boundaries on this most important of political actions. These people are not dumb. They know which members of the American public they are placing roadblocks in front of. They also know that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 prevents them from outright discrimination. Instead, provisions are sneaked in under the radar using specific language and details that are not always obvious upon the first read. I could go on further, but I will let Vic DiBitetto (Ticked Off Vic) take it from here.

Warning: this video contains language that some may find offensive.

The fact that it takes a foul mouthed New York comedian to reveal the truth speak volumes.

Thoughts On Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Dancing And Rashida Tlaib’s Impeachment Comment

When dynamics shift in government and a new party or leader takes control, the party or leader that was previously in control has to get used to change, whether they like it or not.

Earlier this week, the new members of Congress were sworn in and already, there is controversy.

Members of the GOP are in uproar because a video new Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) dancing was released to social media. One commentator on Twitter labelled it as a high school-ish behavior. The irony of their social media pearls clutching moment is that the video was made when she was in high school.

The night after Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) was sworn in, made the following comment to her supporters, expletive included:

“And I said, ‘Baby, they don’t,’ because we’re gonna go in there and we’re gonna impeach the motherf—–.”

While I would love to see you know who gone from office, I think that the Democratic leadership should not solely be focusing on impeachment, especially with the 2020 election not too far off. If they are to win the election next fall, they have to win the hearts and minds of the voters, especially those who still believe in you know who. By solely focusing on impeachment, this continues to prove that theory that they are out to take him down and therefore drive voters to support/vote for him.

The thing that I realize about this topic is that these women make the GOP nervous. They are minority women of color who are representing their communities for the first time and the GOP who are traditionally Caucasian, male, Christian and straight cannot get their heads around that fact.

America is changing. Those who have traditionally held power are no longer solely in charge and they have no way of handling except for shaming and ridicule.

How the Right Lost Its Mind Book Review

American politics has become a sh*tshow these days, regardless of the where you stand on the political spectrum.

Charles J. Sykes is both a conservative radio personality and best-selling author. His 2017 book, How the Right Lost Its Mind, tracks how the GOP and the Conservative party has changed its core values. In the past, the party stood for limited government, traditional values and a free market. As of recently, the party has come to stand for bigotry, hypocrisy and political falsehood. The question is, can the GOP and the Conservative movement return to the values that have defined them in the past or have they forever been changed?

Many of regular readers will know that my politics are squarely on the left. I read this book not to gloat, but to understand what happens when a political party is hijacked and abandons the values they once held near and dear for a candidate or a politician who motives are not exactly crystal clear.

BTW, you know who comes up in the book, but he is not the only issue that the author points out has caused this dramatic shift.

I recommend it.