Guns, Lies, Excuses, And Sidney

Two weeks, two mass murders using America’s massacre weapon of choice; at least one of which was purchased only six days before putting it to the only use for which it was designed. And ten days after a judge, adjudicating a lawsuit filed by the NRA, struck down a ban on its sales in Boulder, where the most recent murders occurred.

Last year was one of our deadliest ever for gun violence. Nothing will change, of course, as long as senators like Ted Cruz resort to the usual “Democrats want to take all guns from everyone” falsehoods, as he did this week. Nor as long as the NRA contributes millions in campaign donations, 98.1% of which, in 2020, went to Republicans. When Cruz began his deluge of deceit with “Every time there’s a mass shooting…” a lot more was revealed than he intended about America’s exceptional production and tolerance of slaughter by combat-style weaponry.

Also making a strong bid for the hearing’s b.s. prize was Louisiana’s Senator Kennedy, who equated restrictions on gun purchases with banning all law-abiding citizens from driving in order to stop drunk ones. It shouldn’t need explaining how dishonest and, if he believes it, stupid that is.

Rather than repeating calls for a minimal amount of sanity, which will inevitably fall upon filibustered ears, let’s talk about the lying that’s come to characterize the right side of our political spectrum, and not just about gun-control.

As a starting point, consider Trump-hired election-cancelation attorney Sidney (embarrassing, right?) Powell. Splattered like blood over the crime scene of right-wing media, her high-volume claims that Dominion Voting Systems conspired to steal the election from Trump, led to being named in a billion-dollar lawsuit by the defamed company. Her novel defense could become the template for all the liars up with whom we’ve had to put since the election of Trump. Especially Trump. 

And it should definitely supplant the ever-changing definition of “chutzpah,” the most recent iteration of which was Trump referring to House Democrats as “do-nothing” after Moscow Mitch spiked every bill they produced.

Strap yourselves in, dear readers. Here it comes, in a filing to the court by her lawyers: "No reasonable person would conclude that the statements were truly statements of fact…” In other words, they argue, she can’t be held to account because her lies were so ridiculous that “reasonable” people would know she was blowing smoke up their assumptions. 

Well, it’s bold. But here’s the thing: I knew, and I’d guess most people reading this did, too. Trumpists didn’t, though, and they still number in the millions. Sid-the-other’s prevarication was aimed straight at them, and, accustomed to devouring mendacity un-masticated, manna from the heaven-sent, they gorged on it. Stormed the capitol over it. Refuse over it, even now, to admit President Biden was legitimately elected. Which is why it’s necessary, contra a recent letter, to keep calling out Trumpism: like the carcinogens he deregulated, the poison remains, and will for decades.

Were Ms. Powell’s lies any more grievous than Trump’s about the election, the pandemic, climate change, immigrants, Democrats and socialism, China, Russia, and every other word that caused his lips to move? By no measure. One assumes her lawyers would argue he’s off the hook, too. Not his fault his followers aren’t “reasonable” people.

Among Republicans there’s rarely a political cost for lies as effluvious as Powell’s, Cruz’s, Kennedy’s, and Trump’s. In fact, they’re what keep getting them elected. And now we’re to believe there should be no legal consequences, either, because no one but idiots – their idiots, they’re confirming -- would believe. We may well see the theory tested in the coming months and years. When the full measure of Trump’s corruption is revealed, along with that of those he extracted from the swamp and sluiced into his “administration,” will his followers come to recognize how badly and cynically they’d been deceived? We should live so long.

Like those about Covid-19, Trumpist’s voting fabrications are existentially dangerous, and yet another definition of chutzpah: lying for months about the ubiquity of fraud, specifically and intentionally to destroy confidence in the process, they justify their newly-hatched, nationwide voter-suppression laws by saying confidence needs to be restored.

HR-1 is the bill written by House Democrats to ensure election fairness. Knowing they can’t win when it’s as easy for Democratic constituencies to vote as it is for theirs, Republicans will make it another victim of the fairnessbuster, while Ted Cruz, true to form, lies about it. 

Equitable election laws and reasonable gun-control: prevented by Republicans since ink dried on the quills. The devolution continues.

Seuss Time, Loose Rhyme

I do not like you, Cancun Cruz, 

You make me mad, oh yes you do.

I don’t like seeing you on the news.

The things you say are never true.

The “doctor’s” family changed their mind.

But you said Biden canceled Seuss.

They thought some pictures were unkind.

A lie like yours has no excuse.

Some books will stop, but just a few.

I think that is a thing you knew.

Before you talk about the book, 

Maybe you should have a look.

But you are not the very worst.

You didn’t even get there first.

Your party gave up long ago.

Their actions now are all for show.

Joe Biden’s plans they’d like to ditch

Unless they help the really rich.

Their sponsors’ wishes they’ll engage,

But never raise the mini wage.

What’s that? Did I just hear a Who

Complaining loud about the debt?

Or maybe it was only you.

But Cancun Ted did you forget 

The cost, gee whiz, for goodness sakes

Of budget-busting taxes breaks

For those who needed them the least?

While people starve, your owners feast.

And I don’t like you, Fox’s Tucker.

You always make my sphincters pucker.

(The reader may my praises sing:

I did not rhyme that other thing.)

The watchers of your icky show

Just want to hear you bashing Joe.

When you pretended books were banned,

Just as you hoped, the flames were fanned.

Oh Tucker, you’re a nasty guy.

You could be honest if you’d try.

But you prefer your misdirection

And lies about the insurrection.

Why you do this I don’t know,

But I admit it is your show.

Your viewers only want your fibs,

And love it when you “own the libs”.

It is too bad that’s all you’ve got,

Because it’s causing minds to rot.

Were you like this when you were small?

Did you never care at all?

(I know I mixed the rhyming scheme,

And now there’ll be a meter change.

Does it make you want to scream?

Seuss did it, too; don’t think it strange.)

It looks like we’re stuck with both Tucker and Ted,

Who hope we’ll be madder ‘bout books children read

Than the virus that Donald so carelessly spread.

That’s how they all try to get into your head.

And to think that I saw it on Capitol Hill.

The Rs were obstructing, they’re doing it still.

They all voted not to begin the debate

And forced their poor clerks into staying up late.

Then none of them voted for giving out checks

To people in need who are up to their necks.

They’re not very nice, and of that I am sure.

They act like they’re grinches; I guess always were.

They all voted no, every woman and man,

Weren’t even trying to come up with a plan.

And now that it passed they are trying to take credit, Believe it or not a “no” voter just said it.

“Young man,” someone told me, “you’re sort of a fool. You’ll never catch plans in Republicans’ pool.

They drown all ideas there, and more by the hour.

I guess they’ll keep doing it; it’s their superpower.

If I wait long enough, if I’m patient and cool,

Some say Mitch McConnell will restock the pool

Like Republicans did when they offered a hand

To presidents all, who were leading the land.

But that was back then, when it looked like they cared, And tried to improve how America fared.

Yet now, one and all, they are turning their backs

On people with problems that each of them lacks.

Though most of the voters are in Biden’s groove,

The right-wing decided that they’ll never move

Away from obstructing no matter the harm

To the country whose Trumpists they try hard to charm. 

But they’re charming with falsehood, they know that the truth

Brings voters they fear to the next voting booth.

In every red state they are up round the clock

To figure out ways how those votes they can block.

They want to because of the good we are seeing:

Joe’s getting things done and he’s not even mean.

And unlike his former, he keeps a low profe,

Yet no one must settle for just half a loaf.

Joe meant what he said and he said what he meant

And so far he’s faithful one-hundred-per-cent.