Thanks for another thoughtful article. I fear the problem is worse than hypocrisy. Many Republicans are stuck in an endless loop of the ends justify the means. They believe (or maybe pretend) that what Democrats want is so evil and destructive that anything they, the Republicans, have to say and do to stop them is justified. Thus, pointing out their hypocrisy and lies is ineffective. Logic and facts fall on deaf ears.
Well said Dan. We need to remember how long the right-wing of the GOP has been working to undermine our true democracy. I remember Carl Rove saying the long-term goal was to create 'a permanent Republican majority.' That started with gerrymandering before many of us were aware it was underway - now look at the efforts to restrict voting rights and steal elections by hook or crook...the real threat to our democracy comes from those despicable ranks.
Thank you Once again Mr Rather got this column. As a Canadian I remain troubled by the fact that the Republicans have forgotten whom they serve—and it is not themselves. Want to play games, get a board game. Stop playing with peoples’ lives. I often want to kick things at the tv when Mr McConnell opens his mouth. Stop being so pious Mitch in saying the Republicans are thinking about “the people”.
Thank you Mr. Rather, you are such a comfort. It's all so sad that the GOP seems not in the least interested in anything but their own empty "agenda". It's hard to know what to do: attempt to follow this ghastly behavior or just go for a hike without my phone...not that the two are mutually exclusive. I want to tune this all out, but know that I can't. I have one child working as an ICU nurse in a trauma hospital, her husband is a resident in general surgery and our other child is working on his doctorate looking at climate change as it impacts melting glaciers and the formation of soil. They are my hope for a better future or at least educated mitigation with whatever comes a long. So I won't tune out but, as I started here, thanks for all you write. You are deeply appreciated. - Alexandra
Well said, Dan and team. Of course, the wealthy, individuals and companies, have always had an oversized influence on the direction of this country. But as a “boomer,” I’ve seen folks on both sides have a courage of principle in siding with real solutions for real problems. I’ve seen movement and action, even if it seems like fits and starts. But now I have a sense of mourning over the shamelessly open lust for power and blatant lying. I try to keep your mantra of Steady in mind. But the forces that have aligned for the past several years seem to demand an urgent action that I’m having trouble seeing anywhere.
You nailed it once again Dan. Thank God for long time public servants like yourself who function on integrity, truth, objectivity, morals, values, and what is just and right. Daily, I rack my brain trying to make sense of it all, "how have so many Americans lost their way?" The reign of terror unleashed by the trump administration has darkened a deep stain on America. I am resolved that we will once again rise up and clear the path that will allow good to overcome evil. Stay strong, stay the course.
Well said! I wonder how anyone of any conscience can continue with the GOP party…..it appears there are very few of that ilk…. Dems need to mobilize big time 😳
Eloquently stated and a sad state to which our country has descended. Like the others here, I mistakenly thought we would return to a saner world after the election, but instead of the typical peaceful transfer of power we had an insurrection instead, and worse, so many gullible Americans who believe the Big Lie and disbelieve SCIENCE.
Just leaves me speechless most days, when some of my patients repeat disinformation about the pandemic and about the politics in this country. I think my retirement will happen sooner than later because people can't be trusted to do the right thing, nor to care about others' health.
Todays republican party would not allow reagan to join. Reagan always was willing with Top Oneill for the better of the country. This group republicans could care about anything except lining there own pockets at the expense of everyone else.
And here’s the thing. These do-nothing Republicans are still getting paychecks. And we are paying the bills! If they worked anywhere, in any company in this country, they would have been fired way before now. And if they were kept on, the company would be filing for bankruptcy about now. The rest of us have to work for our paychecks. It’s time we hold them accountable for doing the work of government.
This is why I subscribe to Steady. You are a master journalist and you only get better with every essay. You’re speaking for us. You’re the voice of reason. I will never forget how you guided us through 9/11. I trusted you with the worst day of our lives. I trust you now. In our traumatic time in our national discourse you keep us steady.
As always, clear and so well written! As a Dem, I also have to say don't forget Manchin & Sinema. Their antics are anathema to accomplishing what needs to be done in D.C.
My husband & I are charting new territory as we’ve both been forced into early retirement long before we’re ready but basking in the glow of togetherness. So we have morning coffee & discuss. Politics we try to avoid but it’s a must if you want to be active in an attempt to control what you can concerning your future & your children’s.
So politics it is, often while we
Also try to monitor our stress levels & anxiety levels. We HAD THIS CONVERSATION! We discussed how we might take pages from Canada’s people who routinely & with respect participate in concession speeches instead of rampant bile, verging on violence & outright treason.
Our elections since 2020 seem to divide families & also the Media! Infighting amongst reporters and those sent out of country to risk their lives in order to keep us apprised of what our military is engaged in as with Afghanistan.
It is a fact that we as human beings, driven to a fit of peak as a direct result of the previous administration (which was in no way an organized administration at all) tend to trust people we know by their trust of our government and reports of what’s bad on this side opposite what’s very very bad on the other. When two seasoned reporters lose respect for the country and each other it rocks us back on our heels. It’s as if we trust a news anchor more than our government- because we do! Who’s left to trust we ask
Ourselves?
Certainly at Our house we have the list set firmly in stone. We are absolute supporters of Biden because we campaigned for him, met him on many Democratic functions and we
Trust him. He recognized our college kid at a night before election of Barrack & Joe at a college hosted event. They posed and he even thought to ask our kid, “How’s your mom? Are you going to
Send this to her? Yes? Oh lord, how’s my hair, let’s look at The photo!” So we’ve considered Barrack & Joe family members since 2007. Our college aged daughter had the pleasure of voting for them both in the 2012 election & she was proud.
My point? I do have one! Where is the trust & confidence in the people we all have on our family lists? The ones we
Support and they support us. How is it humans can just walk away from tried & true public servants, clergy, personal Friends & even family members? Absence of faith? Yes! Through social media & lies spread so often & so wide that particularly older Americans who are Isolated in their twilight years don’t know any better. They actually begin to believe the ivermectin fodder & are quick to believe Al Franken to be Al Frankenstein before they will believe the former POTUS slept with a porn star, spoke of “grabbing women by their private parts as a routine way of domination, & cheated on his wife the First Lady who never gave a thought to disrobing in front of a Camera. See what I did there? People truly pick & choose what they believe, and put blinders on when it’s LIVE & in person with a political figure outright making fun of a reporter who has a debilitating disease but fights through it to get The story. I couldn’t UNSEE that.
I cannot Unsee the still out of touch group of people who won’t vaccinate, governors who outright put our children, teachers and medical
Personnel in peril but protect the liquor stores & the gun industry. I’ve gone way off course but THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH! We all have gone way off course not by choice but because this has become the norm.
I’ll end this by saying what no doubt people will call PollyAnna logic, but dammit, TALK TO EACH OTHER! With respect! You might learn that the answers are not black and white. Think you’re not a REAL MAN if you apologize or listen for once? Feel you’re caving in & not a Phenomenal Woman if you allow a male loved one help you, support you? Think again. Remember What (& often WHO) brought you here. And be kind. The last words you say to someone may be THE LAST WORDS YOU SAY. Good luck out there, it’s not easy. But if we get back to a place where we remember what we are trying to achieve, peace, understanding, compassion & respect it gets to be a little easier on the heart. Be strong. And yes dammit, I am a proud liberal. A female veteran & I remember when we all sat at the same table. With respect for one another.
Well said, Dan. This Dem has been waiting for years to see us have a majority and start passing much needed legislation. Just when that happened along comes my Senator Sinema, who, mind you, I worked my butt off to get her elected. What a kick in the..teeth. And Joe Manchin. So frustrating. Whatever happened to elected officials, who voted for our Country? I really feel sorry for my grandchildren.
My country has become an embarrassment.
Thanks for another thoughtful article. I fear the problem is worse than hypocrisy. Many Republicans are stuck in an endless loop of the ends justify the means. They believe (or maybe pretend) that what Democrats want is so evil and destructive that anything they, the Republicans, have to say and do to stop them is justified. Thus, pointing out their hypocrisy and lies is ineffective. Logic and facts fall on deaf ears.
Well said Dan. We need to remember how long the right-wing of the GOP has been working to undermine our true democracy. I remember Carl Rove saying the long-term goal was to create 'a permanent Republican majority.' That started with gerrymandering before many of us were aware it was underway - now look at the efforts to restrict voting rights and steal elections by hook or crook...the real threat to our democracy comes from those despicable ranks.
Wow. Thank you for stating the obvious so simply and eloquently.
Thank you Once again Mr Rather got this column. As a Canadian I remain troubled by the fact that the Republicans have forgotten whom they serve—and it is not themselves. Want to play games, get a board game. Stop playing with peoples’ lives. I often want to kick things at the tv when Mr McConnell opens his mouth. Stop being so pious Mitch in saying the Republicans are thinking about “the people”.
Thank you Mr. Rather, you are such a comfort. It's all so sad that the GOP seems not in the least interested in anything but their own empty "agenda". It's hard to know what to do: attempt to follow this ghastly behavior or just go for a hike without my phone...not that the two are mutually exclusive. I want to tune this all out, but know that I can't. I have one child working as an ICU nurse in a trauma hospital, her husband is a resident in general surgery and our other child is working on his doctorate looking at climate change as it impacts melting glaciers and the formation of soil. They are my hope for a better future or at least educated mitigation with whatever comes a long. So I won't tune out but, as I started here, thanks for all you write. You are deeply appreciated. - Alexandra
Well said, Dan and team. Of course, the wealthy, individuals and companies, have always had an oversized influence on the direction of this country. But as a “boomer,” I’ve seen folks on both sides have a courage of principle in siding with real solutions for real problems. I’ve seen movement and action, even if it seems like fits and starts. But now I have a sense of mourning over the shamelessly open lust for power and blatant lying. I try to keep your mantra of Steady in mind. But the forces that have aligned for the past several years seem to demand an urgent action that I’m having trouble seeing anywhere.
You nailed it once again Dan. Thank God for long time public servants like yourself who function on integrity, truth, objectivity, morals, values, and what is just and right. Daily, I rack my brain trying to make sense of it all, "how have so many Americans lost their way?" The reign of terror unleashed by the trump administration has darkened a deep stain on America. I am resolved that we will once again rise up and clear the path that will allow good to overcome evil. Stay strong, stay the course.
Well said! I wonder how anyone of any conscience can continue with the GOP party…..it appears there are very few of that ilk…. Dems need to mobilize big time 😳
Eloquently stated and a sad state to which our country has descended. Like the others here, I mistakenly thought we would return to a saner world after the election, but instead of the typical peaceful transfer of power we had an insurrection instead, and worse, so many gullible Americans who believe the Big Lie and disbelieve SCIENCE.
Just leaves me speechless most days, when some of my patients repeat disinformation about the pandemic and about the politics in this country. I think my retirement will happen sooner than later because people can't be trusted to do the right thing, nor to care about others' health.
Todays republican party would not allow reagan to join. Reagan always was willing with Top Oneill for the better of the country. This group republicans could care about anything except lining there own pockets at the expense of everyone else.
And here’s the thing. These do-nothing Republicans are still getting paychecks. And we are paying the bills! If they worked anywhere, in any company in this country, they would have been fired way before now. And if they were kept on, the company would be filing for bankruptcy about now. The rest of us have to work for our paychecks. It’s time we hold them accountable for doing the work of government.
This is why I subscribe to Steady. You are a master journalist and you only get better with every essay. You’re speaking for us. You’re the voice of reason. I will never forget how you guided us through 9/11. I trusted you with the worst day of our lives. I trust you now. In our traumatic time in our national discourse you keep us steady.
As always, clear and so well written! As a Dem, I also have to say don't forget Manchin & Sinema. Their antics are anathema to accomplishing what needs to be done in D.C.
My husband & I are charting new territory as we’ve both been forced into early retirement long before we’re ready but basking in the glow of togetherness. So we have morning coffee & discuss. Politics we try to avoid but it’s a must if you want to be active in an attempt to control what you can concerning your future & your children’s.
So politics it is, often while we
Also try to monitor our stress levels & anxiety levels. We HAD THIS CONVERSATION! We discussed how we might take pages from Canada’s people who routinely & with respect participate in concession speeches instead of rampant bile, verging on violence & outright treason.
Our elections since 2020 seem to divide families & also the Media! Infighting amongst reporters and those sent out of country to risk their lives in order to keep us apprised of what our military is engaged in as with Afghanistan.
It is a fact that we as human beings, driven to a fit of peak as a direct result of the previous administration (which was in no way an organized administration at all) tend to trust people we know by their trust of our government and reports of what’s bad on this side opposite what’s very very bad on the other. When two seasoned reporters lose respect for the country and each other it rocks us back on our heels. It’s as if we trust a news anchor more than our government- because we do! Who’s left to trust we ask
Ourselves?
Certainly at Our house we have the list set firmly in stone. We are absolute supporters of Biden because we campaigned for him, met him on many Democratic functions and we
Trust him. He recognized our college kid at a night before election of Barrack & Joe at a college hosted event. They posed and he even thought to ask our kid, “How’s your mom? Are you going to
Send this to her? Yes? Oh lord, how’s my hair, let’s look at The photo!” So we’ve considered Barrack & Joe family members since 2007. Our college aged daughter had the pleasure of voting for them both in the 2012 election & she was proud.
My point? I do have one! Where is the trust & confidence in the people we all have on our family lists? The ones we
Support and they support us. How is it humans can just walk away from tried & true public servants, clergy, personal Friends & even family members? Absence of faith? Yes! Through social media & lies spread so often & so wide that particularly older Americans who are Isolated in their twilight years don’t know any better. They actually begin to believe the ivermectin fodder & are quick to believe Al Franken to be Al Frankenstein before they will believe the former POTUS slept with a porn star, spoke of “grabbing women by their private parts as a routine way of domination, & cheated on his wife the First Lady who never gave a thought to disrobing in front of a Camera. See what I did there? People truly pick & choose what they believe, and put blinders on when it’s LIVE & in person with a political figure outright making fun of a reporter who has a debilitating disease but fights through it to get The story. I couldn’t UNSEE that.
I cannot Unsee the still out of touch group of people who won’t vaccinate, governors who outright put our children, teachers and medical
Personnel in peril but protect the liquor stores & the gun industry. I’ve gone way off course but THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH! We all have gone way off course not by choice but because this has become the norm.
I’ll end this by saying what no doubt people will call PollyAnna logic, but dammit, TALK TO EACH OTHER! With respect! You might learn that the answers are not black and white. Think you’re not a REAL MAN if you apologize or listen for once? Feel you’re caving in & not a Phenomenal Woman if you allow a male loved one help you, support you? Think again. Remember What (& often WHO) brought you here. And be kind. The last words you say to someone may be THE LAST WORDS YOU SAY. Good luck out there, it’s not easy. But if we get back to a place where we remember what we are trying to achieve, peace, understanding, compassion & respect it gets to be a little easier on the heart. Be strong. And yes dammit, I am a proud liberal. A female veteran & I remember when we all sat at the same table. With respect for one another.
Well said, Dan. This Dem has been waiting for years to see us have a majority and start passing much needed legislation. Just when that happened along comes my Senator Sinema, who, mind you, I worked my butt off to get her elected. What a kick in the..teeth. And Joe Manchin. So frustrating. Whatever happened to elected officials, who voted for our Country? I really feel sorry for my grandchildren.