Winning
It ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings
Our war for the soul of America continues. It may not end in my lifetime, even though I pray for peace, as does President Trump.
As war with Great Britain approached, Patrick Henry in 1775 passionately challenged fellow Virginians to resist tyranny with the famous lines, “Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace – but there is no peace. The war has actually begun! Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased by chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
America is no longer faced with occupying British soldiers. We are challenged by aliens who swarmed into our land and joined homegrown subversive progressives, socialists and leftists. Together, these are more dangerous, destructive and anti-American than King George’s redcoats.
Hopefully, most know the stirring words of the Declaration of Independence, penned by Thomas Jefferson and unanimously adopted at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.
These days, I don’t know if children are introduced to the foundational principles of our country. So, in addition to fireworks, I pledge to share these historical words of our Founders with my grandchildren on the July 4th holiday.
Signers of the Declaration of Independence were taking huge risks. The British Empire was preeminent in the 18th century and had the most powerful army and navy to project that power. The Founders signed, “With a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
Famously, John Hancock penned his signature large so that King George could read his name without glasses. Ben Franklin signed and quipped, “We must all hang together or we will all hang separately.” Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island scrawled with the shaking palsy of Parkinson’s Disease, saying, “My hand trembles, but my heart does not.”
Five of the 56 signers were “captured as traitors and tortured to death.” Nine served as soldiers and died of wounds or privation. Twelve lost their homes. Two lost sons serving in the Continental Army.
After suffering defeats, Washington and his army were encamped at Valley Forge in the bitter winter of 1776. Hunger and disease were prevalent. Famous for his prewar “Common Sense” pamphlets, it was there that Thomas Paine began his essay, “The Crisis,” on the snare of a drum. He wrote, “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
Our current struggle is nothing compared to the Revolutionary or any of America’s wars. Last week, I whined when our internet connection went down. And I expect electrical power to flow to lights and, especially, the AC. After the blizzard of ‘93, we installed a generator, but it won’t work if the Kingston coal fired electrical plant isn’t producing power. I once challenged a young patient with the reality that electricity doesn’t just come from the wall plug. That went over well.
As I write this July 4th essay, Washington, D.C.’s battle and high drama is playing out with the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB). But every bill and everything in Washington is soap opera quality. Bismarck, the 19th-century chancellor of Germany, once said, “Laws are like sausage, it is better not to see them made.”
I like opera; Becky does not. Some years ago, I had season tickets to the Knoxville opera with a coterie of women with similar eclectic tastes. Beautiful music with soaring vocals, pageantry and drama at the end … “Who could ask for anything more?” (How interesting that TV soap operas were so named because the drama was often sponsored by soap companies.)
The old cliche goes, “It ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings.” The reference is to the large Nordic diva, Brunnhilde, in Ricard Wagner’s Ring series of three, three-hour operas performed back-to-back. I don’t care for Wagner. I might prefer to be dropped off at the emergency room for tests rather than endure nine hours of Wagnerian opera, awaiting Brunnhilde’s concluding aria.
It’s easy to become discouraged by leftists, socialists, progressive Democrats and their media goons. Along with activist judges, they call themselves “the resistance.” A steady diet of their hate-filled bilge can sour the soul. I study them in order to resist their tyranny. If you want fantasy, I’d advise Wagner opera instead of the legacy media.
The fat lady – and I’m not talking about The View – has not sung of America’s demise because President Trump and patriots are winning. And no, Mr. President, we’re not tired of winning. Iran’s nuclear weapons program was decimated. The economy is recovering from Bidenomics. The border is again secure. Illegals are self-deporting. Industry and investment are returning to America with tariffs and America first policies. NATO is ponying up for defense. Trump negotiated the end of warfare in Africa (Congo/Rwanda) and Asia (India/Pakistan). And the Supremes have put the kibosh on universal injunctions by federal district judge activists and reaffirmed parental rights regarding education. And Alligator Alcatraz opened last week!
The fat lady has not yet sung in Congress as the BBB squeaked by Democrats and now ping pongs between the House of Representatives and the Senate. I don’t know how long the next phases of this Kabuki theater drama will last, but President Trump has exhorted Congress to get the work done by July 4. Sane people with lives don’t watch speechifying and sausage-making of politicos on C-Span. I predict the BBB will eventually pass the reconciliation process because otherwise our taxes will skyrocket and lynch mobs may arrive on Capitol Hill.
President Trump also scored wins for America as the University of Pennsylvania settles Title IX violations, ABC, Stephanopoulos and CBS fork over huge sums for their abuses. Lately, the Democrats’ only “win” is their socialist/communist candidate for NY mayor. Perhaps Mamdani will visit the newly opened Alligator Alcatraz.
“Thank you for your attention to these matters,” and happy Independence Day!
