Bad news for parents, celebrities

Be warned. The next few paragraphs include some bad news. That doesn’t make it fake news.

• Bad news: We’ve got to wait another four years for a new Supreme Court nominee. That is, if elected leaders want to be consistent.

President Donald Trump filed paperwork for a 2020 bid on Inauguration Day, and he had a rally Saturday in Florida. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer repeatedly said the event was organized by the campaign.

What was that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last March while declining to give Obama nominee Merrick Garland a hearing? Oh yeah, it was that, “once the political season is under way, and it is, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over.”

Unless there was fake news from the White House press room, a candidate who’s filed for 2020 held a campaign event yesterday. It sure sounds like the political season is underway. A confirmation hearing for Neil Gorsuch must be put off until after the election campaign is over.

• Bad news for parents selling Girl Scout Cookies: I’m not buying anything from you, so don’t try it.

“Why are you against helping girls develop into capable women?” I’m totally for it.

According to the Girl Scouts website, “As cookie entrepreneurs, girls learn essential life skills like goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, business ethics and sooo much more.”

How are they going to learn those skills if their parents are posting, “Come see me for cookies,” on Facebook, or driving around in cars with magnetic Girl Scout Cookie signs? The only skill they’ll pick up is, “Apply sooo much pressure, and my parents will do everything for me and give me the credit.”

I still remember seeing a sign in a restaurant: “Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs available. Call 555-1234 and ask for Mark.” Say, Mark, what troop are you in?

I’m glad to buy Girl Scout Cookies. But I only buy them from Girl Scouts.

• Bad news for celebrities who speak out of their expert areas: If there’s evidence to prove you wrong, people will throw it back at you.

I’m guessing the next few months are going to be very uncomfortable for NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, who said he believes the world is flat, the moon landing was fake and we’ve had aliens visit us.

He encourages people to do their own research. I’d agree to a point, but you can also rely on research that’s already been done. When my parents took me home from the hospital, the car worked even though I didn’t understand combustion engines.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Robert DeNiro have offered $100,000 to anyone who can prove vaccines are safe. Could somebody tell the Bobs I don’t have polio, and I accept Square or Google Wallet? Appreciate it.

Kevin Wilson is managing editor for the Clovis office of The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact him at: [email protected]