Back during the Clinton years, all you heard from the Republican Party was how important character was for a president of the United States. Now, of course, you’ll never hear that word in any shape or form from the current Republican occupants in Congress. Gee, I wonder why?
It’s a trend that’s been going on for a while now. Embracing the current president as they’ve done for nearly four years shows that the party could give a rat’s you know what about character. They parked themselves squarely in Donald Trump’s orbit, rarely a whisper or a peep of discontent, other than the occasional “privately, many Senators are appalled at the president’s statements.” Privately?
Cowards – every damn one of them.
And while we’re speaking about character, how about we address a certain newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice by the name of Amy Comey Barrett? Can we please talk about her character? Or, should we get approval from Republicans to see if it’s ok?
I’m sorry to break it to Republicans; Ms. Barrett will forever be tarnished as damaged goods by the American people – at least those who believe in fairness and playing by the rules. The whole process of her confirmation is tainted beyond repair, and they must play an enormous political price for how they rammed through this nomination.
With only three years as a Court of Appeals Judge and no history of even trying a case in a court of law, saying Barrett’s not qualified for such a prestigious position is not a bogus proposition. We know there are more qualified judges and lawyers out there. But the Republicans chose this particular person? The political and ideological opposite of the legendary Ruth Bader Ginsburg?
They have no shame.
But today, my rant is not centered upon her far-right, out of the mainstream ideology. No, today it’s all about Judge Barrett, the person. Because, in my view, what transpired Monday evening at the White House tells us all we need to know of who Barrett is.
Participating as she did in a White House political rally/swearing-in ceremony is beyond the pale, especially with the election only a week away from coming to fruition. She may as well have put on a red MAGA hat. Nothing like pledging one’s independence to rule on cases while simultaneously accepting the nomination from the most partisan unqualified president in modern history.
And therein lies the rub. Accepting the nomination in the first place, under such a cloud of deceit and hypocrisy, tells us all we need to know about Ms. Barrett. She wanted the job, pure and simple – no matter the circumstances surrounding it.
A person with integrity and honor would have said to the current president: “Sir, I cannot accept this nomination, for how it was handled will hover over my tenure until the day I decide to hang up my robe. If you were to win a second term as president, I would be most honored to accept your offer. But with the election only weeks away, I cannot in good conscience accept your offer at this time, because quite frankly, it sends the wrong signal to the American people.”
But obviously, Ms. Barrett lacks the integrity and honor we should expect in a Supreme Court Justice. In many ways, she mirrors the Republican Party as a whole. It’s always about the power grab. It’s always about what’s in it for me and the hell with everyone else.
More than likely, though, Ms. Barrett thinks she’s the best person for the job. She wants to take us back to a time where most of the current president’s base of support lives daily, at least in their minds, that is. You know, that more white, less diverse time when women played a much more subservient role in society and men ruled the world.
The fact is, the current president made her an offer she could not refuse, I suppose. Again, doing what’s right doesn’t matter anymore. It’s about, among other things, putting minorities in their place, maintaining the white power structure, ending gay, lesbian, and reproductive rights, and giving corporations the ability to pretty much do as they please. In other words, she will become the newest standard-bearer of the Republican Party’s platform.
She could have said no to the current president. But why should we expect anything different from these people? Now, having nominated and confirmed three Supreme Court Justices in his first term, the court’s legacy has Donald Trump’s small little fingerprints all over it for several years to come.
It’s a travesty the likes I hope we never see again in my lifetime. Ok, maybe Ms. Barrett will occasionally surprise us. Perhaps she’ll be fair on some things, show a bit of independence, and do the right thing. John Roberts, on occasion, has done so. Why not her, too?
It’s a glimmer, folks. At this point, all we can do is hope like hell for an overwhelming Joe Biden victory on November 3. Then we can push him to, in fact, pack the court, for that is the only prudent thing to do in response to this naked power grab.
In the meantime, let’s hope Ms. Barrett isn’t the total disaster we all think she’s going to be. But make no mistake about it, she’s tainted forever. She could have done the honorable thing and turned the offer down. She chose not to.
On that note, I’ll leave you with what the Republican Party of yesteryear used to say:
Character matters.
It doesn’t matter to Amy Coney Barrett and this Republican Party. Character? Who cares? Just win, baby, and own the libs.
Pathetic.
On The Fence Voters 
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