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03/04/2025

Today’s blog

Lynn Murphy Mark

“Oh-oh, she’s mad now”

That little phrase bubbles up from memories of when the kids were growing up. They were easy and wonderful to raise – mostly. But sometimes my last nerve would be way too frayed and, from the little store of anger that I carry, out would come some angry expression. Most of the time it was appropriate, but I can have a short temper sometimes. Out come words in that angry tone. Words that I usually regret afterwards. 

I have learned to moderate my anger in my old age. My 12 Step groups help me with this. In particular, Step 10: “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.”. Sometimes, though, outside circumstances stir up my sense of injustice, and disgust forms quickly. 

This started last night as I broke my vow to boycott MSNBC and watched the Rachel Maddow Show. She has a way of succinctly stating issues and their consequences. She was off and running about this administration’s cuts to essential services and programs. 

As of this weekend aid to Ukraine is held mostly in an effort to force the Ukrainians to concede whatever 47 and Putin have agreed on.

Thankfully, many countries in Europe have realized that the USA is not to be counted upon and have lined up behind President Zelenskyy. Lech Walesa, the President of Poland, wrote a strongly worded letter to 47 condemning his obvious support of Russia’s desires for control of Ukraine. I read a statement from a European statesperson saying that the USA is no longer the leader of the free world. 

I have read theories that 47 has been a Russian asset since he has been manipulated by Putin for years. For the promise of building some 47 towers in Russia, he kowtows to a leader that is no more than a war criminal himself. Cybersecurity efforts to track Russian invasion of our freedoms have been halted. I have nothing against the Russian people – they are led by Putin who is trying to restore the magnificence of the Soviet Union, or should I say the Soviet Empire. But I am extremely angry that republicans are condoning this. I wonder how such a massive lack of spinal integrity has taken over congress. 

Yesterday I got the usual happyhappyjoyjoy message from my congressional representative, Ann Wagner. She and my two senators have drunk the Kool-aid and have lined up behind 47 like lemmings headed on a suicidal mission. That, by the way, is a myth. I wish our current congress was a myth as well. 

I am tired of waking up and asking myself what comrade 47 has screwed with today. The dismantling of USAID, the gutting of the NIH and NOAA, and now withholding aid to Ukraine, have proven to be too much for me. I am also pretty sure that my legal marriage to Jan will soon be called in question. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop when it comes to funding Legal Services where we take care of the sort of people that this administration despises.  As I think of these things I can physically feel the ire rising from the middle of me. The problem is that at the moment I have nowhere to go with it other than to join a protest and hold up a sign.

Yesterday I got the weekly tip sheet from a respected source of immigration law information. “On February 25 US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a new policy requiring all immigrants to register with the government.” (CLINIC – Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.). In 1938 Germany, the Nazi’s made it a requirement for Jews to register their properties so they could more easily be conscripted by the regime. I used to think something like that would not happen in the United States. I know differently now.

I think my anger is stoked because I feel helpless. I can, and do, call my congresspeople’s offices. I know damn well they have no interest in my position and obviously are 47’s cheerleaders. As I type this my hands are a little shakier than usual. I hate the fact that these buffoons take up so much room in my head that I find it difficult to follow my own advice to do everything I can to not lose heart. I have some hope that we can change things with the 2026 elections. But I am also astounded at how much damage 47 has done in less than two months in office. We may not have two years to fix anything.