The "L" Word

I dreamt that I uttered the "N" word. To a young black child, a student. A student of mine. Absurd on so many levels, not the least of which is the notion that I would ever be mistaken for somebody who possesses the credentials or patience necessary to teach young children.

Though I had spoken the word in the context of a quote, in what I am sure I thought -- in my dream -- to be a teachable moment, I recall my immediate regret. The kids all scolded me, and I knew my job was on the line. My stress level was higher than usual when I woke this morning.

Yesterday, I did more than my fair share of watching and reading about opening day in the House hearings on Russian meddling in democracy and collusion and related issues. There was hand wringing on both sides of the aisle, noticeably partisan to the extent that it was conducted above or underneath the table. The only real surprise was how far some politicians were willing to go to deflect attention away from attempts by a hostile foreign government to undermine our democracy and possible traitorous behavior by high ranking new tenants of our White House and instead focus on the shocking tragedy (gasp) of leaks.

Hypocrisy now knows no bounds in our government. Ideological partisanship has turned Congress into a twisted school yard with lines dug so deeply into the grass that nobody even tries to play well with others. It was bad enough before; now, with the quintessential school yard bully soiling the furniture in the Oval Office, nothing will get accomplished, and there is no end game other than winning.

I am riveted, now, by today's blockbuster legislative mini-series: the Senate's Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Neil Gorsuch. Brilliant, accomplished, likable. From everything I have read, and from what I have personally observed, he is a thoughtful jurist who has always performed his duties with care and impeccable ethics and can be depended upon to do the same in the future. And that is the issue. For a judge, it's about the process, and there should be no end game. Judge Gorsuch gives us no reason to doubt that he believes otherwise. Period.

Frankly, the time for remedying the horrendous behavior of Senate Republicans when they refused to even consider President Obama's pick has passed. Had we anticipated then that the buffoon in chief could actually win, maybe there would have been more of an aggressive push. But there wasn't, and despite the pervasive yearning for retribution by Democrats, this is not Judge Gorsuch's problem, and he need not be our latest casualty in a government gone awry. I was  disgusted by Orrin Hatch's repeated references to "Liberal" groups and their biases; he utters the word with the same hateful sneer that would twist a racist's lips when uttering the "N" word. The "L" word. I was equally disgusted, though, when Patrick Leahy compelled Judge Gorsuch to answer whether "corporate entities" were explicitly mentioned in the First Amendment, as if the answer would clarify the issue of original intent. It would be like asking a religious Jew whether the Bible specifically prohibits elevator rides or telephone calls on the Sabbath.

I am one of those people who refuses to recognize 45 as a legitimate president, and, even if he is ultimately shown to be, I will still refuse to give him a chance. He is unqualified, he is unhinged, and he knows nothing and cares less about what our country stands for. I do, however, hope that Senate Democrats will not try to right the wrong done last year by not confirming Neil Gorsuch (unless he gives them a reason to do so). It is my hope that the hypocrites, on both sides, will ultimately get bitten in the ass, and that the ones who still have principles and still remember what the end game is will rise out of the ashes. This would be a good time for an olive branch, and a little bit of healing.