MY SHEER DISGUST

I believe I have reached my limit with the political climate in this country. I have not always agreed with any one political party or politician. I’ve always believed those best qualified to serve the people, who respect the constitution and honor the basic principles of right and wrong should serve with our full support. But they should also be questioned, challenged, and made to defend their position if it goes against the grain of basic human decency.

Since the Presidential election we have watched the GOP ceremoniously rip this country to shreds. Their motivations have been about party and privilege. They’ve been selfish, self-indulgent and the results for some will be catastrophic. They have continually shown the American people that they just don’t give a damn about the impoverished or the middle class, minorities and immigrants and simply being forthright and decent is out of the realm of their abilities.

What galls me most is how so many of our Republican law makers grandstand on a platform of conservative morality when they show us daily that they truly have no morals. There is no code of right and wrong if it goes against the will of the party and the will of the party is now being dictated by a racist, homophobic demagogue who barely has command of the English language, hates women and has made us the laughing stock of the international community. It’s even more telling that so many Democrats have stood idly by and have said or done absolutely nothing.

Pandering to the whims of our current president has become a new art form. The ass-kissing was one thing, but we have too many individuals who routinely lie to defend him. They lie to excuse his actions. They condone his bad behavior and lie as they rationalize why. Integrity has been forsaken in his name and many have besmirched their reputations to have him pat them on the back. I often wonder, when the ink dries on his tenure, if the likes of Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, or Sarah Huckabee will be able to look their grandchildren in the eye and proudly defend the stances they took?

The Obama presidency was unprecedented. A black man, loved by many and respected by most, lifted this country to new heights and that good old boy network has been biting at the bit to dismantle his hard work. From day one they vowed to undermine him, wanting him to fail. When he excelled, they lost their collective minds. For the current regime, undoing President Obama’s work has become more important than representing their constituents and the needs of the American people. When healthcare becomes a thing of the past, available only to the wealthy, they will feel successful. When we are no longer the land of the free, but the land of the oppressed and downtrodden, they will celebrate their success. They will have a wall to commemorate their hard work. Bricks and mortar to keep out people of color will be their greatest legacy. You can see the writing on the wall with every bill that’s been signed since the elections and every policy change that is held up for consideration.

Under the new guard, white supremacy is no longer hiding in its mother’s basement. Racists and bigots have taken off their hoods and walk the halls of the White House dictating and influencing policy. They recline in their senate seats and wait for the Grand Wizard to nod in their directions, waving his magic wand over the next poor soul they can inflict pain and heartache upon. It’s tragic, and it’s infuriating.

Now, we are supposed to sit idly by and commend the GOP as they condone the most wretched acts that can be committed against a woman or child. It began with the normalization of sexual battery, the president-elect gleefully boasting about physically molesting women. His taped confession was dismissed as locker room banter and boys being boys. Now, they are supporting an alleged pedophile and child-molester. A man accused of preying on teenage girls for his own perverse pleasure. If this is their Republican morality, then every one of them who defends, ignores and accepts this behavior deserves to go straight to hell. Do not pass go. Do not collect a damn thing. Just go right to hell! People have become commodities, their value reduced to a bottom line for private interests. Biblical tenets have been corrupted and flagrant disregard for the welfare of others is suddenly habitual.

I keep waiting for one Republican to challenge the status quo, to castigate the bad behavior which has become as prevalent as breathing. Just one man or woman with a set of brass balls willing to do what is fundamentally right. I had high hopes for Senator John McCain out of Arizona. Earlier this year, when he cast a decisive vote that effectively torpedoed efforts to repeal the health care law, his efforts spoke volumes. He wouldn’t support what was rushed to the table and had not been thoroughly vetted and debated. He stood up for what was best for the American public. His recent support of tax reform legislation that will probably do more harm than good, a 500-plus page tome with handwritten interjections slid in at the last hour, says he too may now have been swayed by the Kool-Aid, his balls more putty than brass. I couldn’t help but wonder what concessions he has been promised in return for his yes on a bill rushed to the table without being vetted or debated.

The few who have made any genuine effort to do what is right are quickly maligned or discredited. Or worse, they speak the truth as they’re walking out the door. Frustrated by the sheer absurdity of the situation we find ourselves in, they are no longer interested in staying in the fight.

Meghan McCain, the daughter of Senator John McCain and a co-host on The View regularly defends the president’s conservative base, touting her understanding of Red America and the mindset that supports this Republican agenda. There is righteous indignation when she rails against liberals for perpetrating so-called fake news and their media bias. She has said that we don’t understand her people. I’m not sure that the flagrant attacks against people of color, the disrespect for those who are not blonde and blue-eyed, the habitual lying, the whitewashing of history and the gravity of tweeting insults at people when one is called out on their bullshit really needs any explanation. Wrong is wrong no matter how you might want to paint it.

The people of Alabama have quite a dilemma on their hands. It’s been said that most don’t believe the media reports of candidate Roy Moore’s alleged sexual assault allegations. Conspiracy theories about Democratic intrusion, and media hijinks abound. His supporters have called his alleged victims liars. intent on taking a good man down. But putting all of that aside, Moore’s record speaks volumes without the added finger-pointing. He has consistently preached from the Bible of Steve Bannon, proclaiming his Christian-values justification for his homophobic, racist, misogynistic beliefs and attitude. The Christ I know would not have been pleased. The deity I pray to, whose words I follow, proclaim love for all, not hate for some. Moore, like his presidential mentor, is banking on that Republican base turning a blind eye because they believe the party should always come before the country. How they vote, could potential shred any fibers of dignity the United States have left.

I pray that people come out in droves to support Doug Jones. For those in Alabama who don’t, good luck explaining to your daughters and granddaughters that sacrificing their virtue was just a hazard of our political process. That in the scheme of things, they really don’t matter. That sending a politician who’s been accused of violating little girls to the United States Senate, like they sent one to the White House, is far more important than justice for any alleged victim. That disregarding the morality in their moral code is perfectly fine when it suits their personal agendas.

My sheer disgust with it all has become exhausting.