Rant, Rant, Rant

I am asking a favor of you:  please let me today slip into a personal rant about what happened in the Senate and some ancillary thoughts.  Is that OK?  If it’s not, feel free to now click the “X” (or red dot if you’re using Firefox) right now and my rant will go away.

Are the American people stupid?  NO!  Do Americans need anyone in D.C. to explain the fundamentals of America to us?  NO!  Do Americans simply “tune out” everyday, ignoring all the serious and substantive things that must be conducted by our elected representatives?  NO!  Do Americans have a fundamental understanding of the U.S. Constitution?  YES!  Are Americans cognizant of the disfunctionality of the U.S. Congress (for the most part) and how fragmented and politicized it is?  YES!

The answers to those questions are there for all to see.  It’s just that many in Washington are either blind, too stupid to see or believe those answers, or they simply do not appreciate the impact their political mantra, political paybacks, political squabbling, and meaningless narrative have on Americans……and that Americans see it, understand it, and HATE IT!

Want some examples of the lunacy underway just this week regarding the confirmation hearings and ultimate confirmation of now Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch?

Charles Schumer, (D-NY) 

In explaining his confrontational approach in questioning Judge Gorsuch in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings with the Judge, Schumer said that Gorsuch “was unable to sufficiently convince me that he’d be an independent check” on Trump.  Schumer said later that the judge is “not a neutral legal mind but someone with a deep-seated conservative ideology,” hand-picked for Trump by conservative legal groups.

Schumer before the confirmation vote chided Senators, President Trump, and all Americans stating that Republicans actions to invoke the nuclear option to confirm Gorsuch was unacceptable, deplorable, partisan, and a blight on the U.S. Constitution and the institution of the Senate.  Wait a minute:  didn’t Schumer join other Senators in unanimously appointing Gorsuch to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver?  Was he qualified then?  Did he lose those qualifications since joining that bench in 2006?  His opinions there were 99% in the majority.

Wait a minute:  did the Republicans invent the nuclear option?  No, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) invented it, got it approved by his fellow Dems in a Democratic controlled Senate, and implemented it.  Senator Schumer voted with the majority!  And they used the nuclear option to overcome any Republican filibuster regarding Obama appointments.

Wait a minute:  the Constitution says NOTHING about a 60 vote majority in the Senate for appointment confirmations.  The Senate invented that rule.  That means THE SENATE CAN CHANGE THAT RULE!  And, by the way, a “filibuster” is NOT in the Constitution either:  the Senate invented it.  This ALL was created by politicians for one reason and one reason only:  political partisanship.   It has NOTHING to do with what’s best for the American people.

I listened to Senators Schumer and Durbin (D-IL) talk down to Judge Gorsuch in Judiciary Committee hearings about a specific case in which the District judge ruled against a truck driver.  The driver left his truck and trailer on the side of the road when he was stranded in an ice storm.  His company fired him for violating company policy — leaving the truck — he sued, the judge ruled against him, he appealed to the Gorsuch court, and that court upheld the District Court judge’s ruling.  Schumer and Durbin stated Gorsuch by upholding that decision ruled against the little man and ruled for “big corporations.”  When Judge Gorsuch succinctly pointed out that the fact that the man was caught in an ice storm and was in a predicament had nothing to do with the law.  The law stated the employee was liable to follow company rules and could be terminated for violations of those rules.  The judge felt horrible for the driver, but had no choice.  Gorsuch told Schumer and Durbin, (paraphrasing) “I had no choice in the case but to rule on the law.  Judges cannot legally MAKE laws.  This body makes laws.  And if this body had made a law that overruled that company policy, I would have ruled for the driver.”  He stated something then that was a demonstrative explanation of how this (now) Supreme Court Justice views law:  “Often lawmakers shirk their legislative obligations and pass along to the Courts the job that legislators are supposed to do and expect judges to fix it.”  Needless to say, that response apparently did not sit well with a few Dem Senators.

Richard Blumenthal, (D-Conn)

“Damage was done to our democracy,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal,  said Friday. “Raw political power has been exercised to break the rules and norms of this body.”  He too forgot that Democrats invented and deployed the nuclear option. Such arrogance!

Americans DO get it.  We understand that very little of what is done in D.C. (or at least during the creation processes of motions, bills, policies, and laws) are created exclusively for Americans.  They almost always are created in a partisan way for partisan purposes to scratch someone’s back so as to gain an obligation for reciprocal back scratching.

Neil Gorsuch may be the most qualified judge to ever put on that black robe in D.C.  The entire opposition to his appointment by Liberals had nothing to do with his qualifications.  That opposition was due to anger by Democrat Senators because “their guy” was not confirmed to replace Judge Scalia.

Let me conclude by saying the following:

• Americans get it.  We don’t need elected “interpreters.”  We need elected lawmakers who make those laws for us
• Americans get you.  And you are expendable.  You run for elections either every 2 or 6 years.  We have long memories.  Either get to work for us or find another job, or we’ll help you make that decision
• Americans get the process.  No, everyone does not like having Donald Trump as President.  But even Cher gets the fact that the election is over, he is President, and we have a country to run.  We’d like your help!  “Get ‘er Done!”
• Americans get mad.  Stop the stupidity over Russia, wiretapping, leaking, unmasking, etc.  Whoever is supposed to investigate, please investigate, get the facts, and prosecute anyone and everyone who has broken any law — no “deals!”  Let Justice really have its way.

Here’s what we have in front of us before we can get any of the World’s problems repaired:  Congress has got to get together.  Here’s what Doug Schoen — a longtime Democrat pundit — had to say:

“If the Democrats could not compromise with Republicans on a judge who was previously confirmed by unanimous vote in 2006 to the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, then opportunities for future bipartisanship will be limited, decreasing the likelihood of any and all legislative reforms on the horizon.  Furthermore, if partisanship continues to toxify the Senate, it may only a matter of time before a majority party moves to eliminate the filibuster on legislative matters as well. Such a move would destroy one of the few remaining vestiges of rigorous debate in American politics.”

Hey guys and girls on the Hill:  “It ain’t about you, your healthcare, your retirement, your junkets, or your back scratching.  It’s about America and Americans…..only!”

I don’t have a microphone here or I guess the thing to do right now would be to drop it and walk out of the room……