The rapid-fire series of events over the past 18 days has been as mind-bending a stretch in American politics as I can remember.
That’s because John Roberts has signed the death warrant of our constitutional republic.
The Roman empire was once a republic. Then, it changed into an empire. I bet that transitional period was pretty crazy, too.
This month’s “whirlwind” pace is only surprising for people who failed to recognize, or refuse to acknowledge, that Trump v United States was a death-knell, and Loper Bright was the inauguration of a new kind of priest-driven government.
American democracy did not make it to 248 years. When Josh or David cited, yesterday, the US’s age as > 248, I understood immediately that he had lost the plot.
ETA: something like “first 100 days” analysis is appropriate right now. Replacing the President with a monarch is every bit as seismic as a normal Presidential transition, even if the current executive is choosing to not wield the sceptre. Rest assured that the significance of July 1, 2024 was not lost on John Roberts or his allies and patrons in the anti-democracy fifth column that has just conquered the United States.
“…the special counsel’s funding, which is currently drawn from an indefinite appropriation set aside to ensure that Congress couldn’t end an independent counsel’s investigation by defunding it.” (Cannon, 2024)
Good idea. Make the independent counsel dependent.
From your keyboard to the hearts of the voters! Yes, the “Democratic elites” have decided, back in 2019 actually, that Joe Biden was “too old” and “too gaffy” and “too [insert flavor of the day]”. But how many votes are they?
The voters appear to be smarter. Of course, the Dems will spend their convention week tearing down their candidate and attempting to replace him on the ticket, ignoring his significant accomplishments which he got through a very hostile Congress that looked as if it could pass absolutely nothing.
.
He looked terrible, and the camera dwelled on him for a long time both when he waited backstage and when he was listening to the speakers. Seldom any animation in his expression. Almost glum.
Re David’s last line about Zen and holding on for dear life.
I’m a cancer survivor. At least, I hope I am — it’s only been three years since diagnosis, two since my last hospital stay. But during that stay I honestly thought I could die. I had an infection, related to the cancer treatment (cancer is killable, but it screws up so many other things), and before the surgery that finally cleaned it out, I had blood thinners and a small transfusion which did little and left me weak.
So, lapsed Jew that I am, I talked to a God I believe in around the edges — as a unifying force in the universe. (“We are stardust …”) And though I wanted more time, I felt, ultimately, calm. I was grateful for the life I’ve had. And I was — and am — especially grateful for whatever positive difference I’ve made in others’ lives, and the love I’d been shown during my treatment, which was overwhelming.
All this is to say that I think the rest of this year will be ugly, and the next few years even more so, especially if You Know Who gets to be president again. I don’t want to downplay that. But I do want to encourage everyone to focus on small things — especially helping others and being thankful for the love and kindness you receive.
And work to change things for the better.
(This sounds far more downbeat and apocalyptic than I intend. I can’t deny that I feel down about the macro future. But hopefully small victories can become larger triumphs — ideally in November.)
“Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”
― George Orwell
