Politics Makes Old People Crazy
My grandfather used to pay his taxes in Roosevelt dimes. And he was particular about pronouncing the name “ruse-a-velt” because he believed it was a smear on the man he blamed for his higher taxes. Although Franklin Roosevelt didn’t institute income taxes, he did start graduated taxes brackets where the wealthier paid more than others. His “soak the rich” policy.
I’m not sure why my grandfather opposed this system. He was a maintenance man. But it just goes to show you that following politics makes you crazy. He collected his dimes all year and hauled them down to the tax collector’s office on the last possible day. He did it until he could no longer walk or carry that many Roosevelt dimes.
Today, with the acquittal of Donald Trump at his second impeachment trial, I am moved to go equally crazy. Any entity that donates to Republicans no longer gets my business. I would withhold my taxes if I could. Today, Republicans openly admitted that Trump was guilty but the majority refused to convict him because of timing, saying the trial came after he was out of office. Which, by the way, only happened because Republicans refused to act before he left office.
This is particularly heinous when Americans see the security footage of the January 6th attempted insurrection. (Actually, it was a failed coup.) That video shows then-Vice President Mike Pence being evacuated from the Senate chambers, where he was presiding over the counting of the certified Electoral College votes. (Joe Biden (D), 306 / Donald Trump (R) 232.)
Closer examination shows Pence accompanied by his security detail who carried his “nuclear football”. The crowd inflamed by Trump to attack the Capitol, is not far away. Fifty-seven paces. When Trump was informed that Pence was being escorted out of the chamber, he sent the following message on Twitter:
After that tweet, the whole scenario took on a Princess Bride feel. There is a point in the movie where Inigo Montoya is chasing after Count Rugen, who killed Montoya’s father. Rugen escapes behind a locked door, and Montoya calls for aid from his burly friend, Fezzik.
Trump’s tweet about Mike Pence was the “he’s getting away” cry from Trump to his brute squad. I contend he wanted them to catch and kill the VP and steal the nuclear football for two reasons.
Reason One: To maintain power. He could do this by declaring Martial Law over the death of his VP and the missing nuclear football. This would allow Trump to maintain power.
Reason Two: To give that nuclear launch suitcase to Putin, blaming the theft on the mob. While the device itself could be deactivated to prevent it from launching a nuclear attack, it would still contain information about attack scenarios that would interest the Russians.
Republicans refused to convict Trump. The vote was 57 (convict) and 43 (acquit.) Conviction requires a two-thirds majority. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) agreed that Trump committed the heinous act of undermining the elections and provoking an insurrection.
We came this close to losing our democracy on January 6, 2021.
All this has officially made me crazy. Which is why I can’t ever again support any entity that donates to Republicans. Maybe I should pay my taxes in Roosevelt dimes while I’m at it.