In a development that defies all logic (arriving during this strange period in American history that itself defies all logic) Rep. Thomas Harold Massie of somewhere or other in Lewis County, KY, has emerged as the favorite and most respected Republican on the national scene among your run-of-the-mill liberals and Democrats.
That notion, until recently, was absurd on its face, given Massie’s ultra-libertarian background that, among other things, has led to his desire to kill Obamacare, an absolute and dangerous gun fetish and an annihilation of the social contract. The overt affection for the congressman is as absurd as me donning a Yankee cap, expressing my love for the pinstripes and comparing Aaron Judge to God.
Well, maybe the situation isn’t THAT absurd, but you get the point.
The reasoning behind this adoration is actually quite simple – the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Massie for some months now has been engaged in a running battle of words with a fellow named Donald James Trump, the president-cum-dictator of this great nation, who has vowed to bring about Massie’s undoing in the Republican primary for the seat he currently holds in the commonwealth’s 4th Congressional District.
Massie’s Trump apostacy is both well-documented and longstanding, even though Trump endorsed him for re-election in 2022. During Trump’s first term in 2019 Massie sought to override a presidential veto of a bill intended to block Trump’s emergency declaration regarding immigration on the southern border. He was the only Republican to vote against a resolution opposing sanctions targeting Israel.
More recently, there was his vote against One Big Beautiful Bill, Trump’s egregious tax cut measure that will eventually add trillions of dollars to the national debt, which has already reached the insane level of $38 trillion.
Even more significant was Massie decision to step forward and force the release of the so-called Epstein Files – documents collected during the federal investigation of financier Jeffrey Epstein, who maintained relations with individuals in high places, including Trump, whilst procuring underaged girls who he involved in various forms of sexual deviance. Trump initially opposed the release of the documents without providing any legitimate rationale, leading to speculation that he or others close to him might somehow be linked to the tragic circumstances.
Trump eventually relented under Massie’s persistence. With the release of millions of documents still pending, Trump’s name has come up in numerous texts already made available but nothing, as yet, at least, to indicate wrongdoing.
Most recently, Massie has gotten on the wrong side of the Lord of Mar-a-Lago by insisting that he sustain some allegiance to the Constitution, an idea completely foreign to the sociopath. Trump is openly threatening war with Venezuela over, supposedly, that nation’s involvement in the international drug trade. The U.S. has already attacked several ships leaving Venezuela ports – resulting in more than 100 deaths. Then last week the CIA was involved in a drone strike on a dock site somewhere within Venezuelan borders.
Massie is among those demanding that Trump receive congressional approval before any military action.
How dare he.
“If the president believes military action against Venezuela is justified and needed, he should make the case, and Congress should vote before American lives and treasure are spent on regime change in South America,’’ Massie said in a speech on the House floor.
Massie further expressed doubt that drug shipments are the real reason behind Trump’s offensive against Venezuela.
“This is about oil and regime change,’’ he said.
Massie even challenged Trump over his disgusting comments in wake of the death of Hollywood director Rob Reiner who was found murdered in his home. Among other things, Trump said Reiner, a Democratic activist, “was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before.’’
Massie responded on X, saying, “Regardless of how you felt about Rob Reiner, this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered. I guess my elected GOP colleagues, the VP, and White House staff will just ignore it because they’re afraid? I challenge anyone to defend it.’’
Suffice to say this background has not made Massie particularly popular at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., particularly given the president’s tendency to act like a five-year-old whenever mommy takes his candy away. Trump had this to say back in June: on his social media site, Truth Social:
“Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is not MAGA even though he likes to say he is. Actually, MAGA doesn’t want him, doesn’t know him, and doesn’t respect him. He is a negative force who almost always Votes ‘NO,’ no matter how good something may be. He’s a simple minded ‘grandstander’ who thinks it’s good politics for Iran to have the highest level Nuclear weapon, while at the same time yelling ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ at every chance they get.’’
Trump, being the unconscionable public menace that he is, even taunted Massie over his recent remarriage, a year after the unfortunate death of his first wife. After first leering over what he considered a quick nuptial after the death of Massie’s first wife, Trump added, “His wife will soon find out that she’s stuck with a LOSER!’’
Trump’s offensive has gone even further. A super PAC operated by a couple of Trump’s henchmen has already run ads attacking him in his district. And the president has already endorsed a primary opponent – Ed Gallrein, of Shelby County, a retired Navy SEAL.
“HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him,’’ Trump vowed. “He’s just another GRANDSTANDER, who’s too much trouble, and not worth the fight.’’ Kentucky voters, he said, “won’t stand for it, just watch.’’
Let’s take time to note here that Massie insists he supports most of Trump’s agenda. A CNN analysis reported that, as of Sept. 2, Massie had voted with the Trump administration 32 out of 38 votes, with two of those votes opposing the White House involved the One Big Beautiful Bill. He also opposed the election of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, continuing a pattern of nixing the installation of almost every GOP speaker.
Massie endorsed Trump in the 2024 presidential election, but he first sided with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who served with him for a period in the House.
All of that seems to have enhanced Massie’s standing with those on the left who have traditionally opposed him but consider Trump as the democracy killer. And let’s say in his behalf that Massie is extremely intelligent with a pair of master’s degrees from MIT. He returned to his roots in rural Lewis County when a man of his talents could have chosen to live just about anywhere.
He’s very accomplished, holding 30 patents, built his own solar-powered home using lumber and logs he milled himself, is obviously honest, is not afraid to oppose his party when he thinks it’s wrong — unusual in this day and age — and votes his principles.
That places him far above many in the Kentucky congressional delegation, folks like Rep. Jamie Comer, R-TheFrankfortLoop, a boob who will do whatever the GOP leadership desires, and Rep. Andy Barr, R-Lexington, the most embarrassing lickspittle toward Trump that anyone could imagine.
But while, as noted, he follows his principles, it’s those principles that place him somewhere out in space. The country would be a worse place if he actually held significant influence.
Massie’s thoughts on guns are insane, there’s no better word for it. While he rages against the federal debt, he said he would have supported a tax cut bill if given the chance, which makes no sense. He has voted against a resolution condemning antisemitism, sought to block efforts to address COVID -19, wants to kill Obamacare without offering anything to take its place has voted against disaster declarations for hard-pressed communities nationwide, opposed the National Defense Authorization Act and basically wants to shrink the federal government down to the size of a postage stamp, a dream that would ruin the lives of millions of Americans.
This is the Cliff Notes version of Massie’s legislative record. There’s more and worse. He has even opposed legislation obviously beneficial to his constituents – in 2021 he voted against an infrastructure bill slated to replace the dilapidated Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River between Covington and Cincinnati. It’s proceeding regardless.
Massie has good points. But given the opportunity he would wreck the republic. Folks might want to keep that in mind.