One of the most dramatic events of 2017 was observing how easily the Republican men and women of Congress acquiesce to the lure of money and personal enrichment.
How, without any debate, public discourse or true concern for U.S. citizens, a body of pernicious adults can ramrod a tax bill through the House and Senate. These are elected officials who supposedly took a solemn oath of office to protect the Constitution of the U.S., but their actions and that of the president have moved 180 degrees from that promise.
We’re also getting a bird’s-eye view of rather unusual adult adulation of Mr. Trump from leaders of the Republican Party. Apparently waving a few dollars under the noses of legislators who once held their noses can reap enormous benefits. The very people who previously refused to endorse Mr. Trump are shamefully taking their turn lavishing praise on him. The Pavlovian responses of Mike Pence, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and Orrin Hatch (who called Mr. Trump “one heck of a leader”) eerily sound like yesteryear’s “one heck of a job.” Will schoolchildren soon be given the mandate to begin their day with a salute to the dear leader and/or profess their loyalty to him?
Most citizens couldn’t care less about how much money the wealthy have. They understand paying $14.95 for food or clothing but can’t really conceive of paying millions for a yacht, nor are they interested.
The Republican Congress doesn’t wave the American flag; they wave greenbacks.
Merry Christmas, Mr. President and members of Congress.
MARTY WEIXEL
McCandless
