Code Red October 1, 2021September 30, 2021 But first . . . Michael T. Martin: “The debt ceiling ‘crisis’ makes no sense to me. As I understand it, it must be raised or the federal government will be required to VASTLY reduce spending. OKAY, so why doesn’t Biden explain this in a national address, pointing out it is solely a Republican-created crisis, and announce large movements of military forces from red states to blue, to ‘consolidate’? Same with other crucial Federal services: cut them harshly in Republican-led states, since it is the Republicans who want — unanimously — to shut things down. Why wouldn’t we do this?” → Maybe not the military — but yes. This is so nuts. A relic of World War I, as recounted last week. And wow . . . Joe Manchin’s own West Virginia constituents overwhelmingly hope Build Back Better is signed into law. Watch as they demonstrate in front of his yacht. Finally . . . Do The Democrats Have The Courage Of Liz Cheney? By Tom Friedman in the indispensable New York Times. . . . Nearly the entire G.O.P. caucus (save for Cheney and Representative Adam Kinzinger, who is also risking his all to join the Jan. 6 investigation, and a few other Republicans who defied Trump on impeachment) has shamelessly bowed to Trump’s will or decided to quietly retire.They are all complicit in the greatest political sin imaginable: destroying faith in our nation’s most sacred process, the peaceful and legitimate transfer of power through free and fair elections. Looking at how Trump and his cult are now laying the groundwork — with new laws, bogus audits, fraud allegations and the installation of more pliant state election officials to ensure victory in 2024 no matter what the count — there is no question that America’s 245-year experiment in democracy is in real peril. Just listen to Cheney. Addressing her fellow Republicans on “60 Minutes” Sunday, she noted that when they abet Trump’s delegitimization of the last election, “in the face of rulings of the courts, in the face of recounts, in the face of everything that’s gone on to demonstrate that there was not fraud … we are contributing to the undermining of our system. And it’s a really serious and dangerous moment because of that.” This is Code Red. And that leads me to the Democrats in Congress. I have only one question for them: Are you ready to risk a lot less than Liz Cheney did to do what is necessary right now — from your side — to save our democracy? . . . Read on. As if, with a build-up like that, you could possibly not. Have a great weekend!