Bullies are in control... but we have to try.

Mother Nature has given us the cold shoulder. The long-range forecast calls for highs in the 30s and 40s, not reaching 50 until April 5th. I, for one, am not amused by the days of sleet and cold. I'm hopeful that the messy weather that might come at the end of the week doesn't ruin my book launch party at the Coop on Sunday-- that would be unfortunate, to say the least. 

But none of that will change the course of human events, so I'll just put that aside. The news cycle continues to be horrifying-- this time, the powers that be are thinking of getting rid of much of the federal court system, just because they think they can. We've gone far beyond Constitutional crisis, and we are deep into dystopia. I can't even keep up: draconian measures continue, the courts keep trying to rein things in, the measures get worse... for the rest of us, the spectre of not being able to pay bills through the mail efficiently, or not knowing if there will ever be a way to retire financially, or the cessation of critical medical research are problems we can't fix, but that will affect us directly. 

I have no way of knowing what the end game is, but it looks like a full dismantling of norms, and the way we have come to rely on pillars of government has been shaken to the core. Who and what can we trust? This mean-spirited way of doing business has infiltrated state politics already-- a local state rep who is a GOP member (although a fairly independent-minded one) was removed from a committee for just wanting to hear an amendment proposed to a relatively minor bill-- he had the temerity to vote with the Dems just so he could hear the amendment. Apparently, he messed up the plans of the GOP leadership, and he was summarily chastised for not doing what he was told. 

I fear for all of us when the bullies are in charge. With the guardrails being removed at all levels of government, then vindictive and vengeful behaviors run rampant. And you know that this behavior gives permission to local discord to flourish as well. At least at the local level, maybe we can hold this abusive behavior at bay.

Hold your loved ones close. 

C