DECORUM? WHAT DECORUM?
by Cash Michaels
So I’m there on CNN’s website, scrolling through some of its news clips from after the most divisive presidential joint address to Congress in history, when I came across an interview with pollster Frank Luntz.
Frank is a halfway reasonable guy most of the time, so I decided to stop and listen to what morsels of wisdom he might impart to the rest of us in the aftermath of King Trump’s diatribe. But when Frank got through, I seriously had to wonder whether he was still living on the same planet I was.
Beyond everything else, Luntz had the gall to warn Democrats about maintaining “decorum” for Trump.
Are you kidding me, Frank?
Here we have a convicted felon 34 times over, pompously bragging to the nation in a room where half the crowd were unindicted co-conspirators, about how he plans to screw the rest of us over, in addition to allowing his unelected billionaire buddy to continue to raid various government agencies, unceremoniously fire thousands of dedicated federal workers especially because they're either people of color or women, cancel important federal contracts, close vital federal agencies and programs, imperil the futures of Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, and Frank Luntz believes that Democrats should just sit there and take it with a pleasant smile and half-hearted hand clap?
Not in an Al Green minute, Frank!
I’ll admit that what Rep. Green, the 77 year-old honorable gentleman from the great state of Texas, did when he stood up four minutes into Trump’s speech and shouted at him about not having a mandate to cut Medicaid, was a step or two beyond what I would have done had I been a Black Democrat from a redder-than-red state listening to a criminal-in-chief boasting about how he was going to hurt my poor constituency back home.
But that doesn’t mean I fault Rep. Green one iota for breaking decorum, no matter what the cost, and calling the devil out to his face for the world to see. In fact, I admire him for that! Like the late, but great Rep. John Lewis, Rep. Green has paid his dues in the '60's civil rights movement, so speaking truth to power comes natural for him, what he calls "righteous incivility."
He says punish him all you want for what he did, he'd proudly do it again. And while you're at it, ask yourself why another Greene - crazy Trump lover Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, wasn't also censured for breaking House rules by wearing a bright red MAGA hat on the House Floor, hmmmmm?!!! Even our good friend NC Rep, Alma Adams can't get away with that, and NO one in the world wears more hats than she does (GOD Bless her)!
Look, if Democrats intend to return to power in Washington or elsewhere anytime soon, how about instead of criticizing Bro. Green for his actions, y’all come together and grow a pair, because Republicans have no intention of giving you anything, except a hard time while you’re out of power!
King Trump proved that as he provoked and taunted Democrats during that very speech. Now I get the idea of not allowing yourself to be easily ribbed, but there are also situations when you need to show a pulse, if for no other reason but to dramatize that something is happening that’s very wrong.
Yeah, Democrats lost the 2024 presidential election, but that doesn’t mean Democrats will lose the 2026 midterms, unless they’re already thinking and acting like losers.
They just have to stop outsmarting themselves like Democrats tend to do. That means first and foremost understand, that there are no rules in today's politics!
Republicans threw out the rule book for how to be an honorable adversary a long time ago, so now its Democrats’ turn. Doesn’t mean that they should lie, cheat, steal and elect criminals like Republicans. But it DOES mean that they should fight relentlessly to the last tooth and nail for what is right!
And even when the rules have them at a disadvantage, Democrats should never act like it. If they can’t win outright, then they need to heap untold tons of pressure on Republicans so that if the GOP are going to win a battle, it costs them something in return..
This is where making better use of the bully pulpit comes in, something former President Joe Biden admittedly didn’t do very well.
Even today, Republicans lie their faces off about how “bad’ Biden’s economy was (it was the strongest in the world when he left office, as a matter of fact). They called him and his family “criminals,” (only son Hunter was ever formally charged and convicted of anything);“weak” on foreign policy (bet the Ukrainian people and most of Europe beg to differ), and “weak” on protecting the Southern border (on this one there’s some truth, but only because Pres. Biden wanted to provide sanctuary for those fleeing from tyranny).
Hey, at least under Biden, when you bought a plane ticket, you knew you would arrive at your destination in one piece.
Bottomline here is that the time for feeling sorry for yourselves is over, Democrats. Election 2024 is what it is.
Over!
You need to be doing your homework on what the fickle American voter wants, and figure out ways to make it happen in time for the 2026 midterm elections.
“The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart said it best on his weekly podcast recently. Democrats should be “outlining a coherent and very clear-eyed view of what is happening and strategies to get back to a more constitutional and free and fair world.”
And before my New York homeboy House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries writes something nasty to me in the comments section below about this column (he wouldn’t be the first), I do very much believe in upholding the dignity and solemnity of official occasions in official places.
But that’s assuming the occasion in question is a dignified one to start. For instance, there was a time in this country when the public hangings of Black people were considered to be “dignified” occasions. For some folks, that was worth putting a suit and tie on for.
What King Criminal did last week was NOT dignified, gleefully spouting off about policies to hurt Americans, like destroying DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion); cutting Social Security; pointing fingers at Democrats and daring them to stop him; using certain victimized citizens as props to play political games and distract, like that 13 year-old black young man who survived brain cancer Trump shamefully deputized as an “honorary” Secret Service agent, all the while cutting federal personnel and funding for cancer research at the National Institutes of Health (a federal judge has stepped in to block Trump’s order, but the issue isn’t over yet).
I don’t mind the fake badge, and certainly have nothing against the child or his proud Black father, but how about doing something to make sure more children like him don’t suffer from that dreaded disease, almighty criminal king? Like increasing funding for pediatric cancer research in his name, instead of cutting it?
That's what a real president of the people would have done.
It would have been truly impressive.
And honest.
Democrats, if you put your best minds on the job, you can unlock the mystery of regaining your rightful place in power. That’s why I respect House Minority Leader Jeffries’ position. He’s got some rough waters to navigate until the 2026 elections, so he’s trying to keep everybody in line until then.
All he needs is a handful of House seats. Hell, we could give him a few from North Carolina if we got our act together.
But Dems need to flood the zone much more than they’re doing. And not in a nice way, but in a strong, determined and truthful way. I realize that may be tough for many of y’all, but make no mistake - King Trump is talking big yang about you to your sorry faces because he believes he’s put you out of business for good.
You’re the only ones, Democrats, who can prove him wrong!
Make his life as sorry a hell in the White House, or Mar-a-lago, or wherever the hell else he rests his wicked head.. Use what little power you do have and leverage it. Make him wish he never ran for president a third time. And send a powerful message to the rest of the morally depleted Republican Party that they chose to get in bed with this monster, and now they will suffer the consequences of trading in their loyalty to God and country for him.
Show the American people that you’re here to serve, and here to make their lives better, as they expect.
This is hard work we’re talking about here, Democrats, with very little time to pull it off. But hopefully, out of the din, a new Democratic presidential candidate will emerge for 2028, and the party will feel, and act better about itself.
You don’t need decorum for that, Democrats. Damn the social graces! What you need are guts, vision and commitment. You’re not just fighting an opposition party. For the most part, you’re fighting evil, people led by a criminal monster who has only just begun to turn this country and the rule of law on its head to suit his own selfish desires.
You’ve got this, Democrats. But if you truly want it, you don’t have time fooling’ around with decorum. Unless, of course, you really want to remain losers!
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment