Good Morning. It's Monday.
A few thoughts
With my next post Still Wondering will finish its third year. Writing it is the most gratifying thing I do; I’m grateful to every reader.
It’s still true that each post has a life of its own. I usually start with what I think is a single clear point. Fairly soon, the writing morphs, into something larger or just different. As a result it often takes me three weeks to write a substantive column. Another reason for that is my desire to keep each post relatively short. (There’s an old saying: “I would have made it shorter, but didn’t have the time.”)
I want to keep in touch more regularly. So again — I tried this about two years ago — I’m going to write occasional informal posts, between the longer more serious ones.
Today, thoughts about something that gives me hope: disagreements among Republicans in Congress. Until January 2027, they’re the only ones who can rein in this president. These members of Congress are close enough to the action to know that Trump needs to be constrained, for his own sake, let alone that of the country and the world; in fact, for the party itself. Conservatism comes in many forms. His is not one to be proud of.
So I share with you this clip, describing a few senators who are speaking up. They want more pressure on Russia to lessen its strikes on Ukraine. I’m not sure what I think about the war in Ukraine; what I do know is that I appreciate dissent within GOP ranks. They’ve been supine.
Similarly welcome is Josh Hawley’s resistance. I have despised this man, who raised his fist in support of the January 6 insurrectionists. There’s blood on his hands. Now, though, he has voted to protect consumers from bank overdraft fees, worked to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs, walked union picket lines, and publicly opposed cuts to Medicaid.
Finally let me recommend the Substack blog which reported on Hawley’s recent positions. The blog — DemocracySOS — focuses on structural changes in politics, changes we badly need.
Have a good week.