Openly Political, Americans in Book Six: Trying to Hold On 2019

Often times, I hide my little political rants or asides into my genuine entries. HERE, that’s the one I did today. But this just came across the A.P. Wire and I’m… just… more flummoxed than usual.

On the surface, no conspiracies, no assumptions, no misdirection, no lying

Before the Holiday Break, there was a unanimous vote to fund the government. Republican-Controlled House, Republican-Controlled Senate, Republican Controlled White House. There was a 100-0 vote to keep the government open. The President said he would sign it. That evening, Fox News aired 6 continuous hours criticizing the President for not getting a Border Wall. The next day, when most Congressional Representatives were on their way home for the break, the President said he would refuse to sign anything that didn’t contain money for his border wall. That day, the House (on its last day to be controlled by the Republicans) passed a bill giving 5.1 billion dollars ear marked for Border Security. The Senate (those who were left) did not pass that bill. Here begins the Government Shut Down

The Democrats were very specific with the President that border security is a concern but they would not pay for a wall (especially one Trump had promised Mexico would pay for). Trump said that it was the wall or nothing.

When interviewed by even Conservative News Sources, many Congressional Republicans are feeling confused, angry, and frustrated. Not by the Democrats but by a President that says one thing, does another, and refuses to engage in diplomacy or compromise.

This week, Democrats and Republicans have been attempting to convince the President to re-open some of the shuttered Government Areas. Primarily because if this is about Border Security or National Security… TSA, ICE, Border Patrols, FDA, and other organizations specifically tasked with keeping the American People safe are experiencing massive issues due to the Shutdown. If the government opens those departments, gets paychecks out, and supports those offices… partial Government Shut Down can continue without risking Border Security or National Security which is what we’re doing now. Trump has refused suggesting that any retraction of the current Government Shutdown is unacceptable until he gets $5.6 billion for his wall. NOTE: This is a larger number, but only slightly, then what he was demanding when the shutdown began. This is a “negotiator” that was told no to 5.1 billion dollars and comes back demanding 5.6. So, that’s who we’re dealing with to start with.

NOW something has just come across the News Wire that I’m waiting to see if it will be confirmed via our International News Desks or not. But what the Domestic News Sources has shared is as follows:

President Donald Trump has rejected a plan proposed by a bloc of Senate Republicans who had hoped to break an impasse over the government shutdown, leaving Congress and the White House with little obvious way out of the extended battle over Trump’s border wall.

On the 20th day of the shutdown, the GOP group tried to jump start bipartisan talks before Trump declares a national emergency to get his wall. But the president rejected their idea to allow congressional committees to sort out his border wall request while the government reopened, deeming the idea likely to leave him with nothing to show for the shutdown.

Some of the relevant details of the plan remain elusive, but by all accounts, there was a proposal on the table. Vice President Mike Pence and acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney took it to the president, who balked.

Of particular interest, though, is who Graham negotiated with. In this case, the Republican South Carolinian worked on a deal with other Republicans, and Democrats were excluded from the process altogether.

In other words, and this makes an important kind of sense for Republicans, the President’s own political party attempted to see if a Conservative Inked Deal would pass muster with the President (even if it wouldn’t likely pass muster with the Democratic-led House). The President rejected it. Therefore, Republicans in Government cannot get the President to agree to anything that would open the Government back up. In short, it sounds like Mr. Schumer was correct in describing Trump’s current mood as “tantrum.”

Those who follow me know that I am a citizen of Iowa’s 4th Congressional District. A position that I have never been more loath to be in than this past year. Previously, I believed Steve King’s constituency simply voted for him because they are passionately Pro-Life. However, the Democrat running against Mr. King this year was also passionately Pro-Life with a record that made such a claim trustworthy. Yet, Mr. King prevailed. This despite (or perhaps because of) his open and unashamed racism. Mr. King has supported Neo-Nazis in politics, has shared Violently Anti-Muslim content, and used funds from a Holocaust group to travel to Germany to support a genuine member of the Nazi Party (which, aside from being deeply offensive, is ridiculously tacky)!

Rep. Steve King is known for saying openly racist, deeply stupid things. It is like a trademark with him. One of his most favorite is, “You can’t restore our civilization with someone else’s babies.” A remark that was to convey the idea that White Civilization cannot be protected or restored if we allow Immigrants and POC into this country.

This week, he may have topped himself. Recently, he stated: “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?”

NOTE: Before Steve King’s Proud Boys attack, it must be shared that whenever confronted on the issues… Steve King says he is not a White Supremacist, nor a Neo Nazi, and that he is not any of these “hateful or evil things” people keep calling him.

BUT TO THAT I MUST STATE IN RESPONSE: If it says pro White Supremacist things, if it does White Supremacist things, if it supports White Supremacist things… it’s a White Supremacist. You can deny. You can say “That isn’t me.” But you out yourself all the time.

You cannot question why “White Supremacist” is offensive and then act offended when someone asks if you are a White Supremacist. You cannot question why “White Nationalist” is offensive and then act offended when someone asks if you are a White Nationalist!

And yet this man is the House of Representative Member for my district. A district of 600,000 people. It is frustrating because it is not like Mr. King’s support, politics, or statements are unknown to us here. For 50% of the district, they either a) simply voted for King because he was a Republican b) looked past his comments while condemning them or c) were totally fine – or even supportive – of King’s views on immigration and race.

“Today, Iowa’s 4th District doesn’t have a voice in Washington, because our current representative’s caustic nature has left us without a seat at the table,” Feenstra said in a statement announcing his candidacy this week.

And that is a hope I can’t help but hold. If Feenstra wins in a primary challenge… good. At least I’ll know that Iowa’s 4th District is “honestly Republican at heart”. That Mr. King’s Democratic Challenger in 2018 was not rejected due to anything other than political party. BUT and this will be a necessary, difficult to ignore conclusion… if King again wins the Primary and again wins The House? Then there can be no misunderstanding. King is supported because of his racism. Not in spite of it. So… we’ll see in 2019 and 2020. A true election for the soul of Iowa House District 4. “Support a Republican? Chose between Racist Incumbent or GOP Backed Newcomer.”