SWIMMING UPSTREAM DURING A TSUNAMI

Living in a small town where wealthy white Republicans outnumber those with modest means and left-leaning folks can be challenging.  I was recently elected to the POA board that represents 7700 property owners.  About 2500 residents live here full-time, with the majority using their homes as second and third vacation homes. The average age in my town is around 75. There were approximately 110 Democratic voters in the most recent Primary and almost 700 Republican voters, so you might say that those of us with like minds are significantly outnumbered. Let's face it, I'm a minority. It's a label I wear proudly.

I am the Llano County Democratic Party Chair and consider my Republican counterpart a friend. We became friends after attending an 8-week "Citizen's Academy" course hosted by our city government. He's also a good friend of some Democrats I know who live here. As an outgoing personality and retired attorney, I'm confident he has his sights on higher offices, as do I.

We've enjoyed good-natured teasing. My counterpart once said, "You need to come to OUR side– Come toward the light."  I responded, "That will NEVER happen. I AM the light!" We both shared laughter over those kinds of exchanges. I recruited him to serve on a committee of the POA that I co-chair, so we have frequent opportunities for friendly bantering.

Yesterday was an exception, although he will never know it. Before a board meeting, he and one of my fellow board members were outside the room and apparently in deep conversation. I waited a  minute, said "hello," and exchanged hugs. When I asked what they were "plotting," one remarked that they were organizing a visit from the Russians. Both collapsed in hearty laughter. While I smiled, I didn't share their laughter.

Considering that our President recently held a press conference with Putin, disparaging our intelligence and media communities and denying any Russian interference in our elections, I didn't find their remarks funny. I let it go and walked past them after wishing them a good day. Despite getting a glimpse into a troubled soul, albeit unaware of the blackness, I still like him. I've learned not to engage with uninformed kool-aid drinkers.

What hit me right in the face is that there is NOTHING this treasonous President can do that will discourage his supporters. They'll tell you our country's economy is terrific, and the tax cuts are tremendous (they are unaware that whatever tax cut they received will be short-lived, and the 1% are the ones who benefitted from it). They will complain that the Democrats are "picking on" our poor, disparaged President. The ones who are ashamed of supporting him but still secretly hold him in high regard will post statements on Facebook like, "I'm tired of all the negative comments, both on the right and on the left."  In my opinion, that's a code for "Don't pick on our maligned President. Just let him continue making America great."  Yet, these are the same people who accused President Obama of being born in Kenya or committing such crimes as wearing a tan suit and his wife wearing a sleeveless dress. And, when they really want to sound like they might actually have evidence about Obama destroying our country, they will cite his numerous Executive Orders. Unfortunately, they are unaware of the many EOs Trump has signed (primarily unread, but, by golly, he signed them). As a backup, they'll talk about Hillary's emails or Benghazi. Of course, they'll let slide that the President uses his (unsecured) phone for numerous ignorant tweets filled with falsehoods. They're completely unaware that the slaughter of our troops in Niger resulted from Chad pulling out of providing security to us because of fines against Exxon imposed by Chad and a travel ban placed on their citizens as one of Trump's targeted countries. Congress never investigated the back story on Chad's lack of security for our troops. Rex Tillerson, our Secretary f State at the time, was formerly the CEO of Exxon. Think there might be a connection? But no, the Republican-led Con ess will spend 7 years investigating Hillary about the attack on our consulate in Benghazi (which found nothing). Think that might be because she is a Clinton and a woman??

Every day the President of the United States lies. Then, he lies about his lies. Nothing Trump does is acceptable.  I don't care if he walks in front of the Queen. I don't care if his wife was a nude model. I don't care what she wears. I don't even care if he plays golf every weekend, even though he said he wouldn't (see the first sentence). I do care if he stands on the world stage and alienates our allies while making new allies out of dictators (who have nuclear weapons). I do care that he's likely laundered Russian money for YEARS. I do care that he tweets nastiness and lies.  I do care that he sabotages and undermines our intelligence and media communities. I do care that our country no longer has the stature it once had due to the behavior of a rogue president.

As I stated to the mother of friends I've known for over 65 years when she commented that my political beliefs were in the minority––I'm proud of it. I'm pleased that I can live in a country where we can disagree with the current regime. I'm proud of being on the right side of history.  I'm pleased to speak out and do whatever I can to change this profoundly red part of the country, even though I'm being ridiculed and ostracized for my beliefs.

Laugh on---when they are ultimately awakened, they'll finally realize the truth.