Still More Unity

Republicans can’t help talking about unity and bi-partisanship. It seems that any time a Republican Senator or Representative disagrees with Biden’s plans for either dealing with Covid-19 or for economic assistance to those economically impacted by Covid-19 the only Republican answer is to complain about the absence of unity or the lack of bipartisanship.  Perhaps the Republican aim is for Americans to forget that Republicans controlled the Senate for the year prior to Biden’s inauguration and when the House passed legislation aimed at much needed economic help McConnell and the Republican controlled Senate did nothing but talk.  In fact, those seems to be the Republican operating plans...talk about what you might do but never have legislation on the floor of the Senate for a vote.  Do Republicans think their talk about unity pays the rent for someone whose job in a restaurant is no longer there?  Have conversations about bipartisanship ever bought food for a child whose parents lost their jobs?  Republicans are quick to criticize but slow to act.  McConnell’s condemnation of reconciliation did not stop him from using that same tactic to give corporations and his wealthy contributors massive tax cuts.  Nor did McConnell’s talk about unity stop him from either blocking Obama’s nomination or Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court or his ramming through the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett.  To say talk is cheap is a gross understatement at a time when people who lost jobs through no fault of their own need help.  Talk is cheap when that talk is filled with myth,, lies, and misinformation like the words that come from the mouths of Republicans.  Hopefully, the one lesson that will come from the Trump/Republican administration is the simple fact that there is nothing worse than bad government.  Bad government trumps no government with no pun intended.  The other part of that lesson America should have learned is Republicans cannot govern.  Republicans can campaign and Republicans can talk but given the opportunity they cannot competently govern.  They can manage to get fruitcakes and wing-nuts elected to Congress like Louis Gohmert, Tom Hawley, Ted Cruze, and others to numerous to mention, BUT THEY CANNOT GOVERN.  Unity and bipartisanship does not put food on a table or pay a doctor’s bill.  Unity and bipartisanship, when actually a part of government does, in many cases result in bad government, however.  Unity and bipartisanship many times results in legislation badly need of repair and unable to accomplish the objectives for which it was intended.  One final thought, however, as long as Republicans just talk about unity and bipartisanship we are reminded of the reality that talk is cheap and just talk does no lasting damage.