Accountability

President Joe Biden warned Americans before the midterms that democratic self-government was “under assault” by candidates who refused to accept that Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. Biden echoed others when he argued that such Republicans were “determined to succeed in thwarting the will of the people.” Polls show that most Democrats and Republicans alike worry about the future of our democracy — though they disagree over what threatens it. But this debate misses a more immediate danger: lame-duck lawmakers still making decisions while in office. The current Democrat-controlled lame-duck session alone is expected to address legislation involving such major issues as gay marriage and defense spending.

The thing about childhood is that eventually you're supposed to grow up. It's with this in mind that we turn to Sen. Lindsey Graham, who when he ran for president in 2016 polled so low that he was relegated to the so-called 'kiddie table' GOP primary debate. It had to chafe. Graham back then was a loud Trump critic, yet there was Trump eating off the fine china while Graham moodily stirred his wagon wheel mac and cheese around his Toy Story bowl. At one point, the ultra-hawkish Graham did try to get the grown-ups' attention. If you're tired of fighting wars, he declared on Fox News, 'don't vote for me!' Republicans stopped eating for a moment, then took him at his word. I thought of that today, perhaps because it's almost the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and I needed some levity.