I may have to finish each column by saying this is not a news article. It is clearly printed on the Opinion page of the newspaper, but the keyboard warriors on social media don’t understand the difference between the front page and the Opinion page. They refer to a column as “biased news.”
It is biased, but it is supposed to be. That’s what an opinion is.
It’s not the only word that the social media trolls don’t understand. They also don’t understand the word coup. They aren’t alone. Many in the Democratic leadership in Congress don’t, either. Of course, that’s where many of the trolls get their information, and they regurgitate what they are told to say and believe by these impostors who pretend to care about the future of America while rooting for it to fail.
For the record, there are two textbook definitions for coup, and maybe I’m wrong. Maybe these people are actually praising Elon Musk and the effort he is making to reduce the cost of government.
Let me be clear, reducing the cost of government is not the same as reducing the benefits provided.
Many are claiming that there are cuts to Medicare and other governmental programs.
That’s false. Cutting the overhead could actually make more dollars available to recipients, not less, or at least reduce the cost of providing those benefits.
But I digress. Let’s get back to the definition of coup according to the Oxford Dictionary: “1. a sudden, violent, and unlawful seizure of power from a government.”
Have we seen any violence from Donald Trump appointing an advisor like Musk to review the waste, fraud and abuse in government? Have we seen the majority in Congress claim that there has been an unlawful seizure of power?
No, we have not. We have seen the minority power claim that Musk advising the president somehow represents a coup, but they also are calling the majority of voters in this country ignorant for electing Trump. They seem to enjoy insulting voters and claiming there was a coup because the Democratic Party is no longer the majority.
That will change one day. America’s history shows that we don’t like one-party rule, and we tend to bounce back and forth between the parties.
I’ve done several columns showing the history of how balanced the two parties have been in controlling the White House, but the keyboard warriors would rather hurl insults than educate themselves on such issues. To them, any time the Democrats aren’t in control, it wa a coup.
Many Republicans believed Joe Biden was not controlling the White House during his presidency, that his unelected advisors were setting policy. Still, no Republican called it a coup, because Biden was allowing it, and he was elected to run the executive branch.
Trump appointed Musk to do a review of government expenditures, something both parties have promoted for decades. Promoted, but neither ever did.
Trump is doing it.
Should Congress be doing more than it is? Absolutely. This column has also shared time and time again how both parties have allowed the executive to grow more powerful at the loss of legislative authority. As long as their president is in control, they are fine with it. This has been the pattern of both parties.
Until congressional leaders work together to represent the legislative branch, this will continue.
But neither party wants to rein in their own party president. Democrats didn’t rein in Obama or Biden, and Republicans don’t rein in Trump, leaving them to try to govern with executive orders.
But don’t get sanctimonious when you only care when you are the minority party.
Democrats removed many of the protections of the filibuster over the years and then complain when Republicans follow the new rules established by Democrats. Notice you don’t hear any talk of doing away with the filibuster now, but when Democrats had a small Senate majority, it took two Democrats to join with Republicans to save it.
But I could be wrong about the Democratic leaders claiming a coup. They might be working off the second definition, which says, “2. a notable or successful stroke or move.”
The example is, “It was a major coup to get such a prestigious contract.”
In that case, I would join the Democrats and online trolls in congratulating DOGE for saving us all money. It is a coup.
Earl Watt is the owner and publisher of the Leader & Times in Liberal, Kansas. Watt started his career in journalism in 1991 at the Southwest Daily Times. During his career, the newspaper has won a total of 17 Sweepstakes awards from the Kansas Press Association for editorial content and 18 Sweepstakes awards for advertising. Watt has been recognized with more than 70 first place awards for writing in categories from sports and column to best front pages, best sports pages and best opinion pages. Watt is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and is the descendant of several patriots who fought for America's freedom and independence.
