Note: As we close out this chaotic, surreal day in America, I felt compelled to say something, anything, to help us process the latest damaging fallout of an unhinged president. But I wasn’t sure of how I should do this. Do I go funny and light, offering a temporary escape? Do I share my outrage at the soulless actions of some politicians? Do I try to find a middle ground, an objective that has become increasingly hard to locate in the widening cultural chasm in this country?
Then I found this bit in the archives. It was originally scribbled shortly after Trump’s inauguration in 2017, and it eerily mirrors the current day, especially the election in Georgia that just flipped the Senate. It’s got the funny, it’s got the serious, and it’s got the hope. Enjoy.
William, left: “Did you hear that sound?”
Jean, right: “Indeed, I did. It seems to be coming from the White House over there.”
William: “Yes, an implosion of sorts. Pity that it’s come to this.”
Jean: “But I thought you wanted him to fail.”
William: “No. Despite the Right Wing bellowing that we should all support our current president even though that same wing spent 8 years doing everything they could to destroy the previous president, I never wanted it to come to this. I had hoped that somebody would sit that man down and explain to him that he is responsible for the entire country now, not just his ego.”
Jean: “Are you kidding? You’re talking about a party that willfully took us to the edge of bankruptcy, multiple times, gleefully so, just because they control Congress through illegal gerrymandering and a willful violation of voter rights and that insipid Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court.”
William: “Still, and I hesitate to use this term because that party has shamed the word, a true patriot would never want the average American to suffer because of party politics.”
Jean: “But if that other party doesn’t care about the common citizen, which they have proven repeatedly, what are we supposed to do when they are in power?”
George: “I have a suggestion.”
William: “And who might you be, person that is not actually appearing in this photo?”
George: “I’m George Washington. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?”
Jean: “Well, I’ve heard that you’re dead, so I hope that you’ll pardon my surprise.”
George: “Some folks say dead, other folks say transitioned, it’s all matter of perspective. Anyway, I was on my way to a meeting of the planning committee for this year’s cherry blossom festival in D.C. and-”
William: “Didn’t you chop down a cherry tree?”
George: “Why are you pivoting away from the real issue here? Are you related to Rudy Giuliani?”
William: “Sorry. I accidentally watched Fox News last night and it’s hard to shake off the protocol and the stench.”
George: “Understood. Some folks have a difficult time discerning reality when they never change the channel. Anyway, I couldn’t help but overhear that the two of you were a bit discomfited by the current occupant of the White House, when he bothers to show up.”
Jean: “What sane person wouldn’t be?”
George: “Well, let me just say what I said to all of my co-workers back in the day, many of whom eventually ended up on the currency of this country. Adhere to the Constitution. After all, it’s one of the oldest in the world and it still stands.”
William: “But what if that party is violating the Constitution and all of our laws?”
George: “It’s called balance of power. Some will abuse it, others refuse it, but in the end, the law of the land will prevail. We are in a time of turbulence, but the true patriots will eventually triumph, not the dark-stained narcissists who got elected based on lies and baseless innuendo.”
Jean: “That all sounds well and good, but how do we make sure that other party doesn’t destroy the Constitution?”
George: “Vote.”
Jean: “But what about all those people who voted for Princess Tiny Hands in the first place?”
George: “What the Trumpians and their ilk fail to understand about America is that the greatest moments of progress in this country have been driven by the downtrodden and those who support them. The Trump Administration is increasing the number of disenfranchised with every one of his ego-driven signatures on damaging executive orders and legislation passed by NRA-funded, suck-up politicians who will never have their face on currency. The tide will turn, as it usually does, and it will truly drain the swamp.”
Previously published, modified minimally for this post.
Side note to those of you who have been concerned about a certain person who has been commenting on my posts recently: He has been blocked, or at least I hope that is the case, as you never know with WordPress functionality. He finally went too far, which echoes the events of today in which Trump clearly did the same…
Categories: Past Imperfect
Bonnywood Manor 
Now I have to go back and see who has left nasty comments.
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If you’re really curious, though I caution you that you won’t appreciate the comments, you can search for the “Soul Dancing” post…
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Thanks for the directions. Nasty person.
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perfect for today
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Thanks, Beth. It’s kind of eerie when you pull up an old post and think, wait, this still applies to right now. Truth be told, I wish we hadn’t gotten to this point, but we did…
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Same
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Did I miss a Bonnywood kerfluffle? Damn. Wish I had missed the sight of democracy dying yesterday..
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I wish I had missed it as well, both the dying and the kerfluffle. But they both happened. Now we have to pull up our socks and do the right thing, in whatever way we think best…
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Good riddance to what’s his name: the blogger AND the … what was his job title again? [Scratches head.] I know it was one of those temp jobs. Anyway, problem is that they’re not really gone, are they?
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That’s exactly it, the madness is not yet gone, on a number of levels. We have to pull together, somehow, some way, but it’s hard to do when so many people in this country lost contact with reality years ago…
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I pray, I pray, I PRAY that yesterday’s events were the final chapter. And I’m not a praying kinda gal.
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I don’t pray, either, and I don’t think it’s the final chapter. But I have faith that decency, at some point, will prevail…
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People can storm the Capital Hill so easily? Just march in, wearing costumes, like in a county fair? I guess it’s just a whim or a prank. I hope it is harmless.
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Sadly, it’s not harmless. The storming of the Capitol was a fulmination that could have been avoided if Trump had been impeached when he rightly should have been. Sadly, decency is a rare commodity in America these days, desecrated by a political party that knows no boundaries…
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Sadly, very prescient. I had difficulty taking it what I was watching, but at the same time it didn’t really come as a surprise. Close his Twitter account permanently, invoke the 25th Amendment, then bar him from ever holding any kind of office again. Then prison. And even that feels like it would be too good for him.
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Well said. History will look down/back on him as a one term three time loser. Election, Georgia and his tiny mind.
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I just hope he doesn’t do any more damage or kill more people in his remaining days as the worst President ever.
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Clive: Agreed, this mess was no surprise. Lots of finger-pointing will occur from this point forward, and there are many guilty parties, but I think you hit the nail on the head with Twitter. That platform has been the nexus of the lies that Trump has spewed for years, and they should have shut him down years ago….
obbverse: History SHOULD destroy Trump’s legacy. But 74 million Americans voted for him in the last election. How does one fix THAT mess? Time will tell, as it always does…
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Anyone else using Twitter the way he does would have been shut down, so I hope they finally do it. I see that he has conceded, at long last, and called the rioters ‘heinous.’ I guess that means he doesn’t love them any more? What will those 74m do now, I wonder…
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Thanks for banning the unnamed troublemaker. That individual would have made a fine hash of this current mess, and my stomach isn’t up to reading his vile spewage. I read this “Past Imperfect” with a bit of glee, but must admit even your keen wit and adroit pairing of characters and scenarios and words, didn’t lift my spirits. It’s a dark dark day in the United States. I’m stunned and it’ll take a while for the shock to wear off. I’m having a lot of trouble even mustering up the will to endure. And my therapist has some kind of awful flu. I suspect staying off social media for a few days is the only way I’ll get through it. Thank God my new jigsaw puzzles showed up. Maybe that mindless activity will help. I guess we’ll see.
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My spirits have been taking a beating as well. I haven’t done a fresh post since that mess, as every time I sit down to start a new one I just see all this anger in my words and I scratch the story. I’m still trying to find the proper way to show my disgust and yet infuse my ramblings with some degree of hope.
And there IS hope. Don’t let this mess drag you down. Twitter finally shut Trump down, way too late, but they did it. That nasty far-right “Parler” app is about to be forced offline. Some major corporations have announced they will no longer donate to the campaigns for Trump, Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz. The Republican party appears to be finally waking up to the madness they have unleashed. I’m not holding my breath, but I’m hoping.
As for jigsaw puzzles, I’ve been hankering to do one lately. (I used to mess with them all the time, but it’s been a while.) So, are you a work-from-the-outside or a work-from-the-inside kinda gal when you puzzle?
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I’m a strictly “edges first” gal. EXCEPT. A neighbor of mine permanently lent me a puzzle that’s shaped, rather crudely, like a fir tree (I guess..it’s not done very well), One can’t find the edges in that mess, and I spent a couple of years taking runs at finishing that one, only to give up in the end and put it in a dark corner for someone else to take a run at. It’s apparently a ‘home publishing’ version of a puzzle, because no puzzlemaker would do that poor a job at cutting the damned puzzle OUT. So many odd shaped pieces of uncertain color that Gandhi would have lost patience with it. How about you? Right now I’m working on a 1000 piece one of cutesy dogs lying in some leaves. I’ve got all but one piece of the edges sorted, and am working on the innards now…it’s strange to me, but the crispness of the images is poorer in these latest puzzles, or my eyes are going to shit. I’m not betting either way. It passes some time. That’s the purpose in the first place!
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I almost always start out with the innards, grouping the colors together and whatnot, because I like a challenge. But most of the time I eventually give up on that ideal and start working on the borders… 😉
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What a crazy day, even if not unexpected. If you walk into a forest, especially of dead wood, spew out some high octane invective you can’t be surprised if it catches afire and runs uncontrolled, amuck. He is not departed from reality, he is unhinged. Who ever would think I have a scintilla of sorrow for Pence? Stuck between a rock and perpetual disgrace.
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I’m not there yet with any sympathy for Pence. He spent four years gazing adoringly at Donald like Nancy used to gaze at Ronald. He only stood up at the last second because he had no choice, as he could not legally do what Trump was demanding he do.
Now, if Pence actually invokes the 25th Amendment? Then I’ll have a scintilla…
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I agree, I only think it highlights (lowlights) the depth of shameful behaviour/bumptious entitled suck-up ego massaging jockeying- for- power disagreeable agreeing to every childish whim empowering craven enabling by the whole sorry mob. Mealy words, wringing of hands,Chris Christie’s, McConnells steadfast wife’s and Pence’s late late late in the day epiphanies are truly way too late.
The breathtaking tumble from top of the world to plummeting towards the ground is stunning of itself though.
After four years of my resembling Munch’s The Scream I think I’m allowed a Cheshire Cat smile. They’ve been far and few between. Roll on the 20th- or the 25th?
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I wish I could say I was surprised, but I’m not a deluded liar.
I’m also not surprised this was in the archives. You SEE! Probably a whole lot more than you want to.
I’m not quite an ostrich, but I do avoid daily news. I knew there’d be trouble over the confirmation of the electoral college (can we please, please, please just get rid of that outdated thing now? PLEASE?!)
My heart still hurts that so many of our fellow Americans think like him and are so full of hatred and violence.
Sending HUGS!!💗💗💗
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Huh? WP acting up!🙄🤦🏼♀️ Why it posted as anonymous 🤷🏼♀️
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First, that “Anonymous” thing really annoys me. It happens from time to time here at Bonnywood, and I have no idea why. The “happiness enthusiasts” at WordPress are not happy that I’m enthusiastic about them fixing the issue. No surprise.
Second, I actually AM a prophet. I just keep it one the downlow, because I got tired of people wanting me to pick their lottery numbers.
Third, I can’t help but watch the news. I’m on my CNN app, all day, every day.
Fourth, the Electoral College needs to bite it, hard.
Fifth, my heart also hurts, bigly.
Sixth, hugs right back at ya!
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Thank you for reposting this. It’s perfect. Also, thanks for banning Green.
What I find the most maddening (and I wrote this in a post today) is that these yahoos (no offense to Yahoo) will never see how wrong they are. Anything that contradicts their view is fake, anyone who thinks differently is an enemy.
On the other hand, I also know people who say the group who stormed into the Capitol are but a small minority and the media is overplaying what happened. But even Fox news was showing it! (Of course, they’re now considered fake as well, so…)
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I really don’t know what to do with the yahoos. They have become so entrenched in their own delusional world that there’s probably no salvation or way out for them. I have some hope that removing Trump from the equation will cause a drought of misinformation and thereby allow some truth to seep in, but I’m also realistic and realize that the Republican party can only survive as long as they have targets to hate, because that’s their modus operandi. Unless that party reboots their methods, we’re going to have issues for decades…
Personally, I don’t give any credence to the “small minority” argument that some folks are proffering. The mere fact that Trump was able to convince ANYONE to storm the Capitol is beyond troubling. This is all on the Republican party. They cooked this stew and they need to change their recipe…
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Bravo for blocking, and your post is perfect.
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Thanks, Margo! (Miss talking to you, I sure do.)
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