This Week in PurpleAmerica (12/1-12/8)

Our Takes on Taylor Swift, John Lennon, Liz Cheney's Book, and the Big Orange Dictator

If Republicans have a debate and nobody watches it, does it make a sound? That’s the question people are trying to figure out. The apparent answer is “no.” Everything is just crickets compared to the big orange gooball that the actual semi-sane Republicans running for President appearing at the NewsNation debate on Wednesday are already completely irrelevant before the first vote is cast.

But I digress.

I’ve been busy this week, among other things, devouring Liz Cheney’s new book, “Oath and Honor.” Now, ideologically, I’m not a fan of Cheney. She’s hardcore right wing. But she’s not crazy and my disagreements with her are more differences of opinion on the direction of the country and how best to manage the United States’ success. She very truly believes in working within the legal and Constitutional framework our nation was founded on and not seeing it laid waste by Trump and the MAGA maniacs. On this we agree and are aligned 100%.

What’s more, she was VERY good at her job as Congressperson and Chair of the Republican caucus before she became vocal of her rift with the MAGA crowd.¹ If you watched the 1/6 Commission Meetings, she commanded the stage, was direct and articulate with her statements and questions and was exceptional in presenting the evidence. She upstaged all of the Democrats on the Committee, and since she and Adam Kinzinger were the only two Republicans, that’s a lot. She has considerable skills at this kind of thing. Growing up the daughter of a Congressman, WH Chief Of Staff, Defense Secretary, Vice President and de facto managing Warlord President Dick Cheney² tends to give one a pretty meticulous educational upbringing I am sure. Among everyone in Washington right now, to me, she demonstrates actual, true LEADERSHIP better than most everyone in Congress.³

But it’s her schisms and confrontations with the general Republican Party behind closed doors that makes for the best reading. You really get a sense of what a bunch of spineless, unprincipled cabal of bootlickers and backslappers they really are. When T.S. Eliot wrote “The Hollow Men” you can tell he was talking exactly about these clowns. It’s why I couldn’t put the book down. Sure, some of it is self-serving, as all of these books regularly are. However, its the depictions of others out there that provides a clear palette not provided by the news media that just captures your mind. You can clearly envision everything she is saying about how these people are behind closed doors. That’s pretty revelatory.

I’ve read my share of books like these. I tend not to like them and avoid them. This one is the rare exception worth it.

PurpleAmerica’s People of the Past Week

The Good

This week, three of the four leads of the show Reservation Dogs received Critics Choice nominations, and the show received a nomination for Best Comedy. I’ve been a big fan of this show ever since it first started airing and I highly recommend people watch it. I consider it the Best Coming of Age Show Ever.

Speaking of comedies, the modern sitcom was mastered by the late great Norman Lear who passed away this week at the age of 101. He was responsible for such great shows as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Maude, The Jeffersons, Different Strokes, The Facts of Life and a host of others. He was DEI 40 years before people even knew what that was. A truly great innovator and comedian. R.I.P. Norman.

Sandra Day O’Connor also passed away last week. The first woman Supreme Court Justice, she was a moderating force on the bench and was often the swing vote for many important decisions. Appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1981, she was a Republican but often put on the breaks on some of their more extreme impulses. She left the Court to care for her ailing husband and it hasn’t been the same since. R.I.P. Your Honor.

Lastly, have to give props to this person adopting this dog. Awwwww. Seriously, if you are able, adopt or foster a dog today.

And for those of you (like me) who love stories about interspecies community and comaraderie, here’s a great one from the Kruger National Park Preserve in South Africa where an orphaned rhino and zebra became best friends.

The Bad

I kind of feel a little bad for anyone on that debate stage Wednesday night (well, everyone except Vivek Ramaswamy). Imagine spending your whole life working, enduring so much and striving to possibly one day run for President, only to be subject to this kind of embarrassment. Ouch.

Kevin McCarthy is leaving Congress at the end of the year, reducing the GOP Majority to just 1 vote, following the ouster of George Santos. McCarthy ignominiously reflects the phrase, “And so the world ends, not with a bang, but a whimper.”⁴

Turns out Jamaal Bowman pulling a fire alarm in the Capitol was not the brightest thing to do. He was censured by the House this week. Only 3 Democrats voted in favor of it. No, this resolution wasn’t really necessary, but if you can’t vote for a slap on the wrist by someone who clearly did wrong, what are you even doing?

The Ugly

I know we can basically give it to this guy pretty much every day. He is a vile, deceitful, evil person after all. But when Sean Hannity and Fox loft him a softball question like “Do you plan on being a dictator,” you’d expect him to at least speak some sort of platitude. It’s what politicians have done forever. Nope, not this (as his first Secretary of State Rex Tillerson referred to him) F**king Moron.

The nation’s 250th Birthday is in 2026, the next Presidential term. Ask yourself if you would want someone Presiding over it in appreciation, patriotism and promoting democracy as the start of the next 250, or someone Presiding over it's funeral saying "It was good while it lasted." When he tells you who he is, believe him.

Have a nominee for us to consider? Send an email to purpleamericanunity@gmail.com!

PurpleAmerica Pop Culture Random Top Five

This week: The Top 5 People Time Could Have Chosen for Person of the Year besides Taylor Swift.

Now, I know I’m going to hear some blowback from this. I did earlier this year when I asked rhetorically, “Are Swifties in a Cult?” and applied the same standards I did for when I analyzed MAGA.⁵ In truth, Swift probably deserved it; I can’t think of anyone else in politics or current events who had a bigger year. I can’t even think of a lazy abstract group (which is what Time usually does when it can’t decide) who is in the same league as Swift this year. So in that sense, sure, I’m fine with it. I’d prefer something more substantive be chosen, but it wasn’t really a substantive kind of year. Most of the “GOP bros” complaining are just being complete douches about it.

Nonetheless, Time Magazine had been slacking for years when it comes to this decision, demonstrating their slide from serious news magazine to pop gossip rag. So in the spirit of reflection, we thought we’d offer some alternatives to Person of the Year they should have considered more seriously.

5. ChatGPT/AI. I know this isn’t a “Person” but that didn’t stop Time from naming the personal computer it’s Person of the Year in 1982.

4. King Charles III. Yes, he’s a stick in the mud, but he is the first newly crowned royal and head of the British Monarchy in over 65 years. He’s been the bridesmaid to the throne for so long, I’m still having a hard time not calling him “Prince Charles.” Don’t even get me going on “Queen Camilla.”

3. Barbenheimer. Let’s face it— they were everywhere this summer. One blew up movie screens and broke records, the other was about a communist bedding atomic scientist.

2. Unions. From the UAW, to SAG-Aftra, to the Writers Guild, unions flexed muscle they haven’t since the 1970s and came out ahead on major issues.

1. Travis Kelce. Wins a Super Bowl at the beginning of the year and dates the world’s most eligible billionaire who also had the biggest tour, movie and has sold more albums than anyone this year, and who happened to be the actual person Time rightfully selected for their Person of the Year. ⁶ Yeah, I’d say he’s had a good year. If Taylor Swift had the best year, I’d say he’s a solid #2. Of course, it’s just reflective light like the moon. Take Taylor away, and Kelce only has the SB ring and some DirecTV and COVID shot commercials. I’m not sure he would even be top 10.

PurpleAmerica’s SPECIAL NOTE:

To all the wonderful readers of PurpleAmerica. Over the next several weeks I am going to have to travel for both work and the holidays, and do not know how frequently I will be able to post new stories. When I do, my hunch is they will look more like the typical year in review kind of things that usually come out this time of year, and a little less substantive.

So to all my loyal readers, I want to wish you a Happy Holidays, a wonderful New Years, and we’ll catch up a little more when things settle down in January.

Best Wishes,

PurpleAmerica

PurpleAmerica’s Subscriber Mail

When we here at PurpleAmerica Respond to the Teeming Millions (well, we’re still working on that first million)

Q: “WHO ARE YOU REALLY FOR? I BET YOU’RE JUST A REPUBLICAN NAZI LIKE THE REST OF THEM AND YOU HAVE A ‘LET’S GO BRANDON’ FLAG OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSE.” — DarkBlueKnight

A: I’m for Biden. No “Brandon” flag—I kind of found the whole Brandon thing stupid, something I documented here. Actually met Joe several times and liked him a lot. Not to mention, he’s done a great job as President. On another note, why do you type in all caps? I thought only crazy old Boomer Republicans did that.

Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at purpleamericanunity@gmail.com

PurpleAmerica’s Historical Note from This Week

Earlier this week, Jonathan V. Last asked readers what their first political memory was. This one isn’t really political, but I do remember when John Lennon was shot. That happened 43 years ago today. Walking home from the recording studio where “Double Fantasy,” his upcoming double album was set to be released, he was met outside his apartment building by fans wanting autographs. He obliged. One of those fans was a man by the name of Mark David Chapman who then shot Lennon.

It was a Monday evening, and the news was first broken by Howard Cosell calling the Monday Night Football game.

I found out about it the next morning before school. Tributes poured in. My 7 year old mind didn’t even know who John Lennon was at the time, but the reaction by all made it very clear he was a man of importance. Teachers cried all day. When I came home my parents were still silent and absorbing the news. It was like a member of the family died. That importance only became more revealed to me as I grew older and specifically came to understand his direct impact on global culture and society.

The best tribute, one that still gets me when I listen, is Elton John’s “Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny).”

I can listen to that 100 times more than Candle in the Wind. Poignant. Poetry.

As for “Double Fantasy,” it was released posthumously and became his biggest selling LP ever. One song left off that album because it was incomplete is actually my favorite Lennon song, “Nobody Told Me.” The song was later finished by Yoko Ono and producers and released on a second posthumous album, “Milk and Honey.” The video is an homage to Lennon’s post-Beatles life.

PurpleAmerica’s Dad/Uncle/Cheesy Joke of the Week

Why did the triangle give up in his debate with the circle?

A: Because it was just completely pointless.

And with that…

Like what you are seeing here at PurpleAmerica? Share and Comment. Let your friends and family know! Repost on Twitter and Threads. Forward us topics you’d like us to discuss! It’s an open community here.

Footnotes and Fun Stuff

1. It’s one of the reasons Democrats hated her before this, among other things.

2. An interesting conundrum as I read this book and reflect on the Bush/Cheney White House years— many of the positions she rightfully admonishes Trump and MAGA for, she kind of turns a blind eye that they were the same or at least similar kinds of power grabs her father did. There are differences; Darth…er ah…Dick Cheney did his above board, legitimately and legally, but in the end the results were the same. So the means, ARE important. Following the Rule of Law is what separates democracies from dictatorships. But corrupt or foul ends are not exactly good either. If there is a criticism of her position I would want a journalist to ask her, it would be along those lines.

3. The one exception to that I would say is Nancy Pelosi, who doesn’t get the credit she deserves for unifying the party as well as she did. She was excellent in the back rooms coralling votes and getting the party in line.

4. T.S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men.” This is my second reference to the poem today. Can you tell I like it?

5. Note, I assessed they were not in a cult, but you’d never know that from the blowback I received.

6. This only underscores how much Swift actually deserved the Person of the Year.