Not in this Club

As I live through these unbelievable, unacceptable times, I think about Groucho Marx, and his declaration “I don’t care to belong to any club that would have me as a member.” Who would choose to belong to the Republican Party, an ideologically bankrupt group of thugs. They have stolen a Supreme Court nomination, insulted President Obama in any number of repulsive denigrations and contemptuous actions (recall the South Carolina congressman who screamed “You lie” during the State of the Union Message: an act that would have sent any third grader to the principal!); insulted a woman (all women) who claimed that she had been sexually assaulted by a clearly inappropriate Supreme Court nominee; and plowed ahead without a care in the world for anything but their own autocratic, anti-democratic agenda. And to do so with glee.
     Today the New York Times reports that Trump talked with the King of Saudi Arabia who (surprise!) denied complicity in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Trump suggested that perhaps some rogue killers had been responsible for the murder. Interesting, I think, because Trump seemed to acknowledge that Khashoggi was murdered somehow in the Saudi embassy, a fact the embassy personnel has stridently denied. Trump seems to admit that a murder has taken place but that the Saudi leaders had nothing to do with it! The stupidity that Trump displays is only equaled by those who believe his lies.
     The article in the Times announces that“If the Saudi leaders are found to be behind what happened to Mr. Khashoggi, Mr. Trump would probably face more pressure from Congress and other countries to respond.” More Pressure?? What pressure? If the Republican Congress hasn’t pressured Trump yet, then why should they begin now? In fact, the Republican Congress has abdicated all responsibility of serving as an independent and balancing arm of government; rather, they have in disgusting cowardice groveled at the feet of the President. “Oh no, there is no Sanity Clause” in this Republican government.