The philosopher Bertrand Russell said: “There are many instances in history of generals so jealous of each other that they preferred defeat to enhancement of the other’s reputation.” Sounds like there’s some of that going on here.
The Lakota Native Americans’ way of living is said to include this: “When choosing a leader, we always kept in mind that humility provides clarity where arrogance makes a cloud. The last thing we wanted was to be led by someone whose judgment and actions were clouded by arrogance.” Sounds like some of that's here too.
Part of what’s needed is legendary basketball coach John Wooden’s wisdom: “There is no limit to what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.”
Some of Sinema's and Manchin's biggest funders jawboned them all week to vote to at least demand the talking filibuster, I was told last night. Mitch McConnell will kill the filibuster the second he can, and we know it. Sinema and Manchin are in Red states, both have GOP governors, and they were probably paid by McConnell. That's my bet. More important is what to do now, looking forward. Instead of focussing on these tools, we need to focus on their masters, the donors. Go to them, threaten to expose them in public media, boycott their products, sell off their stock, investigate them for violations of SEC, OSHA, etc. rules. If they don't do right, then make good on the threats. Fast.
Brilliant commentary, as always, and an interesting perspective. Call me crazy, but I think they could have gotten their ego boost by becoming “heroes“ after listening to all the sane voices around them and then being the ones who saved democracy!
Can Democratic Senators not just casually shun and ignore them, taking away all that attention? Wouldn't it be easier to woo one or two moderate Republican Senators and get less than they wanted but still achieve something, and just leave Manchin and Sinema out in the cold for a couple of weeks?
Let's take the next necessary step, and square the circle. Corporate-cash and a psychopathological need to feed one's ego go hand in hand; they fuel each other. In the two cases at hand media attention and buckets of compromising cash are happy obscene playmates. Not only do we radically need regulation of contributions to both candidates and office-holders but we need at least constituents' scrutiny for aberrations.
Look at the role models: the former guy; MTG; Gaetz; Cawthorn; Boebert; DeSatan; on and on....
Bingo! I live in Arizona and voted for Sinema when she ran against bat shit crazy McSally. The only reason she won was because McSally was so bad. If the Republicans nominate someone who is better than McSally (I'm not holding my breath)they will win back the seat. In the meantime there is an immense movement to primary Sinema.
I just don’t understand this. I don’t understand how they work so hard to get where they are, just to turn around and NOT do the job they’re there to do. It’s incredible. I also don’t understand why THIS is the position they’re taking as a way to garner some attention! They might not have been familiar names a year ago, but don’t they realize they will be known throughout the rest of history as the two people who could have helped save democracy, but instead helped usher in the demise of democracy in America? I’m just not understanding the end game or long term plan from them. How can they possibly think this is in any way a good thing beyond the pull of the current spotlight? They’re getting battered in the polls which are sinking lower by the statement, the optics are absolutely terrible for them (something I thought politicians cared about), and yet, here they stand.
ESPECIALLY when if they just voted for the bills they themselves co-signed (another juxtaposition that’s boggling my mind), they would be considered heroes throughout the rest of our history for restoring democracy. THAT should be the narcissistic end game. Why would they want to be villains for eternity when they have the opportunity, like so few others have, to be able to change the course of history in one of the most progressive & positive ways possible?
Where do they realistically see the country when the GQP takes over and then proceeds to kill the filibuster almost immediately for their own evil ends? Will they feel like fools as they should? Will they even care? The biggest problem is that we have no idea because they won’t be honest with us.
I understand everything you said, but I still don’t get it.
I want to speak about last Wednesday’s Senate vote, but not from the perspective of a particular Senator’s psyche. I want to speak about the general public who, for good reason, doesn’t understand most Senate rules, which are quite obtuse. Hence, whatever people think they understood about the discussions and votes this past Wednesday, without their fully knowing what actually was happening on the floor, I don’t imagine one could expect the public indignation one would hope for. Unless the public fully were made aware of the modest, restricted rule change 48 Democratic Senators had proposed to pass minimal federal voter protection safeguards, one could not expect a public outcry that could lead to real reform upon learning that 52 Senators rejected the slight rule change and chose, instead, to stick with rules that allow a single Senator merely to dial in a filibuster on a motion just to proceed to debate.
I will work hard to inform people both about the details of the proposed rule change that was to be used only once on this particular bill and also about why, in my view, it failed. More importantly, with an issue of this magnitude, I will seek the attention of credentialed experts to help assure the outrage among those who have followed these negotiations for months gets the hearing it merits.
Thanks for a very incisive article. I agree. Senator Manchin maybe able to get away with it and may not be afraid of a primary challenge but I am puzzled how Senator Sinema didn’t see that she will now have a rough time in a primary.
Hope Democrats are able to improve their margin in Senate this November by at least two so that these two Senators can go back into oblivion where they were prior to last February.
Manchin and Synema are the two best republicans out there. Democrats in name only. Shame on them. I can only hope they get voted out of office on their next go-round. They are not just hurting you and me but our children and our grandchildren just to line their own pockets and bask in the false notoriety handed out by the media.
What are citizens supposed to do when more narcissists in Congress start playing this same game? No one has been able to answer my question of why they haven't been censured or brought up on charges for not maintaining their oath of office. But I guess perjury, lies and bribery are just the way to do business these days!
This is the oath senators in Congress must take: Upon taking office, senators-elect must swear or affirm that they will "support and defend the Constitution." The president of the Senate or a surrogate administers the oath to newly elected or re-elected senators. The oath is required by the Constitution; the wording is prescribed by law. So WHY no repercussions for their behavior
It is a conclusion I had arrived at a long time ago Egotistical people should not be leaders of the free world , there is to much at stake to sable in self praise. These two will not change , now that that taste has hit their deranged mind. It is naive to think that they will ever perform like legislators in the future. It would be smarter to bypass them always , don’t take their word for anything
I, me, and myself so easily become everyone's inner tyrants! Unfortunately, they are also always right. Manchin and Sinema can torpedo what's left of American democracy, they will swear to their death bed that they could not have done anything wrong ever.
So, I have suggestion. If politicians love the limelight so much, why not picking one or the other when they are obnoxious and give them prime time to thoroughly explain their reasons to the public by answering its questions? No doubt they would love the scrutiny of reason at play in front of the largest possible audience, for as long as it would take, moreover.
Right?
Ok, as we all know here, mainstream media will never, ever speak truth to power. Giving context and critically going to the bottom of things is a no no when you are an institution that itself belongs to power. I was just dreaming a bit.
On a hopeful note, I went to hear Senator Michael Bennett, Colorado, speak last weekend. Thought I was listening to Robert Reich. He's working very hard for the common good!
The philosopher Bertrand Russell said: “There are many instances in history of generals so jealous of each other that they preferred defeat to enhancement of the other’s reputation.” Sounds like there’s some of that going on here.
The Lakota Native Americans’ way of living is said to include this: “When choosing a leader, we always kept in mind that humility provides clarity where arrogance makes a cloud. The last thing we wanted was to be led by someone whose judgment and actions were clouded by arrogance.” Sounds like some of that's here too.
Part of what’s needed is legendary basketball coach John Wooden’s wisdom: “There is no limit to what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.”
Some of Sinema's and Manchin's biggest funders jawboned them all week to vote to at least demand the talking filibuster, I was told last night. Mitch McConnell will kill the filibuster the second he can, and we know it. Sinema and Manchin are in Red states, both have GOP governors, and they were probably paid by McConnell. That's my bet. More important is what to do now, looking forward. Instead of focussing on these tools, we need to focus on their masters, the donors. Go to them, threaten to expose them in public media, boycott their products, sell off their stock, investigate them for violations of SEC, OSHA, etc. rules. If they don't do right, then make good on the threats. Fast.
Brilliant commentary, as always, and an interesting perspective. Call me crazy, but I think they could have gotten their ego boost by becoming “heroes“ after listening to all the sane voices around them and then being the ones who saved democracy!
Can Democratic Senators not just casually shun and ignore them, taking away all that attention? Wouldn't it be easier to woo one or two moderate Republican Senators and get less than they wanted but still achieve something, and just leave Manchin and Sinema out in the cold for a couple of weeks?
Let's take the next necessary step, and square the circle. Corporate-cash and a psychopathological need to feed one's ego go hand in hand; they fuel each other. In the two cases at hand media attention and buckets of compromising cash are happy obscene playmates. Not only do we radically need regulation of contributions to both candidates and office-holders but we need at least constituents' scrutiny for aberrations.
Look at the role models: the former guy; MTG; Gaetz; Cawthorn; Boebert; DeSatan; on and on....
Bingo! I live in Arizona and voted for Sinema when she ran against bat shit crazy McSally. The only reason she won was because McSally was so bad. If the Republicans nominate someone who is better than McSally (I'm not holding my breath)they will win back the seat. In the meantime there is an immense movement to primary Sinema.
I just don’t understand this. I don’t understand how they work so hard to get where they are, just to turn around and NOT do the job they’re there to do. It’s incredible. I also don’t understand why THIS is the position they’re taking as a way to garner some attention! They might not have been familiar names a year ago, but don’t they realize they will be known throughout the rest of history as the two people who could have helped save democracy, but instead helped usher in the demise of democracy in America? I’m just not understanding the end game or long term plan from them. How can they possibly think this is in any way a good thing beyond the pull of the current spotlight? They’re getting battered in the polls which are sinking lower by the statement, the optics are absolutely terrible for them (something I thought politicians cared about), and yet, here they stand.
ESPECIALLY when if they just voted for the bills they themselves co-signed (another juxtaposition that’s boggling my mind), they would be considered heroes throughout the rest of our history for restoring democracy. THAT should be the narcissistic end game. Why would they want to be villains for eternity when they have the opportunity, like so few others have, to be able to change the course of history in one of the most progressive & positive ways possible?
Where do they realistically see the country when the GQP takes over and then proceeds to kill the filibuster almost immediately for their own evil ends? Will they feel like fools as they should? Will they even care? The biggest problem is that we have no idea because they won’t be honest with us.
I understand everything you said, but I still don’t get it.
I want to speak about last Wednesday’s Senate vote, but not from the perspective of a particular Senator’s psyche. I want to speak about the general public who, for good reason, doesn’t understand most Senate rules, which are quite obtuse. Hence, whatever people think they understood about the discussions and votes this past Wednesday, without their fully knowing what actually was happening on the floor, I don’t imagine one could expect the public indignation one would hope for. Unless the public fully were made aware of the modest, restricted rule change 48 Democratic Senators had proposed to pass minimal federal voter protection safeguards, one could not expect a public outcry that could lead to real reform upon learning that 52 Senators rejected the slight rule change and chose, instead, to stick with rules that allow a single Senator merely to dial in a filibuster on a motion just to proceed to debate.
I will work hard to inform people both about the details of the proposed rule change that was to be used only once on this particular bill and also about why, in my view, it failed. More importantly, with an issue of this magnitude, I will seek the attention of credentialed experts to help assure the outrage among those who have followed these negotiations for months gets the hearing it merits.
Money talks; principles walk.
Thanks for a very incisive article. I agree. Senator Manchin maybe able to get away with it and may not be afraid of a primary challenge but I am puzzled how Senator Sinema didn’t see that she will now have a rough time in a primary.
Hope Democrats are able to improve their margin in Senate this November by at least two so that these two Senators can go back into oblivion where they were prior to last February.
Dante was prescient when he reserved narcissistic and hypocritical politicans to the deepest circles of hell.
Manchin and Synema are the two best republicans out there. Democrats in name only. Shame on them. I can only hope they get voted out of office on their next go-round. They are not just hurting you and me but our children and our grandchildren just to line their own pockets and bask in the false notoriety handed out by the media.
What are citizens supposed to do when more narcissists in Congress start playing this same game? No one has been able to answer my question of why they haven't been censured or brought up on charges for not maintaining their oath of office. But I guess perjury, lies and bribery are just the way to do business these days!
This is the oath senators in Congress must take: Upon taking office, senators-elect must swear or affirm that they will "support and defend the Constitution." The president of the Senate or a surrogate administers the oath to newly elected or re-elected senators. The oath is required by the Constitution; the wording is prescribed by law. So WHY no repercussions for their behavior
It is a conclusion I had arrived at a long time ago Egotistical people should not be leaders of the free world , there is to much at stake to sable in self praise. These two will not change , now that that taste has hit their deranged mind. It is naive to think that they will ever perform like legislators in the future. It would be smarter to bypass them always , don’t take their word for anything
I, me, and myself so easily become everyone's inner tyrants! Unfortunately, they are also always right. Manchin and Sinema can torpedo what's left of American democracy, they will swear to their death bed that they could not have done anything wrong ever.
So, I have suggestion. If politicians love the limelight so much, why not picking one or the other when they are obnoxious and give them prime time to thoroughly explain their reasons to the public by answering its questions? No doubt they would love the scrutiny of reason at play in front of the largest possible audience, for as long as it would take, moreover.
Right?
Ok, as we all know here, mainstream media will never, ever speak truth to power. Giving context and critically going to the bottom of things is a no no when you are an institution that itself belongs to power. I was just dreaming a bit.
On a hopeful note, I went to hear Senator Michael Bennett, Colorado, speak last weekend. Thought I was listening to Robert Reich. He's working very hard for the common good!