THEATER OF THE ABSURD

Like most of you I watched the State of the Union speech last week. Over the years I have seen many. Most of these speeches are good, but for the most part they are predictable. The President, as required by the Constitution, addresses Congress and gives his account of how things are and again, according to the requirement by the Constitution, asks Congress for consideration of legislation to improve anything that needs improvement.

Lately with the advent of televised proceedings, these speeches have become “political theater.” The party in power stands and applauds while the opposition sits. It has all become quite predictable.

This last one was, however, anything but predictable. In fact, it was embarrassing. It was theater alright but it was theater of the absurd.  If I were a Democrat, and thank God I am not, I would be both embarrassed and ashamed. In all my years of observation of these events, never have I seen something so despicable.

I don’t expect the opposition to approve of the party in power but I do expect them to remain the “loyal opposition.” What we all witnessed was a group of overgrown children having a tantrum. I watched as Nancy Pelosi tended to her brood, the Democrats, and basically dared any one of them to stand or applaud anything the President had to say. They dutifully obeyed.

I am sure the Democrats think this is a winning philosophy. I am sure they believe their “resistance” to all things Trump is a winning tactic. Sadly for the Democrats the numbers tell a different story. Polls released after the speech found that the country approved of both the speech and President Trump by 75%. Another poll which had previously showed the democrats with a 14% lead over Republicans in the coming midterm elections has dropped to just 2%. And all of this is just in the wake of the State of the Union speech. If the Democrats aren’t scared, they should be. Pelosi, Schumer, Ellison, and Maxine Waters are the face of the Democrat party. That should frighten anybody.

This week all Americans who work for wages are seeing increases in their paychecks as the tax reform package kicks in. Many millions have or are receiving bonuses because of the tax break their employers received.

The punitive Obamacare mandate penalty has been eliminated, thereby giving another financial increase to millions across the country. Many of America’s great companies have announced increased spending, growing, and building right here in our country. Thousands of new jobs are being created. Billions of dollars which have been “hidden” offshore are being repatriated. Consumer confidence is higher than it has been in decades while unemployment is at all time lows for all of our citizens. This is the real “state of the union.” In other words, the times they are good.  

What amazes me is that the Democrats plan to use these facts to campaign for office in the midterm elections. Pelosi and Schumer have called the tax reform act armageddon, atrocious, crumbs. Pelosi has said that the tax bill was the worst piece of legislation she had ever seen, etc., etc., ad nauseum. As usual the Dems are on the wrong side of this issue.

As a “traditional American” who loves this country, I hope the Democrats do what their leadership wants. I hope they campaign on their desire to return to Obama style hopelessness. Wouldn’t that be great. To quote one of the most quoted lines from the movies, “Go ahead, make my day.”

Sadly though I don’t think the Dems are that stupid. They know that’s the wrong strategy and will quickly understand that they either have to get on the train or watch their own train wreck. As has been clearly enunciated time after time, it’s the economy, stupid. Nothing has changed. Political theater aside, reality runs the show.

Ron Scarbro