In the Funhouse Mirror
“This world is a funhouse mirror, sometimes you look like a clown…” Ben Bochner
Has anybody else noticed how the Democrats suddenly sound exactly like the Republicans did when they used to shout “Lock her up!” about Hillary Clinton? Does anybody else remember how stupid the Republicans sounded when they went around chanting “Lock her up, lock her up!” Just sayin’.
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/08/730941386/harris-justice-dept-would-have-no-choice-but-to-prosecute-trump-after-presidency
P.R. Burn-em’s Circus is filled with funhouse mirrors, and in those mirrors, it’s hard to tell the different Clowns from each other. And, in this magical realm, not only do the Clowns all look the same, they all start to say the same things, almost like they are stuck in a Parakeet Parade.
Far, far back in ancient Circus lore is a secret saying that “Two systems in direct competition become more and more alike.” That seems to be what we are seeing here, as the Blue Clowns echo the Red Clowns of the past, while the Red Clowns spout the same responses the Blue Clowns made not too long ago.
But it doesn’t look like an even competition, anymore. And the Demosaurs are in big trouble, folks, as P.R. Burn-em’s Two-Party Circus rolls into the long hot summer ahead. The Blue Clowns dance in their quirky circle dance around the Trump Bunker, whose balloon walls grow taller by the day. Nancy Pelosi— still in her Maiasaur disco outfit— is sick and tired of dancing and has positioned herself onto a high chair above the other Blue Clowns. She’s waving a balloon gavel in the air, and in the other hand she’s holding a sharp needle. This is the needle of impeachment, the only weapon the Blue Clowns possess which can pop the protective balloons surrounding the Trump Bunker. She’s giggling a little as she taunts the other Blue Clowns. It sounds like she’s saying, “It’s my needle and you can’t use it.” over and over again but that wouldn’t be very funny, right? And she is supposed to be a clown right? But the closer I listen, the more it does sound like she’s taunting the other Blue Clowns, holding the needle away from them and sure enough, over and over again, she says the same thing. “You can’t use it, you can’t use it. Too bad for you, you can’t use it.” If a Blue Clown reaches up to grab the needle, she smashes their fingers with the gavel, giggling and repeating. “It’s mine, and you can’t use it.”
Without the needle of impeachment. the sad Blue Clowns have now had to resort to shouting “Lock him up, lock him up!” without being able to do anything about it. They sound kinda stupid, don’t they?
And in the funhouse mirrors of P.R. Burn-em’s Circus, both Parties’ Clowns start to look more and more the same.
So, I was wondering how the average age of our current Geriocracy compared to the ages of Congresspeople past. It’s not as bad as I thought, but pretty bad, folks. The power positions, of course, are filled with the oldest members, by design, so even that average age is a little misleading. Make no mistake, we live under the rule of the Geriocracy. Our country is being run by really fookin’ old people, and that ain’t necessarily the best way to do things, especially when the world is changing, and we need to evolve.
https://www.senate.gov/CRSpubs/b8f6293e-c235-40fd-b895-6474d0f8e809.pdf
The average age of Members of the House at the beginning of the 115th Congress was 57.8 years; of Senators, 61.8 years, among the oldest in U.S. history.
And, check this out. While researching the aging of our government, I found someone else who is on to this problem. This is from 2018 in the Guardian. Love the word “gerontocracy”, dude. I really do. I would have used it myself, if only I’d known. But I’ve grown used to my own coinage, “geriocracy”, so I guess I’ll stick to it for myself. This article is a good articulation of the problems with being ruled by really fookin’ old people, whatever you want to call it.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/06/congress-senate-house-age-problem
Geriocracy is what you get when you combine unbreakable incumbency with an excellent health plan.
In case I’ve been unclear with all my endless goofy metaphors, I believe the Democrats should immediately begin impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump. Clear enough? But don’t listen to me. Listen to Tom Steyer. He’s a billionaire, after all, and I’m just a joker poet. I like the work Steyer is doing. Persistent and organized.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jun/10/tom-steyers-need-impeach-targets-democratic-leader/
You can check out his site here and support his petition with a click.
https://action.needtoimpeach.com/
This Slate article kinda says what I’ve been saying for a while. The Dems can argue their subpoena rights all the way up to the Supremes, and they’d likely be right from a legal basis. But the Supremes are loaded, and they aren’t going to listen to reason or the law. They will say— and a gullible public will buy it— that if the Democrats believed Trump committed crimes they would have begun an impeachment investigation. The Supremes— in sublime 5 part harmony, but with some radical dissonant notes thrown in by a stricken RBG— will say that these investigations without the the purpose of impeachment are fishing expeditions, looking for wrong-doing rather than trying to prove suspected wrong-doing. The loaded Supremes will throw the Democrats out onto the street like drunk punks getting tossed out of a biker bar. And we’ll have a brand-new Constitution. Brett Kavanaugh will throw off his robes and attack a young girl in celebration, and all the bikers will join in. Welcome to Trump-world, folks. He wants to take over the Circus. And I’m guessing these Supremes are gonna let him.
Trump gives Pelosi a bronx cheer from inside his balloon bunker.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/06/trump-mazars-subpoena-nancy-pelosi-impeachment.html
The impeachment rejoinder raised by Trump’s lawyers, then, should not be dismissed out of hand. It would let the conservative justices protect Trump while claiming mere fidelity to separation of powers. And Pelosi could neutralize it in an instant by launching a bona-fide impeachment inquiry, undercutting the legal basis for Trump’s resistance to the Mazars subpoena. The probe need not lead ineluctably to an impeachment vote; it need merely clarify that the House is actually mulling impeachment, which it should already be doing anyway. Pelosi is running out of reasons to use the I-word. And Trump’s lawyers are so confident in her resistance to impeachment that they’re exploiting her words to shield Trump’s finances from congressional scrutiny.
Today, I’ll be diving into the stream from the House Intelligence Committee. Maybe some more cool Spy v. Spy stuff will come out by accident. I hope it’s not as boring as the last episode. I don’t think the ratings will be very high. I’ll have some kind of review in the View from the Side tomorrow.
You can watch, too, if you want to.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-house-hearing-to-review-mueller-findings-on-russias-contact-with-trump-campaign
For today, a couple of real-life links to keep you busy while I go watch the Clown show.
Julian Assange, Revelator of Truth, writes a letter from prison. Sorry, folks. No more truth for you.
https://www.activistpost.com/2019/06/julian-assange-writes-a-letter-to-supporters-from-british-prison-here-is-what-he-said.html
This big dangerous cyclone is sweeping into India as I type these words.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/11/world/cyclone-vayu-india/index.html
Out from the side. And on to today’s hearing!
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