Portico Darwin: Hold The Hungarian Goulash, Please
TODAY'S RAMBLINGS After seemingly months of overblown hype, the gala 2021 Darwin Awards are TOMORROW! Ask yourself: what's stopping you? Walk, bike, taxi, BART, drive, or fly: it will be worth it. Well, this gala event may not justify flying to town, but still . . . be sure to watch the video clip attached to this to see what you'll be missing.
Turning to more serious matters, here is my wishlist for 2022. It centers on not becoming Hungary. How odd to write that!
America remains a democracy.
Congress passes and Biden signs a new Voting Rights Act.
Trump is imprisoned, either Federally or by the State of New York.
Members of Congress that enabled the 1/6/21 insurrection go to Federal prison for treason.
Members of Congress that voted against procedurally certifying the 2020 election of Joe Biden after the insurrection are unanimously and officially censured in the House and Senate, and then voted out of office.
Congressional subpoenas come to mean something again for everyone.
Biden pulls a rabbit out of his hat and:
Gets Amazon and a consortium of non-profit health care providers (i.e., Kaiser Permanente) to cooperate such that we pull our heads out as a nation re: at-home, on-demand COVID testing
Does the same thing with Apple and Google (iOS and Android) and the states and establishes a uniform proof of vaccination and testing status that appears on everyone's phones
Stephen Breyer resigns before it's too late.
We have a Republican party again - who among us doesn't long for a Larry Hogan, a John Kasich, or a Joe Scarborough to be the face of the franchise? Gosh, even Mitt Romney or Jeb Bush would be just fine! Oh, for the days when Republicans just wanted ever-lower taxes and no one smoking pot, vs. the direct embrace of a fascist "leader" like Trump.
Readers today will recall yesterday's newsletter, and the reminder that all we hold dear can disappear quickly.
Every American asks themselves often during 2022: if the insurrectionist mob had reached Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence a year ago yesterday, and pulverized Pelosi and literally hung Pence, would that have been enough? Would photos of them mutilated and dead been enough for those of you still kinda sorta on the fence about Trump, and the danger he and his enablers pose? For what seems like the millionth time: this is not a policy thing, it is an America thing.
FROM THE UNWASHED MASSES After publishing yesterday's special edition on 1/6/21, I came across this from Opinion Page of The Wall Street Journal. It is KARL ROVE, calling on Republicans to stop the madness. It was not behind a paywall yesterday, but just in case, here is a PDF.
Although Karl Rove has done as much to divide America as anyone, at least he's on the right side of history here. I urge everyone to read his thoughtful and concise editorial. Even Karl Rove thinks his fellow Republicans need to snap out of it.
Many felt the gravity of 1/6.
Ronald Reagan, channeled via Hunter Deuce (and thanks, as I not seen or heard this in a while):
"Found this and I've been posting it here, there, and everywhere:
'To a few of us here today this is a solemn and most momentous occasion, and yet in the history of our nation it is a commonplace occurrence. The orderly transfer of authority as called for in the Constitution routinely takes place, as it has for almost two centuries, and few of us stop to think how unique we really are. In the eyes of many in the world, this every-4-year ceremony we accept as normal is nothing less than a miracle.
Mr. President, I want our fellow citizens to know how much you did to carry on this tradition. By your gracious cooperation in the transition process, you have shown a watching world that we are a united people pledged to maintaining a political system which guarantees individual liberty to a greater degree than any other, and I thank you and your people for all your help in maintaining the continuity which is the bulwark of our Republic.'
Ronald Reagan January 20, 1981"
Dr. Doreen Downs:
"Well said, Portico."
Steven Simon:
"You remember how I asked you to take the other side of the argument? Well, what makes this situation trickier is that the Trump cult uses this exact same argument you are using. Exactly the same.
The Democrats are the Nazis, slowly taking away their freedoms, destroying the Constitution. So they refuse to sit idly by, unlike the Germans."
Ouch, but it goes a long way in explaining those who stormed the Capitol. Maybe.
And finally, Arthur:
This just launched today. (It is) interesting, though I'm sure the people who should read it, will not:
That is an excellent resource for us all. Holding those responsible - whatever their station - for 1/6/21 accountable for their actions is non-negotiable.
I join each of you: I won't be forgetting the travesty of 1/6/21 any time soon.
Oh, wait, in the interest of presenting both sides, here is the closeted homosexual and supposed US Senator Lindsay Graham, yesterday, on President Biden's powerful speech of unity and preserving our democracy:
You, "Senator" Graham, make me sick. 1/6/21 and its aftermath have been the nadir of politicization, and your greasy little hands are all over it.
On to less critical matters . . . and he gets two shout-outs today. At least the picture will cheer everyone up. Shocker, but a mention of Wilco moved an avid (much appreciated!) reader of this newsletter to pick up his crayon:
"Given the horrors she's endured, Lewinsky has constantly impressed me with her perspective on a lot of issues. And now? Another win."
Need I even provide a name at this point? A picture is worth a thousand words.
Thank you to any one that is reading this newsletter - especially my great friend Hunter Deuce.
KLUF I am fearful that what much of what I've listed above will fail to materialize. In fact, I am probably a dreamer. Here, on an album that ushered in an era musical pretention (that of course I adore) is Supertramp and the progressive rock staple, "Crime Of The Century". One could also say the title nicely captures Trump's hold on the Republican party.
But it's most apt for describing our actions if we fuck up what we have in America.
Bonus video of what our parties in The Presidio look like - you don't want to miss tomorrow!
