A lot of people said they are shocked by some of the revelations of the testimonies and/or depositions given before the committee. I was not. We’ve had years of examples before us. Perhaps these were just more dramatic because they were in person and public. Some said that the revelations will feed the narrative of the Democrats. Others said they will provide more talking points for the Republican, who will counter with more lies. Yes, you can’t convince people to change their minds if they don’t want to hear what you’re saying.

But just like a drip of water can wear down even a stone, the steady drip of revelations of the corruption of the Trump Administration will affect the mid-term elections. They may provide incentives for both parties, but the Republicans are losing based on demographics. While they may have enthusiastic support of their base, that represents an increasingly smaller part of the electorate. They know that, and that’s one of the things that worries them. It’s why they want to suppress voter turn-out. They win only when fewer people vote.

January 6, 2021 was a day in infamy, but it was only one incident in a long list of events that have threatened our democracy. The corruption of the Republicans, and how they cheated to stack the Supreme Court, took place over several years. It was unprecedented, but they did it anyway just because they could. Of course, that plan came to fruition when they achieved their goal in overturning Roe Vs. Wade. On the other hand, that decision may serve to motivate more Democrats, Independents, and disaffected Republicans to vote in the mid-term. Our goal will be to elect people to Congress who will enact laws renewing the right for a woman to have control of her own body. That’s an issue that never would have been raised if it had been applied to men. It’s ironic that those who promote fewer government regulations of business are the ones who want government to interfere in some of the most private and personal acts of individuals. They promote a theocracy form of governing. The Founding Fathers established the principle of separation of church and state.

Ultimately, the greatest loss has been the unwillingness to compromise in creating legislation. The totally partisan approach weakens the democratic process that requires compromise between competing positions. Some would say it is better to do nothing than to pass bad legislation, but if that occurs over decades then nothing gets done. We drift from one crisis to the next. The nation can’t function without a viable Congress or non-partisan courts. If the Executive Branch operates solely on Executive Orders, then the balance of power is voided. The entire system of governing gets out-of-whack. How can we celebrate July the 4th if we have forgotten the principles of that event? Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are not empty phrases.

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