Public Comment

Wow, the terms and boundaries of “civility” have been battered and bruised to a pulp. But don’t blame Maxine Waters. One might even argue that her directive to make t-Rump officials not feel welcome in public is overdue . . . like since the early 90’s when Newt Gingrich dispensed with common decorum on the House floor, weaponized Congressional investigations, and empowered Kenneth Starr to make a national issue over an Arkansas land deal. Wait a minute; that was about blow jobs in the White House, a grave matter of national security. And don’t forget Kenneth Starr became president and chancellor of Baylor University, where one of the ugliest rape scandals on any college campus occurred under his watch. 

More to the point, Maxine’s timing was impeccable, in the context of the recent SCOTUS decision about the right to refuse service. Let’s face it, Justice Roberts created a mighty slippery slope when he decreed that a business owner can refuse service if person offends the owner’s religious values. "WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE" cuts both ways. If a vendor can say, “I refuse to service you because I think your lifestyle is icky and you’re going to hell;” then one can just as easily say, “I refuse to service you because you have abused your standing to hurt the most vulnerable people in the world . . . because you have declared war on Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness for most people . . . because you have declared war on most living things; animal, vegetable and mineral. . . . because you have empowered the big losers of the Civil War and World War II to come out and act out . . . because you work for a con man whose foundation and properties are all about global money laundering and tax evasion . . . because your presence makes my staff fearful, and you forcefully argue that they are sub-human beings with no rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. So, no, HELL NO, you can’t eat here.” 

In response, right-wingers have demonized Maxine for her lapse in “civility.” NOT FAIR! I’m all in for Maxine Waters! Along with Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Barbara Lee (D-CA), they represent a well-articulated and thoughtful ray of light in the very dark chamber that is the House of Representatives. I hesitate to characterize their effort as “effective” because of the deep fix in play to undermine their agenda. 

Sure it makes a nice, feel-good bumper sticker to say, "When they go low, we go high . . . ", but that doesn't work on this playing field. I say, "WHEN THEY GO LOW, WE GO LOWER!" Maxine's comments were indeed provocative. But in the context of today's rules of engagement, it is well timed and on the mark. Go Maxine! 

She comes forth to finally mitigate a problem the Democrats have had since Reagan, trying to play nice when all the kids on the other side are playing mean and unfair! With t-Rump as President and Huckster-Sandy as his mouthpiece, it’s like the most obnoxious, spoiled and simple-minded boy in the 4^th grade class has suddenly become principal of the school, and the meanest, nastiest girl in school speaks for him, issuing threats and invective towards any objectors or challengers. 

These guys love their big guns and the NRA. I think an armed presence of black open carry groups stationed at key RED precincts during the '18 and '20 elections is a good idea. Good guys can play voter suppression too – “when they go low, we go lower!” 

Waters, Cohen and Lee represent hope in the House. But the Senate is still waiting for Bulworth to shake up the old “gentlemen’s club.” Maybe one of the old guys will find himself in an after-hours club smoking reefer and having a political-social epiphany. Then one of his aides can say, "Senator, I'm concerned that we're in an after-hours club in Compton on the eve one of your most important speeches, with all kinds of illegal activities going on and you're smoking marijuana, Senator!" Maybe Warren Beatty will actually run. He’s more qualified than Reagan ever was, and his films are much better. I’d say draft Warren to replace DiFi, but it’s a bit late for that in this election cycle. 

Give t-Rump credit for this: He has blown up the myth that [we] Jews are smart people. I mean look at all the dumb Jews who worship this man, who has empowered the Nazis and far right in the US and Europe. He has empowered the Evangelical movement, which overlooks how spiritually vapid he is, and right-wing Jews who refuse to recognize that these people claim to love Israel, while brazenly manifesting their hate for Jews. Right-wing Jews refuse to believe that the only reason t-Rump and the End of Times Christians "love Israel" is to get us all in one place for the Apocalypse to get on with their “Final Solution.” We all know what that means. As I said, it's war on life. But it’s not all t-Rump’s fault. Reagan started it, Gingrich escalated it, and now comes t-Rump to complete the destruction of “civility.” Don’t blame Maxine.