It's not a joke or a bad movie. Mr. Trump and his gang are dangerous crooks and only we can stop them.
We must understand who these people are and what giving them power means for all of us.
Stop me if you have heard this…
An old man and a fascist, or was it a felon, I can’t remember, walk into a bar. A New York Times reporter was there and wrote that the fascist bought everyone drinks. He missed the part where the guy left without paying and the old man not only covered the tab but gave generous tips.
What is it with the New York Times? As Jennifer Schulze- reported the Times ran 192 stories about Biden’s debate performance in its immediate aftermath. Project 2025, the GOP plan to end our democracy? I think it got six.
And just in time for the 4th of July, the Supreme Court finished its session. It was like no other. And, if were not so serious, would be like the beginning of a Robin Hood movie. King John, in his robes at the head of the table opined that Presidents are above the law, so long as they don’t try to regulate businesses. To his right sit the villainous Sir Thomas and Sir Francis, both taking massive bribes and making no secret of plans to entrench their powerful friends. King John says they sit in sole judgment of their own crimes. They look right at the camera and say, they are pure, but both blame their wives just in case. The cruel sir Kavanaugh made poverty a crime, punishable by jail time. The jester Gorsuch answers a question about climate change with laughing gas.
You cannot make this stuff up. It is the dangerous legacy of the Republican theft of two Supreme Court seats. We must understand who these people are and what giving them power means for all of us.
At the end of four years in office, Mr. Trump gave us an economy was free fall. He told us to eat a pasty horse tranquilizer so we would not get COVID. When states begged Washington for help, he sent them away. In the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine- yes was happening on Trump’s watch- he held up needed and congressionally approved weapons transfers in order to shake down the helpless country to get them to make up dirt on Joe Biden. After four years, America was worse off than when he took office.
In his administration, as he had done in his campaign, Mr. Trump surrounded himself with loser and crooks. Michael Cohen- convicted. George Papadopoulos- convicted. Roger Stone convicted and pardoned by Trump. Michael Flynn, convicted and pardoned by Trump. Paul Manafort convicted. Pardoned by Trump. George Nader was a foreign policy advisor to Trump. He pled to child porn charges. Elliot Broidy- guilty. Pardoned by Trump. Steve Bannon. Guilty. Pardoned by Trump. Guilty of another crime, now doing time.
Convicted felon Donald Trump. Photo Credit: Mark Peterson-Pool/Getty Images
By the way, Trump was President when these guys were convicted. But Republicans claim justice is weaponized by Democrats.
Even his lawyers were crooks: Rudy Guiliani, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell. Disbarred. Indicted.
Then there’s the man himself. Found liable by a jury for sexual assault. Find liable for defamation. Found to have violated court orders. Found to have engaged in business fraud. His company fined billions of dollars. His CFO, convicted. The man himself, indicted for hiding classified documents in his bathroom in Florida. Indicted for attempting to overturn an election.
And let’s not forget what he did that wasn’t illegal. Meanwhile, Trump cut taxes on the wealthiest, stole children from their parents at our border, doubled down on fossil fuels, and lied about everything all the time.
Americans came together and tossed him out. But not before he led an insurrection at the Capitol to block the certification of the vote. Thank Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans for walking away from their responsibility to our country when Trump was impeached for that high crime. Thank King John and his Court keeping Mr. Trump from facing a jury on charges stemming from it.
Meanwhile, what did Joe Biden do? Four years later, the American economy is the strongest in the world. More Americans are working than ever in our history. Wages are going up and inflation is coming down. Instead of shaking down democracies under attack, he has defended them. Instead of telling our allies they are deadbeats who we won’t bother to defend, Biden has strengthened our alliances.
For years after the chaos and crimes of Trump’s Presidency, under Democrats America is stronger and more prosperous than ever. Infrastructure that will spur the economy for decades is getting built. Private investment in manufacturing that will spur the economy for generations is booming. We have begun the massive task of turning our economy away from its addiction to fossil fuels and away from the strategy of concentrating wealth amongst a handful of citizens. Did I mention, crime is down? By any measure, by every measure, American under Joe Biden has enjoyed an exceptional four years.
The old guy and the felon in the bar? There is really nothing funny about it. We cannot rely on the media in this moment of need. It is up to us.
What would a return of Mr. Trump’s brand of cruel, chaotic, and criminal leadership mean? Let us work extra hard so we never have to find out.