Brendan Buschi: Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?

Remember the Lovin' Spoonfuls? Remember John Sebastian?

I just finished "American Carnage" by Tim Alberta. It was an insightful book.

Tim seems like a nice guy who devoted a lot of time and effort to writing this book - all 677 pages of it.

I had no idea who Tim was before reading his book. Apparently he knows a lot of Republicans and they apparently trust him, because he quotes them extensively in his book - everybody's on the record.

Tim has gone to great pains to show Donald Trump for exactly what he is and explain to what extent the Republican Party helped him get where he is today.

Tim writes, "The president's ascent has been invited by the right's unresponsiveness to outrage; his ability to get away with political murder …", page 588.

Tim adds, "Worse, try as he might to ignore his own agency in the poisoning of our body politic, Ryan knows he could have done more to supply antibodies.", page 593.

Tim quotes Mitch McConnell, "When I woke up the morning after Election Night 2016, I thought to myself, 'These opportunities don't come along very often. Let's see how we can maximize it.'", page 600.

In his Author's Note on page vii, Tim writes, "Trump is not the creator of this era of national disruption. Rather, he is its most manifest consequence."

The subtitle for "American Carnage" is "On The Front Lines Of The Republican Civil War And the Rise Of President Trump". It is an apt subtitle considering the books contents, but it is somewhat myopic. It ignores the larger context in which we live - there is a Civil War that has been going on at least since 1861.

Tim's documentation of Republican quotes is important. However, Tim seems to equivocate in his analysis. His sympathy and empathy for Republican office holders is evident and he appears conflicted.

Paul Ryan is not a guy who went astray. He came to Washington astray and he left astray. Same is true for Mike Pence and others. To ignore that is to ignore what underlies all of American politics.

To ignore that is to ignore what motivates many who gravitate toward power.

"American Carnage" is a fitting title for where we are right now in our history. We are watching in real time what could be the end of our republic - the destruction of our government.

What is absolutely new and noteworthy in "American Carnage" is hearing what the Republican participants had to say about it. We are all well versed in the events. It's the public hypocrisy that is stunning.

So why did I open this piece with a picture of John Sebastian? Well, after all the work Tim Alberta put into his book and after all the personal interviews he conducted, I would've thought he would've been less kind and less equivocal in his analysis. This song from the Lovin' Spoonful came to mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR5vcCI9YtM

I was particularly bothered by the "Epilogue". I don't know how anyone writing about the political response to Mueller's report from both the Democrats and the Republicans could have totally ignored and omitted Justin Amash.

Unlike virtually everyone else in politics, the press and people posting on social media, Justin responded honestly. He unequivocally called for Trump's Impeachment.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/05/amash-impeachment/589783/

Justin clearly had a sense of responsibility as a member of Congress who took an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic".

If Tim had written about Amash's position in regard to Mueller's report, it would've clearly shown there was an alternative course of action for both Republicans and Democrats alike - an honorable way - a way that did not shirk duty and responsibility.

Instead, Tim writes, "The argument was somewhat academic. President Trump was not going to be expelled from office - at least, not while Republicans controlled the U.S. Senate." Pages 607-608.

Tim quotes John Boehner on page 601. "At some point we're going to have to realize that we're Americans first ... This country is more important than what each of the political parties believe in."

Boehner provided a basis upon which to evaluate the Republican Party. Instead, it is merely another quote. There are no conclusions being drawn in regard to justice or the rule of law.

Teddy Roosevelt did not mince words. I doubt he would have found any justification for what has been allowed to happen.

Ironically, months after Mueller's report was released Donald Trump has been Impeached and we are in the middle of the Senate trial now. The Articles of Impeachment that the House passed had nothing to do with Mueller's report. I find that sad/inexcusable, to say the least.

What comes next is anybody's guess, but to date, there has not been a single Republican in the Senate breaking from the flock and putting the welfare of the country above all else.