Mr. Write's Page

I know, I know. I get too bent out of shape about politics. Fuming about the dastardly behavior of the Republicans is completely futile. It doesn’t deter or reform them one whit, nor does it help my blood pressure.

But sometimes, a fellow has to let off steam. Especially now, so soon after missing out on my long-awaited hike at Grand Canyon — specifically, getting screwed out of the hike by the government shutdown precipitated by the Snidely Whiplash wing of the Republican Party — I feel the need to vent.

Looking back to late September, I knew in my heart that the Republican lunatic fringe would make good on its threat to force a government shutdown and take the country to the brink of economic default.

Now the drama has played out, and the government is open again, and we came so close to defaulting that the U.S. economy got dinged for about $24 billion. Nice. Very nice.

Probably the most sordid and contemptible moment of that whole debacle was the spectacle of a group of those Republican “patriots” haranguing Park Service workers for closing the national monuments in Washington.

At the time, the Park Service employees were, yes, working without pay because of the Republican-created shutdown. Such hypocrisy is mind-blowing.

During the shutdown, the Republicans made 18 demands — concessions they wanted in exchange for reopening the government and allowing it to pay its debts.

The Democrats, to their credit, refused to play the game and rejected each demand. As they did, the blackmailers moved on to the next on the list.

Here are their demands, in the order made:

– Defund Obamacare
– Delay Obamacare
– Delay the individual mandate
– Deny health care coverage to the President
– Deny health care coverage to the Cabinet
– Deny health care coverage to Congressional staff
– Deny birth control coverage
– Approve the Keystone Pipeline
– Include means-testing for Medicare
– Change Federal employee pensions
– Expand oil drilling
– Block Net Neutrality
– Institute tort reforms
– Weaken regulations for coal-fired power plants
– Make changes in the tax codes
– Block EPA coal-ash regulations
– Repeal the medical device tax
– Change certain rules on the debt ceiling

Those Republicans. Always classy.

Eventually, when a bill was presented in the Senate to end the shutdown and extend the debt ceiling, the measure passed 81-18. All 18 no votes were, of course, cast by Republicans.

When the bill went to the House of Representatives, all 198 Democrats voted yes. So did 87 Republicans who had a temporary flash of sanity. But 144 Republicans voted no.

Characteristically, the Republicans went to work after the shutdown ended, professing with straight faces that, well, they took a stand that was necessary and honorable, because blah blah blah, yada yada yada.

No. It wasn’t necessary or honorable at all.

It was mean, selfish, and purposely destructive. It was disgraceful.

Have you noticed how the Republicans are compelled to describe Obamacare as some horrific monstrosity that, if allowed to exist, will bring down democracy?

In their unbalanced minds, Obamacare cannot be framed simply as bad policy, or as a plan that needs fixing; it must be defined as evil incarnate.

That, as any lucid person can see, is complete and utter delusional nonsense.

Look at the facts. Obamacare is not a sweeping plan by any stretch. It is a milquetoast effort at best — weak and watered down. It’s just a modest program that tries to give people a break by ending some of the more odious practices of the health care insurance industry.

If the Republicans were at all rational, they would point out the genuine deficiencies of Obamacare, not make up crap and work themselves into a lather demonizing it.

They would find ways to fix it, and make it work, and, justifiably, claim the credit.

But it’s clear that a Republican mind is not a rational mind.

For a moment, hold those thoughts about the Kafkaesque behavior of the Republicans while I digress a few hundred years.

In the early months of 1653 in London, tension was high between Parliament and the Model Army, led by Oliver Cromwell. It was four years after the execution of Charles I, which temporarily ended the English Monarchy.

Volumes have been written about the clash of the two factions in that conflict. Frankly, I’ve never discovered that either side exhibited virtues worth bragging about; it was simply a political and religious power struggle. What else is new?

(If you’re in the mood for a shot of English history, I wrote a post last year that looked at Cromwell’s brief reign as Lord Protector of England before the Monarchy was restored.)

On April 19, 1653, apparently in a fit of pique, Cromwell demanded that Parliament be temporarily suspended and replaced by an interim council of “Godly men” until a national election could take place. Parliament ignored him and continued in session.

The next day, Cromwell appeared in Parliament leading a company of armed Musketeers. As his men secured the exits, Cromwell addressed the Members.

He began calmly. Then, with rising anger, he launched into a monumental diatribe, berating the Members in epic fashion and informing them that Parliament was, as of that moment, permanently ended. Shut down. Over and done.

On Cromwell’s signal, the Musketeers rousted the Members from the chamber. The doors of Parliament were sealed shut behind them.

Below is the text of Cromwell’s rant to the Members of Parliament.

When you read it with the despicable behavior of today’s Republican politicians in mind, it takes on a wonderful new perspective.

———————

It is high time for Me to put an End to your Sitting in this Place, which you have dishonoured by your Contempt of all Virtue, and defiled by your Practice of every Vice.

Ye are a factious Crew and Enemies of all good Government; Ye are a Pack of mercenary Wretches and would, like Esau, Sell your Country for a Mess of Pottage; and like Judas, betray your God for a few Pieces of Money.

Is there a single Virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one Vice that you do not possess?

Ye have no more Religion than my horse! Gold is your God: Which of you have not bartered your Conscience for Bribes? Is there a Man amongst you that has the least care for the Good of the Commonwealth?

Ye sordid prostitutes! Have you not defiled this Sacred Place, and turned the Lord’s Temple into a Den of Thieves by your immoral Principles and wicked Practices?

You, deputed here by the People to get Grievances redressed, are yourselves become the greatest Grievance.

The Country therefore calls upon me to cleanse the Augean Stable, by putting a final Period to your Iniquitous Proceedings in this House, and which by God’s Help, and the strength He has given Me, I now come to do.

I command ye, therefore, upon the Peril of your Lives, to depart immediately out of this Place.

In the Name of God, Go! Get out! Make haste, ye Venal Slaves, begone!

“Cromwell Dissolves the Long Parliament,” by Andrew Carrick Gow, 1907.

“Ye are a factious Crew and Enemies of all good Government.”