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| Steve Boyd, GOP hopeful (lakes area radio image) |
If they get there, should we all just say "all the more power to them?"
I am willing to support any politician whose actions can improve my life and the lives of others around me. If Republicans lead us to this promised land of theirs, well then fine. But what is the real endgame for them? A better life for all? Or "revenge" against some of the current movements or changes in society that make them feel uncomfortable?
To put it another way, are they insisting on a return to a Norman Rockwell type of life in the U.S. which was never manifested in reality anyway? It's a netherworld of dreams. You might say that's what MAGA is. A drive to eradicate things around us that seem new, seem alien and might seem too threatening to the norms we have come to like.
Actually, the Roe vs. Wade decision with its precedent was a real norm. It had been ensconced in law since I graduated from high school. If you know me, you know that was a considerable time ago. A norm? We elected a president in 2016 who got to put forward three new Supreme Court members. Actually these were from a list given to the president by Mitch McConnell.
Ideas vs. practice
The Federalist Society offers a number of interesting thoughts. The libertarians have always offered some interesting thoughts. If you like to sit around discussing philosophy, such points of view have appeal. I could have done this in college. But back then the far right was more like a novelty that existed in a suppositional world - worthy of attention and fascinating sometimes from the sheer standpoint of thought exercise. But to step into government and truly take its reins? To force through three Supreme Court nominees who were Federalist Society types? To have this faction enter the real mainstream with decision-making that affects all of us?
I look at my younger self when I was in political/philosophical discussions, and can see my eyes bug out if I were told that in a distant future time the hardcore righties would roll up their sleeves and have power. They are salivating at present. They shed a Speaker of the House who had been willing to strike a deal with the other side if it meant keeping the government going.
We in Minnesota almost had one of our own get the speaker's position. Although the prospects never really looked good for Mr. Tom Emmer.
I'm well enough schooled on Mr. Emmer to know he would be truly bad news. But he alienated the right wingers who are now salivating over the chance to assert themselves even more. Emmer is a Minnesotan, thus he wouldn't be inclined to go so far extreme as those souls south of the Mason-Dixon Line. 
Southerners are impulsive people. They act hastily and based on emotion. At present we are not ready to grapple with the consequences of so many of these people exercising real power. We just aren't.
Part of the fault is with the media. The media is scared, I feel, to remind us all of the North/South schism going back to the catastrophic War Between the States. And why? Is the media afraid of irritating or alienating Southerners?
I pointed out this morning in a Yahoo News comment that one media commentator - John Harwood - has been willing to come forward and state the obvious. I believe I'm paraphrasing Harwood correctly, about how he warns that the "burn the house down" zealots are largely from the states of the old Confederacy.
And this doesn't matter to us any more? It doesn't register with the people of South Dakota, such ardent Republicans who are nevertheless so far north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Our state of MN has become rather schizophrenic. After all, we're the state that sent both Paul Wellstone and Michele Bachmann to Washington. Did Bachmann have to quit her Wisconsin Synod church because of the synod's position that the Pope is the antichrist? I seem to recall that.
Today the general perception is that Democrats retain their power in MN, largely. I say "retain" because Republicans have been gaining so much ground around the USA.
I'm not sure what has gotten into the drinking water here around Morris MN to make us so crazed in support of Republicans. If I were to go around today and make amused comments about how ridiculous Trump looks in court, how pathetic it is that this former president is in such legal trouble, I would be met with anger and dismissed as a totally non-credible citizen. No sense of humor among these folks. Are they ready to start displaying the Confederate flag? Their Republican Party now has a Speaker who is from deep within the old Confederacy. Guy is from Louisiana. This Mike Johnson got much of his propulsion to the speakership from Matt Gaetz. From where? Gaetz is from Florida. The ilk of these guys turned thumbs-down on Emmer from Minnesota.
What a litmus test
Man, so Emmer was not hardcore enough for them? Are you all really ready to step aside and have the hardcores assume awesome power? Even more than when Trump was in office? We are seeing signs of this building. With Republicans not of a mind to compromise, and with so many of them having supported the overturning of the 2020 election, have you thought about where all of this might actually be leading?
I plead with women who have young children: please think about the future of this country and the future for your children. Will it be a kind and accommodating place? Women are nurturers by nature, men are destroyers. So is that what it comes down to: if not conflict between North and South, conflict between male and female? I'm groping as I try to make sense of it all.
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| Tom Emmer |
I have pointed out repeatedly that we appear to have a true election denier as our congressperson from our District 7. She's Michelle Fischbach. She appears to not want to answer questions about her stance and her public statement on Jan. 6. I have personally tried getting a response from her. Was it prudent to stand in the way of a timely certification of the election results? Was it prudent for Congress to get in the way, even though there are legitimate legal procedures for challenging election procedures?
I could swear my question was merely routine and rational. But no response from the congressperson. Maybe her instinctive response was just to brand me as "woke" or something like that.
To add insult to injury, I was added to her email recipient list, so now I get stuff from her. So she's a full-fledger with the right wing? I mean, an election denier? Isn't that a good enough "cred?" Well it appears no! It now appears that Fischbach is going to be challenged from the right. Amazing!
A new Republican hopeful from the Alexandria area is coming forward with criticism of Fischbach that is in the vein of "she's a career politician." In other words, "doing what she has to do to stay in office" (paraphrase by me). I interpret that to mean that Fischbach is sometimes a realist and must build bridges with those not as extreme.
And Steve Boyd? I have seen articles that say he's from Kensington and others with Alexandria as his place. Boyd's statements indicate he would give no ground whatsoever. So I guess he'd be good with a government shutdown. For how long, Steve? Until the whole country collapses? Riots breaking out? For what cause? For Republicans wanting to re-shape the whole USA in Steve Bannon's image? Nothing less? Apparently so.
Profiles of Boyd emphasize with a very heavy hand his "Christian" nature. Of course that can mean all sorts of things. I just want to say heaven help us all. I hope we can at least have a merry Christmas first. Then, batten down the hatches.
Addendum: Some of these MAGA types appear to place Trump above God and Jesus. Trump appears comical as he struggles in court, flails away in such a futile desperate way. Yet he had the power to push this Mike Johnson through to Speaker. Louisiana values. The Deep South. Is that us? Can we come to our senses?
Oh! My podcast
I talk about the Gophers' 12-10 football win over Iowa on my "morris mojo" podcast. The link:
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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