To paraphrase the long-gone comedian George Jessel (1898-1981), the median age of the Democrats’ congressional leadership is deceased. Nancy Pelosi’s achievements deserve our respect, but she’s 82 years old. Stenny Hoyer, the House Majority Leader is also 82. Jim Clyburn, the Majority Whip, is the kid in the group at 81. In contrast, the average age of the American people is about 39. And regardless of his chronological age, Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, is the village idiot whose time has long-long-since passed (maybe around his 12th birthday). It’s not unreasonable to suggest the Democratic Party is sorely in need of some new blood. We’re certainly not getting anywhere with what we have now.
For some reason this humble spirit cannot fathom, people continue to credit Nancy Pelosi for “holding the two wings of her party together.” At this point, how do we know she isn’t just holding onto them so she doesn’t fall over? And assuming she does hold them together, exactly what is the Democratic caucus accomplishing? The House passes bill after bill that just dies in the Senate at the hands of obstructionist (stop the country from moving forward in any way!) Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, who at age 80 is no spring chicken either. To my mind the man’s only redeeming characteristic is his admiration for my cousin Henry (Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky, 1777-1852), the “great compromiser.” As I’ve said before, I wonder if his fondness for Clay doesn’t stem from the two of them having been college roommates. Needless to say, another one who needs to go.
Republicans make no secret they hate democracy and think it’s their enemy
“Socialism—it starts with democracy. That’s the ticket for the left. They want to push this idea of democracy, which turns into socialism, which turns into communism in every instance.”
Ryan Kelley, Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan
Mr. Kelley’s campaign website quotes the Michigan state constitution, which says “all political power is inherent in the people,” but he opposes democracy—what’s with that?!
Given His Ineffectiveness, Schumer Might as Well Be Deceased!
Chuck Schumer continues to bring bills to the Senate floor that have no chance of passing as long as the filibuster is in place. A few months ago it was the “Build Back Better Act” and last week it was the “Women’s Health Protection Act,” both of which went down to defeat with no Republican support (not even from the perpetually “concerned” Susan Collins of Maine). Schumer thinks he’s forcing the Republicans to “take a vote”, but there’s no longer a moderate, swing constituency who cares. Polls show the majority of Americans are against overturning Roe v. Wade, but if Schumer thinks his toothless demonstration will sway independents and Republicans to vote Democratic in the midterms, he’s got an unpleasant surprise coming. (Although hopefully concern over Roe will help turn out younger and otherwise apathetic Democratic voters.)
I’m not among those who think President Biden is actually senile, but he’s definitely afflicted with that old-age tendency not to realize times have changed. As one commentator put it, he still thinks he’s back in the day palling around with Ted Kennedy and Chris Dodd. This humble spirit has nothing against Kennedy or Dodd, but Biden no longer “knows the Senate” as he claims, which is among the reasons “Build Back Better” never got built. I think Biden is sincerely perplexed that things don’t work the way they used to, which is beginning to hark back to that old definition of insanity, never mind senility.
Finally, speaking of deceased and those who might as well be, is Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, still alive? Does he do anything? Is he of any value to the administration? Talk about time to go!