“I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now!”  Young people have good reason to be concerned about America’s aging politicians and to question whether their mental acumen is what it used to be.  But we older folks, politicians or not, have good reason as well to be concerned about the political acumen of our young people, especially those who desire to become our future elected officials.  Why?  Because far too many of them have a microwave-mentality approach to life and all of its problems; and this includes politics and governance.

It appears that they want no part of the nitty-gritty down and dirty hard work of governance, they just want things to be right as they see life.  Nuances be damned; to young people, nuances seem to be nothing more than unnecessary huge speed bumps: “I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now!”  “Why should we bother to vote”, they say.  With the way that things are going – even if we do vote, it’s probably not going to count anyway; and if it does count, it’s not going to make any difference.”

Most of the time most voting-age young people don’t even bother to vote.  Sure, when issues come to the fore that have a negative impact on “I want it all”, they tend to swing into action.  And when they do, many times, it is already too late for their “I want it all” derived initiative to have a preventative effect on the thing that they are objecting to.  It might determine how that thing is ultimately handled after it has been implemented or if it will be rescinded, but it will not have an opportunity to prevent it from occurring.  Yes, they are doing their civic duty but to me, this seems like a parttime approach to doing it.

Civic responsibility – which includes voting, is a fulltime thing; it should not be addressed on a parttime basis!  And if young people are going to complain about how poorly things are going for them politically then attribute that to the supposed fact that it is because these older politicians are not in tune with America’s young people who are America’s future, then they should do their civic duty fulltime.  They should keep abreast of what is going on in the world of governance and be proactive, not reactive, in addressing problems through their vote.

Any young voters who bitterly complain – as many are doing now, without doing these things are being, at best, unfair.  This kind of conduct brings to mind Senator Tom Cotton’s recent harsh criticism of the January 6 Committee.  During a public interview he criticized the Committee for its actions and how it is conducting its business and then in the same breath said that he had not watched any of the hearings!  If Senator Cotton’s criticism of this Committee sounds ludicrous to you under these circumstances, young people; it is because it is!

So, in light of that, how do you feel about someone who criticizes our “geriatric” political leaders and how they conduct America’s business when they themselves have not done their part to help provide these leaders with the tools that they need: tools that are vital to them to stop the Party that is trying to “Make America Great Again” by moving her backwards to the “good ole days?  The “good ole days” when women and Black people did not have the right to vote.  The “good ole days” when Black people could not attend the same schools that White people attended.  The “good ole days” when there was no Roe vs. Wade and no talk about abortions and abortion rights.  The “good ole days” when Black people could not marry White people.  The “good ole days” for who?!  From where I stand, it does not appear that young people are on board with the “good ole days.”

Did this get your hackles up, young people?  If it did, that’s good!  It’s good because I have not said all of this to denigrate young people or put young people down in any way.  On the contrary, I said it because I have no doubt that many of the so-called “geriatric” political leaders – by the way, whose shoulders you stand on, are thinking these things but are reluctant to say them because they are afraid that it might cost them your vote.  And even it they did summon the courage to say these things to you, because they are politicians, they would likely say them with such a political sugarcoating that it would amount to nothing more than the arcane language of politicians’ Pig Latin.  That way they could get their frustration with you off of their chests by giving you a piece of their mind without the fear of losing your vote.  Brilliant, right?!  The only problem is that politicians are the only people who truly understand this language and even those other people who only understand it in general, are few-and-far-between; and they are usually people who closely follow political issues.  But on the other hand, maybe that is exactly as it is meant to be; one just has to view it from a politician’s perspective.

The fact of the matter is that the world of governance desperately needs to be infused with young, fresh minds.  A large percentage of our elected officials, in general and in leadership positions, are older people.  Older politicians who need to willingly pass the torch on to young people.  But they can’t pass it to just any young people, they must pass it to prepared young people who are committed to fulfilling their civic responsibility on a fulltime basis: young people who are willing to get involved in the nitty-gritty, down and dirty hard work of governance.  If these so-called “geriatric” politicians do otherwise, it will be dereliction of duty.

So come on, young people; “don’t get mad: vote”.  These were the words of President Barack Obama.  And it is with those words that I implore all voting-age young people to rise and meet the challenge to defeat anyone who is trying to take America backwards to the “good ole days”, especially elected officials who are close in proximity to the levers of power and collectively have the ability to make the back to the “good ole days” happen: “good ole days” for who!  “Don’t get mad: Vote”!  With one of the two major political parties in America – specifically speaking, the Republican Party, pushing hard to destroy American democracy, your participation in America’s democratic process is essential.

So always remember, young person; whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, your vote is the most important one of all… unless you don’t use it!  Will you meet the challenge?

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

I have been closely following the January 6 Committee hearings and, as a result have become very intrigued by Republican Representative Liz Cheney.  Yes, I said “Republican” Representative Liz Cheney.  I am impressed by her pit bull mentality as regards the truth and sincerity about protecting the Constitution and serving “all” of the American people… not just Republicans.  And she is doing this even after she has already lost her once “third-in-the-line-of-power position in the Republican caucus and stands a serious chance of losing her seat as the Representative from Wyoming.  I mean, come on, this lady is a Republican who strongly supports Republican policies and voted with the former Occupier of the Oval Office – The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America, 93% of the time!  But the fact of the matter is, the Honorable Liz Cheney got me to thinking.

One might think that I am rubbing it on a little thick by having made it a point to refer to her at the end of the above paragraph as the Honorable rather than simply Representative Liz Cheney; especially since everyone knows that I am a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat… just like she is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican.  And that is exactly why she got me to thinking.  The fact that I am a staunch Democrat does not automatically make me a terrible person and her being a staunch Republican does not automatically make her a terrible person.  Terrible Might not be exactly the word that I am looking for but I’m sure you get the gist of what I am trying to say; at least all of you Democrats do.  Anyway, Representative Cheney inspired in me a renewed determination to do more research on those who think radically – again, maybe not exactly the right word – differently from what I do before I form an opinion of them.

Now before you get me wrong, I still don’t like Representative Cheney’s politics (I never liked her dad’s politics either and still don’t) but I do like the fact that she believes in truth rather than “alternative facts” and lives in the real world instead of some kind of an alternate world bubble like far too many of her Republican colleagues do right now.  This makes her a reasonable person that can be reasonably negotiated with even though her position on issues might be all but unalterable to that of those she is negotiating with.  This makes her a person whose strong disagreements on the issues with those she is negotiating with maddening at times and can drive them to the brink of insanity.  But with an honest and honorable person like her it is always reasonable to assume that common ground can be found and compromise can be achieved.

As I was writing this article I thought; Liz Cheney would totally hate it if she knew that a hardnosed Democrat like me wrote and published an article that reflected her in a good light.  But then, as I reflected on this thought while considering how she has handled herself in light of her membership on the January 6 Committee and the mess that she currently finds herself in with her own Party, I changed my mind.  Instead, I thought, Representative Liz Cheney knows exactly who she is and so an article like this would not bother her.  She would still be and still conduct herself like Liz Cheney.  As hard as it is for me to admit it, she must have developed that forthright, honest, deliberate and hardnosed character that is so Liz Cheney from her upbringing.  It must have a lot to do with her mom and dad.  I’m not sure which parent to attribute the preponderance of the forthright, honest and deliberate aspect to but I’m pretty sure about who contributed most of the hardnosed part; her dad…  I still don’t like his politics!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line

It is far past time that Democrats face up and step up to who Senator Joe Manchin really is.  He is Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Trojan Horse: hence, he is the Republican Party’s Trojan Horse.  Senator McConnell knows it, all of the Republican senators know it, all of the House Republicans know it and Senator Joe Manchin knows it.  Senator Manchin’s feelings won’t be irreparably hurt if Democrats call him out for the Trojan Horse that he is; and if they are, so what?!  Senator Manchin knows who he is and he isn’t at all bothered by what he is doing to President Biden and Democrats for Senator McConnell and how it is impacting on their agenda.

It is bad enough that Senator Manchin is doing what he is doing but it is made worse because he is couching it in a supposed concern for the American people and what we are struggling with as a result of high inflation.  His couching tactic is made even worse because Democrats naïvely continue to believe that he is negotiating in good faith when he is actually working to run out the clock.  One would think that after what happened with Representative Pramila Jayapal when the House was negotiating with Senator Manchin that Democrats would be wise to his method of operation (MO) by now but they are not.  If I am wrong and they are aware of how he operates, they really have an odd way of showing it!

Sure, Democrats have an obligation to continue to try to work with Senator Manchin but they do not have to continue to treat him with kid gloves and try to convince him that everything is hunky-dory.  As previously stated, he knows who he is.  Based on what transpired in his negotiations with Representative Jayapal, he is not a man of his word and, as such, is untrustworthy.  If Democrats want to attribute this to the notion that it is just because he is a politician and this is what politicians do or any other reason that they want to conjure up, so be it.  But please, Democrats, stop with the fake comity and just get real!  If you can reach some kind of reasonable agreement with him – which will likely only be reached by offering something that appeals to his personal political ambition, then you should go for it.  If what you offer fits in with that politically ambitious agenda then he will accept it regardless of whether or not it is couched in comity.  So, Democrats, know that you can express all of the disdain for him that you might have; If the offer is right, he will take it.

Some Democrats out there might think that I am being overly critical of Senator Manchin simply because he is not blindly going along with President Biden’s Build Back Better (BBB) agenda and is voting his conscience in order to help his West Virginia constituents and the rest of America to better deal with the high inflation rate.  Those Democrats may think that I am just a hardnosed far-left Democrat who needs to pump his brakes and accept the honest efforts of a centrist Democrat who, despite the current political situation where our country is completely divided and polarized, is desperately trying to help pull America back together again.  After all, one benefactor has recently said great things about him.  According to an article in RollingStone, this benefactor said “Joe is the most important guy in D.C.  Maybe the most important guy in America today.  I call him every week and say ‘Joe, you’re doing great.  Stay tough, buddy.’  He’s phenomenal.”  And, [he is] “keeping our elected officials somewhere in the middle” and not “pushing us to the extremes…where it’s uncomfortable.”  And some of Senator Manchin’s donors see him – with just as much enthusiasm, as ‘someone who could switch parties and beat Biden in 2024.’

Since America is currently divided and polarized politically, maybe it is not so bad that some of Senator Manchin’s donors view him as someone who could switch parties and beat President Biden in 2024, right?  The problem is that this comment – made by Mr. Nelson Peltz, and these views were expressed at a $5,000-per-plate fundraiser for Senator Manchin held by Trump donor Nelson Peltz.  Mr. Peltz has also held fundraisers for Donald J. Trump, the former Occupier of the Oval Office.  Further, Senator Manchin has been the beneficiary of other Republican fundraisers such as the one he attended in Texas in July 2021 which was organized by oil and gas industry executives and hosted by GOP donors.  Senator Manchin is the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee whose decisions can have a great impact on the Democrats’ infrastructure and climate agenda.

With friends like Senator Manchin, who needs enemies?  He has been so completely consumed by his ego, political ambition and all of the attention that he has been receiving that he cannot see that he is setting in stone a legacy of shame.  He seems unable to comprehend that he is denying science by cavalierly ignoring the warnings of global professionals who say that the window to address the climate change problem is fast closing.  He does not seem to understand that he is not only relegating himself to a terrible legacy that will haunt the annals of history in infamy in perpetuity, but he is likely subjecting all Americans and the world to a horrible future!  And he is doing all of this as a Mitch McConnell minion!  Senator Manchin should know by now how the Republican Party operates; he should know that as soon as he is no longer of use to them that without fanfare and in the infamous Donald Trump fashion, they will ‘hardly know the guy’ and will throw him under the bus.  Ever since the rise of The Donald J. Trump of the United States of America, that is how the Republican Party handles things.  You don’t believe me?  Ask Representative Liz Cheney!

No matter how low the bottom might be for any politician, their word is important currency in the political world.  Senator Manchin’s comeuppance will likely come sooner than later because his word is no longer worth anything to congressional Democrats.  He proved this to be true while negotiating with Representative Jayapal and now he has proven it with Senate Majority Leader Schumer: President Biden no longer trust him or can place any confidence in his word.  So, what’s left for Senator Manchin?  Well, the Republicans will have to run a few tests to see if he is still a valuable toady; and if he is not, the Republicans will stick together like they are so capable of doing – give them credit, they are really good at that whether it is for good or for evil – go out and procure a big bus and…

Maybe Senator Manchin will run for office again, maybe he won’t.  Some of the folks at the above-mentioned Republican fundraiser that was held on his behalf said that he could switch parties and run against, and perhaps defeat, President Biden in 2024; maybe he will do that, maybe he won’t.  Whatever Senator Manchin decides to do, it is probably too late for him to salvage his legacy.  He might be able to dress it up a little bit and make it more palatable to anyone, including himself, that might be interested in or concerned about it.  But “salvage”?  Nah.  But since the Republican bus is fast approaching right now, that is likely demanding his full attention anyway.  If it is not, it certainly should be!

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line