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George A. Polisner's avatar

Thank you Jeff.

It is remarkable to me that voters continue to support the corrupt and the incompetent. As the world becomes more volatile, as conflict and the risk of conflict increases, and as technology advances, you would think that regardless of political ideology, voters would support people who are, at a minimum, going to defend the system they are entrusted to lead. Instead people like Scott Perry, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, Marjorie Taylor Greene, James Comer, Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, and Jim Jordan are elected to the House.

Florida takes a corrupt governor who's company was found guilty of Medicare Fraud and says "here's the perfect guy for the U.S. Senate."

Can you imagine being among a small group in a post-apocalyptic United States and thinking, "You know who can lead us out of the crisis?: Ron Johnson!"

These voters are the reason that books are banned, women's rights are regressing, and voting rights (which should be a foundation for any society that aspires toward democracy) are eroding and "trickle-down" is seriously discussed as a form of economics instead of the mass fraud it represents.

These voters wrap themselves in the American flag claiming "true patriotism" and yet are directed by Australian billionaire Rupert Murdoch in terms of what to believe and who to hate. They immerse themselves in religious scripture, picking out any passage they can (while ignoring many others) rationalizing their own greed, selfishness, and hatred of anyone who looks, believes, or loves differently. The people they are told to choose as leaders are those who are most likely to fight against equity, justice, and democracy. So-called leaders who represent the interests of the obscenely wealthy, the oil, gas, and coal industries, big pharma, and others over law and policy that would benefit a vast majority of Americans.

The leading candidate for the Republican party is an admitted felon. His lawyers asserting "Presidential immunity" are effectively saying, "Trump committed criminal acts, but you cannot hold Trump responsible because he was President." (Of course it will be argued that inciting an insurrection, betraying national security, obstructing justice, suborning perjury and other such crimes are NOT official duties of the President), eventually, points of law will be decided by a group who have already demonstrated their lack of ethics. For all of those in the "election was rigged camp" -note that Trump's defense is not a plea of innocence. Such thinking would require the application of logic, something sorely missing from the willfully ignorant.

I don't necessarily fault the painfully incompetent or inherently corrupt for running for election or re-election. Let's face it, someone like MTG might not be employable otherwise. The issue is that voters somehow believe that in these perilous times, an idiot or a criminal (or both) are their leaders of choice.

It's been said a society gets the government it deserves. Yet I've had the pleasure of working shoulder to shoulder with many incredibly smart, dedicated, compassionate people who deserve ethical leadership toward an equitable, just, and democratic system. Not a government of sociopathic circus clowns.

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Elaine the Mean Old Feminist's avatar

Maybe Nancy's "A" stood for "Asshole." 😜

Happy New Year's Eve, all.

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