So, the tax bill passed. And the greatest transfer of wealth from the poor and working people to the wealthy ever in this nation is in the books. Smash and grab. An in your face screw you to the middle class. A gleeful middle finger to every norm of governance, with not even a fig leaf cover of pretending to do the will of the people.
But life is a funny thing. Even a hint of warmth in the spring here in Maine and you see those little green shoots peeking through the snow. I am calm and resolved. There is so much good that has come out of this year, and will continue to come out of the horror we are experiencing. Here are my personal Top 10 of green shoots, in no particular order -- unexpected life in a cold, dark winter. I hope you will add yours.
1. The Women’s March. I was out of the country for this, because I couldn’t bear to be around for the inauguration and kept the news off after Christmas. So it snuck up on me. I was shocked and delighted at that sea of pink. Those of you who coordinated the March may never know how many of us you woke up with your unbelievable counter voice to that dismal little changing of the guard on the mall. But you all set the tone for the year, and I am profoundly grateful.
2. The travel ban protests and legal challenges. And then so many of you mobilized in the middle of the night to show the world that we are a nation of immigrants, and Trump’s policies do not speak for the majority of us.
3. My candidate in the Virginia statehouse elections won. Just the fact that I HAD a candidate and donated money to a local election 800 miles from home is a testament to the power of Daily Kos and other websites to help progressives find good candidates to support everywhere.
4. Bothsiderism isn’t dead, but it’s breathing a death rattle. Maybe the press had to experience the wholesale rejection of truth, not to mention being housed in cages at rallies and spit on and screamed at, to discover one side is working with integrity and the other side . . . isn’t.
5. Bob Mueller. He may not be able to finish his work, and I may not like what he recommends in the end. But I don’t doubt his integrity, and no honorable person does either. He was the only person in the country who could have been picked who inspires confidence in everyone but the grifters, and somehow against all odds, he was picked.
6. My representative, Bruce Poliquin, and my senator, Susan Collins, are both serving their last terms. They just don’t know it yet. It’s like that movie with the catchphrase, “I see dead people.” I look at so many of these vile congresspeople, and I see done people. There are thousands of us in Indivisible groups in our home states and districts, and millions more across the country in groups like Sister District ready to help us. We will win these fights. They are done. Done. Done.
7. When Democrats control Congress and the White House someday, we will move popular legislation through with no votes from Republicans. We won’t even try to get a vote from them next time. All that centrist, Kumbaya crap that drove us crazy in the first year of Obama’s term and beyond will not stand. After the smash and grab of this week, there is no trust left when it comes to working with any Republican in good faith. The Overton Window has moved — we might not get Medicare for all in the next few years, but we’ll definitely get Medicare for anyone over 50, a public option for all, and a transfer of wealth from the 1% to healthcare, infrastructure, and more.
8. Every single Democratic senator and rep stood strong against the Trumpcare and wealthcare bills. It wasn’t hard, given the unwillingness of the Republicans to put forth anything that polled higher than 30%. But keeping even Manchin and Lipinski in the fold was something.
9. The Republicans have turned the white, college educated vote against them. Not just in high tax states, but in fancy suburbs in all kinds of purple and light red states. And good luck suppressing that vote.
10. Doug Jones! You may not agree with every position he takes, but he just exudes honor, humility, every-day-grind-it-out-till-the-right-thing-is-done purpose. Thank you, Alabama!
By this time next year, the midterms will be over. I see stories every day of people who are working harder than I ever have, and ever could, to make what is wrong right. So I will join them and work harder than I ever have, get out of my comfort zone, and give more than I ever have, to get my country back.
It all began with my first glimpse on TV of one of those ridiculously cute, in-your-face pink pussy hats in January. “How could I not know about this?” I thought, and immediately felt this weird sense of exhilaration and relief. The cavalry had come, when I didn’t even know one existed any more.
The more you know, the more you do. And we are going to do amazing things in 2018.
