A Silly People June 23, 2021June 23, 2021 Last week, I offered China in four sobering minutes. “I prefer democracy,” I said. “But democracy that’s not paralyzed. If only Mitch McConnell would find another line of work.” As a follow-up, one of you sent Bill Maher’s must-watch March 21 “New Rules” about China — A Silly People (us, not them). It’s funny in a dark, devastating, way. McConnell was okay carving out filibuster exceptions for the two things he cares about — right-wing judges and tax cuts for the rich. But on legislation to restore voting rights protections and revitalize our national infrastructure — on those two things he won’t budge. On a happier note, you probably saw that Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib came out this week — the first active-duty NFL player ever to do so — and gave the Trevor Project $100,000. I thought that was all great, of course. But we’ve made so much progress on this front, it just seemed like another inch along the way. My jaw did not drop. Until the next day, when the NFL itself matched the $100,000 to Trevor in proud support of its gay player. That was three inches. Hats off to the better angels of America’s nature.