a mystical möbius — curating facts, ideas, text, and media to create a contemplative space.

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Failure?  

This week, sadly, Texas seems like a fine illustration for a bipartisan government-fails-to-work argument (both R’s and D’s are livid in Texas). That’s another post. This piece treats a failure to express moral leadership, but not by Ted Cruz, as in Texas, rather, by U.S. Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran, right here in Kansas.

So, last week we talked about an existential problem that can be summed as the Earth I || Earth II divide. Unfortunately, naming it as a binary may aggravate the issues. However, in practical terms, it is indeed “binary”—it’s an either/or excluded-middle form. In our constitutional democracy, a two-sets-of-facts divide makes America unsustainable. 

DJT has claimed for months—he still claims—that the election was stolen. Sen. Moran refuses to repudiate it. Ironically, former AG William Barr plainly disagreed with DJT. Listen:

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Barr and Moran at KBI FSC (10/2/2019)

Kansas’ senators are failing to lead, and it’s very dangerous.

Recall, when the senate regathered after the insurrection, Senator Mitt Romney said: “The best way we can show respect for the voters who were upset is by telling them the truth.”

Shibboleth

Simple question for my senators:

Do you support, or refute, DJT‘s “stolen election” story?

My senators in Kansas have refused to plainly answer this question. That’s clearly a moral failing. And, the question isn’t going away.

I’ve also asked both Marshall and Moran to affirm, or deny, the common sense statement made by Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, on the senate floor shortly after he acquitted DJT. 

“President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.” —MM

McConnell plainly states what we could call an Earth I minimum benchmark regarding the evidence/facts. 

Cynical political expedience 

Now, both my senators did vote to acquit DJT in impeachment number two. However, on the record they have claimed their votes were based on a procedural technicality, e.g., a jurisdictional question. That doesn’t speak to the evidence and facts. It’s a moral failing.

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Further, Senator Marshall was one of only six senators who, very late on January 6, also voted to object to receiving the electoral college votes from Arizona. Senator Marshall appears to support DJT‘s “stolen election” disinformation story, his behavior affirms it. So, why won’t he just plainly say so? It’s a moral failing.    

Kansas senators reflect a no-integrity inverse of the same dynamic as Michigan Republican leaders. Representative Peter Meijer of Michigan was one of the ten House Republicans who displayed courage/integrity and voted to impeach DJT. A newspaper (NY Times) story reads: “Nancy Eardley, who spoke next, urged Mr. Meijer to stop saying the election had not been stolen. She said he had ‘betrayed’ his Republican base.”

“Stop saying the election had not been stolen,” Eardly said. In other words, stop telling the truth, it’s a betrayal of DJT‘s QOP base. 

My question is, after January 6, are all Republicans still a solid part of DJT‘s base?

Because Senator McConnell and about twenty-or-so other elected Republican leaders are indicating the Republican Party needs to move away from DJT.

Conversely, Senator Lindsay Graham has plainly stated he believes that it’s now “Trump-plus” in the Republican Party and that the party cannot win without DJT. [Lindsey Graham said ‘Count me out’ after the Capitol riot. But he’s all in with Trump again.]

These are clear distinctions between a Republican Party as visualized by McConnell and the party as seen by Graham. There is no both sides abided here, that’s a moral failing.

OK? Seriously!?! To be very gracious, here’s totally tone-deaf & completely clueless, or cynical beyond imagination, Senator Roger Marshall (Q, KS), January 6:

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Moral failing

FBI: No Evidence Antifa Involved In Capitol Chaos and Capitol Insurrection Updates. And yet, in conversation on Senator Marshall’s The-facebook page, a common, matter-of-fact belief is reflected in this paraphrased-summary of voter comments under a post shared by the senator:

“The Dems, BLM and antifa staged the riot at the Capitol to make it look like it was MAGA and blame President Trump. Ask Pelosi why the National Guard was not there and prepared for a riot.” 

The narrative the “Dems” staged the Capitol assault has been widely debunked and roundly dismissed. Marshall/Moran’s silence on simple straight-forward questions adds inappropriate ambiguity and allows space for those deceived by DJT‘s disinformation.

“Stolen election” is a debunked lie.

“The Dems false-flag insurrection” is a debunked lie.

Senator Marshall/Moran’s silence on my fair/simple questions is a profound moral failing.

tl;dr

*Earth I || Earth II* …  two shibboleth questions

Senators Marshall and Moran, you’re failing to lead, morally. Please provide your common sense answers to the following:

Do you support, or refute, DJT’s “stolen election” story?

Do you affirm, or deny, Senator McConnell’s statement?

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Next week: No idea. Come see. 

[this post approx. 850 words (3 min. read)]

Your thoughts? 

I never know what I’ve said till I hear the response. What did you hear me say? 

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