Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, but hope can drive you insane as well. Hope is a contradiction in terms, when it comes in a two-steps-forward-one-step-back kind of fashion.
Over the last ten days, hope has alternately evaporated and re-emerged for Democrats; both in Texas and in Congress.
Something hopeful: There were MANY empty seats at both of the Trump and Bill O’Reilly’s “History Tour” appearances. Trump’s influence is fading.
Something hopeful: As of Friday, the US has ZERO migrant families in detention centers.
One step back: Abbott raked in $4.6 million from oil, gas, and energy leaders for HIMSELF after the power grid failed. Texans are stuck footing the bill for $2.4 billion in damages. It doesn’t get much more corrupt than that. Wake up Texas.
One step back: Greg Abbott debuted the construction of the border wall in Texas with a splashy photo-op.
Something hopeful: Texas Monthly gave Greg Abbott the Bum Steer Award with the remark: “Abbott has made it harder for nearly everyone, rendering life more difficult, the death tolls higher, and the experience of being a Texan more demoralizing.”
Something hopeful: Trump will soon be indicted for racketeering by the Manhattan DA, according to Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist David Cay Johnston.
One step back: We’ll pay up to $50 more per month on our utility bills because Greg Abbott failed to manage the grid. That’s a tax, people. An Abbott tax.
Something hopeful: A D.C. judge ordered that the lawsuits filed by Capitol Officers against Trump for inciting the deadly January 6 insurrection must begin next month on January 10th.
Something hopeful: The discovery of Rick Perry’s November 4 text giving hints on how to overturn the election.
Something hopeful: Paxton was told by a GOP court that he is forbidden to act unilaterally in law suits against the Federal Government.
Something hopeful: The Republicans are up to their eyeballs in the Big Lie, Jan 6 insurrection, and proof that they attempted to dismantle our constitutional order.
Something hopeful: A U.S. House probe reveals the Trump Administration INTENTIONALLY undermined Covid-19 response in America for political purposes. Genocide charges anyone?
One step back: Even with all the revelations coming out of the 1/6 committee, the anti-democracy movement is still on the march, behind the scenes. Steve Bannon revealing his plan for overthrowing our government on his podcast without any consequences, even as he is out on bond. Fox’s Jesse Watters calling for the assassination of Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Two steps forward, one step back. Comfortable political success and safety is akin to Gatsby’s green light, seemingly unreachable and unattainable.
For most of us, Christmas 2021 is not a very happy one; certainly not one of the greatest ever. All is not merry and bright. We’re going on 2 years of being marginally sequestered because of the virus. The January 6 insurrection is still unresolved. Trump is still a free man. Abbott is still the Governor of Texas. The reliability of our electrical grid is still uncertain. The worry about Texas’ voting rights continues unabated.
I can’t offer any solutions or optimistic prognostications, only a statement of perseverance and dogged determination. After all, what choice do we have?
As usual: If you’re going through hell, keep going.
By Carol Morgan
