On Republicans and this Impeachment

"The punditry says that fewer than 10 Republican Senators are likely to vote for Trump’s conviction. 

This will be an outrage, a sign that a once great party has surrendered to craven opportunism or, worse, brutal authoritarianism."

-- EJ Dionne, The Washington Post

From the article:

Opinion: The impeachment managers have sealed off Republicans’ escape hatches

Possibly Important, Current Articles More Americans Should Probably Read

Yes, just that. Possibly important, current articles out just now it seems more adult Americans should see. These were out yesterday on The Washington Post. Herewith:

Overestimating Trump is a mistake. 
So is underestimating him.

Another GOP president, 

another recession

And economists have shown this, statistically, through our nation's history.

Republicans were warned,

 Yet they persisted in defending Trump

And it was even other Republicans and conservatives who warned, too.

Trump is always the last to figure it out

This quote alone from this article makes it not just worthwhile but important since Americans need to know what Republican Party members in Congress are doing presently.

Compare that gobbledygook with the reaction of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) to the administration’s refusal to reopen the exchanges. “Frankly, this is leadership malpractice,” Pritzker said. “Now more than ever, we need as many people as possible to have access to health care to seek out testing, if we’re ever going to be able to fight covid-19 and eliminate it as a major risk to our people.” He added, “On that same note, the Trump administration’s continued pursuit of a legal case to destroy the Affordable Care Act, which has provided health care to tens of millions of Americans is a special insult to the people of this nation at this moment. To seek to kill the ACA at a time like this, not to mention ever, undermines everything that we’re trying to do to keep people safe.”

During normal presidencies, you expect the commander in chief to have the best data, know the most about what is going on and have the most far-sighted vision. Instead, Trump seems to be the least-informed adult in America.

You would think the president and vice president’s abject ignorance would be a source of embarrassment. Nope. They are locked in the right-wing media disinformation bubble. They find out details under duress. Only when things go very badly and their experts are forced to confess bad news do they grudgingly move into the real world. The change in “tone” that too many gullible reporters coo about is the point at which Trump’s lies, disinformation and self-delusion can no longer be sustained. No wonder he looks deflated."

Have a great day out there, y'all. Be well. Be safe. and STAY AT HOME.

Quote of the Day -- on "Trickle Down" Economics

And the Republican mantra and platform:

What needs to happen instead

Yesterday, I wrote that the US won't have a new, inclusive, workable health care system by the end of the year because we haven't got the will for it and we don't understand and/or accept that we have to take profit out of that same system.

I stand by that.

But more than all that, what really needs to happen is that, as David Brooks said Sunday morning on "This Week with George Stephanopoulis" on ABC, "The house is burning down around us."

It's all great that President Obama is tackling our other big problems, sure. Tackle health care. Tackle relations with the Soviet Union, the Taliban, Iran and the rest of the world.

But not right now.

Above all, get a handle on our economy. It is THE big problem, above all others, that needs to be addressed.

Fortunately, everyone agrees on this.

But that's not, it seems, what is coming out of the White House, to date.

I think this is going to change. The President and his staff and administration are all bright people.

I'm not just being trusting here. I'm not simply being naive.

The people running the country are opportunists and the kind of people that jumps on the biggest problems that would run them down otherwise.

But this needs to happen sooner--like this week--rather than later. The need to get on top of and pay attention to the economy, right now, above all other and as soon as possible.