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Opinion

Lame Duck! LAME DUCK? What’s a Lame Duck?

By November 21, 2024No Comments

Elected officials never want to be Lame Ducks.

Lame Ducks lose their power, and they will never be seen again as powerful elected officials who make serious decisions. They won’t win their next election and will soon be “nobody.”

Elections Have Consequences

No–Not Lame Duck Trump.  He is a Lame Duck already.  No more elections for him.

Yes–Think Senators and House Members.  Particularly think Senators.  They are the ones whose “butts” must be on fire if they don’t do their job to say “NO” to Trump’s unqualified and disloyal-to-our-country nominations.

Senators Get to Choose

Are they loyal to Lame Duck Trump?  Or will they be faithful to their constituents?

Trump has promised tariffs.  Lots of tariffs!   Rural Senators already know that Lame Duck Trump’s tariffs will cause a second crash in farm markets.  On the House side, the Republican House Farm Bill is dedicated to prohibiting the CCC from being used to soften the retaliation economic blow that will slam down on farmers.  It’s a double track against farmers and farm prices.

Farmers and Small Business Folks Get to Choose, Too

Their choice — Senators can stand up for saying NO to Lame Duck Trump, or they can allow themselves to be bullied.

Farmers must demand their Senators do their jobs and say “NO!” to tariffs and unqualified appointments. The alternative? Farmers must remind their Senators that “Elections have consequences!

Maine-Susan Collins, Montana-Steve Daines, North Carolina-Thom Tillis, South Dakota-Mike Rounds, and Texas-John Cornyn all have re-elected races coming up.  Collins’ and Tillis’ races are likely to be incredibly tight.

These Senators and other Republican senators on the 2026 election map will have to decide whether they want to sell out their farmers so they can stay in good graces with Bully-Extraordinaire Lame Duck Trump.  Will they kow-town to Lame Duck Trump?  Will they sell their souls on more key issues?

Same Song, Same Dance. 

It’s not “just” farmers and small business people whose businesses are at stake.  It’s our national security –Lame Duck Trump’s appointees so far have a record of cozying up with our nation’s enemies and also bringing no serious management to the table.  Lame Duck Trump himself took secret documents to Florida and refused to return them.  Does he care if our security is at stake?

Lame Duck Trump told us all to use bleach to protect ourselves from COVID?   When Biden pressed us to get vaccinated.  The vaccines worked.  In states where vaccines were used, the death rate from COVID was about half as much as in the states where people believed Lame Duck Trump and were stumbling around, avoiding the vaccine.  So now Lame Duck Trump wants Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to head HHS.  Kennedy is a vaccine hater and a promoter of many unproven solutions for just about everything.

Alaska– Dan Sullivan, Maine-Susan Collins; North Carolina-Thom Tillis; and John Cornyn-Texas are four Senators who may face tough races, so hold them and other Senators’ feet to the fire. Require them to vote for local needs and to stop making  America sick again.

Every single Senator’s feet must be held to the fire.  Make them worry about re-election.  Make them stop kneeling in front of Trump, the Bully.  Everything, including national security, health care, the economy, affordable housing, interest rates, the price of eggs, and more, is at stake in these confirmation hearings.

Trump the Bully – A Tutorial on Dealing with Bullies

Trump — the Lame Duck Bully.  The easy way is to stop him first, upfront.  Don’t wait until he makes you cry.  When you cry,  you’re weak, and Trump will know it.

  1. Senators and House Members:  Be brave. Just SAY NO at the beginning.  Remember that backbones have purpose.  Give speeches in public to prove to your voters that you represent them.  Stand tall.  Support your constituents.  Do it every time, and your reputation will prove that you have a backbone and care about your constituents.
  2. Voters:  Elections have consequences, but only if you act.  Write letters.  Write the local newspapers.  Use the phone — call your elected Senators and Representatives.  Talk to your friends.  Get them to
    1. This isn’t a test of loyalty about what party someone belongs to.  It’s survival.
    2. Be your own lobbyist.  It isn’t just the price of eggs at stake.  Tariffs will make everything cost more.  Hanging out with foreign dictators is a dangerous game for all of us.  Make sure your voice is heard.
    3. It is the survival of your families, your farms, and other businesses, and most importantly, the survival of our nation.  No nation, no anything else!

In summary, Senators are facing tough times during the Trump presidency.  It’s “go along with Trump” or “stand tall up for voters!”

Dear Readers, you must make your Senators choose to represent you or understand they will be out the door.