Trumpian sexual assault, nepotism and financial self -interest

This echo editorial published in the Lexington Kentucky Herald Leader newspaper was published in February 2020, but guess what?

This opinion is as meaningful and impactful today as it was when the newspaper first published the opinion! Senator Mitch McConnell and Senator Rand Paul are embarrassments to Americans and to Kentucky voters.  

Evil Trumpziism!

From Kentucky- Could there be anything more embarrassing and depressing than being from Kentucky? First, the senior Senator Mitch McConnell has shred democracy and decency to tatters by announcing a political whitewash of the most corrupt president in U.S. history, then followed it through in an impeachment trial and Republican debacle that would make the Founders weep.

Then there’s the (Maine Writer nurses opinion "asshole") junior Sen. Rand Paul. Despite the fact that every human knows how the impeachment trial would turn out, Asshole Paul spent the last day of the Senate’s impeachment trial, bouncing around like a demented toddler on the Senate floor. 

Spoiled brat. Rand Paul  is upset because SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts wouldn’t read his question that identified the whistleblower. So,  Asshole Paul gave the whistleblower’s name, but then denying (aka "lying!") about it in the elevated nanny nanny boo boo oratory that has made him famous: "They made a big mistake not allowing my question,” Paul said, according to Politico.

It’s nonsense to expect us to believe that Donald Trump wouldn’t hold military aid to investigate one of his political rivals. 

It’s as Trumpian as sexual assault, nepotism and financial self-dealing. What’s not clear is why Paul believes that it’s in the nation’s or Kentucky’s best interest for him to embarrass himself and his constituents with this whistleblower nonsense. Can’t he just make up some ridiculous excuses for why he’s voting to acquit like most of the other Republicans?

McConnell venality is utterly depressing. In fact, he didn’t want witnesses, even in the light of new allegations from John Bolton (John Bolton! To think for a few days our hopes for our nation depended on that warmonger) and he didn’t get them. McConnell wanted a quick trial, he sort of got it. He must be feeling as good as he did the day Neil Gorsuch was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. McConnell, the man who ensured Gorsuch by blocking Obama’s rightful pick, who has never chosen country above the GOP, actually had the audacity to say Wednesday: “We simply cannot let factional fevers break our institutions.” Thank you, at least, to Sen. Mitt Romney, for showing some guts and principles and voting no with this great line: “Were I to ignore the evidence that has been presented, and disregard what I believe my oath and the Constitution demands of me for the sake of a partisan end, it would, I fear, expose my character to history’s rebuke and the censure of my own conscience.” It is curious that the Republican Senate seems to be assuming that a Democrat will never be elected to the White House again so that person can experience a presidency with immense power almost unchecked by Congress. Have they never heard of “turnabout is fair play?” 

Lock Trump Up!

But, given the mayhem of the Iowa caucus, maybe Republicans have a point. That this all has happened on either side of the State of the Union speech is the cherry on the cake for Republicans like McConnell, who are justified in (hypocritically) gloating alongside Trump.  #CrazyisAsCrazyDoes #CIACD

Yes, yes, Nancy Pelosi tore up Trump’s bogus #SOTU speech, but her theater really cannot hold a candle to awarding Rush Limbaugh, that racist gasbag, the Medal of Freedom in the middle of his speech? Therefore, if you believe that immigrant children shouldn’t be put in cages or that presidents shouldn’t pay off strippers, or that your state’s duly elected senators should uphold federal law and the barest minimum of dignity, it’s been a rough week. It’s amazing to think of the number of people willing to aid and abet and support Trump in the midst of his truly overwhelming crimes, and that Mitch and Rand will probably cruise to reelection in 2020 and 2022. It’s no wonder Kentucky’s voter turnout rarely tops 50 percent. But, I also know there are many, many people who believe in what we used to call democracy, believe in protecting our most vulnerable citizens, our air, our water, our most basic freedoms. Yes, those who understand how government works are depressed; yes, you’re embarrassed by Asshole Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell. 

But, all you can do is get busy. Register to vote! Talk to more people about dangerous right wing extremism. You know what to do.  #VoteBlue