If POTUS can practice a bit of preemptive Blame-Casting, why not the rest of us? So here goes…
Will the Democrats be guilty of the shutdown if it happens? Yes, but only part. Inasmuch as that they voted against a continuing resolution to allow the government to stay open, they will, in some small part, be culpable.
Will the Republicans be guilty of the shutdown if it happens? Yes, but again, only in part. Yes, they will also bear the guilt for the shutdown in that they continue to act as if they needn’t cooperate with the opposition party. But more to the point, they will be partly to blame because they are enabling the REAL spanner-in-the-works.
With the President be guilty of the shutdown if it happens Yes! Inasmuch as the president is doing everything that he can to disrupt the operation of an already dysfunctional government, he will be largely responsible for the shutdown should it happen. By making inflammatory comments, by attacking the media, my distorting the truth, and my flagrantly disregarding what a huge majority of the American people want, he will be responsible.
But there is another party upon whom the culpability will fall firmly: Trump Supporters! By voting-in this incompetent buffoon, you are largely responsible for the shutdown as well! By continuing to support him despite the huge and evident damage he is doing to the country and its reputation worldwide, you are complicit in any shutdown that may happen. By gleefully attending his rallies of ego and vitriol, you encourage this man to continue to act irrationally and you are, therefore, mostly to blame for the shut-down.
POTUS has proven again and again that he cares about two things:
- What Fox and Friends say about him.
- Whether the plurality that elected him still adores him.
If this shutdown happens and you are personally damaged in some way by it – remember, this is a catastrophe of your own making and you have the power to change it! Do I think that this missive will have ANY impact whatsoever? Sadly, no.
As you, the Trump voter, have proven repeatedly – you simply do not care about what is demonstrably true. You did not care that the candidate was a misogynist and a racist. You actually cheered him on in his xenophobia. You giggled in delight as he mocked the handicapped and told you that anybody who didn’t hold your personal views must be lying to you.
You wanted this man, this millionaire who simultaneously demonstrates his contempt for the law and the poor while convincing you that he was one of you – you wanted someone who would disrupt the status quo. The chances are that you could have done a better job than POTUS is. It is hard to imagine someone who could do worse!
When the government shuts down, you need to pat yourself on the back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. On this coming weekend, I wish you a Happy Anniversary of the inauguration of the Common Man.
…and you cannot get more common (and vulgar) than the man you elected!
Wherever you are today, I hope that you will think about your role in the country and act responsibly.
Don Bergquist – January 19, 2018 – Lakewood, Colorado, USA
