Last Friday, beloved Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, passed away after heroically battling cancer for years. RBG was a feminist icon, a fierce defender of democracy and human rights. She was also such a charismatic and honest person that, on Saturday Night Live, her recurring character, played brilliantly by Kate McKinnon, was so popular even with young people, RBG made being old “cool.”
Liberal as she was, among her best friends was the late former Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia The two were at the opposite ends of the political spectrum but their love of opera saw them regularly dine and attend performances together. So it’s no wonder, how many people are mourning her passing. Some, however, longer than others.
Senate Leader “Moscow Mitch” McConnell paid “his respects” for two hours before delighting in the opportunity of filling RBG’s seat on the court before the election. Couldn’t he have waited 24 hours? That’s what Donald Prump did. (Not typos, the “stable genius” actually mispronounced his last name and also said “We’ll soon be sending astronauts to “Nars.”)
Meanwhile, because of his colossal mishandling and lying to the American people, Trump virus deaths have passed the gruesome 200,000 milestone. From his calling it a “hoax” to “soon zero cases” to “it’ll magically disappear” to 200,000 dead. That’s three times all American military deaths in the Vietnam War in just seven months. (Trump said the 200,000 deaths is “a shame,” but still gives himself an “A” grade.)
On tape he somberly tells Bob Woodward the virus is “the plague,” but to his followers he says it’s no worse than the flu. He confesses to Woodward the virus is spread airborne but to the public he mocks people who wear masks.
Meanwhile, to feed his fragile ego, the “Dime store Mussolini,” as Steve Schmidt calls him, Trump, held another of his super-spreader rallies. Regarding RBG’s passing, he disgustingly coined the disrespectful slogan “Fill that seat.” Instantly his hate-filled supporters were chanting it gleefully.
Within 24 hours, the Trump campaign were selling t-shirts with the “Fill That Seat” logo. Odd, because when Scalia died I don’t recall the Obama administration selling t-shirts.
RBG’s granddaughter revealed her grandmother’s dying wish. “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” But Trump insinuated the granddaughter was lying. What kind of evil mind would even think that?
Michael Cohen writes, “Trump thinks everyone is as crooked as he is.” So it’s projection when he says “Lying Ted,” or “Crooked Hillary” or “Fake News,” because who lies more, is more crooked or whose entire life has been more fake? (Not to mention his hair and makeup on which he spends two hours every day.)
If you wonder what has happened to human decency, I think it disappeared in 2015 when Trump came down the escalator. But if decency is gone, hypocrisy is having a field day.
Scalia died in February 2016, nine months before the 2016 election but Moscow Mitch and every Republican Senator decided that “Obama shouldn’t be able to nominate a replacement “so close to an election.” (They wouldn’t even allow a hearing!) RBG passed away 44 days before the election but, every “Profile in Cowardice” GOP Senator have flip-flopped, insisting it’s 45’s right to nominate a replacement. Hail hypocrisy!
It’s likely with Trump’s new court, Roe will be overturned and Obamacare eliminated adding 20,000,000 more uninsured during a pandemic. (Hey, maybe they can reinstate the Dred Scott ruling?) And yet, not long ago Lindsey (Lady G) Graham swore, “If there’s a court vacancy in the fourth year of a Trump presidency, it would be filled by the next president.”
In 2016, Graham also said, “If you want to make America great again, tell Donald Trump to go to Hell!” And, “God has never created a better man that Joe Biden.” So, if a person is only as good as his word, what does that say about Graham? But he has company.
Marco Rubio called Trump “a con artist;” Ted Cruz: “Trump is a pathological liar;” Rick Perry: “Trump is a cancer on conservatism;” and Paul Rand: “Trump reminds me of a delusional narcissist on Comedy Central.” As for Mitch, his net worth was $3.4 million but since Trump it’s a whopping $34 million. Go figure.
Trump is the only president in history to be impeached in his first term. Threatening the very existence of our near 250-year democracy, he’s also the only one not to commit to a peaceful transition of power.
In 1787, at the closing of the Constitutional Convention, an elderly woman shouted at Ben Franklin, “What have we got? A republic or a monarchy?” Franklin reportedly responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.” With her last breath, RBG fought to keep it.
If you care about preserving our democracy, Google “They all knew.” Jack is at jackdailypress@aol.com.
