Line in the Sand
I really thought that there were boundaries.
I believed that there were still lines that the 21st century Republican party would not cross.
It was silly of me I guess, after seeing them block Obama's Supreme Court nominee for almost a year. But I still thought that when the actual constitutional system of checks and balances (upon which their power depends!) was threatened, the GOP would suddenly remember they have a spine and stand up.
A few have: Lindsay Graham, and that old coot John McCain, who every now and then shows the steel that helped him survive as a POW. But the rest are too busy filling their bank accounts and drafting legislation to make it illegal for women to vote without permission (or whatever wet-dream they nurture in their corrupt little pea-sized souls) to care what happens to the nation they claim to serve.
As ghastly as the whole Trumpapalooza is, the worst, most terrifying part of it is discovering that almost ALL of the elected members of the Republican party actually DON'T CARE.
I mean we know that, for all their talk they don't actually care about deficits (if they help their big business donors) or about "life" (unless it involves a flea-sized speck of tissue in someone else's body. And we should have realized that they don't care about the future of the planet as they pass legislation making it illegal to talk about global climate change instead of actually doing something about it.
But it turns out- they don't even care about their own jobs.
They don't care about the Rule of law, the Bill of Rights or massive executive corruption. Don't care about an executive branch that is trying to neuter both the legislative and judicial branches of government! They don't care about a president who is trying to make them rubber-stampers for his fevered power dreams.
They don't care about blatant White supremacy in the oval office.
Don't care about the rest of the world leaving us behind as the government attacks science, the loss of our quality public education system, the destruction of the middle class… about sick people or hungry children- about drinkable water or air that isn't toxic to breathe.
Don't care about the dissolution of NATO, Russian aggression in Europe and won't even investigate a direct Russian attack on the American electoral system! (Russians! I'm old enough I remember when Republicans hated Russians. Now it's "Meh… what's a little spying among friends?)
They know that the moment he put his hand on the bible and swore to uphold the Constitution, his rapacious business practices put him in violation of that oath.
They see as clearly as we do that Donald Trump's agenda is NOT conservative- it is fascist! That Russia is threatening our democracy. That Trump, the laughing stock/nightmare of the entire world is literally INSANE and poses a clear and present danger to world stability. He has the f**king nuclear codes!!
But instead of doing their sworn duty, of doing what they have the power to do and STOPPING him… they are just grabbing whatever they can get.
It's like someone who sees that his house is on fire but instead of grabbing the fire extinguisher, the Republicans are using the confusion to stuff their pockets full of cookies, steal their dad's laptop and raid their sister's underwear drawer.
When Richard Nixon was caught breaking the law, the Republican party recognized that, however unpleasant it was, their primary duty was to DEMOCRACY, not maximizing their after-office profits while screwing over as many of "those guys" as possible.
Donald Trump is 20x Richard Nixon- but all the Republicans can think about is what's in it for them.
And I really didn't see that coming. I thought that when American democracy and our entire way of life was about to go over the falls- that Republicans would grab an oar and help us row the other way. Sure, we'd all argue the whole time about where we should dock and how to tie up the boat etc etc. but I believed they were decent human beings who don't want democracy and thousands of people to die just so they can stand in the bow and pump their fists and shout "Republicans rule!"
But it turns out- they're quite happy to leave their own children to live in an America that is a festering dystopia.
We're at the tipping point. With his latest attack on the judiciary, Donald trump has made it clear that he believes American government should be a 1-man operation. America is not exceptional- Trump is! And reporter, senator or judge who disagrees with him will be mocked and de-legitimized.
If his next tweet tells America that they really don't have to obey any judge that doesn't adhere to the Trump plan- that's a full-blown constitutional crisis. Because either our laws have to be obeyed… or Trump has to.
Never before has that even been a question which would be on top. Every man and woman in government raises their hand and swears to serve and obey the Constitution, not their party, and not some narcissistic fascist who lost the popular vote but just happened to get into the Oval office anyway.
So in this moment of crisis when America needs her champions, where is the voice of the flag-pin-wearing, ultra-patriotic Republicans who were so outraged at the tyranny of Obama?
I have to tell you: knowing that America has one soulless monster in office is bad. Knowing that we have hundreds of them is nearly debilitating.
Tracy Meisky is a poet, writer, singer, songwriter and all-around boat rocker from way back. Feel free to look around, but if you break it, you bought it.