Right back where we started

I hope everyone is having a good week, despite that pesky Punxatawny Phil having seen his shadow on Tuesday.  Incidentally, why don't they take into account the many TV lights in use when they drag the little guy out of his "house" to see what he "says?"  Always wondered about that.

It's funny and a little sad that many of us thought that when the primary occupant of the White House changed last month that things would move into a more normal mode.  And, to be sure, they have.  There are regular briefings by a professional spokesperson who appears to be well-informed and empowered to speak on behalf of the current Presidential administration.  We have three-times-a-week coronavirus briefings led by professionals and featuring unfiltered comments by medical and scientific experts.

But yet a lot of the conversation out of Washington still centers around controversial people, one who just left office and one who just assumed office.  I think you know both to whom I refer.

I have to say that things are certainly a lot quieter without daily tweetstorms, insults of political leaders and others, and the regular stream-of-consciousness stuff that never stopped coming from mid-2015 until about a month ago.

Regardless, there will be another impeachment trial starting next week.  The prosecutors from the House of Representatives filed a brief with the Senate of more than 80 pages detailing their position and points of argument.  The attorneys representing the former President filed a brief that was considerably briefer (pardon the pun) and one that makes the primary argument that the trial is unconstitutional, presumably because they feel the evidence is stacked overwhelmingly against the President and that's the only logical argument to be made.

Unfortunately, it won't matter, there will likely be another acquittal of this man who's again accused of committing "high crimes and misdemeanors" against the United States.  Because nearly every Republican in Congress still fears this man and what he can and likely would try to do to their political fortunes.  And serving in Congress is now far less about whom the elected serve and more about continuing to be reelected.

And then there's the newly minted Congressional member from northeast Georgia who has become well known for having, shall we say, questionable opinions about a variety of issues.  She has already made her presence known by arguing against the wearing of face masks in the Capitol and seems to feel that she is directly assuming the mantle of controversy from our former President.

The House is scheduled to vote on the status of her committee assignments going forward.  It's a well-crafted move, as it will force her fellow Republicans to vote on record as to whether they support and therefore endorse a person who believes that school shootings didn't really happen, that California wildfires were caused by Jewish-controlled lasers firing from space, and that our former President really won the last Presidential election, among other things.  The advertisements against those Republicans simply write themselves, it seems.

So much for things calming down after the inauguration.