Barrett Rainey's Second Thoughts

All right.

If 2022 has been the year of investigation, 2023 should be the year of charging, adjudication to separate the guilty from the innocent and confining the guilty.

For the last three years, we’ve been inundated with investigations. There aren’t many rocks that haven’t been overturned and examined. We’ve found plenty of wrong-doers. We know who they are and what they’ve done.

Evidence of that wrong-doing by a former President and his minions is overwhelming. Boxes and boxes and boxes have been filled with the findings of this, that and the other investigations. We’ve got paperwork, final reports, video and audio of incriminating acts and other evidence. Enough for several trials.

Let ’em commence.

The new Congress to be sworn in in a week’s time is not likely to be one that gets things done. Just like the last several.

Unless.

Unless some of the older, wiser and honorable folk can agree – or disagree – on the legitimate issues and take on the tasks of governing to which they’ve sworn. Define whatever common ground of governance there be and get to it!

We’ve been expensively – and poorly – served by several congressional gatherings. In too many instances, the “tail” has “wagged the dog” and many of the tasks to be undertaken have fallen through the large cracks that seem to be everywhere on Capitol Hill.

Yes, we’ve got Marjorie Taylor-Green, Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs and several dozen other “crazies” to deal with. And, we’ve got a totally unqualified and overly self-serving persona in Kevin McCarthy, camped out at the door of the House Speaker’s office. Yes, we’ve got “crazies” in both Houses.

But…..

At last count, there are far more serious heads existing than the small band of political “terrorists.” If those of the larger, wiser group can put aside the issues dividing them, get together and undertake the job of governing, we will see progress.

Statistically, the aforementioned, obnoxious voices can be muzzled and ignored. There are legislative rules that can – if used in the proper way – dispatch them to the “children’s table,” out-of-sight and out-of-earshot so the adults in the room can do the work before them. Can govern.

Governing is possible if the wiser heads exert the kind of leadership we used to see with the Bob Dole’s, Sam Nunn’s, Hubert Humphrey’s, Sam Irvin’s, and Everett Dirksen’s of the world. Different parties. Different views of the same issues. Different ways of contributing to the whole. But, they did! They made their cases, debated long into the night, voted and resumed governing.

It can still be done. If. If. If those current, wiser heads of both major parties want to do it. It can be done.

And, another thing. This idea of job preservation has got to be overcome. Positions are taken and votes cast based on protecting one’s employment rather than the proper consideration of issues. Some, like Idaho’s Risch and Crapo, don’t have to worry about that. Too many mindless constituents concerned only with the “R” on the ballot have assured them of continued income.

But, there are others – many others in both Party’s – who vote self-interest rather than casting a vote the folks at home might not like.

I used to have a friend who said, the only way he’d run for the Idaho Legislature, is if he could take the floor on the first day and proclaim his intention to vote on every issue on its worth and not what one anonymous voter would think about any singular vote in the next election.

Works for me.

This new Congress will be plagued by the Taylor-Green’s and Boebert’s of the world. They’ll continue to rant and rave in their ignorance. They’ll cling to whatever the newest phony issue is among their far-right sycophants and continue to act as hideous side shows to the work of Congress.

But.

But, they can be shut down and ignored by a larger, smarter majority in both parties. If there is a will to do it. If there are enough wiser heads that want to do the people’s work. If there are enough wiser heads who want to live up to their oaths. Enough who are willing to say “Enough!”

Brothers and Sisters, let us pray.

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O.K.. We have a Congress. Sorta.

If you mean 435 butts in their seats in the House and 100 more in the Senate furniture, yeah, we got us a Congress. Took awhile. But, we got one.

Took a long time. With several dust-ups in a few places. We suffered through the embarrassment of the Walker candidacy. We watched all of Trump’s political wannabees bite the dust. We held our collective breaths for the Secretary of State races as, one after the other, election deniers were stopped in their tracks.

Yeah. We got a Congress. Now, what?

Most candidacies dealt with reality. Facts. A lot of ’em blew Trump-smoke of denialism and lies. Fortunately, their misbegotten lots are now, for the most part, memories. But, memories we shouldn’t forget.

The question is, once these folks swear in come January, will they get anything done? Will the exercise of our efforts at the polls be fruitful or will we get the same old divisions? And stalemate.

Every so often, one of our national pols does something to infuriate the electorate. The most recent, Senator Krysten Sinema who, after the election dust settled, said she was no longer a Democrat. Nuthin’ new there. She hasn’t been a Democrat since the day she was sworn in four years ago. Just ask Arizona Democrats.

While her announcement was full of soft, pleasing sentiments, the truth is, she’s watching out for her own butt. After reading angry tea leaves on the home front and a mailbag full of denouncements of her D.C. activities, she figured if she ran as an Independent in 2024, she could muster enough Republican votes to survive.

I doubt it. We’ll see. Her exit – stage right – wasn’t met with happy faces on the Hill. Democrats had a clear 51-49 majority before she opened her mouth. Now, they’re back to 50-50, given her erratic behavior thus far.

Current Independents Angus King and Bernie Sanders seemed less than welcoming in their comments after Sinema’s announcement. Especially Sanders. She may now be a Senator without a friend.

On the House side of things, we have the dishonorable Kevin McCarthy shouting from the housetops that he’s going to be the next Speaker of the House. He’s already named committee heads and filled out rosters of member assignments. He’s measured the drapes and drawn up floor plans for furniture.

I’ve never seen a politician so coveting of a promotion. But, there he is. Telling everybody. Problem is, he, so far, hasn’t been able to round up the 218 votes needed to be elected Speaker. Not able to get the commitments. Seems there are those 40 angry members of the House euphemistically called the “freedom caucus.” So, McCarthy hasn’t got the votes he needs for the Speakership. Well, well.

Can you imagine the bargaining going on. Horse trading, if you will. Those committee chairmanships. Preferential assignments proffered. Ol’ Kevin has his back to the wall. Suddenly, you may see some new, unfamiliar faces in “leadership.”

Another thing. Ol’ Kevin doesn’t appear to have any idea of the job description. Just “giving orders” is not the prime requirement. He doesn’t appear to have any idea how the job works, i.e. bridging arguing factions, decorum and so on.

A more diligent, effective Congress? Hardly.

Yes, we have a Congress. Sorta.

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I don’t know who comes up with the names of various generations as the years pass. Never met anyone else who does, either.

But, we have “The Greatest Generation,” “Boomers,” “Millenials” “Gen Xers,” Gen Zers,” and so on. Every 30 years or so, we look back on a new group, a new name, move over and welcome them aboard. This process has been going on a long time. One bunch after the other. Normally, it’s a smooth transition. Normally.

Now, there seems to be a schism developing between Boomers and Millennials in some areas. Just a little distance, one from the other. And, it’s growing

Barb and I have some experience with generational differences. Living in a 55+ community in Arizona, we had more than 50 clubs. Just about everything you could name had at least one club. Auto repair, Olympic swimming, pickleball, several for those playing bridge (or any game), woodworking, quilting, fencing and on and on.

Some, like woodworking and auto repair, enjoyed large buildings with the very best equipment money could buy. Hundreds of thousands of dollars invested. Quilting clubs with large meeting places. Weavers and their looms. Photography. All costly. All first class!

Then, along came the Boomers. A new generation starting to retire. Lots and lots of Boomers who, we figured, would join the existing plethora of clubs and activities. “Something for everyone” we thought.

But, NO! Boomers, we learned, are “special.” If most wanted to join a club, it would be one they would create and occupy. The older folks, with clubs offering “something for everyone,” just “wouldn’t work for Boomers.”

So, there’s been a lot of duplication. Double a lot of everything. And, as older residents have died out or moved away, the existing clubs with beautiful existing facilities have begun to wither a bit. But, Boomers are thriving. At least for now.

So, we’re told, it seems, “Boomers are where the action is.” But, wait! Hold your horses! The Millennial generation has arrived. Those “kids” have reached retirement age. So, guess what. They don’t want to join the Boomers in anything. And, I mean anything!

Millennials, it seems, don’t want to do woodworking. They’ve got no use for face-to-face bridge playing. Or poker clubs. Or sewing groups. Or chess clubs. And, horror of horrors, they don’t play golf! Fact is, the city of Glendale, Arizona, closed one municipal course because of declining revenue. Built houses on it.

For Millenials, there’s no need to “waste” five or six hours at the links. No. They can play 18-holes on their iPads or smart phones and be done in less than 20-minutes.

Millennials can play bridge on their fancy gadgets. They can play chess around the world. Poker, too. Just about any activity you can name can be successfully played – or created – on their computer-oriented devices. No need for fancy club buildings. Or, auto repair equipment. No need for in-person bridge clubs or their bridge rooms.

Millennials, after all, are the first generation to grow up from birth with computers. Some were playing electronic games at about the same time they learned to walk. They went to computer equipped- schools, formed faceless groups of friends, preferred texting to calling, learned from the cradle to tap keys.

Now, guess what. Now, the Boomers are seeing their own duplicate groups and clubs beginning to thin out. Some Boomers are dying off. Some moving elsewhere. Boomers, it seems, are beginning to be the “older” generation in the retirement villages.

So, what’s going to happen to all those clubs? All those buildings filled with state-of-the-art expensive equipment? And, most of all, what’s going to happen to all those golf courses that have lured retirees to Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California and other warm climes for – careful now – for generations?

Maybe – just maybe – we’ve reached a generational turning point. Those of us who had to learn about computers in our 40’s, 50’s and 60’s are disappearing. We’re being replaced by “youngsters”at the same ages who are “computerized.” From birth!

What lies ahead for hundreds of 55+ retirement communities in several states will be very different. Nearly all were designed around golf courses. Nearly all have been run by thousands and thousands of volunteers.

But, Millennials aren’t golfers. And, as they’ve already proven, they don’t volunteer. Oh, they’ll write a check or two. They don’t mind paying for someone else to do the work. But, they won’t be the “heartbeat” of these communities that’s made them so successful. The volunteers and club-joiners who’ve been the driving forces.

Millennials, and the following generations, are going to retire later, they’ll be older and, as already exhibited. They’ll want someone else to do the many, many chores volunteers have traditionally done to make the Sun Cities of the world – and a lot of others – successful.

Boomers are starting to fade. Millennials, Gen-Xers, Gen Zers and more are coming. Whoever names the generations better sharpen that pencil – er – computer.

The times – they are a changin’. Again.

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There’s a lot of cud-chewing going on in media and political circles these days about whether D.J. Trump should be charged with a crime. Pick a crime. Any crime.

One side of the argument is charging him – if evidence warrants – would bring violence in the streets and bloodshed. Militias, Proud Boys et al. would rise up and raise Holy Hell in the country. Maybe.

The other side of the conversation believes Trump deserves no better or no worse treatment and, if evidence is solid enough, he should face the music just as any other citizen would.

As citizens, we all “have a dog in this fight” which means we all need to pay attention. Based on my local itinerant conversations and eavesdropping, not everybody is. More folks should because, if there are actions in the streets, they’re gonna be involved, like it or not.

Nobody – even his supporters – can claim Trump has not done significant damage to this country already. The only discussion point can be just how much. It’s hard to imagine any part of civil society he’s not damaged in one way or the other. That’s just a fact.

Even if he soon “Exits, Stage Right,” it’ll take years to fix what’s broken and get things back to normal.

So the only real question on the table should be “Charge, which charge or not to charge?”

“We are a nation of laws,” the old saying goes. And, we’re told from birth, “no one is above the law.” I believe both statements. I’ve lived a life in accordance with those beliefs. So, it would seem, the answer is easy.

If the evidence is there – and I believe it is – charge him and try him. Let a jury of his peers sort it out.

Some people say “No American President has ever been charged with a crime.” True that.. It’s also NOT to say a couple of them shouldn’t have been, though they weren’t.

That argument doesn’t hold up. Yes, it would be precedent-setting. So what? Trump, himself, was a “precedent.” Guy with no elective office experience walks in off the street and BOOM – he’s a president.

Proponents of the “no charge” side of things also worry there’ll be violence in our streets if he’s arraigned. So?

This country has seen violence in our streets before. And, we’re still here. The union movement in the first half of the last century was filled with violence. And death. We also had soldiers in the streets and violence that brought them there during the Great Depression.

I was wrapped up in violence in our streets during those anti-war demonstrations in Washington D.C. in the sixties. In similar, but smaller marches across the country, we had violence aplenty. National Guard killing unarmed students at Kent State. And, none of this speaks to those killed in our streets during Revolutionary times. Or our Civil War of the 1860’s.

Violence – even death – in our streets is nothing new. We can be certain it will happen again – with or without Trump.

It seems the larger crime would be not to charge if the evidence warrants. What, then, happens to those precepts of this nation being one of laws and no one is exempt? Do we let the guilty walk, while saying to ourselves, “Well, not this time – maybe next time?”

None of us should be “asking” for violence. But, none of us should look the other way if violence there be. We’ve got police, national guard and the military if things get that bad. No one really wants violence. But, we are as well prepared for it as can be. If a bunch of militia folks want to take on all of the professionals, I say “Have at it.”

There’s also this reality. Juries and other legal bodies are reviewing evidence of Trump-linked crimes in three states, the District of Columbia, Congress and DOJ. One of those institutions – maybe more than one – will most certainly hand down some indictments. The only questions are what charges and where? It’s gonna happen.

Again, those who haven’t given this much thought really should. It’s an issue of being a citizen of this country that’s new. And, a bit frightening. The trial – one place or another – of a former U.S. President. Possibly a criminal trial. If found guilty, the imprisonment of a former U.S. President.

From all indications, Trump’s realizing the likelihood. The rest of us should, too.

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