CrankyYank Vol. 62: Watching a house on fire is. not. normal.

Home ownership is a lot like writing the chapters of a book—amassing a never-ending anthology of great stories.

If we own our homes for 3, 5, 10 or even 20 years, we are the caretakers of that home until the next owner or family comes in to put down roots. At least that’s the way I look at my home in midtown Atlanta; I make it the best I can during my stay, improving and maintaining it, until the “next generation” comes in to make new memories and write new chapters.

Governing in America—nationally, at the state level, municipalities and even school boards—follows a similar principle. “But Will,” you might ask, “nobody in government owns anything.”

You’re 100% correct, O Wise Reader: elected officials do not own the seats they occupy. Getting elected doesn’t mean he or she spontaneously owns the real estate under their desk. That man or woman occupies it and tries to act upon her constituents’ wishes to make her region or state or school a better place. If they do a decent job they have the privilege of going back and doing it again.

A home where the heartless live

Homeownership has the allure and pride of a permanent arrangement, but in the end, you’ll be giving it up one day to a new shepherd. Improvements you make in your dwelling form the gift you give to the next owner, and the next.

That goes ditto for people in elected office.

Congressmen, the president’s cabinet members, senators, et. al., do not serve “at the pleasure of the president.” (Even though they’ve all behaved like drooling lap dogs so far.) Those folks serve the American people, the country, and must prove their job performance every 2-4 years to get reelected.

Here’s the problem: they’re acting like they fucking own the place. They’re behaving like the people shouldn’t have a say or be involved in how governing succeeds or fails. They’re trying to govern in darkness. Worse still, many in Trump’s closest circle heap praise upon him as if he’s King Lear cajoled by his subjects. This is not how America works. Consider these recent developments:

▶️ The press secretary’s office is in shambles. Spicey & Co. have tried to take briefings off-the-record, off-camera, and have canceled them outright. CNN brought in a sketch artist as a form of protest to document what was going on.

▶️ A group of disabled activists were physically torn from their wheelchairs and placed in handcuffs after protesting the ACHA (essentially the GOP’s repeal of the ACA). The heartless brutality of that action is equalled only by how ruthless and cruel the ACHA actually is— with $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid. “I’d rather go to jail than die without Medicaid” protestors chanted outside Mitch McConnell’s office.

▶️ Trump and his cretins have taken a meat cleaver to anything scientific—including HIV & AIDS research, climate change data and SO much more. Their science denial is overt, creepy and an insult to the research we’ve done as a country.

▶️ Bob Mueller, the special counsel, has ramped up his investigation and is going to connect all dots when it comes to Trumprussia. He’s hired some of the sharpest minds in criminal prosecution so the shits about to hit the fan.

Leaving a better nation-home

With rank incompetence, overt hostility to government and a ballooning investigation into Russia’s hacking our election, we’re in for quite a ride over these summer months.

As I’ve written in previous posts, the GOP as a party is standing on the sidelines watching our house burn—even cheering it. They are complicit in the destruction of the institutions our framers left for us.

As many of my loyal readers know, this infuriates me. You should be just as angry, too. Have you called your senators yet? I’m going to do everything I can to make sure our American home is ready to hand off to the next generation of lawmakers and caretakers.

I just hope the current fire raging doesn’t burn it all to the ground.

 

I stumbled across this incredible moment of a chimp being released by Jane Goodall and her team in to the wild. I’d give anything to interview her about it. For now, decompress from my rant above and have a look. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Remember: I wrote a book about how animals (in the case of “Leaving Triscuit,” dogs and cats) know way more than we give them credit for. 🔵

 

That’s a wrap guys! We’ll see you back here next Thursday at 2 p.m. As always, if you like what you read please consider passing it on.

---

Will Pollock is an Atlanta-based freelance multimedia journalist focusing on pop-culture, politics, journalism & media, retail, real estate, travel, politics, and human interest. 

He is the author of two books (Pizza for Good & Leaving Triscuit), with more on the way. Sign up for the mailing list, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram—and check out the book links below.

Make sure to comment often—cranky loves company. As a wholly independent news source, CrankyYank depends on your subscriptions, shares, comments and likes. If you’re enjoying CY, please consider telling a friend.

Support independent authors, writers, artists, journalists, reporters and professionals. Buy a book, leave a review, start a discussion. Thank a reporter if you like a story you see or read. Our success as a nation depends on your engagement and involvement at every level.

I’ve largely set aside my book promotion on Twitter to focus on crimes committed by the Trump administration. There are many other bloggers, pundits and journalists doing the same; make sure to support them at every turn.