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Last week, the Democratic Party's top congressional leaders finally took a bold stand against President Donald Trump's assault on our democracy when he came to Congress to tout his autocratic agenda.

Traditionally, when a president arrives to address Congress, a bipartisan escort committee leads the dignitary to the podium. But, by gollies, Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries showed their toughness by -- get this -- refusing to have Democrats join the escort committee.

Wow -- imagine how that uplifted the millions of people being stomped on by Trump's rampage!

Is this feeble response better than nothing? Believe it or not -- "do nothing" is another "strategy" proposed by former Bill Clinton operative James Carville. He says the "smart" thing for Democrats to do is to roll over and play dead. Seriously. Carville declares that fighting Trump is futile, so just "allow the Republicans to crumble beneath their own weight and make the American people miss us."

Excuse me, but wasn't that the party's theory in 2016 and 2024 -- let Trump rant and he'll defeat himself?

Instead, how about this: Get out of Washington. The party's lawmakers should spend most of their congressional time away from the capital -- out where masses of people are already agitating and organizing. Get with them, listen to them, roll up your sleeves, and serve them.

This is Jim Hightower saying that this is not just another legislative tiff we're in, but a grassroots rumble. The usual partisan name-calling and parliamentary nitpicking won't win it. Inside Washington, the deck is stacked for Trump's Autocratic America. Out here, though, the numbers and political dynamic favor democracy fighters. This is where the Democratic Party belongs.

"Corporate Morality" is a Biblical Level Oxymorn

What a hoot to see so many once-cocky, Big Boss Men of corporate America completely surrender their policies, principles, and personal pride to grovel at the feet of Trump!

Even egomaniacal tech billionaires like Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg are publicly debasing themselves with an eagerness to kiss up to The Donald. Indeed, CEOs in practically every industry -- from oil to food -- have suddenly converted to MAGA nuttiness. And to prove their devotion, each is loudly pledging to sacrifice all of their corporate programs that advance such core American values as equal rights, workplace fairness and environmental protection. Parroting Trump's decree that DEI egalitarianism is "immoral," the barons piously insist their reversals are a matter of ethics.

Hogwash. Their morality starts and ends with money, and as the Bible points out: "The love of money is the root of all evil."

Consider the case of Paramount, the multibillion-dollar media giant. Although much of its wealth now comes from diversity programming on its MTV and BET networks, the top brass is bowing to TrumpSpeak, obediently killing Paramount's diversity policies -- and even scrubbing the word "inclusion" from its corporate vocabulary!

Why? M-O-N-E-Y. Paramount is presently pushing a multibillion-dollar merger with another entertainment giant to extend its control over our media market, empowering it to gouge more cash from you and me. But the merger had to be okayed by a federal commission headed by an anti-diversity, Trump political hack -- so top executives cravenly heaved Paramount's principles overboard.

This is Jim Hightower saying ... That is now what passes for corporate ethics, with smug honchos abandoning all pretense that they're guided by any higher morality than the love of money.

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To find out more about Jim Hightower and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators webpage at www.creators.com.

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