TRUMP’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF PEACE AND GOODWILL TO OPPONENTS:

by Vijaya Chandrasoma

As we complete another eventful year, I would like to apologize for the many shortcomings I have displayed over the years. The most common complaint has been that my essays are tediously lengthy and boring.

The second complaint is that my obsession with Trump has become annoyingly tiresome. In my defense and contrary to the teachings of psychiatry and all religions, that hatred is self-destructive, my loathing of Trump has been of enormous therapeutic relief to me. Hatred that has made me a better person, because all the evil in my heart is reserved exclusively for the “Stable Genius”.

Trump’s unhinged and profane Christmas message on his Truth Social media network is addressed to those who recognize him for the narcissistic crook he is. He chooses this time of sanctity, not only for Christians but to people of every faith, who embrace and celebrate the universal message of Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All, to spew the very essence of blasphemy.

“Merry Christmas to Crooked Joe, the out-of-control Deranged Jack Smith….and the SICK THUGS who are looking to destroy our once great USA”. Ending with “ROT IN HELL” as headlined above. Trump is a sick psychopath, nutty as a Christmas fruitcake.

Sadly, his visions of dictatorship and revenge appeal to his Republican base, who see him as the Savior who will take Hitler-like steps to save their worst nightmare of the loss of white privilege; that the country will fall under the yoke of an invasion of brown-skinned immigrants who will poison the pure blood of the rightful owners of the USA, the Christian white supremacists.

I thought it would be appropriate to end the year with a record of the legislative inaction of the Republican House, with just 22 laws passed this year, out of a total of 700 laws pending. The previous record for legislative inactivity was in 2011, when 73 laws were passed. Brevity would therefore be a given, and my best intentions to contain my propensity for prolixity would have been admirably served.

Unfortunately, the vulgarity of the Christmas wishes of the crass Trump hit the headlines, and I could not resist the temptation of reporting on a subject that highlights, as if any more highlighting were necessary, the vengeful lunacy of the former president. So brevity again went down the tubes.

Conservative Republican Congressman from Texas, Chip Roy agrees with my contention that the Republican Party has done very little this year. He recently took to the House floor to tear into his fellow Republicans. “Our party has become a complete, useless dumpster fire that does nothing to help the American people; because it is too busy investigating the president’s son, kissing the last president’s ass, and fighting each other….For the life of me, I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing – just one – that I can say to my constituents that we have done to help the American people”.

I can give him three, but instead of helping the American people, they have only focused on the Party’s disunity, in competition as to who kissed the former president’s ass most unctuously, initiated an evidence-free Impeachment Inquiry against President Biden and ruined Santa’s Christmas.

For starters, Republicans fired Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose ten-month tenure ended when he became the first Speaker in history to be ousted by members of his own party, hardline Trumpers with the brownest of noses.

On September 30, in a rare moment of empathy for his fellow Americans, McCarthy acted against the wishes of Trump, voting with the Democrats to avoid a government shutdown that would have caused chaos and embarrassed the Biden administration. Unfortunately for him, this is the only goal, the raison d’etre of Trump and his party. So he had to go.

In a poignant speech when he surrendered the Speaker’s gavel, McCarthy stated, to an almost empty chamber, “Do not be fearful if you believe your philosophy brings people more freedom. Do not be fearful that you could lose your job over it”.

We all remember McCarthy pleading with Trump over the telephone to call off the rioters, from the floor of Congress, during the January 6 insurrection. An expletive-filled shouting match resulted when Trump refused, ending with a furious McCarthy shouting at Trump, as the rioters were breaking into his office, “Who the f… do you think you are talking to”, before fleeing to safety.

Directly after the insurrection, McCarthy excoriated Trump, in Congress, for his complicity in the assault on the Capitol. Three weeks later, however, fearful of losing his job, he visited Trump at Mar a Lago, cap in hand and kissed the ring, showing us exactly who the f… he really was, how fearful he was about losing his job and how little he cares about the freedom of the people.

After ejecting McCarthy, the Republicans elected as their new Speaker Louisiana Congressman and avid Trumper, Mike Johnson, a backbencher who suddenly found himself to be second-in-line to the presidency, after VP Kamala Harris. Part of his six years’ experience in the House was his ardent support of Trump’s violent January 6, 2021 insurrection. Johnson is a devoted Christian who believes that the US is governed not by the Constitution but by the Bible, the current Republican version, according to which the “Orange Jesus” is the Son of God.

The Republicans, who have been trying to impeach President Biden since the day of his inauguration, voted, on December 13 to formally authorize an Impeachment Inquiry into President Biden. An evidence-free Inquiry into the yet unknown high crimes and misdemeanors (the constitutional requirement for the impeachment of a president) committed by the President. An earlier Inquiry fell through when the first of their “expert witnesses” opened with the admission that their investigation had uncovered no impeachable evidence against President Biden.

Republican Congressman James Comer, chief architect of the current Inquiry, was asked by Steve Doocy during an interview on Republican-friendly Fox News, for details of the high crimes and misdemeanors committed by Biden. Comer said that such evidence was what the Inquiry was intended to find, based on that famous American legal principle that “a man is guilty until proved innocent”.

Maryland Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin compared the proposed impeachment to one of Agatha Christie’s famous “Whodunit” mystery novels. The only difference being that the “who” and the “dun” are known, but the “it” is the real mystery.

The real reason for the impeachment of Biden was Trump’s plaintive, kindergarten cry: “Mommy, mommy, he started it. He did it to me, so we must do it to him!”

The Republicans enacted earth-shattering legislation last week, that public schools should serve schoolkids whole milk instead of low-fat milk, which had hitherto been on the cafeteria menu. Legislation that took precedence over funding for Ukraine and Israel, the climate crisis, gun violence and other relatively insignificant problems that could easily be postponed till after the holidays.

In an attempt to promote a healthy diet in school meals, Republican Congresswoman from North Carolina, Virginia Foxx, waxed eloquent on the benefits of whole milk in one of the finest political orations since Rev. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech in 1963.

“It’s Christmas time in America, with the tradition of leaving milk and cookies out for Santa and his reindeer to enjoy. It is a tradition in my family to leave only whole milk with the cookies. We only want the best nutritional option for Santa.

“Whole milk provides the nutrients like calcium, protein and Vitamin D to enable Santa to circle the globe in one night. It helps build and repair his muscles, necessary for hoisting heavy sacks of gifts up and down chimneys; it keeps Santa’s bones strong as he dashes from rooftop to rooftop; and whole milk is essential to keep Santa warm as he braves the cold wintry night.

“You see, it’s just not the magic of the season that helps Santa deliver presents worldwide – it’s also the fortifying nutrients of whole milk”.

Ms. Foxx’s dream was that one day, all public schools in America will recognize the value of whole milk, which will surely provide the nutrition necessary for all children to successfully complete their math homework, irrespective of the color of their skin or the content of their character.

Santa had heard rumors about the Republican whole milk plans before embarking on his annual trek. Shivers ran down his spine, not only because it was freezing cold in the North Pole. He had sent an urgent message to Congresswoman Foxx, long before Christmas Eve, that his reindeer, except for Rudolf, whose nose was suspiciously red, did enjoy whole milk during their arduous journey. As for himself, he would appreciate it if the nice people would leave him a large shot of single malt Scotch whiskey with the cookies, which would more effectively fortify him, and keep him snug and warm while dashing on rooftops and down chimneys on that cold wintry night.

Santa made this earnest request because Mrs. Claus, in her capacity as President of the North Pole, had recently enforced Prohibition in that continent. Santa had been forced to drink bootleg booze the past few months, and had been looking forward to a decent drink on Christmas Eve, as do we all.

Alas, his message had fallen on deaf years, and he had to drink that awful whole milk with his cookies. His traditionally booming “Ho Ho Ho” was strangely muted.

The Republican Congress added to their “achievements”, the denial of a woman’s fundamental rights to reproductive freedom, with a decision that could only be described as sadistically inhumane. A cynical ruling made by a few old white geezers who barely know what the hell a uterus is.

Ms. Kate Cox, married with two children, is a resident of Texas. A deep-red state with Draconian laws, Texas banned abortion under virtually any and all circumstances last year.

Ms. Cox sued to obtain an abortion after learning that her fetus had a fatal chromosomal condition and spinal abnormalities. Her doctor had informed her that there was no chance her unborn baby would survive birth or live for a few hours afterwards. A continuing pregnancy would jeopardize not only her own life, but also her future fertility. Tragically, abortion was her only option.

A lower court judge ruled in favor of Ms. Cox’s immediate abortion, but the Texas Supreme Court overruled that decision. Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General, threatened to punish any doctor who provided Ms. Cox an abortion. Ms. Cox was forced to flee Texas and have the procedure done in a state with more humanitarian values.

With the election looming in November, the Republican House will likely continue to block every progressive measure proposed by the Biden administration. We can only hope that the economy will continue to thrive in the new year. More importantly, that moderate Republicans and Independents will finally realize that Trump, if allowed to contest and is elected to the presidency, will bring about an era of authoritarian terror, the white supremacist version of the Spanish Inquisition, from which the nation may never recover.

There are hopeful signs that many such moderate Republicans and Independents are beginning to feel apprehension and tiring of Trump’s continuing dangerous rhetoric, his monotonous whining that he is the victim of a perennial witch-hunt. Rival Republican candidate Nikki Haley seems to be gaining momentum to be a live threat to eat into Trump’s substantial lead in the Republican polls.

If she upsets Trump for the Republican nomination, or if Trump is constitutionally or criminally disqualified from seeking re-election, she would be a worthy, moderate candidate, a skilled politician to challenge President Biden, whom she currently leads by double digits in the polls in a head-to-head presidential race. In fact, she may attract votes from many Democrats who feel that Biden’s advanced age is a distinct problem.

And happily, Trump will finally face accountability for all the violent and treasonous crimes he has committed in a desperate attempt to remain in power and so avoid certain imprisonment.I wish readers a happy, healthy, Trump-free 2024, more with trepidation than confidence for the democratic future of the United States.