Above the Law and Constitution

Benny

As I never get weary of pointing out: if you're not in a blind fucking rage by what is being done to your once-great nation, you're not paying attention. When Benjamin Franklin emerged into the light of day from the building where the Constitution was being created in 1789, a woman approached him and asked what the representatives inside had given to the American people. I don't know if Franklin's response was ever etched in stone. If not, it should have been:

"A republic, madam - if you can keep it."

We kept the damned thing for two-hundred and thirty years. In 2019 it appears that our republic is disintegrating like cinders in a hurricane. I was reminded of this yet again last week when Attorney General William Barr (otherwise known as Donald Trump's personal lawyer) ignored a congressional subpoena. The complete, unprecedented arrogance of this disgusting administration is nothing new; what's disturbing more than anything is how we've become so accustomed to the corruption - and that a full one/third of the American people are so civically (and I suppose psychologically) dense, that they continue to support a president who, in addition to being the head of an organized criminal enterprise, is so obviously mentally ill. Being an American citizen these days is like living inside a dark comedy concocted by Paddy Chayefsky or Kurt Vonnegut.  
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Harding

Inept chiefs-executive are hardly a modern phenomena. American history is littered with the stories of men who were not up to the job (James Buchanan and Warren Harding coming immediately to mind). But never have we had a leader ("ruler") who purposely sought to harm the country. This is where Donald Trump stands out. Did you ever - in your wildest and stupidest dreams - believe you'd live to see the day when the topic of conversation on national broadcast media would be whether or not the president of the United States might be a Russian asset? You may think that I'm being an alarmist, paranoid lefty, but I do believe that the damage that is being done to this country by the Trump Mob will probably take several generations to undo.
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Let me leave you with this thought: Doesn't it make you wonder why Vladimir Putin is so anxious for Republicans to win elections? Does it also make you wonder why Mitch McConnell keeps blocking bills that would strengthen the security of the American voting process? Yeah, I was wondering about those things myself. I'm sure it's just a coincidence though. Enjoy your stay in Idiot Nation.
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Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

SUGGESTED READING:
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Destiny of the Republic:
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A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

by Candice Millard
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About a year ago I suggested that you all read "The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard. This latest one involves the shooting and lingering death of James A. Garfield, sadly, one of our least remembered presidents. Again, this is one that you won't be able to put down. I read it in two days.
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Candice Millard
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What I appreciate about her books is that she doesn't write full biographies, but, rather, she holds up a microscope to historical events that, while they may be well known, are not necessarily well understood. I've always known about Theodore Roosevelt's journey down the  River of Doubt; or the assassination of President Garfield; or Winston Churchill's part in the Boer War (her most recent book) - but I hadn't known any of the details. That is why her work is so valuable I believe. This is not the first book I've read by this extraordinary historian. It won't be the last - trust me. Here's a link to order it off of Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Destiny+of+the+Republic%3A+A+Tale+of+Madness%2C+Medicine+and+the+Murder+of+a+President&ref=nb_sb_noss

Happy reading, kiddies!