Political Weirdness

 First, McCarthy's apparent incapacity to do his job, which is to act as LEADER of the House Majority. He's letting the extremists hold the entire government hostage - instead of opening the vote to Democrats. The Guardian says he'd open himself to a challenge to his "leadership," by which they mean his title vs his actions. If he could demonstrate some leadership, we could acknowledge that he is Leader. He isn't demonstrating any kind of leadership and openly acknowledges that the extremists are "willing to burn the place down" - yet he could, singlehandedly get spending bills passed, bills he already agreed to pass. This isn't leadership, this is reckless endangerment. Six people are holding the country hostage, and their so-called leader is more concerned with holding onto his own title than getting on with the business of government. 

Second: The Supreme Court. I used to have the highest regard for that institution and now... well now, I simply cringe as we learn of the blatant corruption so evident in the actions of Justices who consider themselves above the law. Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito, I'm pointing at YOU. Both should have recused themselves on issues before the court that they had direct personal ties/links to: recusal is the very least they should have done. If they had any morals they should never have taken the original steps that led to the calls for them to recuse. Above and beyond any personal animosity that I have toward these men, if they cannot recognize a bribe on their own, they have no place on the highest court. Their ideas of what is right and just are skewed by their sense of entitlement that any hope for a disinterested analysis of the facts and law must be abandoned. They have disgraced themselves and brought the institution of the very Court itself into disrepute. That the Chief Justice refuses to rebuke or challenge them is just another horrific weakness revealed. Alito argues that Congress cannot impose an ethical standard on justices, citing both judicial independence and separation of powers. If we buy that argument, then there is  no way to impeach a Justice, so the rest of the country is stuck with a deeply compromised Supreme Court that cannot be challenged. This would make the nomination and confirmation process even more important than ever. That process must be de-politicized completely, although the methods and challenges to that are enormously complex and fraught. It only takes one, such as Trump and/or McConnell, to dismiss long standing traditions to screw it up (as they did with Kavanaugh). We're all stuck with Brett the Brat for a very long time to come.

Third: Menendez. Oh dear lord. How dare anybody suggest that accepting cash and gold in return for skewing legislation/access is not the work of a legislator?! Seriously? That's his defense? I'm pretty sure he took the Oath of Office... but then again, so have others in the various branches of government who accept what any one else would call a bribe. This systemic corruption isn't new, but what seems now both commonplace and completely out of hand has to be stopped. And stopped hard when it is unearthed. We can research and analyze the actions and attitudes that changed our understanding of the responsibilities and obligations of political and business actors - in my lifetime, I see a major turn with the Citizens United case of 2010. But the loss of the Equal Time provision and implementation (it's still on the books but you'd never know it, because... Citizens United) put money above all else. We saw the consequences of all of this money throughout the 20th century. And now well into the 21st. It used to be tobacco and the energy companies, handing out cash like crazy - then Big Pharma jumped into the mud puddle. They weren't just spending lavishly on candidates, but actively purchasing, in cash, access and 'incentives' to legislators - latest example, Menendez. We kind of hoped they weren't doing that with judges... obviously, they were are are continuing to do so, and apparently it's a completely open market. Sure, buy me a car and I'll talk to some people. Open some doors. That's a bribe folks, pure and simple. If you can't resist, don't run for office. You are there to represent the people of your district or state, not Pharma or Russia or Big Oil. Or, in Menendez's case, Egypt.

I'm always struck by the hypocrisy of the Extreme Right, citing the Bible and defying its most basic teachings at the same time. Touting their Christianity while inciting hatred. As some wit noted: let's get the Christ back in Christianity. Let's get past the Old Testament 'shall not' lists, and instead hold up the Beatitudes. Boy, wouldn't that take the steam out of the "Freedom Caucus"!