Much has been written about the impact of the pandemic. We have taken stock of its legacy—how we coped this past year and what it did to us as people. While such ruminations are understandable and worthwhile, we need to do the same about our state of politics in Washington and across the nation. We need to take a time out and look closely in the mirror.
The crescendo of baloney being spewed forth by Republican and conservative politicians and pundits is downright embarrassing. More significantly, it debases us as citizens and continues to weaken our government and democratic values.
The looney pronouncements and the antics of politicians like senators Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Ted Cruz of Texas should be called out by Republicans at all levels. Johnson’s recent mush about the assault on the capitol and Cruz’s sanctimonious words about the Dr. Seuss controversy are, to borrow the line attributed to John Nance Garner, “not worth a bucket of warm spittle.” Garner from Texas, who served both as vice president and speaker of the House, was famous for not mincing words. Indeed, there is some evidence that he used a stronger word than “spittle.”
I guess we shouldn’t expect much from a party that bought the big lie about election fraud, downplays the January 6th assault on the Capitol, and stirs up hate among the citizenry. When they look in the mirror they only see handsome, self-righteous virtue, not the ugly truth about what is going on in their party. They look the other way or remain silent about Marjorie Taylor Greene, congresswoman from Georgia who was elected by spewing conspiracy theories.
I’m waiting for the likes of Mitt Romney and Susan Collins to speak out forcefully and repeatedly and take their party back. But then I’m still waiting for just one Republican friend to admit that they have buyer’s remorse about supporting the former president. I’m afraid their silence betrays the awful truth about their party.