So, this column was tough to prepare. Because on the one hand, I want to always present a positive message.
On the other, it’s been a dark week. (Impeachment talk. Government shutdown approaching. Biden’s poll numbers as low as they’ve ever been.)
And those aren’t even the three things that made me the most sad.
The thing that made me the most sad was the announcement that Mitt Romney was retiring.
Now, before you blast me, I’m not saying I’m some huge fan of Mitt Romney.
But he was a thoroughly decent man. He was, as Charlie Sykes said, the conscience of the Republican Party.
He was the one remaining man in the U.S. Senate who’d stand up to Donald Trump. (Yes, he once had dinner with him, basically begging for a job. Amd yes, he did support some of Trump’s proposals.)
But Romney was also the first U.S. Senator to vote against their party in support of impeachment of their Party’s President. He did so twice. And he was the ONLY Republican to do so in the first impeachment vote that involved Trump supporting his favorite dictator Vladimir Putin withholding defense funds from Ukraine.
Besides the fact that Romney is retiring, and admitting that the sane part of the GOP is well past gone and dead (my words), it was also profoundly sad to hear just how much fear Romney has to live in.
This thoroughly decent man, who’s religious and as kind as you’re probably going to find in politics, has to pay $5,000 per day for private security for his family after Jan. 6.
And he’s not having to pay this much because of crazy ANTIFA commie drag folks, who are trying to tear down all borders for America and make this place a den of the devil (and whatever other absurdities are being made up by Fox News today).
No, he’s having to pay this because members of his own Party are so absolutely angry and out of their minds that they’re sending threats, making calls, showing up at his house, accosting him at airports, you name it.
So this man, who’s a multi-millionaire, former Presidential candidate, and current member of the U.S. Senate, basically lives in some level of fear. (And if someone this powerful lives in fear, think about local election officials, members of Congress, etc, who have NO security measures in place.)
These threats and real acts of violence that have happend in recent years make me profoundly sad for our country.
And it makes me profoundly sad for my faith. Because I know that many of those who are the loudest, the meanest, and the most vile in their language, they are people of the Book (at least they say they are). Many of them go to churches that are more like angry sports events than beautiful moments of worship.
I’m tempted to drop in plenty of places in the Bible where Jesus, Paul, and others say not to let politics rule our lives, but those who’d be affected by the words of the Bible won’t read this; and those who do read this probably aren’t affected by words of the Bible. lol
But for those who may be, and for those who judge the faith based on those loud jerks who in no way personify the disciples of Christ or Jesus himself, I console myself with these words:
If right now you find yourself struggling with organized religion, know this: So did Jesus.
Nonetheless, one of my charges to myself is to see past the doom and gloom. Because we must be real: those who support tearing up the Constitution and following an authoritarian figure, they want us to give up. They want us to grow weary. They want us to not care.
We cannot do these things.
So, here are a few positives that should remind you that though this week seems gloomy, better political realities remain in our reach and are on their way if we do not waver.
First, the impeachment of Joe Biden will completely backfire. (As Claire McCaskill said on her new podcast… When she worked in the office of Bill Clinton, no President ever wants to be impeached. BUT, the highest polling numbers Bill Clinton ever received was the week after his impeachment, when Clinton hit 73 percent.)
Second, the government shutdown will destroy Kevin McCarthy. The out-of-control MAGA alligators who he bowed down to instead of knocking across the head will finally eat him alive. (Even better, this shutdown and impeachment will cost the Republican Party the House next year, so it will all serve its purpose.)
Finally, don’t fret the poll numbers for Biden yet. Obama was behind in the polls at this point in 2011 to Mitt Romney. And people typically always want change in their core state. We all get tired of whoever the current football coach is. But eventually, we have to compare the current football coach to the other option (not the ideal we carry in our head). And that will eventually be Trump, whose negatives are so low that they’re probably coming up with a term for it in the newest Algebra books.
Hang in there, my friends.
I love each of you.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
Don’t forget: You can comment anytime, and I’ll answer quickly! You can also reach out privately at: authorstanrmitchell@yahoo.com. (You can say “hi,” vent, or send news tips! I love all three of those things!)
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written 12 of them: a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.
Thanks for bringing a little hope!
I appreciate your perspective, and the real threat of "stochastic terrorism".
Your mention of Mitt Romney FWIW reminds me that back in the1990 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race, I voted unusually for the Republican Bill Weld because his opponent John Silber was, as far as I was concerned, a crazy person.
Then, when I next had a chance to vote for MA Gov, I probably voted for Mitt Romney's opponent, but when he won, I was happy with his conduct in office. After all, he presided over the prototype for "ObamaCare".
One more fun fact - it looks like in that 2002 MA Gov race, Jill Stein siphoned away enough votes from the Democratic candidate O'Brian that she may have actually gotten Romney elected !