Let's call this the phrase of the week. To be in a state of high dudgeon is to be angry, indignant, downright vengeful. Right now that archaic term describes today's Democratic Party and its far-left base.
No one doubted that President Trump, like candidate Trump and President-elect Trump, would face hostility, but the level of loathing has been astounding. Consider a few incidents from just the past few days.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi smeared President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch, a thoroughly decent and eminently qualified man. She actually said this: 'If you breathe air, drink water, eat food, take medicine, or in any other way interact with the courts, this is a very bad decision.' Did she leave anyone out?
Her counterpart in the Senate, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, appeared to weep when talking about the administration's executive order that would temporarily halt the stream of refugees from seven chaotic nations.
Think it's merely a case of unhinged leaders? Think again. Rank-and-file Democratic senators totally boycotted committee hearings on two of Donald Trump's cabinet nominees. Back-bencher Senator Jeff Merkley urged a filibuster of the Supreme Court nominee … before he even knew who it would be!
How about Rex Tillerson, the new Secretary of State? He's a former Boy Scout leader and widely-praised leader who ran one of the world's largest international companies. Only three Democrats voted for his confirmation, which was approved by the slimmest vote for any secretary of state ever. Yes, the word 'unprecedented' is getting an unprecedented workout these days.
But could it be that the Democratic Party will pick someone sane and logical to lead them out of the political wilderness? Well, one top candidate for DNC chair is far-left former Labor Secretary Tom Perez. He is slamming President Trump as a graduate of MSU, an acronym for 'making s*** up.' Another contender is farther-left Congressman Keith Ellison, who is bashing Judge Neil Gorsuch as a 'right-wing extremist.'
Naturally, the Trump-hatred overfloweth at universities and Hollywood, two bastions of far-left group think. Entertainers rush to the nearest microphone to denounce the president as, what else, a fascist. A couple of them have even sunk so low as to slander 10-year-old Barron Trump, who has yet to issue a single executive order in his young life.
On campus, a college professor got his 15 minutes by claiming Tom Brady is less of a patriot, or Patriot, than Colin Kaepernick. Why? Because Brady once donned a 'Make America Great Again' cap. And we all saw what happened Wednesday evening when a gay, Trump-supporting provocateur named Milo Yiannopoulos tried to speak at Berkeley. Students at that former capital of the Free Speech Movement tried to burn the place down!
All of this requires the requisite disclaimer. President Obama faced strong opposition during his two terms as president. Everyone remembers that Republican leader Mitch McConnell stated that his goal was 'for President Obama to be a one-term president.' What's forgotten is that he said that nearly two years after Barack Obama was sworn in, on the eve of the 2010 midterm elections.
There are some very telling numbers that demonstrate the level of Democratic umbrage. On January 21st, 2009, President Obama's first full day in office, Hillary Clinton was confirmed to be secretary of state by a vote of 94 – 2. Attorney General Eric Holder, a career ideologue, was approved 75 – 21.
President Obama's Supreme Court nominees, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, received 68 and 63 votes, respectively. Any bets on Neil Gorsuch reaching 60? We'll lay some very tempting odds.
So, yes, these are very troubling times. We're not quite ready to take up Dennis Miller's jocular suggestion to split the country in three. And it's a bit premature to start quoting from Abraham Lincoln's 1858 'House Divided' speech, even though there is a political civil war in the USA right now.
Maybe it's more suitable to quote Cole Porter, who wrote this: 'The world has gone mad today, and good's bad today.' And if Porter isn't your style, there's the ultra-cool actor Matthew McConaughey. 'He's our president,' McConaughey said of Donald Trump, 'and it's time for us to embrace.'
McConaughey may never work again in Hollywood, but perhaps there's a spot for him in Washington. Somebody, somewhere has to lower the dudgeon that just gets higher by the day.
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