Balancing the real world with the fake

If you spend any portion of your day watching the news on television, you’re no doubt confused about what is taking place in Washington. In a moment of reflection, it dawned on me that we are living in two worlds. One world is the happenings in Congress, and the other is the real world.
While President Biden is busy trying to launch his new government, the Senate will be tied up for weeks deciding whether to convict former President Trump for his conduct on Jan. 6, the day of the riot at the Capitol. The final result is totally predictable. Most of the Republican senators, who worry only about their careers, will not vote to convict him.
By and large, Congress is detached from people on the street. Politicians like Senators Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell are focused on protecting Trump, who has threated to promote primary contests against anyone who displeases him.
But at the impeachment trial, all those cowards who won’t vote to convict Trump will, along with the public, be forced to watch hours of video of the horrors of the Jan. 6 mob attack. And they will have to hear witnesses who will state, “President Trump told me to do it.” To paraphrase the late, great boxer Joe Louis, they can run but they can’t hide.
So let’s turn to the real world. Thanks to the courage of Twitter and Facebook, Trump is without a platform to continue his lies about a stolen election. There has been no public uprising against the social media platforms. It’s really comforting to have a day without tweets from an out-of-control narcissist. And it feels good to have a president who is showing up for work each day.

Unlike Trump, Biden isn’t hiding from the Covid pandemic. The federal government is taking over the responsibility of getting vaccines out to people. We are hearing what the government is doing to tackle this plague, and not ignoring the dangers of a virus that has killed over 400,000 people. Biden will tell us the truth, which is a welcome change.
It is clear that the 74 million people who voted for Trump aren’t just sitting around, mourning their loss. In the weeks after the Capitol uprising, 30,000 Republicans reportedly changed their party registration in disgust over Trump’s conduct. That may not seem like a big number, but many of them were residents of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Arizona, key political states.
Many of the same people who refused to wear masks, and made fun of Biden during the campaign when he appeared in one, are lining up to get their vaccinations, while anxiously awaiting new legislation that will provide stimulus money for struggling businesses and increased unemployment benefits. And in the near future, Biden will be offering a new health insurance proposal.
Trump will likely escape any penalties for the Jan. 6 attack, but many of his people who broke into the Capitol will face the possibility of prison terms. Many Trump voters may have second thoughts about sticking with a man who encouraged an event that resulted in the deaths of five people.
The talking heads on TV speak as if Trump voters are some sort of solid block, but most of them want the same things that Democratic voters want. The rural red states have plenty of areas badly in need of a little love. They are suffering with limited resources. They lack internet access and are saddled with poor schools, just like inner cities. Their local hospitals are overwhelmed and in danger of failing. Their need for a little TLC can be met by a caring president, and the dynamic will change.
So I’m not going to let the immoral conduct of 45 senators distract me. I’m focused on the real world.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.