It has been a good couple of weeks for fascism; not so good for democracy.
The brave Russian dissident Alexei Navalny is now dead, silenced by dictator Putin. Trump, the leading GOP presidential candidate, who “joked” he would be a dictator on day one of his presidency, continued his battle in the courts for presidential immunity that would grant him the Putin-like power to potentially deal with dissidents with impunity. Trump also said that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to any NATO country that hasn’t met its spending guidelines. NATO leaders were horrified. GOP Senator Tuberville praised Putin as being “on top of his game” and suggested NATO provoked Putin into invading Ukraine. Emboldened, Russian invaders retook the city of Avdiivka from the beleaguered Ukraine democracy. Video of Putin showed he was in good spirits.
READ: Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick Is Still Afraid to Speak Out Against Trump
No wonder. Thanks to the GOP, aid to Ukraine has been delayed for months. Democrats, knowing that Ukraine’s army will run out of ammunition in the spring, wanted a standalone bill in the fall; the GOP refused and insisted immigration reform be included. So Democrats worked tirelessly with Republican senators and came up with a bipartisan bill. Then the GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to consider it because Trump, who previously said he hoped the American economy would crash this year, didn’t want a bill that would improve the immigration situation. He selfishly prefers America to suffer so President Biden looks bad for the November election. How patriotic of him.
On Friday I called our Congressman Fitzpatrick, who chairs the House Ukraine Caucus, and was told he has been unable to convince his GOP colleagues to help rescue the democracy of Ukraine in their valiant fight against fascism. I was told that he is just one person in Congress trying to convince so many of his GOP colleagues.
Poor helpless guy.
But he has been on the job for almost eight years now. I guess he is still learning.
But this Friday he did put forth a bill called the “Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act” that pretty much is identical to the Senate bill that House Leader Mike Johnson rejected. By introducing his bill, Congressman Fitzpatrick gives the impression, as usual, that he is doing something. More good news for the fascists: immediately after introducing the bill, the House Speaker sent everyone home for a two week vacation while the Ukrainian freedom fighters continue to run out of ammunition. Congressman Fitzpatrick’s bill gathers dust.
So I ask: are the GOP leaders like Trump, Tuberville, Johnson and Fitzpatrick simply incompetent or rather, complicit with the forces of fascism? In either case, they should not be voted for again if democracy is to survive here and around the world.
