Perhaps it’s because I’ve felt so bad the last couple of days (still deeply in the grips of a malicious rhinovirus or coronavirus), but the news today aggrieves me. Offends me, repulses me. Take a look at this list and see if you have the same reaction.

• Missouri House Republicans vote to defund libraries. This item alone is enough to get me worked up.
• In similar news, Texas county weighs closing local library after federal judge orders banned books returned to circulation. They’d rather kids have no books than having Xtain-censored books. Asshats.
• Anti-‘Groomer’ Republican Accused of ‘Inappropriate Relationship’ With Intern. It’s always the guys who rant about some sexual kink who secretly have it. Always.
• Florida Governor decides no one should know who comes to the FL Guv’s mansion to visit. The little people don’t need that information, so no harm done.
• Indiana chooses their side in the gun violence debate. Indiana Republican lawmakers honor NRA 1 day after mass shooting in Louisville. The public praise comes as the NRA prepares to host its annual convention in Indianapolis for the third time. “Honor the NRA”??!! <Blood reaches boiling point.>
• Going back as far as Friday, Texas-based federal judge Matthew Kacsmaryk on Friday issued a ruling aiming to suspend the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, a common abortion drug approved for use 23 years ago that has been consistently found to be safe and effective.

I’m pretty sure I could go on finding news that sets me off, ad infinitum. It’s all Republicans, all the time, fighting culture wars aimed at creating a Christian Nationalist authoritarian state. Guns, gays, books, and women’s rights. These are the things they care about. It’s as if they all read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and used it as a model for their views on society. (I know, they don’t read, but if the shoe fits…).

I suppose this is my version of the old guy yelling at the television at some show or news he doesn’t like. If the shoe fits…