A Fond Farewell To Colin Powell - One of The Last Of The Reasonably Moderate Republicans

 Monday October 25th, 2021

My Dear America:

At a time when Reasonably Moderate Republicans are in incredibly short supply it was sad to realize the loss to not only the Republican Party but to America when Colin Powell passed away on October 18th of this year from complications of Covid and Cancer.

I almost had the pleasure of meeting General Powell one time when I sat across from him in a church at a wedding that we both attended.  I was hoping to talk with him after the ceremony but apparently he left quickly following the wedding not wanting to distract from the happy couple who had just gotten married. The Groom was his Godson.

Almost every American who mattered had nothing but praise for the long and distinguished career of America's favorite Four Star General.  Ex President, Donald Trump, however, could not resist the opportunity to slam Colin Powell one more time in death as he had in life.  Of course, Colin Powell never had much use for Donald Trump either. In Bob Woodward and Costa's new book, "Peril" Woodward states that Colin Powell's assessment of Donald Trump was that he was "A Fucking Idiot."

It was widely assumed that one of the many factors that led to Barack Obama's Ascension to the Presidency was the very unusual and unexpected endorsement of Democratic Candidate Obama over his Republican Opponent, John McCain.  Certainly Powell's strong endorsement in the waning days of the 2008 Election of Obama over Powell's long time personal Friend, John McCain helped considerably in establishing Obama's Presidential victory.

Although it was common knowledge that Colin Powell was a long time member of the Republican Party He, also in the runup to the 2020 Election, once again supported a Democratic Candidate.  This time it was Joe Biden over Republican Candidate, Donald Trump.

Although Donald Trump liked to bill himself with the reputation of a "Country First" Candidate and President his version of "Country First" almost always translated as "Donald Trump First."

Colin Powell, on the other hand, was a man who lived his life as a "Country First" American.

Certainly Powell made mistakes in his long Military and Civilian Career but he genuinely seemed to try to live his life in his life in an honorable manner and as a result was highly respected by his peers, his supervisors and the American people.

Colin Powell was a Soldier who rose up through the ranks in his Military career over his 35 year career.  He began his Military Career in the ROTC at the City College of New York where he graduated in 1958 as a Second Lieutenant.  Powell had grown up in the Bronx in New York City where he showed in High School and in his part time work a propensity for working hard and exhibiting leadership qualities, as well as an ability to get along with a lot of different kinds of people.

Powell had some difficult assignments in his military career including getting injured in Vietnam and in being tasked with investigating the My Lai Massacre. Although Powell had not been in country during My Lai there were accusations of his whitewashing the army's responsibility in that terribly tragic incident.

Also during his Military career while serving during the Reagan and George W. Bush Administrations there were accusations of Powell being actively involved in the Iran Contra Affair.  

Powell was also involved in the Invasion of Panama in 1989 and in Desert Storm in 1990 and 91 in which Iraq was thrown out of it's neighboring country, Kuwait. In these two military operations the "Powell Doctrine" was in operation.  The "Powell Doctrine" limited American Military Action with regard to National Security Interests, Recommended only missions with overwhelming force available and only missions with widespread public support.  

During his long and distinguished career Colin Powell rose through the ranks from Second Lieutenant to Captain and ultimately to 4 star General.  He also served from 1987 to 1989 as National Security Advisor to President Reagan.  During the George H.W. Bush Administration he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was also the First African American Secretary of State between 2001 and 2005 during the George W. Bush Administration.  

During the George W. Bush Administration Powell's appearance at the U.N. claiming that weapons of mass destruction were confirmed in Iraq leading to the Iraq War was something that Powell regretted for the rest of his days.

In today's Republican Party it is difficult to find a genuine hero who is willing to stand up to their party or to Donald Trump for their principles.  Colin Powell, with all of his faults seems to have been that kind of Reasonable and Moderate Republican who has been a Hero to all Political Parties.

Unfortunately it is looking more and more as though Hero's and Reasonable People who value telling the truth like Colin Powell are no longer welcome in the Republican Party and that is a shame for all of us.

We will all miss You General Powell

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

 

 

Saturday Nightmare Live: Return Of The Creature From Mara Lago

Saturday October 16th, 2021

My Dear America:

Saturday, October 9th was a wonderful day.  It was a Family Day spent with all four of my Adult Children and 5 of my Seven Grandchildren.  Two of my Grandchildren were in College and couldn't make it for the day.  Since three members of my family have birthdays in October we were celebrating for all three of us.  I had celebrated my 79th Birthday on Friday, October 8th, the day before our Presently Day Long Celebration.  What could have been a rather depressing Birthday for me had already been saved by a couple of music playing sessions earlier in the week and on Friday.

Saturday, the ninth, was a glorious day.  Although it was cloudy it was still rather warm for a fall day in October.  The food was terrific.  The company was terrific. I was spending the day with my favorite people in my daughter's backyard and all was well.

Although I was not very happy to have to admit to myself that I was actually old enough to be 79 the day before our backyard get together, our party had put me in very good spirits.  

I had certainly been feeling as though I had a lot to be bummed out about.  One of my Best Friends, an outstanding guitar player who I had played with in bands for nearly Forty Years was moving from Pennsylvania to Denver, Colorado.  I was going to miss him a lot.  We played Great music together for all of those years.  We would still be able to play music together online using Jamkazam, a platform on which we had learned to play music together with our bass playing buddy during the Pandemic.  We had been playing really Great music together in person since getting vaccinated.  Jamkazam had been fun and would be again, I was sure, but nothing would ever be as good as actually playing  together in person.

I wasn't thinking about bummers on Saturday, however.  I was having a good time with my Wife and Kids, Grandkids and our significant others.  I was happy to be alive, having made it through Covid with the help of vaccines and masks.  I felt pretty lucky to have made it to 79 in relatively decent shape after suffering a Heart Attack just before Covid Hit.

After spending the day together with my family, my wife and I left for home late in the afternoon and when We got home I felt tired but continued to be in a good mood for awhile as I  surfed through the TV cable channels looking for something good to watch before the new Saturday Night Live came on at 11:30.  I had been surprised to see that SNL had been advertising that Kim Kardashian West was going to be the host.  Although I was no fan of the Kardashians, I was fascinated by the strange choice of Kim as SNL Host.

I was having a hard time coming up with a choice of what to watch earlier this Saturday evening however.  It didn't look like a good night for any movies that I hadn't seen before.  I was seeing nothing that caught my eye Until my remote suddenly stopped for a minute where I saw something that shocked me and fascinated me at the same time.

There he was, in living color in Des Moines, Iowa strutting back and forth across a stage in front of a mammoth crowd that was cheering loudly for the Ex President.  The Monster from Mara Lago had suddenly been unleashed in Des Moines and was now going to speak to this crowd.  

He loved it.  They loved it.  I didn't love it.  

I went back to channel surfing with the hope that I could find something more palatable to watch.  Damn, I couldn't find anything.  I tried not to but I found my remote drifting back to OAN as though it had a mind of its own.  I couldn't help it.  I was drawn to OAN like a fly to a spider.  What was the man who had become the unmentionable one to Late Night TV Hosts going to say to this crowd.

One of the first things he said was that the Democrats were going to give money to the Media.  Of course he presented the media as those Liars who were always being unfair to the crowd's "Favorite President".  I don't know what media he was talking about receiving money from the government unless it was possibly PBS or NPR.

Then he said something about "Hillary Conceded - I never conceded" and he went into his rap about "The Big Lie"  and how he really won the 2020 election and how the election was rigged.  

How the hell was it rigged.  He was the one in charge of the Election.  Not Joe Biden who was out of office at the time of the 2020 Election.  

Of course the crowd seemed well practiced in booing Democrats and Joe Biden at the appropriate times.

Then the Creature from Mara Lago started going into one of his many stories about People talking to him and of course they were all calling him "Sir." 

Shouts came from the crowd.

USA   

USA

He thanked the crowd for coming and bragged that he had been advised that the crowd at the Des Moines Fairgrounds had broken an all time record for people showing up to an event at the Fairgrounds.  

He addressed the crowd as "Hard Working American Patriots" and told them

"We know and Love You" 

And then he started in on denigrating President Biden.

"Joe Biden and the Radical Left have brought our Nation to the Brink of Ruin"

According to Trump, Biden and the left were responsible for unleashing "Violent Criminals and Bloodthirsty Gangs" on our streets.

Then he started talking about the Taliban taking over Afghanistan as if he had nothing to do with what had happened in that country.

Although I was interested in what he was saying because I really wanted to know what the Monster from Mara Lago was up to I had to leave OAN and go anywhere away from where the Monster was speaking.

I couldn't take any more of this Lying Bullshit.

Although I only watched him for a few minutes I am still haunted by what I saw in that brief period of time.  Clearly, Donald J. Trump is still a frighteningly scary force to be reckoned with by Democrats.  Although Joe Biden has done so much for Americans of all stripes since his election, clearly there is still a very large segment of the population that is still under the spell of the Monster from Mara Lago and believe his lies and Bullshit as though it is the Gospel Truth.

It is easy to underestimate Donald Trump but it is dangerous to do so.  Trump had these Iowa Citizens in the palm of his hand and he was feeding them nothing but lies and distortions and they were sucking it up with enthusiastic pleasure.  

And they are not alone.  

Although on January 6th Republican Legislative Leaders, including Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy  were honest and truthful about Donald Trump's Culpability for the Capitol Insurrection on that day, these days those leaders are singing a different tune.  Republicans in states all over the country are trying to do what Trump continues to accuse Democrats of doing in the last election.

"The Election was rigged" Trump continues to sing to his followers.

Well, the truth is that the election wasn't rigged in 2020 but it surely looks as if it will be rigged in 2024 if the Republicans continue to get their way in states all across this country.  Republicans are doing everything they can to rig the vote in their favor as they see that without vote rigging on their part their days will probably be numbered.

Oh, Yes, I did get a chance to see Saturday Night Live later in the evening and Kim Kardashian West did a pretty good job.  She and her mother and Sisters participated in some jokes that satirized themselves and the Miracle that has been Saturday Night Live for over Forty Years continued.

Sincerely Yours 

Jerry Gallagher