The Witness Chronicles, 1/2/25
New year, same old, same old, only worse
Who I Am and Why I Write This Stuff
First and foremost, I am not a journalist
I’m an opinionated observer and writer. I have huge respect for traditional journalism that digs into the details and facts without prejudice until they find what looks like truth. Truth in politics these days can be a rarity with candidates, so-called news organizations, elected officials, and others blatantly lying on a daily basis.
Sorting out what is true and the patterns behind it are why I write The Witness Chronicles. I find the lying and the acceptance of it very disturbing. There has always been lying in public discourse but today there is little hesitation to openly lie without any proof that what they are saying is based on any kind of reality. The fact that it got a man twice elected to the highest office in the land is simply incomprehensible.
In my long history as a writer, the writing I was doing was practical stuff, how-to books, business and marketing content, a couple of novels written for my own entertainment, etc. But the events of the past eight years often provoked outrage and frustration and that led to me doing this kind of writing, writing based on passion about the rule of law and our democracy.
In other words, right now at this time in my life I have to do this. And it is gratifying to find that there are others who share my concerns.
As I write this, it is a new year. I don’t think anyone could have predicted the utter insanity we witnessed during the election cycle last year and it seems to be expanding as Trump plans to take power and is surrounding himself with unelected billionaire advisors like Musk and Ramaswamy, who are blatantly looking to personally profit from being in Trump’s inner circle.
The unfortunate conclusion is that 2025 is likely to be much worse than 2024 unless all of us rise up and stop accepting the lying, the fearmongering, the willful ignorance, and reclaim our country. I have to admit I am not certain how we do that or if it is even possible.
Right now, our politicians in Congress on both sides have to take the lead and this will be the acid test for that body. I’ll be paying attention during the upcoming confirmation hearings for Trump’s Cabinet nominees to see if these wildly incompetent people bring out the alarm with Senators that they deserve.
As I’m writing this, news of the terror attack in New Orleans is coming out and it is very alarming. But the reactions from President Biden and President-elect Trump could not be more different. Biden offered full support from the federal government for what may be a coordinated attack by multiple terrorists associated with ISIS.
Before the facts were out Trump used the event to claim it had something to do with illegal immigrants. In fact the man who drove the truck and died in the attack was born in America and served in the army. We don’t know anything about his possible co-conspirators and neither did Trump*.
*The FBI is now saying they think he acted alone. But now the fear is copycat attacks as we face several huge public events including the Super Bowl and the Trump inauguration.
Instead of taking this seriously he used the tragedy to promote his false agenda and claims of crimes by immigrants and as an example of his claim that crime is at record levels when, in fact, it is down sharply in recent years, across the country.
This response is telling, once again revealing Trump’s near sociopathic lack of concern for the truth and lack of sympathy for those killed in the attack and the fact that he did not yet know the full story. Opportunism at its most cynical.
And a perfect example of why I write this stuff.
Most of my readers, based on comments and feedback, share my moderate Democrat stance, which has gradually moved towards what used to be the center as the extreme right and left have both moved into more radical territory.
It will be our responsibility to let Senators and House Members know how we feel about these nominees and to let them know that we, as voters, will hold them responsible if they support these people. There is simply too much at stake here to fill the White House with incompetent, verging on criminal, advisors.
The reality here is we are experiencing a crisis that shows no sign of ending. It is an environment that Trump and his people thrive in, using confusion and fear to screen their actions from the American public. Despite their claims otherwise, these are not patriots. Patriots respect democracy and the rule of law above loyalty to any individual.
As for who I am, I am a 69 year old straight white male, born here in the US. I am aware that I was born into a society that rewarded people like me with opportunities not available to others. But that is changing rapidly and it is long overdue. Those on the far right are alarmed by widening equality and tolerance, despite those being celebrated as American virtues by many.
So we find ourselves only two days into the new year and already dealing with shocking news that requires responsible and qualified leadership in DC, leadership we are not seeing from the incoming President elect.
Happy New Year.
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It's surprising trump didn't praise the driver as a good person. I'm with you...it'd be nice for truth in journalism. Maybe if journalists starting reporting the facts, that would/could be the start of us taking a stance and getting our country back.