Shortly after moving to Alabama to join the faculty of The University of Alabama School of Social Work, I recall an article being written which described the ineptness of the Alabama Legislature. The author of the article stated that , individually, the legislature was made up of, mostly good and honorable people, but, collectively, they were a disaster and unable to function in manner that was in the best interest of the citizens of the state. As I reflect on the national legislative scene, this same indictment can be directed toward the U. S. Congress, specifically, the Senate. We all are aware that the Senate is under the control of the Republican party and the leadership of the self-described, “grim reaper”, Mitch McConnell. In an article in the Washington Post, Dana Millbank, stated that McConnell “…has done more in recent years than any other person to embitter our politics and incapacitate government.” It was McConnell, that stated that he would do all that he could to undermine anything that, then President Obama, sought to get passed in the Senate. Many of us will recall the stagnant nature of the political scene in Washington year-after-year during the time of McConnell’s leadership.
Granted, not all the ineptness lies at the feet of McConnell, yet he is the leader of the “do-nothing” Senate majority. It is this body that has allowed Trump to do whatever he damn well pleases, with no recriminations, no accountability and no responsibility for his actions. It is this body that has allowed him to waste millions of taxpayer dollars in supporting his innumerable trips to his resorts, hotels and golf courses. It is the Senate that has allowed him to funnel millions of dollars away from the Defense Department to build the damn wall on the southern border. It is this majority in the Senate that has failed to raise the first question about Trump releasing his tax returns. It is the Senate that voted to acquit Trump for obvious and blatant attempts to engage a foreign government leader in internal political dirty work. It is this Senate majority that has allowed him to replace one Inspector General after another, even though this is to be done under the scrutiny of the Senate. The concept of oversight and accountability that is built into the role of the Inspector General has become a figment of one’s imagination. Most recently, it will be interesting to see if one Republican Senator raises the first question about the decision of the Justice Department to drop charges against Michael Flynn, even though he plead guilty to the charges being dropped. Not sure how that works!!
It is this Senate majority that has said nary a public word about the delays in the administration’s response to the virus that has now taken the lives of close to 80,000, as of this writing. It is this Senate that has not raised the first public question about the constant denials, confusion and lack of any coherent plan to deal with the ever-increasing death toll in this country. It is this Senate that has not raised the first public outcry about the lack of adequate and timely testing, tracking and necessary protective gear. It is this majority in the Senate who have bragged on the efforts of the first responders and the front line workers, but damn well will not provide any of them with any hazard pay for taking their lives and the lives of their family members in their own hands as they do their jobs. We will put up signs, “Heroes Work Here”, and do flyovers to signify our praise, but that does not pay the rent or care for sick relatives. In the next stimulus bill it is McConnell and his spineless Republican colleagues who are advocating for the inclusion of protections from being sued due to negligence of protecting workers from the Covid-19 virus. Big business is to be protected while those on the front lines become expendable. As one reflects on what has happened on a global scale, it is the United States that has done the poorest job in proactively dealing with the pandemic and the price of this ineptness is paid on a daily basis for all too many lives lost. Regardless of Trump’s repeated lies and “alternative facts”, this country has been abysmal in dealing with this catastrophe, and it is not getting any better and the future looks quite bleak.
As I mentioned, above, individually these are probably decent individuals, but they have no hutzpah when it comes to dealing with Trump. As Michelle Cottle noted in her article in the New York Times: “Senate Republicans have sold their souls to Donald Trump, and it’s absurd for them to pretend otherwise.” The Republican majority has abdicated any sense of checks and balances of the executive branch. It seems obvious that Trump has wielded unbelievable control over what, one would assume, are intelligent and capable individuals, but who have behaved in a manner that belies any sense of individuality. During the impeachment trial, there was a glimmer of possible light that flickered away when it came down to taking a stand. Susan Collins, Mitt Romney, Lamar Alexander, and Mike Lee gave a hint of concern about what Trump had done, but that bit of a glimmer was snuffed out by the inevitable party loyalty taking hold over doing what they knew as right. This has been what has characterized the members of the Republican Senators since Trump has been in the presidency. What are they afraid of? What can he do to them that raises a level of fear that is often seen on the school playgrounds and perpetuated by the local bully? Is this man that much to be feared? Certainly, he retaliates, but if there was indeed several Republican Senators who would stand up to him, there is power in numbers. Why are these mature adults so intimated by the “bully”? He cannot have that much control over each one of these men and women, yet they behave as if he does.
The Senate continues to sit idly by as Trump replaces anyone who takes a position that is not to his liking. He has replaced those who have the expertise with those who are simply loyal minions to what he purveys as the answers to what we are living through at the present time. The virus is for real, but he could give a damn about the number of lives that will be lost as he tries to fan the fires of discontent to get the “county open”. Yes, we need to move in this direction, but to do so thoughtfully, carefully, and directed by those who know what they are talking about. Will we see any efforts by members of the Senate majority to take a stand that will be in the best interest of the country or will we continue to see them hide behind the cloak of party loyalty? If it is the latter, it will lead to one hell of a price to be paid.