Up North Progressive

You would think during this troubling time Republicans and Democratic Party politicians could put partisan issues aside and together fight the COVID-19 pandemic currently devastating our state. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been in office for about 15 months. She’s made tough decisions nobody likes to protect the people of Michigan. Our Governor also has to put up with a belligerent, pathological liar narcissist bully quick to punish anyone who doesn’t bow and scrape in total worshipful loyalty. Trump’s vindictive, petty name-calling and refusal to cooperate with Governor Whitmer is killing Michiganders, not Governor Whitmer. Instead of backing up the Governor, Michigan Republicans criticize Governor Whitmer over her COVID-19 response.

Last night, Republican State Representative Jack O’Malley posted a video on Facebook claiming he didn’t want to get political. He hasn’t criticized Governor Whitmer, even when he doesn’t agree with her … BUT … he has a couple of other thoughts about things that bother him.

O’Malley starts with the statement, “I know she’s criticized another politician … “ then goes into a rant about her appearance on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show wearing a t-shirt with THAT WOMAN FROM MICHIGAN screen-printed on it.

The Daily Show is a “late night chucklehead show” as O’Malley calls it, but this interview with Governor Whitmer completely lacks the usual comedy elements of the parody news program. What Jack is really mad about is she’s wearing that t-shirt on the show. For over three years Republicans have to pretend they’re just fine with every abhorrent thing Trump says or they will anger their base, which happens to be Trump’s cult followers. O’Malley also brings up rumors that Biden may have shortlisted her for the veepstakes but insists he doesn’t want to go there by going there. “Stop with all this national stuff!” He blusters. Instead of backing up the Governor Michigan Republicans instead criticize Governor Whitmer over her COVID-19 response.

Poor Jack O’Malley. If only Trump had thicker skin and no twitter account, then no one would know “that woman from Michigan” is Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Jack O’Malley moves on to those couple of things that bother him. The first thing is Michigan’s overwhelmed unemployment system. When the number of claims being filed jumps up by 4000 percent, there’s going to be some downtime until changes are made for the system to accommodate all of the people who now can’t go to work because Trump played golf when he should have been working to stop the spread of the pandemic and save American lives.

O’Malley then complains about the Stay at Home order because it includes landscapers and contractors. He admits that landscaping in Detroit may be hazardous, but up north it’s completely different, so let those people go back to work.

Jack O’Malley doesn’t exactly say how landscaping downstate is different from landscaping up north. No matter where landscapers work they’re moving from location to location potentially spreading the virus throughout the region where they work. Just because landscapers in northern Michigan have to travel long distances to get from job to job (do they really though) doesn’t mean they’re less likely to infect others and spread the disease. More people are home right now. Don’t they have time to mow, trim, and prune their own lawns?

Jack finishes his 6 minutes ‘I’m not criticizing the governor’ criticism of the governor with a good old-fashioned patronizing statement for Governor Whitmer:

“If you’re scared and you think oh my gosh we should all just be at home. Just hang in there!”

And then holds up a piece of paper with the Governor’s constituent services telephone number. He stresses repeatedly to be polite when calling. He knows his base well enough to warn them not to use the typical Cult45 hate speech and death threats.

Complaining about the overloaded unemployment system issue seems fairly straightforward, but the complaint about the stay at home order and how it’s not fair to landscapers seems odd. It’s not fair to anyone that we’re forced to stay home and not do the things we normally do. Like, earn paychecks so we can pay our bills, rent, and house notes.

Jack O’Malley isn’t that unique of a snowflake, however. Over in the 97th State House District, Jason Wentworth quoted in yesterday’s Detroit News also brought up the issues with the unemployment office’s website and phone lines being inaccessible. Wentworth also complains about the stay at home order and how it’s just not fair for … wait for it … landscapers and contractors.

And at the time of this writing over at Off The Record Republican Bill Ballenger is admonishing Governor Whitmer for daring to stand up to Trump by patronizingly suggesting we deserve better behavior from Whitmer than Trump. No, seriously. He said that.

Watching Off the Record. Republican Bill Ballenger talking about the back & forth between the Gov. & Trump. He said we expect more from the Gov. Than Trump. Say what? #TrumpMadness

— Kevin Shopshire (@Kevincommguru) April 5, 2020

What is the purpose of all of these Republicans parroting talking points on a Sunday morning? This Coming Tuesday, April 7, 2020, the state legislature will consider Gretchen Whitmer’s extension on the stay at home order. Whitmer wants people to stay home for another 70 days. Michigan Republicans are worried about the states’ landscapers.

Good time to complain about t-shirts and interviews on chucklehead late shows. You can always rely on Republicans to behave like Republicans. Profits before people.

So it goes.