From GOP Sycophants and Lemmings, to Incorrigible MAGA “Deplorables,” to Alito’s Upside-down, Stop the Steal Flag, to Potty Mouth Trump, today’s column has it all!

Commentary

We need Irving Berlin and Kate Smith more than ever!

Allow me to come clean with you; I’m in the throes of a dilemma. Today’s column was supposed to be a follow-up to my post of a few days ago, Between Trump and Biden, what should real Republicans do? I was planning to go beyond those precious few “real” Republicans I had written about and focus on the ever-growing number of sycophantic Republicans lemmings and the incorrigible MAGA “deplorabless.” (Thanks, Hillary)

But those good and informative intentions got waylaid by one Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Samuel Alito, and his upside-down, stop the steal American flag flying on his home flagpole three days before Joe Biden’s inauguration and while, according to Jodi Kantor’s Times article, “the court was still contending with whether to hear a 2020 election case.”

But wait, there’s more.

So, rather than my babbling on about all the news of the week, news that is, frankly, throwing me deeper and deeper into a state of depression, I decided to simply introduce each of the following stories with brief and, hopefully, cogent thoughts and allow you to determine what level of depression you care to descend into. (Recognizing that these stories are sourced from the many newspapers, magazines and newsletters I subscribe to, I’ve included a PDF of each for you to read or disregard.)

Unreal Republicans

Sycophants and Lemmings

Anyone who has been following Trump’s election interference trial* in Manhattan is probably aware that starting with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, GOP sycophants both in and out of office, have been lining up like mindless drones** to show support for the disgraced and disgraceful ex-president. I guess shameless pandering is more important to these people than self-esteem, or doing their job as elected officials (I believe, Congress is still in session and their NYC boondoggle absented them from doing the “work of the people”. Tell me if I’m being too picky.)

*As noted in my last story, I refuse to label this trial the “hush money” trial. Yes, Trump paid hush money to cover up his indiscretions, but to what end? To interfere with the election!

**Mindless drone is one of the more colorful synonyms for lemming. Interesting fact: There is a myth about mass lemming suicides, apparently not true. So why does the myth prevail? Since someone who blindly follows a crowd—maybe even toward catastrophe—is called a lemming, the myth has been invoked to express modern anxieties about how individuality could be submerged and destroyed by mass phenomena, such as political movements or consumer culture. Couldn’t think of a better description of these GOP clowns than that.

First, sycophants in general as described by Dana Milbank of The Washington Post:

Next, from Matt Bai also in The Post, a story about perhaps the sycophant-in-chief, J.D. Vance:

Incorrigible MAGA “Deplorables.”

Two stories about probably the most incorrigible deplorables, Marjorie Taylor Greene, from Jemima Kelly’s Financial Times story, “Too MAGA for Trump!!!” and, from Zeeshan Aleem of MSNBC, Matt Gaetz, echoing Trump’s infamous admonition, “Stand back and stand by.”

Alito’s Upside-down, Stop the Steal Flag

Alito’s flag, or is it Mrs. Alito’s flag – his excuse that his wife raised the flag is kind of like when in the sixth grade you told your teacher, “the dog ate my homework,” – is just another reminder of John Roberts’ rot-infested _Supreme Court. And I haven’t even mentioned Clarence and Ginni Thomas!

First, Jodi Kantor’s Times’ exposé, and then, The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer’s analysis. I urge you to read them both, if for no other reason than for you to be able to tell your Republican friends, “Speaker Johnson’s is correct that the court system is “corrupt,” and that “it’s not about justice, it’s all about politics,” But he should be directing his screed not at the Manhattan court and DA but at SCOTUS and specifically Roberts, Alito and Thomas!”

Trump, Trump, Trump

I couldn’t finish this summary of recent events without some non-trial Trump news.

First, a USA Today story by Natasha Lovato, “What happens if Trump gets convicted ahead of November election?” the lede of which is, “Most legal experts agree that anyone could become president of the United States despite being found guilty of a
crime, as the U.S. Constitution only defines the requirements to run for the highest office in the land.” Makes sense, right? He’s Trump, where anything goes. Even if, according to The Law Dictionary, these are some of the rights convicted felons lose:

• Voting
• Traveling abroad
• The right to bear arms or own guns
• Jury service
• Public social benefits and housing
• Parental benefits
• Employment in certain fields, including:
  • Public positions and employment with the U.S. Armed Forces
  • Law enforcement agencies
  • Teachers
  • Childcare professionals
  • Many other jobs that require a professional license

While you might agree that a “public position” includes being president of the United States, I guess the Founders didn’t anticipate Trump and didn’t include “convicted felon” as a disqualifier.

So, now that we know the experts say that Trump can become president even as a convicted felon, what happens if he wins? As Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote, Abraham Lincoln famously had a “Team of Rivals.” Not Trump. Zac Anderson’s USA TODAY story writes as a candidate and then as president, Trump will surround himself with a “Team of Felons.” Fasten your seat belts!

Finally, I began this “Trump, Trump, Trump” section suggesting that it will cover non-trial news. But Trump’s behavior before, during and after court appearances left me with no alternative than to include Tribune News Service syndicated columnist Cal Thomas’, Op-ed, “Does the US want a potty mouth for its president?”

Do you want a potty mouth for president? More importantly, do his holier-than-thou Evangelical supporters?