Wasted Opportunities

Last night, after the most incompetent man ever to hold the office of President of the United States gave a speech to a joint session of Congress, former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear gave the rebuttal speech for the Democratic Party.  It wasn't as bad as it initially looked like it was going to be.  When I first saw him, I thought, "here we go!  Another old establishment Democrat from a traditionally Republican state, talking about how the Democrats are willing to compromise."

I was relieved when Beshear went after Trump's initial policy mistakes, and his unjust vilification of the Intelligence community and the Press.  He was animated and passionate, but his response wasn't a big league home run.  His speech was more of a 6 year old hitting a ball off the 'T' in a Rec league game.  The Democrats took the easy swing.

The rebuttal speech should've been Rep. Keith Ellison first reminding everyone Hilary Clinton won 2.9 million more votes than Trump.  Then, Ellison should've gone after Trump's never ending delusional rants against his perceived enemies, his lack of condemnation of attacks against the Jewish and Muslim communities, his Administrations made up terrorist attacks, the never ending litany of mistakes emanating from the Trump Administration, Trump's out of control personal spending of taxpayer dollars, Trump's weekend Mar-A-Lago trips and golf excursions, and his obscene favoritism to corporate executives and Republican donors.  The end of the speech should've been a fiery call for multiple independent investigations into Trump's undeniable Russia ties and the botched, Trump ordered, Yemen raid, with the justification being the multiple Benghazi Investigations, and how, if this was a Democratic President, Republicans would've already drawn up impeachment papers.  This speech should've been a major throwing down of the gauntlet.

...sigh...

Last week, I was told some listeners to my radio show are far more outraged by the nicknames I make up for Republican politicians than they are about anything else.  The people I mock are trying to really hurt Minnesotans, at best.  At worst, they're undeniable racists and sexual deviants.  The legislation the MNGOP's putting forward is God awful; clearly written out of state, designed to give away the rights of Minnesotans, handing them to Republican donors who are demanding a return on their political investment.  Yes my nicknames are childish, but for the sake of this country:

Do NOT tell me you're far more bothered by my nicknames than you are about the horrible Republican politicians and their intentionally damaging legislation.  Please, for the sanctity of Minnesota and the future of this country.  PLEASE!!!

...sigh...

Democrats, wake up!  We don't need to be pulling our punches anymore.  Now is the time to fight.  Republicans control this country because when they get a rebuttal, they don't deliver a handwritten 60-page, well worded memo, describing their position's merits and positives.  They've won because they scream "the other side is evil and we need to destroy them."  Republicans control media not because of respectful, thoughtful, NPR-ish rational discussions.  They control media because they unleash their base's emotions, with lies, conspiracy theories and name calling which would make a longshoreman blush.

I'm not calling for the Democratic Party to start lying, or to irrationally label the opposition as some mythical, ancient enemy.  I'm saying we need to stop pulling our punches and take advantage of the low hanging fruit the Republicans have left on the tree.  I watched one President (W) get away with atrocious crimes because spineless, wishy washy Democrats allowed him to get away.  NEVER AGAIN!

Democrats, stop trying to win the moral victories only.  You're pacifist-ing yourself out of existence.