Commentary
Regular readers will recall the pleasure I get in nominating someone to receive Kramerontheright recognition as my first of the month Fool’s Day recipient, even when it is a bit belated this month.
My belatedness provided me with an opportunity to select from a host of Washington fools, reminding me of the book, “Ship of Fools,” written by Tucker Carlson about five years ago.
I originally planned to name retiring Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, who, during his retirement speech, had the audacity of issuing a warning to military officers to “not bow to political pressures,” after he did just that while serving under President Biden.
Of course, there was Milley’s failure to convince President Biden on a proper strategy for withdrawal from Afghanistan, but he soon became the face of wokeism in the Pentagon that many believe is the reason behind recruitment problems.
From addressing Biden’s fabrication of the existence of systemic racism to promoting critical race theory and relaxing the gender transition policy to renaming several military bases and claiming climate change an existential threat, he fell in line with the president’s policies.
A perfect choice.
But then, before I got to my computer, California’s goofy Gov. Gavin Newsom had to make my choice more difficult with his selection of Democrat strategist Laphonza Butler to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
When he foolishly announced that he planned to name a black woman to fill the seat, he gave the pundits a field day. Rumors flew, but in naming Butler, who has the “distinction” of being an advisor to Kamala Harris during her 2020 bid for the presidency isn’t a resume plus.
As the president of Emily’s List, a Democrat political action committee, dedicated to electing pro-abortion women, she made her home in Silver Spring, Maryland, a Washington bedroom community, a fact that was immediately deleted from her website. Not a resident of California? Not a problem. She supposedly has property there.
Rep. Barbara Lee, who had her sights set on the Feinstein seat, wasn’t pleased with Newsom’s pick of Butler, a lesbian, calling it an “insult to black women.” However, being a good soldier, Lee wished her “well and looks forward to working with her to deliver for our golden state.”
So, Newsom joined my list of possible October Fool’s Day honors.
Gadzooks … When Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz successfully led a handful of seven other childish lawmakers in an effort to unseat House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, I decided it was simply time to close my Fool’s Day nominations.
I decided the seven other Republican recalcitrants were not going to fly under the radar. So, Representatives Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Bob Good, Nancy Mace, and Matt Rosendale were added.
McCarthy had put together a series of budget measures that would have made some serious spending cuts while increasing border security and establishing a commission to improve long-term fiscal sustainability, but it wasn’t enough for the ideologues who make up just four percent of the members.
Not one of them could get elected speaker.
With Gaetz I know that he is motivated by personal animus, but the others were willing to be part of the self-destructive individuals on the ship of fools, “unaware,” wrote Carlson, “that they are all captains on a sinking ship.”
No decision here. Milley, Newsom, Gaetz and his gang of seven, are all my October fools.
May God continue to bless the United States of America
