A House Divided
PRENOTE: In early December I sent a brief query to a good friend who’s long-time on the e-list for this blog. I didn’t hear from him, which caused me no concern. A few days ago, I decided to follow up, and in fairly short order came a reply from him – it appeared. It was from his son: Rich and his wife, Jeanette, had died in an automobile accident in mid-October. Obituary here. It was a shock.
Two items worth your reading time: Heather Cox Richardson Jan. 17, 2025 and Laurence Tribe and Kathleen Sullivan.
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The January 16 Minnesota Star tribune front page photo was of a divided Minnesota House of Representatives.
You’ll note one side of the House chamber is empty; the other filled. It is a power dispute between the Democrats and Republicans, equally split. The rest of that story is not relevant here. The picture displays the insanity of divided government, and ironically it is happening in my own state; and playing out in the United States government as we speak.
Two days from now will be the inauguration of the U.S. President. It feels, today, much like being in the eye of a hurricane. All seems calm. But no one knows for sure exactly when the chaos of the hurricane will resume and who it will damage worst or how. The prudent persons have prepared for the worst, but if they’re unlucky the preparation will be in vain. The hurricane is all of us. We will determine it’s strength or weakness. We’re all in the path of the storm.
I will not predict what the incoming President will say, though the temptation is strong.
This is a good time to remind myself and all of us that the population which he has chosen to lead is all of us, in all of our infinite varieties. We are not two tribes in two distinct camps. We are everywhere, friends, neighbors, relatives…. Here’s my illustration from years ago which I think remains as relevant today as it was in the 1980s when I sketched it. All of us are each the tiniest of dots on this casual sketch I drew near 40 years ago. I arbitrarily decided where I was on the illustration. For your own information, where are you? And what does that mean, going forward. You and I and everyone else are the United States of America.
Today is the 25th anniversary of my retirement from 27 years representing public school teachers. If you wish, here is my reflection on competition and cooperation as I witnessed it in my years in public education: Dick B Reflections
Probable next post on Jan 20 Martin Luther King Jr. day
Previous post here, which will a ‘file cabinet’ post about the upcoming administration.
Starting Monday night on MSNBC Rachel Maddow will host her show for the next 100 days, emphasizing happenings at the White House and environs. Her show is at 8 p.m. CST.
I listened to President Biden’s final address to the nation and to the entirety of his full hour interview with Laurence O’Donnell. Both are well worth your time.
Dick- thank you for your advice to “keep on keeping on!” We manage best when try to be light in and around our own acre. Perhaps where doors are shut windows will open all over the world- the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways- trust and be well all…
Herein a list of the upcoming elected President’s promises, good for keeping score over the next few years, I thought I had also copied a comment from the article which gave a good list of financial , healthcare, and other markers as of the last day of business Jan 17, 2025…another good way to help keep score and points of discussion for friends and relatives, if I can find it, I will send it to you.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/19/us/politics/trump-president-promises.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
The American voters have made it clear with the EC landslide win that they gave to Trump that they want and authoritarian oligarchy government rather than a democracy. It will be interesting to see if they continue to want that type of government after the results of the 2026 election are in. Interestingly today, Trump, always the showman, made a big deal of going to Arlington to place a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. How hypocritical of the man child who would be king. He is a five-time draft dodger who publicly has characterized all men and women who were wounded, captured or killed in the line of military duty for the United States of America as being suckers and losers. yet that clown always wraps himself in the flag as if he was a super patriot and not just an insecure coward when push came to shove.