Slow Walk To Republican Party Suicide

Thursday February 24th, 2021

My Dear America:

What in the holy hell has happened to the Republican Party.

Yes, Donald Trump led the party in the wrong direction for the four years he was President.

But For God's Sake Trump is out of power now and the insanity in the Republican Party is continuing unabated.

I am old enough to remember back when the Republican Party was brutally Anti Communist.  For most of the time that I remember the concept of anyone in the Republican Party kissing Putin's ass, never mind the President doing it, would have been unheard of.

The Republicans were also very strictly Conservative when it came to Federal Budgets and Saving Money.  They are still conservative when it comes to Government Budgets and Saving Money.  But it seems as though They are only concerned about Budget Deficits and Over Spending when Democratic Administrations are in power.  Like Now.

Donald Trump Spent Government Funds like a Drunken Sailor for Four Years and Republicans rarely said a word about it.  Now, watch what happens when Joe Biden tries to gain Republican Support for a Covid Relief Bill.  Suddenly Republicans are Deficit Hawks once again worried about Government spending now that it might be the Democrats who want to vote for responsible but expensive legislation.

Where was the deficit spending concern when Republicans were voting to reduce taxes on the rich and well connected.  There was very little deficit concern then.

When you are looking for Phonies and Fraudsters in The Republican Congress you don't need to look much further than Texas Senator, Ted Cruz.  Cruz, along with his Fellow Harvard Alum, Josh Hawley, were at least partly responsible for the Raiding and Ransacking of the Capitol Building on January 6th, when these two Showboaters were initially the only two Republican Senators who wanted to interfere with the counting of Electors.  Their inappropriate actions encouraged other Republican Senators  and House Members to join them in attempting to illegally keep Donald Trump in power after Trump lost the election by a wide margin and it is speculated that had Cruz and Hawley done the right thing and certified the Electors, the Capitol Republican Trump Mob Revolt might not have occurred and the Capitol might not have been invaded by Trumpsters  

But as we know Cruz and Hawley did not do the right thing on January 6th and at least five people lost their lives in the June 6th Battle of the Capitol.

Last week Cruz took his lack of empathy for others to a whole other level.  During a period of deep freezing in Texas when the right thing for Cruz to do would have been for him to do what he could do to advocate for his constituents and try to influence appropriate Federal and State agencies to assist the people of Texas who were stuck with freezing pipes and lack of heat emergencies that killed a number of Texans, once again, Ted Cruz did not do the right thing.

While his Texas Constituents were freezing their asses off all over Texas Ted Cruz and his Family decided to take a quick Trip to Cancun, Mexico and stay in luxury in the Ritz Carlton Hotel.  What a Great Time for Cruz to decide that he was Okay with Mexicans, after all.

Although Cruz had initially planned to come back to Texas after several days of fun in the Cancun sun, the Texas and National Press got wind of Cruz's escape to Mexico and Cruz was pressured to cut short his Mexican vacation after one night and came back to Texas lying that he had been planning to come back quickly, all along.  

Now, the latest aspect of this still Freezing Cold Hearted Spectacle is that Texas Residents who have their own privately owned Texas Electric Power Company because they didn't want to be regulated by the Federal Government have seen their Electric bills increase by unconscionable amounts that not even millionaires would be able to pay.  Once again the price of being a Republican in Texas is far  too much to pay.

To add insult to injury, Ted Cruz has been going on Fox News and spewing lies about the Green New Deal and frozen windmills being responsible for Power Grid woes in Texas.  Indeed, the windmills did freeze but they are responsible for only a small portion of Texas Energy Troubles. 

In an effort for Cruz to rescue his damaged reputation Cruz made sure to have pictures taken of him handing out water bottles this past weekend to storm parched Texans.  

Cruz is only one symbol of disrepute in a party that is loaded with dead wood at the present time.

House Republican, Kevin McCarthy is another Republican Leader with a reputation badly in need of Repair.  After oddly showing some courage after the Capitol Raid in which McCarthy verbally accused Donald Trump of having "Some Responsibility" for the attack on the Capitol, within days McCarthy was photographed with Trump at Mar A Lago, both men smiling broadly as they were photographed standing next to each other.  Following McCarthy's Mar A Lago trip his voice has once again become strangely silent with regard to Trump's "Responsibility" regarding the Capitol Raid by Trump Supporters.  

Certainly the response to Senators who voted to Convict Trump in his Second Impeachment Trial should be of concern to all Responsible Republicans.  Those Republicans who voted to convict Trump were the following:

Pat Toomey - of Pennsylvania

Lisa Murkowski - of Alaska

Bill Cassidy - of Louisiana

Richard Burr - of North Carolina

Susan Collins - of Maine

Mitt Romney - of Utah 

and 

Ben Sasse - of Nebraska

Instead of Republicans from their Home States being proud of their Senators courage to do the right thing regarding their Impeachment Trial Votes most, if not all, of these Senators have received considerable blowback from their state party leaders complaining about their votes and receiving threats of Censure from their State Republican Party Leaders.  Stunningly, one prominent Republican leader in Pennsylvania stated publicly about Pat Toomey's vote to convict Donald Trump for Inciting an Insurrection that "We did not send him there to do the right thing." 

Clearly, despite the fact that Donald Trump followed the Hitler Playbook to the letter on January 6th, it seems that members of the Republican Party either don't get it or don't want to get it.  With the cooperation of Fox News, Newsmax and OAN, the Republican Party seems to have permanently hitched their wagons to the Wannabe Fascist Dictator and anything he wants to do, including invading the Capitol instead of the Reichstag is Okay with them.

Can every Republican be a Fascist?

I don't think so.  At Least I hope Not.

Clearly some prominent Republicans such as Steve Schmidt, Rick Wilson, Michael Steele and George Conway made their feelings known about Donald Trump during the 2020 Campaign through their participation in the Lincoln Project.  Some of those Republicans have left the Republican Party, some becoming Democrats and some becoming Independents.  They and some other Republicans such as Charlie Dent in Pennsylvania are discussing either starting a new wing of the Republican Party or possibly starting a new party altogether made up of Mainly Moderate Republicans.

Certainly starting a brand new party would be a daunting task but Republicans who are actually conservatives need to be realistic and recognize that the Trump led Republican Party is not where they belong.  The Republican Party that promotes Donald Trump's lies  and Marjorie Taylor Greene's Conspiracy Theories is not welcoming for any real conservative.  

And Marjorie Taylor Greene is not the only Conspiracy Theorist in Congress these days.  She is joined in her Weirdness by Lauren Boebert of Colorado, another Qanon believer.  

Taylor Greene is also joined by Paul Gosar, A Right Wing Dentist from Arizona who has apparently publicly stated that "The country is in a Civil War but people haven't started shooting yet." That may be true but people have begun dying in this new Civil War.  

Gosar has apparently met with some of the "Oath Keepers" group prior to their participation in storming the Capitol.  Gosar is probably the only person in Congress who has had several of his Siblings go on record objecting to his election to Congress and recommending to voters that they should not vote for their brother stating that he is Racist, Corrupt, Ignorant, Hateful and Despicable.  Man, I bet Thanksgiving is a damn difficult day for the Gosar Family.

These and other like minded people seem to have taken over the Republican Party.  There is little left of the Republican Party of Barry Goldwater, John McCain, Bob Dole, Dwight Eisenhower and many other decent Patriots.

I would hope that the events of January 6th are a Wake Up Call to Decent and Law Abiding Republicans who recognize that it is time for them to say Goodbye to the Trump Republican Party and get the hell out of a Party that does not want them and will destroy them if they remain in it.  

I feel bad for decent Republicans these days.  They are in one hell of a bind.  Their true Party is almost nonexistent and there is no sign that it will be coming back any time soon.  They don't have a lot of good choices regarding what to do but if they do not want to be labeled a Fascist , like the real Fascists in their party, they need to abandon ship and let the Trump Republican Party die a disgusting death without them.  Right now, although there are still decent Republicans in the party, soon there will be none.

I think it is a time right now for Democrats to reach out to their Republican Friends and Relatives who are reachable and invite them into the Democratic Party before the Republican Party along with their extremely flawed and Despotic Leader, Donald Trump sinks beneath the waves like the Titanic.  

Come on board our Rescue Ship that we call The Biden Administration.  We will welcome you with open arms as long as you are not carrying weapons and have no ill intents.  After all, in the end, regardless of party, we are all Americans and are lucky to be so.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

   

 

Impeachment Is Done - Lets Censure Trump and Move On

 Saturday February 13th, 2021

My Dear America:

I never thought I would be saying it once let alone three times.  But Hats off once again to my Pennsylvania United States Republican Senator, Pat Toomey for voting to convict Donald Trump at the end of the Second Impeachment Trial of Donald J. Trump.  Hats off to all of the Senators that agreed with Toomey.  

Thank you Pat for voting for Democracy over Dictatorship

For Voting Country over Party

For Voting Sanity over Insanity

You and your Comrades in Sanity have shown us that after hundreds of years Democracy Can Still Work.  I know that some people feel that convicting Donald Trump was the most important thing about your vote.  It was not.  It was more important that you and your Republican Cohorts voted to convict.  The Impeachment Trial in the Senate might have seen to some as wasted time and effort.  In a sense it was but in another sense it was important that the true story of January 6th, 2021 be told fully to the American People.

Quite frankly, I don't think that there was another team of Lawyers in America or in the world for that matter who could have done a better job of presenting the despicable criminality of Donald Trump on January 6th than Jamie Raskin and his Excellent Partners in Impeachment Prosecution.  This talented group of Impeachment Managers were outstanding in every way and should be praised for the incredible effort they put in defending our Constitution and our Congress and showing Donald Trump to be the "Enemy Of The People" not the press, in particular MSNBC, CNN, C span and others who probably lost a lot of money over presenting so much wall to wall coverage as they did of the Impeachment Trial.

In every way the Democratic Congressional Impeachment Team certainly was an Outstanding and a  Successful Team Effort.  They each had their specialty presentations and every one of them were right on the money.  The audio visuals were stunning in their organization and presentation and were powerful as hell.

Clearly The Trump Defense Impeachment Team left a good bit to be desired.  They tried to do what they could to defend Trump but the truth was that there was very little to work with in the prospect of defending Donald Trump.  Their Client was guilty as hell of Inciting the Riot that occurred at the Capitol.  Everyone knew that. Democrats Knew it. Republicans Knew it.  Everybody that invaded the Capitol Knew it and everybody who watched the Impeachment Trial and videos knew it.  

The thing that continues to stun me about the whole Capitol Riot is the number of people who were involved.  That many people were willing to risk going to jail for ''The Big Lie".  My God, these people actually thought that Donald Trump really won the election.  Trump had lied to all of us not once or twice but all the time every day.  Every thing out of his mouth was a lie and yet those Capitol Raiders still thought that he was telling them the truth,

Wake the hell up people.  Donald Trump lied to you every day, day after day.  Why didn't you wake up to reality in time to see the Fraud and Phony that Donald Trump is.  He is not worth being worshiped.  When you equate Trump with God, Trust Me, You are on the wrong track.  

We now have someone in the White House who is not Tweeting.  He is doing important things every day to get us off the wrong track and get us on the right track finally.  He is looking to get us vaccinated and to try to get our country's Economy moving again.  He is trying to get schools open but I would hope that President Biden makes sure that Teachers are vaccinated before schools open up.

I think that since we have America in the hands of someone who not only tells the truth but is looking out for all of us rather than just some of us that now that the Impeachment is over I hope I never hear the words Donald Trump Again.  

How about you, America.  Are you ready to move on from him too. 

I may be wrong but I think that Trump can be prevented from running again by Censuring him.  Lets try that.  But whether we can Censure him or not lets get this country moving on from him and headed for a brighter day than we have seen in a long while.

It is about time to see Democrats in action in the White House, The Senate and the House of Representatives showing the world that Democracy is not dead in America.  Its back and this time nothing or no one is going to get in the way of it's success.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

Judgement Day For Liz Cheney and Marjorie Taylor Greene And New Day At The State Department

February 5th, 2021

My Dear America:

Some days it just feels good to be a Democrat.  Yesterday was one of those days.  After four years of Continuous Trump Madness it feels good to see Joe Biden once again attending to his Presidential Duties looking and sounding Presidential and actually being Presidential as he visited his newly minted Secretary of State, Tony Blinkin, at the State Department along with his Vice President, Kamala Harris.  Biden gave a great speech today.  It was a great speech not because Biden is the Greatest Orator in the world.  It was a great speech because Biden had some very relevant things to say at the State Department.

Joe Biden made it clear in his speech that America is getting back to normal on the world stage after spending four years in a Mental Institution with a terribly Narcissistic Mental Patient running the Asylum.

Biden made it very clear in todays speech that we are returning to the START Nuclear Treaty with Vladimir Putin's Russia which Trump abandoned seemingly because Putin wanted him to.    Biden, unlike Trump, made it clear also that he was not at all happy with Russia's messing with our Elections and our Cyberspace, paying bounties for killed American Servicemen and Women and that he was also not happy with Putin's treatment of Russian Political critic, Alexie Navalny and other Russian citizens.  Although Biden did not specify what actions could be taken by the United States to remedy the civil rights of Russians and the poisoning of Russian citizens, Biden made it clear that Putin was not going to walk all over Biden the way he did with Trump.  

Biden also stated that the United States will no longer be participating in genocide in Yemen that has been perpetrated for years by Saudi Arabia.  Biden also had some double edged statements about China as well.  Biden clearly wants to have diplomatic relations around the world but is not willing to sacrifice Democratic Principles in the process.     

For all of the time that Donald Trump was President the Republicans controlled the Senate.  Through the First Two years of his term they also controlled the House, as well.  Now times have changed.  Democrats are in charge of the Presidency, The House and The Senate and although there are still plenty of Lunatics at large in Congress the Democrats are functioning very well in the White House.  Things are a little more difficult for Democrats in the halls of Congress but they are still in charge and exercising their political muscles.

Senate Democratic Leader, Chuck Schumer is making it clear that he hopes that the Covid Relief Bill will have Bipartisan support but he is not counting on this.  Schumer is readying the bill at the cost level desired by the Biden Administration and he will not be counting on Republican support to get the bill passed.  That looks as though it is a good idea not to wait for Republicans who have a history of watering down Democratic legislation and in the end not voting for the bills that they watered down.  Case in Point - The Affordable Health Care Act- Better known as Obamacare which was passed by the Senate with no Republican support after the Public option was done away with to gain Republican Support which never came. 

While Covid Relief is a Priority for the Democrats in the Senate they are also gearing up for next week's Senate Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump.  It was revealed by Trump's Lawyers that they will not be referring to their client as "Former President Trump" because the Former President has not conceded the election and is still claiming that he really won the 2020 election by a landslide.  Good luck to Republicans in dealing with that bit of insanity on Trump's part.  House Impeachment Manager, Jamie Raskin has put out an invitation to Donald Trump to plead his case in person at the Senate next week.  Surprise, Surprise, "45" as he demands to be called in the Impeachment Trial has refused to testify. 

While the Democrats seem to be just revving up their Political engines in the White House and the Senate the members of the House of Representatives have been having their own serious problems. 

House Republican Leader, Kevin McCarthy seems to have been playing both sides against the middle with regard to Former President Trump and with regard to Georgia House Member, Marjorie Taylor Greene, House Leader, Liz Cheney and many other Republican House Members.  

Although McCarthy testified in the House Chamber on January 6th that  President Trump  bore some responsibility for the Invasion of the Capitol by a Trump Inspired mob he soon after made a pilgrimage to Mar A Lago and was photographed with Trump both men smiling broadly.  Since then McCarthy seems to have forgotten about Trump's responsibility for the violent incident at the Capitol.

McCarthy met with his Republican House members this week and his members discussed the fate of two members of the House, Liz Cheney and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Liz Cheney was in the Republican Hot seat because she was the third ranking Republican in the House and she had the nerve to do the right thing and vote to support the Impeachment of Donald Trump.  Prior to this vote Cheney had been a pretty reliable vote for almost anything that Donald Trump wanted.  Following her impeachment vote, however, despite the Trump Mob's raid on the Capitol the day of her vote Liz Cheney was widely criticized by Republicans.  One member of the Trump Insane Clown Posse, Florida Representative, Mat Gaetz, even traveled to Cheney's Home State of Wyoming to rail against her to her constituents.  In the end a secret ballot showed that overall Republican Congress Members still had faith in Cheney and refused to pull her from her Republican leadership Position.

Freshman Georgia Congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene also sort of faced the music this week.  After proclaiming numerous very Weird Qanon Conspiracies for a very long time Greene met with House Leader McCarthy after having Donald Trump supporting her for some time.  McCarthy refused to respond to calls from Democrats, some of whom Greene had threatened should be killed, that Greene should be stripped of Committee Assignments on the House Education and Labor Committee and the House Budget Committee.  

Democrats were incensed because Greene had posted videos online of herself harassing Gun Control Advocate, David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland High School Shooting.  Greene had posted videos and E Mails stating that the Parkland and Sandy Hook shootings were "False Flag" incidents or in fact false staged incidents.  Greene's posts and videos stated, among other things, that No plane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, JFK Junior had been killed by the Clintons, That Maxine Waters, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi should be killed, Trump had won the 2020 Election and that she supported some of the Militias involved in the storming of the Capitol, along with many other weird and untruthful allegations.  

McCarthy refused to take responsibility for stripping Greene of her Committee Assignments so it was put to a vote after Greene walked back many of the Conspiracies that she had definitely advocated in something that looked kind of like an apology but definitely was not an apology.  The Republican Caucus voted and they also refused to take responsibility for stripping Greene of her Committee Assignments and after her addressing the Republican group the Republican Legislators gave her a Standing Ovation.  

So it was left to the entire Democrat led House of Representatives to vote on whether or not the Parkland and Sandy Hook Shooting Denier should be sitting on the Education and Labor and the House Budget Committee.  The Democratically controlled full House of Representatives stripped her of her Committee Assignments with 11 Republicans voting to strip Greene of her Committee Assignments.  Oddly enough, Liz Cheney was not among those Republicans doing the right thing this time around.  I guess Liz had learned her lesson about the consequences of doing the right thing in the Republican Party.  There was no Standing Ovation for Greene this time around either. 

It seems to me outrageous that Liz Cheney had to fight for her Republican Leadership Position because she did the right and sensible thing when called upon to vote for Impeachment.  House Republicans were concerned about Liz doing the right thing although they all seemed to have no qualms regarding all of the wrong things that Marjorie Taylor Greene did.

It is and continues to be a weird state of affairs in the United States Congress.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

 

Joe Biden and Donald Trump: A Contrast In Presidential Style and Conscience

Wednesday February 3rd, 2021

My Dear America:

American Politics has certainly settled down considerably in recent days, at least in the White House.  

Many of Donald Trump's misguided decisions and programs have already been put to rest in Joe Biden's breakneck effort to restore dignity, respect and rationality to American Government.  In recent days we have seen Joe Biden wasting no time in doing the right things with regard to turning back all sorts of Terrible Trump Executive Actions. 

Press Briefings by Biden White House Spokeswoman, Jen Psaki have been held nearly every day in contrast to Trump White House Press Briefings which became virtually nonexistent in the waning days of the Trump Administration.  

Some of Biden's Cabinet choices have already been confirmed and others are waiting in the wings with few of those choices appearing to be very controversial.  Biden's choices for Cabinet Members and White House Advisors have largely been people who are highly qualified for their positions, unlike many of the random and disturbing choices made in the previous administration.  All in all, what has been happening in the Biden Administration so far has been in stark contrast to what we have all been living with during the previous four years of the Trump Administration.

I don't know about you but I have to say that since Inauguration Day on January 20th of this year my stress level has been reduced considerably, at least with regard to concerns about the White House and about the President.

During the four years of the Trump Presidency I felt as though I was on somewhat of a Roller Coaster Ride every day of my life.  My daily initial greeting to my wife almost always included the following statement:

"Well, I wonder what the Asshole is up to today"

Certainly the Asshole in question was Donald Trump who seemed to find something every day he was in the White House to garner press coverage and stir outrage and disgust in Normal Americans.  Now that he is gone there is certainly a feeling of reduced stress and calmness in the air when it comes to the White House.

Unfortunately this reduction in stress levels does not seem to apply, however, to the Congress.  There is not much happening these days in Congress which is bound to reduce the stress level of Americans.  

While Republican Opportunist Nikki Haley states with regard to Donald Trump:

"Give the man a break"

I say "How about giving the American people a break."

We gave Donald Trump a break for four years and look at the damage he has done to our country.  In addition to all of the other terrible things that he did over the four years he lived in the White House, as a parting shot he turned his Violent Goons loose on the United States Capitol Building resulting in five unnecessary deaths, in addition to the thousands of unnecessary deaths of Americans with Covid.   Many of those deaths were probably caused by his maskless, superspreader events and his insistence on not recommending wearing masks to his followers or pushing them to socially distance.  

Give us a break Nikki.  We need it.  We deserve it.  Trump will do fine without us giving him a break.

If we are going to give someone a break maybe it should be our legislators.  

I have seen My Congresswoman, Susan Wild on television discussing the terribly traumatic events of January 6th when the loose cannons that Donald Trump had deliberately set off descended on the Capitol.  Although after the fact the Capitol Police took a great deal of criticism for being unprepared for the onslaught, almost all of the Legislators whose lives were saved by the quick thinking and moving them all to "Undisclosed Locations" credited their eventual safety to the Capitol Police.  The Capitol Police lost lives as a result of January 6th and in the end were heroes.  We are all lucky that the Capitol Police were responsible for saving every Legislator's Life on that Dark and disgusting day.

Donald Trump will be going on trial in the Senate next week for his misdeeds on that fateful January 6th day.  After the fact, Donald Trump has claimed that none of the mayhem was his fault.  Of course, Nothing is ever his fault.  I hope the Impeachment Managers and the Senate Jurors ask the following questions of Donald Trump and his Lawyers:

Why didn't Donald Trump admit that he lost the election instead of claiming that he won by a landslide when there was absolutely no evidence that he won the election.  And why did Right Wing Media Outlets go along with Trumps reckless and untrue claims of Election Fraud.

If Donald Trump didn't want to cause trouble for the Senate and the House Electors Count then why did he invite his supporters to Washington for a Rally on the same day that the Congress was scheduled to certify the Electors that had already been certified by every American State and which showed clearly that Joe Biden had won the Presidency by the same margin of victory that Trump had called a "landslide" when the victory was Trump's in 2016.  And What did Trump mean when he told his  followers that the January 6th Rally was going to be "Wild."

Why did Donald Trump tell his followers at the January 6th Rally when he spoke to them that they needed to go to the Capitol to take back their country but couldn't do it by weakness but needed to be strong.

Why did Trump tell his followers at the January 6th Rally that he was going to go with them to the Capitol and instead went back to the White House where he watched the insane invasion of the Capitol on television and according to White House staffers was very pleased with the Spectacle of the Capitol Invasion and could not understand why his staffers were not as Pleasantly Excited as he was. What was wrong with them he wanted to know.

Why didn't Trump answer the calls from many individuals in the Capitol looking to have him send over the National Guard that Trump's newly installed Pentagon Puppets refused to send until it was too late to prevent the killings and the damage in and around the Capitol.

These and many other questions need to be asked but, of course, only Donald Trump can answer them and I have my doubts that he would ever answer them truthfully.

 

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

Joe Biden's Search For Bipartisanship

 Tuesday February 2nd, 2021

My Dear America:

I can't blame Joe Biden for trying to pass the Covid Relief Bill in a Bipartisan manner.  Joe promised to be Bipartisan and work with people who didn't vote for him when he took office.  He spent yesterday meeting with Republicans who claimed to be trying to come up with their own plan for Covid Relief.  Their plan was certainly better than nothing but not much better.  It was certainly better than the nothing that seems to be what most of the House and Senate Republicans are willing to do.  

So much for Bipartisanship.

God Love Joe Biden, though.  Gentleman Joe has hit the ground running as he began his Administration.  Joe put whatever Trump Era Nut Case Executive Orders he could find on the chopping block immediately after his Inauguration.  He axed 15 Terrible Trump Programs before the sun set on Inauguration Day and although he has slowed down a bit since then he has shown that the new Sheriff in town is not about to tolerate a lot of Republican Bullshit.  

Good for you, Joe.

While Biden clearly is interested in and willing to practice Bipartisanship with the Republican members of Congress he recognizes that he does not have a lot of time to screw around with ridiculous Republican Nonsense in dealing with the incredible set of problems left on the White House Doorstep like a Bag of Dog Shit by Donald Trump.  

It was no wonder Trump refused to allow Biden and Company in the door to see what was going on in the Trump Administration like Former Presidents had always done during past American Presidential Transitions.  Clearly Donald Trump had no plan whatsoever to deal with Covid 19 other than keeping the American people in the dark so that he could get re elected.  Trump clearly didn't know what the hell he was doing in nearly every sector of the Government he was in charge of for the four years he was President of the United States.  

Incompetence and sometimes out and out treachery was everywhere that Joe Biden and Company looked as they took over the reins of the United States Government.  But unlike Donald Trump who didn't know what the hell he was doing for the four years he was President, Joe Biden is a man who is familiar with every facet of Government and even though he has been on the job as President less than two weeks he has already shown that a steady hand at the wheel on the Ship of State has led to some passenger relief from the constant terror of incompetency and Chaos that we somehow tolerated for four years with Donald Trump.  

Although Donald Trump is no longer in the White House his Dark Spirit still seems to live on in and Haunt the Halls of Congress.  Mitch McConnell, who is no longer in charge of the Senate has been acting as though he was still in charge.  Chuck Schumer has had to knock McConnell down a peg or two and Mitch seems to be finally getting the message and is at least appearing to become a bit more reasonable, at least outwardly.  The fact that McConnell and Biden have not only been long time Senate Colleagues but also long time friends should count for something in the coming years, lets hope.   

Chuck Schumer and the Senate also seem to be working hard to get Biden's nominees for Important Cabinet positions approved by the Senate as quickly as possible.  This action is usually done before the New President takes office but as we know Neither President Trump nor the Republicans in Congress were willing to admit that Joe Biden won the election until after the Capitol was Invaded and ransacked by Donald Trump's Goon Squad.

And even now as Trump stands on the brink of his Second Impeachment Trial in the Senate, Trump is still trying to push and wants his Newest Lawyers to push the Fantasy World "Big Lie" that he won the election by a landslide although every real world indicator is that he lost the election by a substantial margin.

And where are the Republicans standing up to Trump's ridiculous lie.  Nobody on the Right seems to be willing to stand up to the Former President and tell him that like the king whose followers would not tell him that he had no clothes on, Trump did not win the 2020 Election. Period.  End of Story.  At least I wish it was the end of the story.

I don't think that that I will ever vote for another Republican for any reason. (I did vote for a couple of Republicans in my lifetime.  Those votes turned out to be serious mistakes)  There were actually some Republicans that I have admired in my life and were actually worthy of the offices that they held (William Cohen is one example)

America has mainly been a Two Party System for many years, Republicans and Democrats.  I have always seen clearly the difference between these two parties.  I know very well which party I belong to and unless there are exceptional changes in the Republican Party I don't expect that I will ever be a Republican.  But I know that there are good Republicans.  My son is a Fine Person who has been successful in life and believes in Conservative Values but not in Donald Trump and I am certain not in Qanon.  I feel sorry for my son and others like him who can't feel as though they belong in what is left of the Republican Party anymore.  Although I will never be a Republican I am hopeful that many good Republicans will find that in time the Lunatics, the Goons and the Conspiracy Theorists will be gone from their party and Republicans can once again be "Moderate Republicans" and once again, like Steve Schmidt and Michael Steele, return to their roots in something close to what used to be The Republican Party.

  

Sincerely Yours 

Jerry Gallagher 

Thank You Senator Toomey

Wednesday January 27th, 2021

My Dear America:

I have been hearing and seeing a lot recently concerning Pennsylvania Politicians.  Quite frankly I think that over the long haul Pennsylvania Politicians have mainly been pretty good Politicians.  At least the Democrats have been, for the most part.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfe has been someone who I have a great deal of Respect and Admiration for.  He has held out during the Covid Outbreak insisting on Pennsylvanians wearing masks, socially distancing and staying away from each other as much as possible.

Very smart on his part, I think.  I certainly have appreciated his concern for Pennsylvanians health.  Unfortunately, however, Many Republican Legislators have fought Wolfe's efforts to keep PA residents safe and have even gone to court to fight against Wolfe's policies of Covid Safety.  As a result, the state has opened up against Wolfe's objections and Surprise, Surprise, Covid infections and deaths have risen sharply.

Two former Pennsylvania Republican Politicians who really get on my nerves are Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Former Pennsylvania Congressman Charlie Dent.  Both Santorum and Dent have eased into spots on CNN as the supposed voices of Republican Reason.  Santorum was soundly defeated by Senator Bob Casey a long time ago and was and still is less than a voice of reason and more of a voice of continued apology for everything that Donald Trump and his Republican Supplicants have done.  

At least Charlie Dent left his office under his own steam, not as a loser like Santorum.  But Charlie only left because he saw the handwriting on the wall that Trump didn't like him and that if he stayed in Congress his life was going to be a living hell, courtesy of Donald Trump.  Leaving, therefore, was a wise move for Charlie.

Both Dent and Santorum continue to be CNN Commentators and although Charlie does a tolerably good job, Santorum's weak and disgusting Republican apologist commentary on everything Trump and his minions have done genuinely rubs me the wrong way.    

The Pennsylvania Legislature does contain some very fine people on both sides of the aisle.  Two of the best (Democrats) from my area are Pete Schweyer and Mike Schlossberg, two guys that I have known for a long time and continue to be proud to know.

But in addition to Pete and Mike our Pennsylvania Legislature also contains some other people who have proved to be very disappointing in their actions recently, particularly with regard to Donald Trump and his efforts to screw with the Election Results in Pennsylvania.  In an obvious attempt to curry favor with Trump several Pennsylvania Republicans did what they could to try to throw the legitimate 2020 Election vote count out and replace it with a count that would throw the PA Election to Trump.  

When this occurred I fully expected that United States Senator from  Pennsylvania, Pat Toomey, might just go along with this brazen act of vote hijacking.  I was wrong, however.  Pat Toomey did not go along with the attempts by Donald Trump and some Pennsylvania Republicans to steal the Pennsylvania Presidential Election.  In fact Toomey was quite vocal in his condemnation of  Republican efforts to mess with legitimate Pennsylvania votes.  In an era when most Republicans have been very timid in their criticism of Donald Trump, Pat Toomey showed a genuine Profile in Courage when it came to the sanctity of protecting Votes and Voters in Pennsylvania.

Pat Toomey has, over the long haul, showed himself to be a rather Right Wing Republican.  He was my Congressman for several years and he, like Charlie Dent, chose to leave the House of Representatives.  He was the head of the Right Wing Group, Club For Growth for a time before running for the Senate and winning.  Before now, I would never have expected Toomey to be bucking Trump or his party but I  have to say that I am pleasantly surprised to see Pat Toomey turn out to be a genuine Patriot and a Defender of Democracy at a time when we need that most vanishing of species - An Honest To God Moderate Republican.   

I am still disappointed that Toomey voted to acquit Donald Trump during his first Impeachment in 2020.  I communicated with Toomey's office prior to his vote recommending that Toomey vote to convict Trump.  Toomey sent me a one and a half page letter giving me reasons why he did not vote to convict Trump.  The reasons were Bullshit but I did appreciate the fact that Toomey did put into writing why he had let Trump off the hook.

Now in 2021 Trump has once again been Impeached by the House of Representatives for Inciting an Insurrection on January 6th that resulted in Trump Supporters breaking into the United States Capitol and his Impeachment Trial is now headed for the Senate.  By a vote of 45 to 5, Republicans in the Senate voted for a proposal from Senator Rand Paul stating that there should not be a Trial in the Senate because Trump is now out of office.  One of the five Republican Senators who voted against that proposal was Pat Toomey.  Once again, Pat Toomey has shown some degree of courage in a Republican Group of Senators that overall seem to be severely lacking in the courage department.

Word is that Toomey is leaving the Senate after his present term is over.  There is some speculation that he might run for Governor.  If he does run for Governor I do not expect that I will be voting for him but I will give credit where credit is due and right now at least some degree of credit for courage under fire is due to Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

 

A Beautiful Day For Democracy - Inauguration Day And Night In America

 Friday January 22nd, 2021

My Dear America:

Inauguration Day started off Weirdly with Donald Trump and Melania exiting the White House early in the morning.  Of course, the classy thing for Trump to do would have been for him to show up at the Inauguration and willingly pass the torch to the person who beat him soundly in the November, 2020 Election, Joe Biden. Unfortunately, however, Trump's Treasonous actions two weeks prior to Inauguration  Day when he encouraged his followers to raid the Capitol Building to hopefully stop the counting of the Electors made his presence at the Capitol for the Inauguration somewhat similar to the prospect of inviting a  Skunk to a Picnic.  Luckily Vice President Mike Pence had agreed to forego attending the Trump sendoff so that he could attend the Biden Inauguration and show that there had been somewhat of a Normal Peaceful Transfer of Power.

Trump took full advantage of his Presidential position on this day, however.  He talked incoherently outside of the White House as he exited and then he walked awkwardly with Melania out to the Presidential Helicopter on the White House Lawn, the both of them looking like two strangers who never met and didn't want to meet.  The Helicopter took them to Joint Base Andrews where Trump got the 21 gun salute that he had Demanded.  He got on the stage in front of a sparse crowd, which did not include Mike Pence, and once again spoke incoherently, he introduced Melania and then walked off the stage with Melania and with other members of the Trump Family they got on the plane and sailed off into the wild blue yonder like the permanent Florida Snowbird that he was bound to be from now on. 

Finally, our Long Four Year National Nightmare was over just as his appeared to be beginning as after his lighting quick Impeachment in the House, the Senate Impeachment Trial loomed as one of the First Orders of business in the New Political Day in America with a Democratic House of Representatives, Democratic Senate and as of Noon today A Democratic President of the United States - Joe Biden.

No One was thinking much about Impeachment Today, however.  Today was going to be a Day of Celebration.  A New and Exciting Day had come for Americans which would start on the Capitol Steps.  The same steps that had been loaded with Lunatics just two weeks prior breaking into the Capitol trying to hunt down the same Democrats who were today celebrating the new Democratic spirit that would electrify this day and night ahead.

Inauguration Day was truly a new day for America.  The sun was shining all day.  As one could tell by watching Bernie Sanders sitting looking like he was freezing with his mittens on it was what Tom Waits might say "Colder Than A Well Diggers Ass."

Despite the cold the Inauguration participants other than Bernie looked like they could care less about how cold it was.  Amy Klobuchar appeared to be somewhat of a Mistress of Ceremonies and seemed to be enjoying that role.  I thought back to February when she and Pete Buttigieg suspended their own Presidential Campaigns right before one of the Super Tuesdays and met in Texas with Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke in a show of Democratic Unity which had certainly led directly to this day.  Amy and Pete had both left the Campaign Trail at a time when both of their Campaigns were picking up steam.  Biden had certainly appreciated their support and their unselfish gesture of Democratic Unity.  Now Pete was Biden's choice for Secretary of Transportation  and Amy was here hosting the Inauguration festivities and she looked like she was having a Great time doing it.  

When all was said and done it almost seemed like a miracle that Joe Biden was here ready to take the reins of government on this bright Inauguration Day.  He had been only one of a slew of Candidates initially in the Democratic Party Primary running for President.  Early on he was not doing well in the race until South Carolina.  In that State United States Representative James Clyburn endorsed him and as they say the rest was history.  

There were some very well known people here today to celebrate with Joe.  There were three Ex Presidents.   His Friend and Ex boss, Barack Obama was here with his wife, Michelle.  In the last days before the election Obama came through for Joe by vigorously campaigning  for him in several states.  Certainly Joe had to appreciate that.  Also on the stage with Joe Were Hillary and Bill Clinton and George and Laura Bush.  Jimmy Carter couldn't make it to the Inauguration although he did send his regards.  Later in the day the Previous Presidential Trio would record a video tape together that would talk about the concept of Peaceful Transfer of Power that would play later on during the night time Television Spectacular that would be broadcast during the evening.  The Musical guests at the TV Celebration would read like a Whos Who in Music and included Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, The Foo Fighters, Katy Perry and John Legend, among others.

But on the noon time Inaugural Stage the Music was also Spectacular.  Lady Gaga sang the National Anthem.  Jennifer Lopez sang This Land is Your Land and Garth Brooks sang Amazing Grace.

Certainly the most talked about person on the Inauguration stage, other than Joe Biden, was the young Poet, Amanda Gorman.  Her poem and her delivery were both exceptional.

Joe Biden, in what would most certainly be one of the most important speeches he would ever give, nailed it.  Certainly his delivery was not at powerful as his Buddy Barack but he still gave an uplifting and inclusive speech letting those who heard it look forward with Hope and Change once again in the wind and in the White House.  

Following the Inauguration at the Capitol Joe and Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses visited Arlington Cemetery and then Joe and his family moved into the White House. 

Later on White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki gave an impressive White House briefing in which she promised White House Correspondents Truth and Transparency in the White House Press Office.  She also advised that President Biden would be signing 15 Executive Orders on Inauguration day, many of them reversing Trump Policies.  Some of those Executive orders included rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement and rejoining the World Health Organization.

The last part of the Inauguration and certainly the most entertaining part was a Television Spectacular that truly lived up to the name Spectacular.  It was a most enjoyable night ending with a Truly Spectacular Fireworks Display.

All in all, the Inauguration could not have turned out much better than it did.  Considering the reckless and dangerous days that Preceded it Joe Biden and Company showed that there truly was a New Sheriff in Town.  A new President had arrived who was thoughtful and concerned about other people beside himself.  Who was organized and competent to do his job.  When the day was over it was clear that things had changed in Washington.  A New Day had come to America and clearly in the days ahead things would be looking up for the United States Of America

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher