A drawing of mickey mouse and friends in the style of walt disney.

The fool you know is better than the fool you don’t know 

By Johnny Trlica 

Commentary: There are fools all around us and more than a few wise quips to help us deal with them. “A fool and his money are soon parted.†“You can educate a fool, but you cannot make him think.†“It’s better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt†was my mother’s favorite. 

My favorite fool quote was told to me many years ago by a colleague when our new boss came in and started shaking things up with some questionable calls. “The fool you know is better than the fool you don’t know.†Truer words were never spoken. 

Undoubtedly the biggest fool of this century is the former, twice impeached, disgraced president. Of course, the argument could be made that his supporters should hold that dubious title.  

After all of the lying, corruption, nepotism, treason, braggadocio, narcissism, tax-evading, shadiness, money-grubbing, Nazi flag-waving, repulsive self-flattery (one second while I catch my breath), vulgarities, sexism, pussy grabbing, handicap mocking, greediness, Putin ass-kissing, stable genius nonsense, bleach injecting, white supremacy, incompetence, arrogance, egotism, ignorance, coup attempting, racism, transphobia, and homophobia, we know the fool pretty good. We know he cares about two things and two things only: himself and money.  

If predictions by a number of political pundits are correct, the former guy’s influence may be waning. But before popping the cork off your best bottle of cheap hootch, bear in mind there are other dupes waiting in line, trying to out-Trump Trump at his own game. These are a couple of the fools worth keeping tabs on.  

The rat vs. the mouse 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (the rat) loves to play Republican Party politics with people’s lives. Total party domination is the only goal and seeking bipartisanship is an outmoded concept for them. Their definition of a perfect union isn’t one that makes room for all, but only for themselves.  

DeSantis signed the “Parental Rights in Education Bill,†which critics refer to as the “Don’t Say Gay†bill, banning public school teachers in Florida from holding classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity.  

In response, The Walt Disney Company (the mouse) lambasted Florida lawmakers for the legislation. A statement from the company hopes the law is repealed or struck down in court. 

“Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law,†the statement reads. “Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that.†

In response, DeSantis called on Florida legislators to revoke a special tax status that, for more than 50 years, has allowed Walt Disney World to operate as the de facto municipal government within the 39-square miles its parks cover in central Florida. Less than 48 hours later, both chambers of the legislature had done what DeSantis asked, damn the costs.  

The lesson being sent by DeSantis and Florida Republicans: the pro-business, freedom of speech, corporations-are-people party best not be disagreed with or you will face swift and severe retribution. 

MTG vs. the truth 

Marjorie Taylor Greene cannot remember anything about anything. Greene was ordered to testify at a hearing in Atlanta because some voters from her district think she should be disqualified from running for reelection due to allegedly helping facilitate the January 6 insurrection. The QAnon-loving congresswoman’s testimony revealed she may be in a serious case of cognitive decline, something she loves to accuse the current president of. 

Foolish Greene, the Jewish space lasers advocate from Georgia, was confronted in court over past social media posts advocating violence against Democrats, tours of the Capitol the day before the insurrection, and numerous other incendiary comments. She repeatedly — more than 50 times — said she could not remember or recall.  

Only a few weeks prior to her memory lapse, Greene spewed anti-LGBTQ+ comments to rile up her base. “Everywhere you look the signs of decadence and decay are consuming our once-great institutions,†she claimed. “Mom and Dad have been replaced by Chasten and Pete Buttigieg and their designer babies. Our society is sick and the symptoms are easy to see,†she lamented. 

Even the dead are not safe from this Republican’s venom. “Our armed forces seem to care more about naming ships after gay pedophiles like Harvey Milk than ensuring our readiness for conflict with China and Russia,†she cried. Milk was not a pedophile, and the Navy named a ship after him in 2016.  

DeSantis and, to a lesser degree, Greene are both mentioned as possible Republican presidential candidates. Between their hateful legislation and willful ignorance, these two fools may leave us longing for the orange demagogue. The fool you know…. 

The views expressed in this article are entirely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of MONTROSE STAR. Johnny Trlica is the administrator of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page. Reach him at [email protected]. 

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