This commentary is by Bob Stannard of Manchester, an author, musician and former state legislator and lobbyist.
To dance the Bamba,
one needs a bit of grace.
A bit of grace for me, for you,
now come on, come on,
How low can you go — “La Bamba,” Ritchie Valens
In 1958, I was 7 years old and in second grade when Ritchie Valens’ song “La Bamba” hit the charts. All through elementary school, kids around America would try their best to bend over backwards, shuck their bodies forward and see if they could get under the bamboo stick that was supported by upright posts on either side.
I was terrible at this move, but there were kids throughout the nation who learned how to do it well. Very strong legs and great flexibility were the key components of doing “La Bamba” successfully. The goal was not just to get “low,” but to get very low.
A year after the 17-year-old Valens released this blockbuster of a song, he died. He was on tour with Buddy Holly and went down in the plane that robbed us of Valens, Holly and J.P. Richardson, aka the Big Bopper. Don McLean immortalized this tragic event in his long-lasting hit song “American Pie.”
That was then. This is now.
Today in America, we are witnessing firsthand a new bar. The bar is getting lower to the ground by the day, but certain members of the United States Senate are showing great aptitude for slithering under it. And they need not have strong legs or great flexibility. They need only to be themselves.
Last week, we saw just how petty and disgraceful some senators can be. Previously, the bill known as Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins Act (also known as the PACT Act) had the support of 25 Senate Republicans, more than enough to ensure its passage. The bill, pushed hard by comedian Jon Stewart, would have expanded eligibility for free medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs for thousands of veterans who have been exposed to toxic chemicals.
That bill was all set to go until the Senate’s No. 1 renegade, Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, had an epiphany and decided that perhaps after two years it might be a nice thing if he finally supported his party.
Most of the senators supported the bill to produce more computer chips in America. Minority leader Mitch McConnell assumed that, once the computer chip bill passed, Manchin would not support a different bill that would tax those making over $400,000 a year (remember, that’s reported income) and would address climate change. McConnell assumed wrong. The Republicans believed that they were hornswoggled by the Democrats.
What did the Republicans do? Instead of taking a moment to contemplate the numerous times that they’ve screwed over the Democrats over the past decade and bide their time, they lashed out and killed the veterans bill that already had support of 25 Republicans.
Arguably, the only ones blindsided by the Republicans’ immediate change of heart were Jon Stewart, the veterans, and the first responders that he’s been representing. When 25 senators renege on a promise, resulting in a straight-up slap in the face of our veterans, it’s pretty clear that the Senate has become a den of dysfunction.
To top off the week, we now learn that male version of Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Green, Rep. Matt Gaetz, was caught on a hot microphone in a conversation with a Trump adviser — the recently pardoned felon Roger Stone. Stone is the creepy character with a tattoo of Nixon on his back. We can only assume that the tattoo is still there, but since snakes do shed their skin, it could be gone by now.
The recent events occurring in our nation should give us all pause.
The three new members on the radical Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade after stating publicly that Roe was settled law. They lied to get a seat on our highest court.
Gaetz told Stone that he had inside information that Stone would never spend a day in jail. Not to worry. You can go right ahead and lie to Congress, break the law and have no fear, because your corrupt leader will bail you out.
Thus far in the past year, women have been told that they no longer have control over their bodies. We’re learning the truth about what really happened leading up to and on Jan. 6, 2020. We’ve seen nothing but lip service paid to our veterans who are sick due to no fault of their own.
At what point will Americans say, “Enough is enough”? Why would any American voluntarily choose to support this level of corruption and pettiness?
How great must the contortions be, and how low can the bar be set for these people who are charged with representing the will of the people, before the people say, “No more”? Those who attacked our Capitol did so based on a lie. What happens when people see the truth? Perhaps they’ll go to the polls and throw these bums out. Here’s hoping.