Thoughts from Yvonne Surette

 In November we think about giving thanks, but there are other important days on the calendar. November is election month. Our local election was on the 7th, and Republicans in Virginia took a trouncing.  I will give thanks that our governor, now without any legislative support, will not get to track women’s menstrual cycles. Nor will he get his abortion ban. Democrats now control our legislature, and that is a fine thing. Voters across America realize that this election was between the party that wants to take away our rights and the party who wants all citizens to have the right to control their -own lives without governmental interference.  Most Americans know that we, the people, should be in charge of what we do with our bodies and who we love, not politicians. Another - often overshadowed by the others - holiday in the November calendar is Veteran’s Day.  It used to be called Armistice Day, to celebrate the end of WWI and pay homage to the many who gave their l...

It’s the season of spookiness. The Valley started it off in style with Staunton’s Mischief and Magic weekend with Dementors abounding and Voldemort wandering the main streets. All over we’re seeing yards decorated with monsters and skeletons, bats and witches. It’s my favorite season. And my favorite genre for books and movies is gothic horror. Put me on the couch with some popcorn watching The Haunting and I’m happy. I don’t read books or watch movies about serial killers or real-life monsters. I like fiction and fantasy – imaginary terror that is pure escapism. We all know there is enough real-life horror and tragedy to escape from occasionally. And that’s why we like those moments, Halloween, Mischief and Magic weekends, classic horror stories. Unfortunately, here in Virginia, a potential real-life horror looms over us, and we need to figure out this month how to grapple with it. Because if we don’t, on November 8th, we could wake up in shock, viewing a dangerous landscape. Why? Be...

 The Shenandoah Valley is blessed to be home to The American Shakespeare Center (ASC) in Staunton. As a retired English teacher, I delight in having access to Shakespeare’s plays produced by consummate professionals. The ASC players can be hilarious, profound, and wise, and their performances are a conduit for some of the most beautiful language ever spoken. Or written. But make no mistake, there is raunchiness in the plays, and man, when the ASC encounters it, they milk it for all it’s worth. Because it’s FUNNY. Bad puns, physical comedy, slapstick, and double entendre are funny. It’s partly why the plays have been popular for centuries. Enlightened people recognize the mirror they hold up to life’s bawdiness, beauty, miracles, and foolishness. However, through the centuries, Shakespeare’s plays have been banned, outlawed, and censored by people who fear them. Just this month, Republican-led Hillsborough County in Florida has decreed that the plays, particularly Romeo and Juliet, ...

 We have an ingrained myth in America that people persist in believing. During the 2016 presidential campaign, a friend told me that one of her coworkers hated Donald Trump with a fiery red hate but was going to vote for him anyway. Why? “Because,” he said, “I care about my IRA.” This man, presumably, went through the recession in 2008 during the George Bush presidency, where IRAs were demolished and house values plunged. But even having a damaging Republican recession didn’t dislodge the myth from that man’s mind that our economy does better under Republicans. This is something he, and way too many other Americans, believe. And yet, by every single indicator — gross domestic product, employment, incomes, productivity, even stock prices — America’s economy booms when Democrats are in the White House. This has been true for nearly a century now, and it’s certainly true for the Biden White House. Republicans have been calling President Joe Biden’s policies “Bidenomics,” which they th...

Oh, the wheel of right-wing hypocrisy goes round and round and never stops. Mike Pence (famously know for having no spine) who spent all the years of the  Trump presidency slavishly adoring him, has entered the presidential race. After four years of his  lèche-cul NOW he chooses to speak out against him ?  This is  not sincere.  Pence has never been sincere in his life.  It’s all an act.  Everything he  does has been in service to his political career, including now, denouncing the  Trump lawlessness. Chris Christie, famously the most-hated, lowest-rated governor in the history of  New Jersey, is also running for president.  He gave a blockbuster speech to  announce his entry into the race.  He laid into Trump with power and wit, and  accuracy, calling him a grifter.  Which he is. Imagine if Christie has said this in, oh, 2016, rather than spending all of Trump’s  years in the White House sucking up to ...

 As a committed Democrat, I have to say I love Republican investigations into Democratic “wrongdoing” or “criminal activity.” It’s so satisfying. Why? Because no matter how much they spend or how many years they toil, they never find anything criminal. Why? Because out of the two parties, there is only one full of criminal activity, and hey, it isn’t the Democrats. Let’s look at the following: Remember the Clintons? When the GOP spent over $82 million of taxpayer money on four investigations into their investments, the result brought no charges — no criminal wrongdoing. Republicans, when Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State, held investigations into the attack on Benghazi, Libya, in 2012. They held her responsible for the deaths of Americans. After 62 hours of testimony from 255 witnesses, including that of the Secretary, 13 reports, and over 2500 pages of a conclusive report? No charges were brought. Congressional committees had an unlimited budget, spending $8,000 daily on the ...

 You know the commercial for home insurance where Mayhem (in the guise of actor Dean Winter) comes to call, wrecking garages, cars, and houses. Have no fear, the insurance company says, “We’ve got you covered.” I’ve been wondering: What insurance coverage do Americans have to protect ourselves against the mayhem and chaos caused by the MAGA Republican Party?  We have a lot. We have the ballot box, for one thing. Democrats have proven their ability to defeat the MAGA Mayhem threatening democracy. Earlier this month, there was an election to fill a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and the Democrat won by a wide margin. Previously, because of Republican gerrymandering, Wisconsin Democrats have been unable to control their General Assembly, but voters elected a Democrat who will help cease that anti-democratic practice in their Supreme Court. She is also a supporter of women’s reproductive rights. The political orientation of the Wisconsin Supreme Court has been in Republican ...

 When I started writing this column for The News Virginian, my first column was about insurrection — what it is, how it works, and why it’s a federal crime. This was just after the attack on Congress on Jan. 6, 2021. I never dreamed that I would still be writing about that same treasonous insurrection two years later, but I am. The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Congress began months earlier, with former President Donald Trump constantly telling the public that if he were to lose the upcoming election, it meant the election “was rigged.” Egged on by Fox News, this became his rallying cry for months, hoodwinking many people. The culmination came on Jan. 6, after a speech by Trump telling his supporters to fight, claiming he’d be with them at the Capitol. His supporters went; he did not. His supporters killed six and wounded 114 police officers. I’m writing about it again because many Republicans persist in stating President Joe Biden is not the “real” president, and they keep push...

In writing a column reflecting Democratic and Progressive values, I find no shortage of topics: Republicans keep coming up with more and more crazy initiatives and policies; they are currently trying to take away rights to vote, the right to reproductive freedom, the rights of teachers to select curriculum, the rights of librarians to select books. They still support treasonous insurrectionists and the lie that Trump won the 2020 election. There’s so much, and it’s all a toxic mix of delusion and anti-democracy. As my last column warned: Get ready for Republican shenanigans instead of governing now that they have the House majority (barely).  After running for election on issues such as inflation, rising gas prices, and immigration reform (issues that Americans are concerned about), what has the new-Republican majority been up to?  Instead of tackling the real problems Americans face, the new House Oversight Committee, using a broad-based panel called The Weaponization of Gove...

For Democrats, the year has begun on a high as we watch the continuing implosion of the Republican Party. The chaos within their ranks sharply contrasts the calm, successful governing of the Democrats and the Biden Administration. The expected “Red Tsunami” that was supposed to engulf the nation with substantial Republican gains in the midterm election was a pink fizzle: Republicans hold a razor-thin edge in the House, and they lost the Senate. And they’re bickering amongst themselves. Mainstream media loves to present Democrats in disarray, but it’s the Republican party. Last week we all watched Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy trying desperately to become Speaker of the House vote after vote. After more than four days and 15 ballots, he finally barely got his speakership but has no control or strength in his party. We all watched last week as the Republican Party was held hostage by 20 far-right extremists and 14 members of the obstructionist Freedom Caucus, their stated goal to disman...

Chaos vs. competency. Fiction vs. fact. Criminality vs. law and order. Tax cuts for the wealthy vs. helping Americans. Social Security for seniors vs. enriching corporations. Increased violence vs. sensible gun control. Government shutdowns vs. capable governance. Worsening climate conditions vs. saving our environment. That’s the scenario if the Republicans take over Congress next year. And that’s not just what Democratic politicians are saying in their bid to stay in control of Congress; that’s straight out of the Republican playbook. Republicans have no legislative agenda, no plans except for investigating and/or impeaching the Biden Administration. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., stated Republicans will shut down the government, “unless President Joe Biden walks back ... his signature climate change, tax and health care legislation.” Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told donors, lobbyists and senators in December 2021 that Republicans are only planning to attack Biden and th...

Fall is my favorite season. I love switching to winter foods and sweaters after a hot summer. I love the bright leaves and the pumpkins surrounded by yellow chrysanthemums on porches. But mostly I love the spooky atmosphere, Halloween, dark gothic movies and little witches trick or treating. I love being scared by fiction, however, not real life, and in our real life, America has become a place threatened by some terrifying stuff — way worse than vampires and zombies. America could possibly no longer be a democracy after the November Congressional midterms. If this were a horror movie, this moment would be that moment — you know it — when the group of cute lost teens decide that going into the creepy house in the middle of the woods is actually a good idea. When the viewer says, “Oh, no! Don’t go in there!” And of course, they do, and all hell breaks loose. Because the cute teens have walked straight into a terror that they’ll never be free from. So will the American public if the Repu...

Quietly, and without any press coverage, the Biden administration continues its commitment to the American people by making sure baby formula is readily available. On Sept. 7, the administration completed the 22 mission of Operation Fly Formula, which has now flown in more than 85 million, 8-ounce bottle equivalents. Each time I drive by my neighborhood Citgo station, I see the price of gas is lower than the day before. They are just two of many accomplishments to improve life in America. President Joe Biden has had the most successful first two years of any president in history. When he came into office, he faced a botched withdrawal from Afghanistan plan concocted by former President Donald Trump and the Taliban; military officials here noted that the collapse of the Afghan government was linked to Trump’s deal to withdraw U.S. troops. Biden had no choice but to honor this deal. Biden also faced a botched response to a virus that has killed more than one million Americans. The Trump ...

  J ust when you think the Republican leadership can’t get any more vile, it does. On July 28 the Senate passed a reconciliation package to make drugs cheaper, plug tax loopholes for corporations and the extremely wealthy, and invest in switching the economy away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy. In other words, a bill that would go a long way toward addressing the systemic inequalities in this country and toward tackling the climate catastrophe caused by fossil fuel corporations. If this bill wins in the House, it’s a Biden Administration victory, and a big win for us, the American people. Shortly after, the Senate passed the CHIPS bill (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) which appropriates $280 billion to speed up the manufacturing of semiconductors in the U.S. and to invest in scientific research and development in computers and artificial intelligence. Also a big win for President Joe Biden and a boost to the American industrial sector. However,...