Pre-Inauguration Wednesday Wanderings

O beautiful hat!  How I covet thee!

The time of the Orange One is drawing to a close.  Less than five hours as I write this.

Still, even with so little time left, I have fear over what he will do.  So much breaking of precedent, so much rudeness, so much nastiness, so much anti-democratic behavior.

As I write this, there is no sign yet that he will pardon his immediate family members or himself.  I think people close to him have convinced him that it might cause problems at his impeachment trial in the Senate. That doing so might make him look more guilty.

Then Laurence O'Donnell, the host of the MSNBC show The Last Word, mentioned that not all pardons are made public.  That there is such a thing as secret pardons that may stay secret until they are brought up by necessity.  So, Trump could survive the impeachment trial, get arrested for a Federal crime, then whip out his secret pardon and go, "Psych!" Wouldn't that be a kick in the nutty region!

It's been a tough four years.  I've lost a lot of sleep, experienced heaps of stress.  Much of it has been centered around that I live around so many people who have never wavered in their support of him.  It has caused me to be often confused, but mostly angry at how otherwise intelligent and caring people could be so blind.

Because it permeates so much. my blog has been more political than I intended.  Yes, I do post non-political things, but I think the political percentage has gone up over the last four years.  I can't help it.  Although the blog is not a single-purpose blog, it reflects who I am and what I am thinking about.

I can forgive those who supported Trump, especially if they join us in finding solutions to the many crises facing the country and the world.  You don't have to agree with my solutions, but you do have to engage.  You have to be willing to work together.  The problems are too great not to seek understanding and compromise.

I can forgive, but I cannot forget because, in the future, you could be driven to support another authoritarian fascist, maybe one that's even more dangerous by being more intelligent and crafty.  The threat to the Republic is not over, even if Trump is banished.  One horrible thing we know is true - The Empire Always Strikes Back.  We must remain vigilant.

I can forgive, but I must tell my Trumpeteer friends this -

You never should have supported him.  Not once.  Not for one second.  He was always a narcissistic monster.  He was always a racist and misogynist.  He was always a failed businessman.  He didn't deserve your support for dog catcher, much less President of the United States.

I have read hundreds of articles and many books trying to understand why you (Trump voters) did what you did.  

I don't care anymore.

Just don't ever do it again.

 

The Year That Wouldn't End: 2020 Year in Politics - Saturday Political Soap Box 266

 

It's hard to do a political year in review when 2020 just. Won't.  End.

THE GOOD

Sometimes (but not always - please see 2016), the person we need most for the times we are facing emerges, from our convoluted and messy presidential process, as President.

That is true for Joe Biden.  He may not be the political progressive firebrand that I want, but he does have the experience and ability to lead us through the DEEP crises we are faced with.  There is no one whose campaign style suited COVID times better than Joe, and there is no one as capable of reaching across our divisions to try to get something done.

For the first time in American History, we also have a female Vice-President, one who can step into the Presidency if needed.  To me, what is most exciting about her is not the barriers she has broken, but that she is highly competent and qualified.  

Plus, thanks to the Miracle in Georgia, she will be...

Woot-woot!

Mitch McConnell will no longer have a stranglehold on American power!  Legislation will be voted on!  Cabinet officials will be voted on!  Judicial nominees will be voted on! 

No, I never thought that I would be living the blue life in Georgia!  I am so excited and proud!  Biden!  Warnock!  Ossoff!  The trajectory of the nation is changed, and my home state did it!

The Bad

74 million people voted for the worst President in American History.  Despite the Georgia win, my home county voted 87% for Trump and 88% each for Loeffler and Perdue.

The Republicans gained seats in the House.  Democrats retain control, and the number of Progressives increased (the seats lost were almost universally by Blue Dog Democrats).  This will make legislation more of a slog.  It's not impossible, but the level of vile and bile will not go down.

Although control of the Senate is absolutely vital for the Biden administration to achieve anything, the margin is too thin to guarantee much of anything.  In my view, control of the Senate has passed from MITCH McCONNELL to JOE MANCHIN. The term is overused, but yes, he's pretty much a DINO - Democrat in Name Only.  What can I say?  He represents West Virginia, one of the reddest states we have.

Biden has many problems - he faces as deep a stream of crisis as any incoming President we've had.  I appreciate his desire for cooperation from Republicans, and I pray that he gets it, BUT,,,

The Ugly and the Monstrous

With his behavior on January 6th and his well-deserved second impeachment, Trump has sealed the deal - he is by far the worst President in American History.

I won't even go into his behavior in prior years.  For that, just review the dozens of posts I have about the Trumpocalypse (tagged for your viewing convenience).  I can't even explore all the horrible things he did in 2020.  I want to do a blog post, not a book.

I will highlight two things- 

1) His reaction to the pandemic was a disaster that led to hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths in the United States.  Who can argue with this - we have 4.25% of the world's population and 25% of the world's cases, and 20% of the world's COVID deaths.  According to my Trump Premium calculation  (please see related post), I hold him directly responsible for a quarter-million deaths.

His incompetence and ignorance have affected our nation's reaction from the start.  He has been dismissive, having us turning the corner almost every week, wanting us to leave quarantines and lockdowns almost before they really begin, recommending we drink bleach, refusing to protect himself and others - turning mask-wearing into an effing political issue.  Personal liberty TRUMPS social responsibility and public safety.  I am as angry about this as I have ever been about anything in my entire life.

We are haunted by his incompetence even today, with the slow rollout of the vaccine.

The number of cases and deaths are higher than ever, and due to his dividing us, we seem incapable of responding.

It's one thing to live with the way people voted around here.  It's another trying to survive their barbaric response to the pandemic.

2) His denial of the election results has led this country to a nightmare reaction and a true ripping apart of Democratic norms.  We stand on the brink of fascism, and none of us can breathe easier until he is gone.

Left in his wake are millions who believe his lies, some who are so ginned up that they attacked the Capitol building, and the fact that they aren't more dead, including the Vice President, is just simple luck.

Most of us want to turn the corner and head into the light of democracy, of a functioning republic.  But others only see it as a vast cultural war, where everything is on the line for them - that the most important thing is to hold onto white privilege and control, who want to turn the nation into a Christian Reich Theocratic State.

Donald Trump may soon be gone, but the hate he riled up and solidified will be with us for a long time to come.

2020 has left us broken and hurt.  But, in the end, it did bring us some hope.

But it also brought us fear.

We must never give up.  We must never surrender.

We must never sit out another election.

The number one lesson of 2020 is that we outnumber them IF WE ALL SHOW UP.

Hello, Mike Pence

 

Hello, Vice President Mike Pence.  How are you?

I know we've never really talked before.  I apologize, but it's true.  You are antithetical to everything I stand for and are one of my least favorite politicians.

But we need to talk.

I appreciate you playing the constitutional role you were required to do in administering the reading of the certified electoral college election results. You read with aplomb and the solid confidence of a man who can actually read and sound coherent.

You did not kowtow to the President's illegal request for you to not accept the states that would have handed the Presidency back to a  man who lost the popular vote by over seven million.  You came back after the Trump-incited Capitol Riots, undeterred and ready to do your duty.

You did all that, and Trump used your commitment to your constitutional duties and unwillingness to do what he wanted as a way to gin up a crowd to march on the Capitol.  He used you, and did not care about your safety.

But it wasn't just you endangered.  He endangered the lives of every Congressperson, of every Senator, of every staff person, of the Capitol police. He even used his own supporters as cattle fodder for his own goal - to retain power at any cost.

Four people died as a result.  As horrible as that was, it could have been a lot worse.  Unimaginably worse.

Property was damaged and vandalized, windows were broken, lives were threatened.  A rioter sat at the desk you had been at just minutes before, in the Senate chambers, declaring Trump the victor.

And this madness may be just the beginning.  And you know that.

Everything you've done for him, and he does this to you.

You know what you have to do, for the sake of the survival of the country.  You have to convene the cabinet and invoke the 25th Amendment.  You have no real choice.  A man who incites riots is not fit to lead this country.

For the sake of us all, you must assume the mantel of the Presidency and facilitate the peaceful transition to the certified winners of the election, President-Elect Biden and Vice-President Harris.  No more incitement of false claims of a rigged and fraudulent election.  Those baseless and self-serving claims are tearing this country apart, and it's time to heal and unite.

No one says you have to give up your principles and ideals.  You fight for what you believe in and are magnanimous and understanding, in both victory and loss.  You will not divide us and demonize us.

I know you can do this.  I know that, despite our many differences, we value this country and the preservation of democracy (ok, at least that's my hope).

You have my permission and encouragement.  Invoke the 25th Amendment and end Trump's madness. America will be supportive and will breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Oh, and one other thing -

DO NOT PARDON THAT SON OF A B!*

*taking into consideration your sensitivities, I have moderated my use of language.  You're welcome.

Short Life Span Predictions: Updated Georgia BLUE

 

Oh, how I want those two in the Senate! 

History does not favor Democrats in Georgia statewide runoff elections.  But historical trends are just that - trends, and trends can be broken.  Just ask Barack Obama or Kamala Harris.

If you asked me mid-November, I would have only given about 20% odds that Ossoff and Warnock could win.

I've since changed my mind.  I don't think it's any kind of lock, but I do think it's at least even money.

Early voting turnout has been incredible, and the Republicans have acted like they don't want to win, with a mighty thanks and a hat's tip to their toddler-in-chief, Trump, whose erratic and spoiled behavior has put his own selfish interests ahead of his party.

I may be proven wrong in relatively short order, but here goes my best analysis:

Unless there is a decisive margin in same-day voting for Democrats, this will go on for a while, anywhere from two days to a week. 

The way the vote is counted, absentee ballots are at the end of the counting train.  If you'll remember the Presidential election, it was with these votes that Biden pulled ahead.

There is nothing wrong with this.  Every vote counts equally.  It's the way the state has chosen to count.  Some states count early vote and absentees first.  It's why at first, it looked like Biden might be competitive in Ohio and Texas. It's also why he was behind at first in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin - because the Republican legislators in those states set same-day vote to be counted first.

So...

if Ossoff and Warnock lead after the first set of same-day voting comes in - start the party! Congratulations, Rev. Warnock!

If it's close, even if the Republicans have a slight lead -  get ready for a party! Looking good, Jon Ossoff!

If the initial Republican lead is slightly greater, say three to four points - hang in there and start the prayer vigil. Well, thank goodness we don't have to suffer through that!

This is not a done deal.  But I have hope. Hope is alive!  Hope is alive!

Updates to follow!

UPDATE 7:11 AM

WARNOCK WINS!  WARNOCK WINS!

All major networks have declared Warnock the winner, and he leads with over 53,000 votes, with about 98% of the vote reported.

Ossoff has not been called, but he leads Perdue by 16,370 votes.

Most of the vote remaining is reportedly in Democratic areas!

I have never been more proud of my chosen home state, Georgia!

As I saw Rob Reiner state on Twitter, "John Lewis is smiling down on us!"

SECOND UPDATE

OSSOFF WINS!  OSSOFF WINS!

This occurred during the Trump incited Capital Riot, and did not get the attention it deserved.

He will be the youngest Senator we've had since Joe Biden was first elected. 

And what does this mean, not just for Georgia but the country as a whole?

Yep.  McConnell no longer controls the Senate.

With all the horror over what happened at the Capital, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank God!  And the voters of Baby Blue Georgia!

The Most Hypocritical Political Sign Ever! Saturday Political Soap Box 265

 This sign has popped up all over my county.  Some are strung along in a row, a dozen or more.

This is the message someone(s) in my county wants to send:

STOP ONE PARTY RULE

To which I say -

Really?

Really?

REALLY?

Never have I seen expressed a more HYPOCRITICAL sentiment in all my time here, dating back to 1997. 

Really, Pierce Countians?  That's what you believe - that we have to stop one-party rule?  Are you kidding me?

You, who vote straight Republican year after year after year, at the NATIONAL level, at the STATE level, at the LOCAL level, are suddenly worried about ONE PARTY RULE?

You, whom some of you have told me, don't understand the necessity of a general election because all that's decided in the Republican primary?

You, who vote like a monolith and consider Democrats to be barely human?

You, who EVERY TIME I have posted about being concerned about our lack of true democracy here, and wouldn't you like to have competitive elections and have choices, and aren't you tired of voting where there is only one realistic option, and so many Republicans run unopposed. and our elections are Soviet-style, and you all just shrug and think that what I am asking for is the most unimportant and irrelevant thing ever?

Now I'm supposed to believe you're all twitterpated about ONE PARTY RULE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

YOU PRACTICALLY INVENTED ONE PARTY RULE!

YOU RELISH ONE PARTY RULE!

So, Tom, aren't you being a hypocrite?  Don't you want one-party rule by the Godless heathen Democrats?

Oh, for God's sake.  Read my stuff, man.  I've said over and over and over again about how I want a MULTI-PARTY system.  I want different groups to combine for different legislation, in ever-shifting coalitions that compromise and get stuff done.

I've made it clear over and over again that I'm an Independent Progressive, not a Democrat.  I don't care too much for many conservative/corporate Democrats, but I see them as potential partners to move at least a few things forward.  And if some very conservative and populists legislators like Senator Hawley share some agenda items, like for $2,000 checks to COVID ravaged everyday Americans - then bring them in for that vote.

If the Republicans retain the Senate, it is not ONE PARTY RULE we will have avoided.  You know what we will have?

ONE MAN RULE

And that man will be -

MITCH McCONNELL

Nothing will be accomplished.  All legislation, bipartisan or otherwise, will die at his doorstep - he won't let it come to the floor to even be voted on.  Judgeships will be stopped, many cabinet appointees may not even get a vote.  Only the interests of the wealthy and big corporations will be served.

All I want, at this point, is to see legislation and appointees voted on.  If you had a Republican Senate Majority Leader who was willing to do that, I would be less concerned.

Case in point: the $2,000 checks, in the current environment, would have passed in the Senate on a straight up or down vote.  But McConnell wouldn't let that happen.  He used every parliamentary trick in the book to prevent it from even being voted on.  He used his power to thwart the will of the majority who wanted it.

And if he remains in charge of the Senate, he will do that again and again and again.

We are in a state of crisis in this country.  COVID, climate change, a cratering economy, destabilized foreign policy, so many little problem bombs left to us by the exiting orange clown.  And we need a Congress who is willing to vote on legislation, at least put themselves on the record one way or another.  None of this will happen as long as McConnell is in charge.

What are we talking about?  If Georgia votes in two competent and compassionate people, and vote out two corrupt and uncaring individuals, the Senate will be 50-50, with Vice President Harris breaking the tie in favor of Democratic Senate leadership.

And this is the one-party rule you fear?  HA!

I got two words for you -

JOE MANCHIN

Yep, he's about as Republican a Democrat as you can get.  So what if you get Progressive legislation before the Senate?  He'll vote with the Republicans more often than not.

And he's not alone.  Many of the Democrats in the Senate are not truly Progressive and will whiff on some of the most important measures we need.  I love Joe Biden, and I'm ecstatic that he's President, but he's a pretty moderate Democrat, one who is desperate to work with Republicans in a bipartisan fashion.

Pierce County is going to vote 85%+ Republican no matter what.  That sign is not going to increase or decrease the vote margin here one way or another.

But the rank hypocrisy of that sign?

It stinks.

It stinks to high heaven.

Who is to Blame for Holding Up COVID Relief? Saturday Political Soap Box 264

Hopefully, for those who read this on Monday Dec 21 or later, something will have passed.  Probably an inadequate mess, but it will be something.

I've been very upset at many Americans' lack of decency about wearing a mask and social distancing.  Our lack of care has resulted in the United States being the epicenter of the pandemic.  We have roughly 4.25% of the world's population and 23% of the confirmed cases, and 19% of the world's deaths.  Trump and his administration have been massive failures in protecting us.

There is no excuse for not wearing a mask, but I understand why it is so difficult for people to stay apart.  We have to work.  We have to pay bills.  There is no relief in that regard.

Unemployment remains high, and individuals and states are running out of resources.  Much of that will expire soon.

Many of us have no choice but to keep working, even as the pandemic surges around us.

If we're going to make it the next few months, without tens if not hundreds of thousands of Americans dying, with millions falling ill and many of those suffering negative health effects that could last a lifetime, we need help.  Small businesses will go under, people will be evicted from their homes, unemployment will climb, medical bankruptcies will surge, workplaces will be unsafe.

So, we have to have COVID relief, and it needs to be directed to individuals, families, and small businesses.  It also needs to be directed at states and municipalities that are running out of funds and can't just print money. We need to shore up testing, contact tracing, and vaccine distribution.

We do not need to create a bigger slush fund for big corporations and the super-wealthy.  They are doing well enough, thank you very much.  We do not need liability protection for businesses from their responsibilities to protect workers and customers from COVID. What do you think will happen if large businesses, like meatpacking plants, feel like there is no consequence to ignoring COVID safety protocols?

Who is to blame for the lack of action on genuine COVID relief?

It's not Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats.  Say whatever you want about them, they passed a bill nine months, an outstanding comprehensive bill, and the Senate never took it up.

Trump wants to sign something. He is indeed a horrible negotiator, the very opposite of the dealmaker he played on television, but he'll sign whatever is passed.  He wants to send out checks with his name on them. So, he's not a help, but he wouldn't stop it either.

No, it's primarily one person.

It's Mitch McConnell.  

Yes, he has far-right Republican Senators whom he has to consider, but ultimately, it's him.  He's the hold-up.  He's why we can't feel safe enough to do the distancing that getting over this pandemic requires.

There is some possibility that a symbolic direct payment may be included in the COVD relief bill, maybe $600 a person.  That is only a possibility because McConnell fears what might happen in the Georgia Senate runoffs.  He thinks a tiny bone will placate restless independents in the state of Georgia and give the Loefller Android and Perdue Chicken the margin they need to beat their Democratic opposition.

Please note this.  If the two Republicans win, it will be the last concession to reality you will see. You will have at least two years of gridlock, and America's most pressing problems will be ignored.

The disease is Mitch McConnell.  The cure is Warnock and Ossoff.

 

Enough Already: Saturday Political Soap Box 263

 Enough already!

The man won by over 7,000,000 votes and the same electoral margin that Trump won in 2012 (you know, the one Captain Bone Spurs called a landslide).

You are just embarrassing yourself now.

And I'm not just talking about Trump.  Trump has an excuse.  He's mentally ill.  He can't process information in the way a normal person can.  He is psychologically incapable of accepting that he lost.

That excuse can't be used by his Republican enablers, the wide swath of Republican officeholders who are endorsing Trump's mad anti-democratic bids to retain power.

It is encouraging the authoritarian instincts of millions of Trump's base supporters. When they see this swill promoted not just by the President, but by Republican politicians and their media mouthpieces (FOX News Primetime, Newsmax, OAN, Parler, extremists reinforcing each other on FaceBook), it gins them up to not accept the truth.  It makes you fear that they will no longer abide by election results if they don't fall in line with their expectations.

It's going to take a while, but demographics do not favor that Trumpeteer voter. More and more districts and states will turn blue, especially if Republicans value white identity politics over governing.

I wish this decisive rejection by the US Supreme Court of Texas's incoherent and vile lawsuit would end this.  I wish that it would be enough already.

But I doubt it.  I'm sure the narcissist-in-chief has more tricks up his sleeve.  He has to because the consequences of leaving office are so dire for him.  Even if he (or President Pence) pardon himself for any federal crimes he has committed, that still leaves him battling local and state courts.  He knows what he has done and what awaits him.  He'll get a jumpsuit that matches the color of his spray-tanned skin. 

Be prepared for him to attempt a military intervention, including maybe the declaration of martial law.  I say attempt because I have enough faith in our military leadership that this effort will fail as well.

Yes, he will fail.  Donald Trump is The Biggest Loser.

But that's not what I'm worried about.

I'm worried about how difficult it will be to govern, how hard it will be to return to normal if millions refuse to accept the legitimacy of Biden's election.  And for me, that will be the majority of the people I run across in this red South Georgia enclave.

Personally, I want the progressive legislative agenda to pass - lock, stock, and barrel with no compromises.  But guess what?  Progressives are not a majority in Congress.  They are an important faction within the Democratic Party, but they don't have the political power to pass anything without compromise.

So, for right now, I accept the fact that I can't get everything I want.  That it will take coalitions and compromises to move the country forward.

And we must move the country forward.  And it will not be the Progressives that will hold that up.  They like governing too much.  

It will be the Trump Rump that holds it up, those who are more loyal to Trump and his white identity politics than they are to functioning democracy.

There is too much at stake to not get things done.  Too many problems are at a critical juncture. We have to work together.  Biden is right in that.

I fear it won't happen.  We have too many in the Republican Party who value power over governance.

Enough already.

Lives are at stake.

Lift your head out of your media and cultural bubble, reach out to your fellow Americans, and let's start to git-er-done.

There are Red States and Blue States: Saturday Political Soap Box 261

 

Yes, Barack.  I guess there really are red states and blue states.

More accurately, there is an urban/rural divide.  The more city centers in your state, the more likely you are to be blue.

Take a look at our New Blue states, Georgia and Arizona.  Both are largely due to the Atlanta Metro area's growth in Georgia and the Phoneix metro area in Arizona.

As the Democratic Party's wont, some are wallowing in the inability to make significant gains in the Senate and in losing a few seats in the House.  The big to-do centers around the conservative/corporate Democrats' belief that it was the Progressives who destroyed the chance to retain and gain.  Yeah, the seats lost in the House were all by centrist Democrats, but facts don't matter- feelings do.

The fact is that the Progressive Caucus retained and gained.  The Squad is not only back, but it has also gained a few members from Progressives who won primaries and then the general.

Today's Soap Box will focus on the Senate.  

It was not a divide between Progressives and Corporatists that determined the Senate outcome.

It was the Red State divide that is becoming more and more impossible to cross.

Here to wit:

Deep Red

Of the 20 states that voted 55% or greater for Trump, there are 38 Republican Senators and 2 Democratic.  If you were a Republican Senator from these states and you ran in 2020, you won. It was sad and upsetting to see such disgusting examples of humanity like McConnell and Graham romp to victory, but their red states vote tribe over self-interest.  

The only turnover in this group was the defeat of the outstanding Democratic Senator from Alabama, Doug Jones, in favor of a football coach who doesn't know the three branches of government and thinks World War II was fought against socialism and communism. Red states rule.  Common sense drools.

This was the only turnover for the Republicans.  

Deep Blue

Of the 14 states that voted 55% or greater for President-Elect Biden, there are 27 Democrats and 1 Independent who caucuses with the Democrats (that's Bernie Sanders of Vermont).  In this group, there was one turnover - in Colorado, John Hickenlooper beat Republican Cory Gardner. 

Medium Red

There are four medium red states - Florida, Texas, Ohio, and Iowa.  They represent a significant chunk of the population.  They also represent a big chunk of the Senate's red wall, with 7 Republican Senators and one lone Democrat.  Sherrod Brown of Ohio is not only a Democrat but also a Progressive.  Would he have won had he been up this year?  Probably.  Democrats need to take a lesson as to how he does it.

Light Blue

This group of nine states has had a few wander into the red in some Presidential elections but vote blue most of the time.  This group has 15 Democrats (including 1 independent who caucuses with them) and 3 Republicans.

Democrats won here.  The bitter exception is that Maine Senator Susan Effing Collins won reelection in Maine.  That result was probably the most disappointing of the whole election.  Maine has some red areas but overall is a blue state.  There was a good chunk of people who voted for Biden and then voted for Susan Effing Collins.

It's the only result that defied the blue/red divide.  And it may have cost the Democrats control of the Senate.

Light Red

Yeah.  This is just North Carolina.  And yeah, it's got two Republican Senators, with one Republican incumbent narrowly winning reelection.

New Blue

As mentioned at the top of the blog, our new blue states are Arizona and Georgia.  Yes, the blue line in these states is very thin, and only time will tell how the line holds. But I believe over time, demographics will out, and they will get deeper blue.  

Arizona had the other Democratic turnover and now has two Democratic Senators.  Georgia has two Republican Senators (and they are all-star gems of corruption and Trumpism), BUT both did not win outright and will be in runoffs with their Democratic opponents on January 5th.

I ain't gonna kid you.  Democrats have had a grim modern history in state runoffs, and both sides are going to be on high alert.  I can only pray.  The Senate is 50 to 48 currently, and whether McConnell remains in charge hangs in the balance.

The Bottom Line

We have 25 red states and 25 blue states, and there are now only six states with split representation (one Democrat and one Republican).  That means we have a set starting point of a 50/50 split.  We may see closely split Senates for the foreseeable future.  It's going to be very difficult to command the type of majority needed to get stuff done, particularly with the filibuster. 

The 25 blue states represent 57% of the US population. Once again, Republicans are boosted by electoral divides that benefit them and allow the minority to have outsize representation.

So, the bottom line is that Democrats running as Republican Lite will do them no good whatsoever. In red states, they will pick a real Republican over a pretend Republican EVERY TIME.  

The only choice is to be bold Democrats, marshall your vote, and run everywhere.  It's no shame proclaiming your ideals and not winning.  At least the red states are being exposed to the Progressive message, and in time, some will shift blue.

Demographically, I feel that Texas and North Carolina will turn blue over time.  When that happens, Republicans will lose all grip on power. There are no states waiting in the wings who will turn consistently red.

Study Sherrod Brown of Ohio.  Study what Stacy Abrams and allies did in Georgia.

We can do this.

Time is on our side.*

*except with climate change.  Every delay there gets us more and more screwed.

Sunset Over Beaufort Wednesday Wanderings

This was last week. We took a short mini-vacation in Beaufort, South Carolina.  This is the view of the sunset from the deck of our vrbo rental.  Vrbo stands for vacation rentals by owner.  I don't think it's completely independent.  Somewhere there is a big corporation making some money - shared advertising resources, maybe?

Anyway, it was a great time.  The place we stayed in was very nice and relatively secluded.  The town was quaint, not super crowded, and all the stores and masks required signs, which everyone followed without fuss or muss.  There were no contradictory snotty signs that said this was store was not going to 'inforce"* the city ordinance, as I have seen in both Waycross and Milledgeville.  I didn't even see the waiver of liability signs that tell customers that they can't sue if they come into your establishment and get sick as a result.

It's a shame when you feel safer on vacation than you do at home.

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How are you, Tom?  Thanks for asking.  I continue to have knee and foot pains, but their severity has been reduced.  If I'm cautious, I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I'm using a medicine/salve called Voldemort**, and I put marijuana*** on my foot (until I runned out- now I'm going to go back to my dealer****).

I think I've figured out that my condition is aggravated when I sit too long in certain positions.  This would explain why it happens more on vacation, where I have long car rides or plane trips.  

I don't think it was the car trip to Beaufort - that was less than three hours away. I think it was the five days glued to the desktop waiting for the election results to come in.  I really wanted to be there when Trump officially lost the election.  Ironically, it happened when I had finally given up and had gone out for a short walk.  

If only I had interrupted for more short walks, I wouldn't be as messed up as I am.

For the whole election chronicle, please see my whole series entitled "Sort of a Live Blog."

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I won't dwell more on the election here, as I have plenty of other blog stories about it.  Suffice to say, it has consumed me this month.

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The Michigan Wolverines are terrible this year.  And...so what?  This is not the year for records and championships.  This is the year for just praying that the students, staff, and others involved remain safe. Should Harbaugh be replaced?  Not something to deal with this year.  The students need continuity now more than anything else.  I have a feeling Harbaugh will find another opportunity at season's end, and Michigan will be spared having to outright fire him.

---------------------------------

COVID-19 spread and destruction are worse than ever right now. They warned us that if we did not get a handle on it by now, that it would rage in the Fall.  It was ignored in many areas, and lo and behold, it is now raging out of control.

It has been demonstrated over and over, in different states and other countries, that mask-wearing, social distancing, testing, and contact tracing can bring this under control.  In some cases, lockdowns may be necessary.  

This is not an issue of personal liberty.  This is an issue of personal responsibility, of giving a damn about your fellow man.  I am so disgusted by those who've turned it into a political issue.

----------------------------------

I am reading Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov, a play set in rural Russia.  It's in the public domain, so I'm thinking of updating to recent times and place it in South Georgia, with the goal of it being performed by a local theatre group.  

What I need to do is find an editable PDF version that will allow me to make changes.  To rewrite it from scratch might take me forever.

And I don't know if I want to sit forever in front of this computer to do it.  Not after what I've been through this last week. Viva la get up and stretch my legs more frequently.  Hopefully, I've learned my lesson.

----------------------------

Benjamin should be home early next week!  He still will have a couple of finals after Thanksgiving, but those will be online, which he can take at home. Then he'll be home until mid-January.

There was an outbreak at his college earlier in the semester, but that settled down after the College President threatened to crack down on those who were going off-campus for large parties. Benjamin has been super careful since Day One.

--------------------------------

Well, I won't bore you anymore.  For those who keep up with my blog, I appreciate you more than you know.  I'd share my writings even if it was just me and you and a dog named Boo, but it's nice to have reading friends.

Wanderingly Yours,

T. M. Strait

* seriously, a business in the area proudly displayed a sign that spelled enforcement as inforcement.

**Voltaren - sorry, it's not as funny as calling it Voldemort.

***Before I'm reported, I'm talking about a Hemp rub.

****by dealer, I mean Amazon.

Living the Blue Life: Saturday Political Soap Box #260

 

O glorious day!

O frabjous day!

The Jabberwocky has been vanquished!

------

I know that's not quite the Alice In Wonderland poem, but it served as a wonderful jumping-off point.

I waited for days and days.  I did not want to miss the news I had been longing to hear for the last four years.

I sat near the television or desktop constantly.  I tried to sleep some, but it was very difficult.  I was having trouble with my blood pressure and my heart rate.  Even as it became increasingly obvious who the victor would be, I still stressed and worried.

Finally, on Saturday, I broke my vigil to take a walk. When I got back, I saw they had announced that Biden was the President-Elect!  I was able to rewind the TV to the moment it happened.

One of the health things I have discovered recently is that I tend to get knee and leg pains more when we're on vacation.  Why?  My best analysis seems to be that if I'm seated too long, like in a car or plane, it causes the cycle to begin.

Sure enough, Alison and I took a mini-vacation starting Sunday, and my knee pain was immediate and intense.  But it was less than a three-hour ride to Beaufort, South Carolina. Why would that cause so much trouble?

It wasn't the car ride.  It was sitting frozen for almost five days waiting to hear the magic words - Biden is President-Elect!

I was so happy for my sister in Michigan to be part of a blue state again.  Anyone who watched the news can see that they're many anti-mask militia-types in the state, but I am so relieved they did not have the political clout to keep the state red.

Georgia?  Georgia was an unexpected blueberry on top.  I hoped that Georgia would start being competitive, but I was startled how soon it would happen.  It was the first election since 2002 using the new voting machines (that leave a paper trail) instead of the Diebold machines.  Using Diebold, no Democrat had won State-wide office.  Despite voter suppression efforts by the Republicans, determined Democratic-leaning voters slogged through every attempt, including waiting in one for hours and hours.

I have a lot more to say about the election, but I'm still recovering from my leg pains, and my time on the computer is limited.  I am getting better, though.

There is so much to talk about - the moronic stubbornness of Trump in accepting reality, the potential loss of the Senate and the importance of the Georgia Senate runoffs,  the loss of House seats and how PROGRESSIVES ARE NOT TO BLAME, whatever the hell Parler is, COVID-19 and how it has not magically disappeared like some of my right-wing friends thought it would, and on and on and now my foot hurts, and I'll say goodbye for now,

Welcome to the Blue Life!

Are You Ready For This? Saturday Political Soap Box #259

 7:15 AM

Wow.  Good news is I slept.  Especially since not much changed while I was in dream zone.

Current Biden margins:

Georgia: 7,248

Arizona: 29,861

Pennsylvania: 28,833

Nevada: 22,657

Pretty much the same, except for a nice little increase in Georgia!

I have come to the reluctant conclusion that I can't stay be the desktop or TV and wait this one out.  It is my hope to be watching the moment Biden hits or passes 270, but I can't get like I did yesterday.  I got way too anxious and dizzy.  So I'll probably be taking even more breaks.

9:23 AM

Two hours later.  Nothing new to report.

I haven't said much about the fury and selfish squallering of Trumpelthinskin.  Even many of his Republican allies are trying to distance themselves from his rants. The sad truth?  This vile man will continue to throw feces at democracy until he is out of office.  Actually, he probably will keep flinging even Post-Presidency, but at least he will have no official power.

11:43 AM

For reasons I won't go into, we have a probable Trump supporter in our house (it's ok - they're helping Alison).  I was starting to get too anxious, so I went for a walk, and when I came back...

JOE BIDEN IS PRESIDENT-ELECT!!!

THE BLUE WALL HAS BROKEN

THE GLASS CEILING!!!

VICE-PRESIDENT ELECT KAMALA HARRIS!

g

Go ahead, David "Chicken" Perdue, keep mispronouncing her name.

See how that helps you in your RUNOFF!!!

I have backed up MSNBC so I can see the moment, but I can't play it until our guest leaves.

I did go back to the bedroom for a KICK-ASS MIME PARTY!!! Quietly playing the song Are You Ready For This!!!

I have a whole series of posts, like an election diary, if you want to check them out on The Strait Line.  Bookmark it TODAY!

Road to President-Elect: Sort of Live Blog 8

 1:07 PM

An official from Nevada trying to explain why they're so slow.  Anyways, they won't announce new votes until 4 PM or so.  And they will only be a portion of what's outstanding.

1:29 PM

Pennsylvania lead is now 13,371.

2:13 PM

Pennsylvania lead now 13,550.  Oy, this is slow!

2:43 PM

Arizona now at 41,302.  

3:46 PM

I am having to take a health break.

5:31 PM

Health break is done.  I think my BP and dizziness are better.

Georgia lead now 4,163.

Pennsylvania lead now 14,536.

Nevada lead now 20,137.

Arizona lead now 39,400.

Results from Alleghany County in PA delayed until?

Biden will speak at 8 PM.  I'm not sure that it will be 270+ when he talks.  That is disappointing.

6:34 PM

As we get closer to Biden's speech, we have glacial progress towards state counts, mostly in favor of Biden.

Again, I am not sure we are going to have an announcement of going over the top tonight, not before his speech.

8:14 PM

Biden speech is delayed - no new states officially declared.

Pennsylvania 19,491

Nevada 22,657

Georgia 4,039

Arizona 36,835

9:27 PM

We're in about the same place.  Steve Kornacki keeps trying to find paths for Trump and he's wearing me out.

Pennsylvania  21,705

Georgia 4,289

Arizona 29,861

Yes, Arizona is tightening.  Not sure if the pace is enough.

9:41 PM

Pennsylvania 27,390

So, when is it enough for them to call Pennsylvania for Biden?

10:53 PM

Biden speaking. He is very comforting, reassuring.  Talking about problems like Covid, the economy and climate, and centering on real solutions.

"The duty of care for all Americans.  That's the job."

Election to 270 #3: Sort of Live Blog 7

 9:01

Biden takes the lead in Pennsylvania!

They have not put Peensylvaniain Biden's column, but it just seems like a matter of time.

Biden now leads in four of the six outstanding states!  

I would like to give a major league shout out to Stacy Abrams!  More than any other person, she is responsible for Georgia being on the brink of going blue!

9:07 AM

I've switched to CNN. They are bland, but at least they're not Republican Lite.

Secret Service protection around Biden.  They are putting in place some air space protections.

It's getting real, folks.

I think we'll finally have a decision today.

9:22

I am stunned that Wolf Blitzer is still on CNN.  Didn't he start with them in 1979?

I guess the theory on not calling Arizona is that the nature of their Blue Maricopa County remaining is somehow...more Trumpy?  I'm confused as to what is out in Arizona?  Mail-in ballots or same-day ballots?  Why would same-day ballots not be counted yet?

10:05 AM

Pennsylvania lead expanded to 6,737.  Just a little drop of news, but it is good news!

10:40 AM

Georgia Biden lead now at 1,579.

Pennsylvania and Georgia in drip mode. Arizona and Nevada still in sleep mode. North Carolina is in a cryogenic sleep chamber.

11:11 AM

Arizona Biden lead shrinks a little - to 43,779.  But they are saying that Trump is not winning new votes in enough margin to take over the lead from Biden.

Pennsylvania lead now at 9,027.

Balancing CNN and MSNBC.  CNN has Trump at 213, MSNBC 214.  The difference is one district in Maine.

Mark Kelly wins Arizona Senate Seat!

Senate Dem 48 GOP 48!

11:34 AM

Nevada lead increases to 22,076!

I just want so much for Trump to be in my rearview mirror.

Pennsylvania lead now at 9,746.

12:53 PM

Pennsylvania lead now at 12,390.

Starting a new blog Post...

Election to 270 #2: Sort of Live Blog 6

 10:02 PM

Started with a new blog entry.  Other was getting too long.

Not sure who'd gonna see these.  I haven't reposted to Facebook or Twitter.

But for the mighty few who read these - thanks for putting up with me, as I wander through this marathon election process!

I'm not upset.  We are trying to do this in the middle of a Pandemic.  McConnell refused to give money to states to help improve the election process.

Every state is different, so it varies each place, and we have to respect that.

10:25 PM

The talk is that outstanding vote in Clayton County, when reported, will put Biden in the lead in Georgia.

Clayton County was represented in Congress by...John Lewis.

I'm speechless.

10:35 PM 

Biden continues to close in Pennsylvania, now within about 35,000 voted.  A big batch of votes is still expected from Philadelphia.

11:12 PM

More Pennsylvania catch up.  Biden within 26,132 votes.

Senate GOP 48 Dem 47

11:47 PM

Not sure how late to stay up.  Not sure if anything decisive will happen. Not sure how many more votes will be added until tomorrow.

Tried to watch MSNBC for a few minutes and listened to James Carville, but soon I was screaming at the TV.  He started blaming Progressives for why Democrats didn't do well in the Senate and lost ground in the House.  Tired of blue dogs.  You know, if you offer people a choice between Republican and Republican Lite, they're going to pick Republican.  I'll take my chances with Progressives, James.

12:11 AM

Well, this is interesting.  Steve Kornacki was going home, with Ali Velshi replacing him, and then suddenly, Kornacki was back.  He didn't want to go home because he felt some things were going to be happening in the next few hours.

Still haven't decided how late I'm staying up, but ... I'm up for now.

1:18 AM

Nothing of significance, so I'm going to try to get some sleep.

Which can only mean one thing...

6:17 AM

The best part of waking up 

Is seeing Georgia

BLUE!!!

A small lead?  Yes, just 917 votes, but a lead nonetheless.  I pray it holds, but even if it doesn't, this is truly a moment to cherish!

7:00 AM

Once again, Morning Joe has become unwatchable.  Blaming Progressives for not doing better in the Senate and House.  It's like listening to Carville cranked up to 11. 

I'll do a fuller analysis in a separate post, but on the surface, nothing seems further from the truth.

The white working class isn't identifying with Trump because of policy - red states have been passing very progressive ballot measures.  They identify with him because of TRIBALISM.

The only new count I see was the switch of Georgia from red to blue.  That must have been Clayton County.  Everyone else went to bed.

7:52 AM

Ok.  I'm going to go to another blog entry.

Election to 270 #1: Sort of Live Blog 5

 7:20 AM

I'll probably keep this up until most major news sources show Joe Biden with 270 or more.

I did get more sleep, feeling it was close, and that Biden had more pathways than Trump did.

But it's still not sealed yet.

The two counts I'm watching remain the same as last night -

MSNBC 253 Biden 214 Trump 

AP  264 Biden 214 Trump

The difference between the two counts is Arizona.  More vote came in last night, but Biden maintained his lead.  Since it's mail-in, in a county that is slightly Democratic, I am optimistic.  

The same holds true in Nevada.  The block missing is mail-in/absentees from a heavily Democratic county, Clark County (Las Vegas).

The same holds true in Georgia and Pennsylvania.  The vote is still being counted, and Biden continues to close the gap.  Biden is now just 18,000 votes behind Trump in Georgia.  I remain a little skeptical, as I know who controls the voting process in Georgia, but we'll see.

I can't tell about North Carolina and Alaska.  North Carolina hasn't really changed since election night, and I'm sure what their problem is, and what is expected to come in.  Alaska is just a mystery. Half their vote is in and Trump leads 62% to 33%.  What's left to come in, and is there like a super-liberal part of the state I've never heard of before?

Currently, as of writing this around 7:30 AM, Biden leads Trump by 3,486,642 votes.  That's a larger popular vote lead than Hillary's.  Biden also has not just the plurality of votes but also the MAJORITY (50.5%).  ALSO, he has the largest number of votes of any Presidential candidate in history.  And there are still millions more to be counted, mostly in Biden territory. In any other nation on Earth, this would already be a done deal.  Thank you, slave-holding states, for the archaic Electoral College.

2:18 PM

Back home from work.

Some election chatter but I just closed my door.   I figured if Biden got 270 or more, I could have a Kick-Ass Mime Party.  

One of the biggest problems in discussing politics is not just them but also me.  I tend to get aggravated and emotional, and there's too much chance of me losing my cool.  I don't want to be that way, but I'm smart enough to recognize I am that way.

I can't really tell that much has happened.  A little bit of Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and Pennsylvania vote has come in, but not enough to be called.  

Georgia is getting incredibly tight.  Biden now only behind by 13,220 votes!  I would live it if I could be living in a blue state.  I don't know how much vote is left.

My sister in Michigan, who has been able to watch more closely than I have, says it maybe tomorrow or even Saturday before we know.  Oy!  More time for Captain Bone Spur's craziness!

4:25 PM

Feeling a little queasy.  No decision yet - not sure when it's coming.

I can't keep staring at the sun.  I have to break away from this.

I will update when I can.

5:47 PM

Biden now behind Trump in Georgia by 9,525 votes.  I don't know how many remain to be counted.

No other significant movement.  Oy.

I did post a message to a friendly FaceBook group about what I think Biden should do.

I have an important suggestion. The second that a major network projects Biden with 270 or more electoral votes, Biden needs to move like he is the nominee. He should be called President-Elect and he should immediately announce his transition team. This is the strategy the Bush Jr. team used in 2000. It's time for Democrats to play hardball and be assertive.

6:41 PM
See how by copying something my margins have moved.
We are not watching MSNBC much because we have had our fill of Steve Kornacki.
9:47 PM
Getting closer.  Oh, so closer.
Georgia is within 1,902 with mostly Democratic counties out.
Arizona has tightened slightly, but Biden still leads by 46,287.  Kornacki is driving me crazy with this one.  Is Maricopa County which is in BLUE Republican or Democratic?  He can't seem to make up his mind.
Biden has rapidly closed on Trump in Pennsylvania going from several hundred thousand votes, down to 41,962, with A LOT of Democratic votes yet to be included.
Nevada must of quit and gone to bed or the casinos or whatever and won't report again until tomorrow.
I've heard that North Carolina might not report until November 12th.
There was some thought that Biden would speak tonight, but as of now, they've rescheduled for tomorrow.
Oy, my heart!