The real deal with Merrick Garland

| 6:00 pm EDT June 16, 2021
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There is a quote by Comedian George Carlin that I like, and it is one that I think applies to some in our party: “Inside every cynical person is a disappointed idealist.”

I have always loved that quote because it is deeply insightful and captures many cynics’ essence everywhere. Think about it. We, Democrats, wear our cynicism on our sleeves. We are frequently jaded and fed up with the lies and despicable behavior of some politicians.

And sometimes, we get cynical. We doubt punishment will ever come for the politicians mentioned above. We become skeptical. But underneath our cynicism are cocoons of idealism. Democrats have always been idealistic. We want so much for our beautiful country. We want to make the world a better place. And we are often shocked by loathsome behavior because we are idealists and visionaries, seeing the world through a prism of sunny positivity. And so, after a while, when bad things happen, our cynicism grows.

Take the case of Attorney General Merrick Garland. When word began leaking out about just how corrupt the DOJ had become under the direction of the former guy, many didn’t trust Garland. But that was cynicism talking.

Garland has stepped it up in the last week or so. He is going to investigate the spying that occurred on the former guy’s watch. Garland has announced a plan to combat domestic terrorism. He has met with members of the media who were targeted in the spying scandal. In other words, Garland is doing his job. And we can see that.

It is not good to see the world through rose-colored glasses. But I do hope, we as Democrats, can put aside our cynicism for a while and begin to let our idealism shine through – because idealism has never mattered more than now.