Trigger warning: includes non-derogatory mention of former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
You may have noticed the number of times that Democrats have been compared to the nerdy kid being shaken down by the schoolyard bully for lunch money every day. As I recall the story, the weakling decides to fight back and not only keeps his lunch money but gets noticed by the cool girls. We haven’t quite reached that stage yet in the 2025 real-life version playing out in Washington, DC, but even some high-profile Republicans are starting to think the bully is going a bit too far.
The irony of the government shutdown is that Republicans are completely in charge of all three branches, yet they need Democratic votes to reach the number required to authorize funding. The Democrats decided to stand up to the GOP bullies and demand that the premium subsidies for those with Obamacare health insurance be extended, rather than allowed to expire.
In fact, this is a simple ask when compared to all the outrageous cuts included in the budget bill, but since the bullies don’t want to appear weak, they must refuse. But what if the voters find out that not only did the GOP stubbornness cause the shutdown, but it also caused health insurance premiums to skyrocket, even for those with private, non-Obamacare health plans? Activate the spin machine!
Democrats are at a disadvantage because, being generally more informed and more rational, they don’t tend to lie as easily as the MAGA Republicans, whose role model is Donald Trump, world record- holder for the most lies told during a Presidential term (30,573 if you’re wondering, counted by the Washington Post Fact Checker team).
So, when the GOP bullies needed to smack down the upstart Democrats, they announced that the Democrats were insisting on providing healthcare to “illegal aliens.” All the Democrats and left-leaning Independents immediately fact-checked this assertion and found it was not true. All the MAGA folk, who abhor fact-checking because it confuses them, simply believed what they were told and blamed the Democrats.
The other usually positive trait that seems to work against the Democrats is empathy, and the ability to imagine themselves in someone else’s place. When they imagine what Republicans might be feeling if the roles were reversed and Joe Biden or Barack Obama were doing some of the things currently being done by Donald Trump, they know the outcry would be thunderous.
It takes quite a bit of creative imagination to visualize Biden or Obama sending National Guard troops into Republican cities over the objections of their mayors and governors. That’s not because they were too wimpy to do it, it’s because their presidencies tried to take the actual needs of the mayors and governors, as well as the residents, into account.
Donald Trump has essentially declared war on Democrats, cutting off funding for massive public works projects in blue states, seeking partisan redistricting aimed at decreasing Democratic representation, and pursuing vindictive prosecutions against Democrats who have wronged him. He has labeled everyone even slightly on the left side of center as being “radical leftists” and accused them of fomenting political violence that requires his own violence in response.
In fact, right-wing groups are responsible for a large majority of incidents of political violence, but that statistic has now been erased from government websites. Secretary of Defense and Fox News personality Pete Hegseth has decided he wants to be called the Secretary of War and for the troops to focus on “lethality.” Defense is for losers.
Again, can you imagine Biden or Obama supporting this aggressive approach toward “leading” the country? I know both men proposed policies that many voters found objectionable, but they did not label the other party “the enemy within” and openly vow vengeance on them. They also worked toward bipartisan agreements, which King Donald does not allow.
Back to the schoolyard bully for a moment. One of the versions of this story includes the bully’s buddies getting turned off by the level of his violence toward the nerdy kid. One day, the buddies step away from behind the bully and walk to the side of the kid. The bully quickly becomes less powerful as he realizes he’s out there alone.
This Saturday, October 18, has been designated No Kings Day 2. Even Bandera has some supporters of the idea that America was founded in opposition to King George and his bullying. Our Constitution was carefully crafted to prevent the return of an all-powerful monarch, and Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike are joining together to remind us all that “We, the People” are the ones who run the show.
Mass gatherings of peaceful demonstrators will take place, not only across the country but around the world. A rally will take place in Kerrville from 10-12. As for me, I plan to set myself up with my whiteboard in front of the courthouse from 9 until 10, happily willing to have peaceful conversations with anyone who might be interested.
I honestly don’t believe that any American wants to be ruled by a king and his minions. I hope you’ll stop by and chat with me so we can share ideas about how we all can make America great again. I’ll be the one wearing a crown.
Susan Hull is a retired clinical psychologist, a horse trainer, and an Independent voter. She is confident that she will be safe and respected even by those Banderans who disagree with her.
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