It's Almost Over, but will the Fat Lady Sing?

 

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Two weeks from today the 2020 presidential election will be over. Or will it?  This election has not been like any other election in our country's history for many reasons.  Among them is the election is taking place during a pandemic which has forced a change in the way the candidates carry on their campaigns.

Old fashioned person to person campaigning, for the most part, has been replaced by virtual campaigning to protect the electorate from being infected by COVID-19. I should say that only the Democratic candidate JoeBiden has adhered to the CDC's recommendations on the social distancing and the wearing of face masks to prevent the spread of the virus.  Trump on the other hand, even though he supposedly has contracted the virus, continues to hold large in-person rallies in defiance of the medical experts.  Some have called his rallies "super spreaders".

Many had thought that the 2016 election was bizarre, with all of the personal attacks, lies, and the help of the Russians to swing the election to Trump, but the 2020 election takes the cake.  Because of our antiquated and undemocratic system of having the president chosen by the Electoral College, Trump lost the popular vote, but narrowly won the vote in the Electoral College.  And this could happen again this time around.

 As with the polls in 2016, Trump is losing and losing big time.  But this time the pollsters insist that they have learned a great deal since 2016 and are more confident in their results. Even though Trump's popularity has been the lowest of any incumbent for most of his presidency, his disdain for the rule of law, the politicization of our government institutions, and his constant lying, points to the possibility of the corruption of the electoral process. 

For the first time in our nation's history, an incumbent president has called for the arrest and conviction of his political opponents. Also for the first time in our history, Trump has refused to denounce white supremacy and has actually signaled the use of violence from right-wing terrorist groups who support him.  He has also mocked a Democratic governor for being targeted for kidnapping and possibly being tried and executed, by a right-wing terrorist group masquerading as a militia group.

Perhaps the most egregious thing that Trump has done is to refuse to commit to a peaceful transition of power if he loses the election.  Even Vice-President Pence has refused to commit to the transition.  He has fired up his supporters at his rallies by calling for "12 more years" and convincing them that the election has already been rigged against him.

For the first time in my life, I have voted by absentee ballot, as have millions of other Americans.  As Trump believes the majority of those who vote by mail are Democrats he has tried to sabotage the United States Postal Service. He installed one of his lacky campaign contributors as the Postmaster-General, who proceeded to slow down the delivery of mail by destroying automated mail sorting systems or taking them out of service.  He even directed the removal of those oh so familiar blue mailboxes.  Fortunately, this sabotage of the USPS was halted after an angry public complained about the detrimental effects on the delivery of prescription medications, Social Security checks, and other essential services.

Not to be deterred Republicans in Red states, especially the South have been working overtime to suppress the votes of Blacks ad other minorities.  In Texas, the GOP governor has limited the number of drop off boxes for absentee ballots to one box in heavily Democratic areas or those areas with a large Black or Hispanic population.  In GOP-led states with large Native American populations legislatures are making it as difficult as possible for people living on a reservation to vote, as most of these residents support the Democratic party.  Imagine, these Republican bastards have stolen their land, stolen their culture, stolen their religion, and now they are trying to steal their vote! 

Usually at this time in an election people look for the "October Surprise", a news event that attempts to influence the outcome of the election.  In 2016 it was FBI Director Comey's announcement that he was reopening the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.  This announcement was widely considered to be the nail in the coffin for Clinton's campaign.  It was later found, after many lengthy investigations that nothing illegal was found,  but it was too late for Clinton - and the American people.

The latest attempt to spring an October Surprise on the electorate failed when Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani presented fake documents to the New York Post regarding Biden's son Hunter. The information was found to be supplied to Giuliani by Russian agents to discredit Biden.  With 2 weeks to go, I doubt Trump, Russia, Giuliani, and Barr will give up so easily.

Trump and his grifter family and associates fully realize that if Trump loses the election they could easily end up in prison. Trump also realizes that he is almost 1 billion dollars in debt to some foreign power and if he loses the election he won't have the US Treasury and taxpayers to steal from.  In other words, he's up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

I'm afraid that Trump is like a rabid animal backed into a corner and will stop at nothing, even endangering the health and safety of the American people, to retain his office.  On November 3rd this whole mess may not be over.  Even if Biden wins by a monstrous landslide, Trump may incite his followers to violence and refuse to accept the results.  He may refuse to leave the Oval Office on Inauguration Day causing the Secret Service or the military to drag him out screaming and kicking. 

If God forbid, he loses the election in a close race and the decision has to be made by the Supreme Court, we're done for.  Trump and Moscow Mitch have already prepared for that likelihood by pushing through the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the bench to anoint King Donald.

I don't think this country, as we know it and love, can exist with another 4 years of Donald Trump.  If anything, Trump's past 4 years have proven how evil and ruthless he is and can be.  His psychopathy has been increasingly worsening and I fear for the outcome of this election.  Usually, election day is the end of the political cycle, but in my opinion, the 2020 election will be far from over on November 3rd or on January 20th.  It's not going to be over, because I don't think the fat lady will get to sing!

To My Trump Supporting Acquaintances: Okay What is it About Trump That You Like?

 

                                                                                       

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    With the publication of some of Trump's tax returns by the New York Times proving that Trump is indeed a fraud, a tax cheat, and in debt owing hundreds of millions of dollars and Trump's abhorring behavior in last night's shit show, I am still amazed at how any sane person can still support him.  Yet approximately 1/3 of the country supports him. 

    I am disgusted with Trump's lying, his corruption, his extreme narcissism, his racism, his misogyny, his bigotry, his homophobia, his rudeness, and his lack of morals.  He doesn't represent anything I value and stand for.  So naturally, I am puzzled why anyone would support him or agree with his policies and behavior.  Notice that in the title of this article I used "acquaintances" instead of "friends".  The reason for this choice of words is that I cannot count anyone who supports Trump as a friend.

     When Trump refused to condemn the violent actions of white supremacists and the Proud Boys and even said, "Proud Boys? Stand back and stand by" a clear message was sent to his supporters that he was a white supremacist.  Anyone hearing him say this and who still supports him has also identified themselves to be white supremacists too. 

Before last night's debate, I wanted to ask several questions to Trump supporters to understand their support for him. So I will go ahead and ask anyway.

Is it the fact that he is a pathological liar that you like?  Or perhaps do you like that he has been married three times and cheated on each and every one of his wives?  Or that he has paid off a prostitute he slept with while his third wife was pregnant with his fourth child?  Or do you like how he mocks handicapped people to fire up his rally attendees? Or perhaps you like him because he belittles women and "grabs them by the pussy"?

Maybe it's the overt racism you like when he refers to Mexicans as criminals and rapists and demonizes immigrants, but only from "white countries".  Maybe you love it when he separates children from their parents at the border and puts the children in cages where they suffer from illness and sexual abuse.  Maybe you like it when he takes away rights from the LGBTQ community and bans them from the military.  I'm sure you probably love it when he and his personal attorney Barr attack the voting rights of people of color, making it virtually impossible for them to exercise their rights as citizens.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot that you patriotic flag-waving bible thumpers probably love Trump calling American servicemen who served and died for their country "losers" and "suckers".  I know you prefer draft dodgers who hide in a bunker while others serve their country. I know you consider Americans to be those just like you, white and Christian. All others are not real Americans, right?

You love the fact that he is a millionaire, a fact that has now been disproven.  Did you think if he would become president you too could share in his wealth? I bet you did.  Guess what.  He's been screwing you over ever since he took office.  That big tax cut went to the top 1%, not you.  His weekly golf trips to his resorts are paid for by you.  The frequent trips his kids take for their business?  Those too are paid for by you.  And how about that booming stock market?  How many of you are making a fortune from that?  Let's face it, he wouldn't let you step foot inside one of his golf resorts!

To be truthful I didn't need to ask you Trump cultists these questions to understand why you support him.  I've known for a long time. You like him because he hates the same people you do!  You too are white supremacists, racists, and bigots! You're full of hate and self-loathing and are looking for someone to blame for your shortcomings.

By the way, about the picture, I used in this article.  Some may say that it is in poor taste.  The truth is that people like this do exist.  Not only in the backwoods of Appalachia, but just a short drive from your comfy white suburban neighborhoods. Get out of your comfort zones and take that drive into the country near where you live.  You'll find them living in ramshackle houses proudly displaying Trump 2020 signs!

I'm Really Starting to Worry

Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay 

Every day I see the polls that show Joe Biden leading Trump, in some cases by larger margins.  I should feel some degree of comfort for a substantial Trump loss in November, but I don't. I live with the knowledge that Trump has never in his life played by the rules.  Anything he has ever gotten has not been acquired honestly, including his election in 2016.  As his re-election is a mere 90 days away Trump is involved in numerous investigations, including rape, fraud, tax fraud, and money laundering, to name a few.  Most of the crimes he is being investigated for fall under the jurisdiction of New York State, therefore he cannot receive a pardon.  Once he leaves office he can immediately be arrested and could possibly spend the rest of his life in prison.  He is like a dangerous rabid cornered animal afraid of what may await him and his family.

Under normal circumstances, I would feel good that this disgustingly corrupt president will soon be voted out of office.  But these are not normal times.  Every day I see Trump and his minions attack our democratic institutions in an attempt to ensure his re-election and keep him and his family out of jail.  He has declared war on voting by mail and has installed a Trump mega-donor as the new Postmaster General, to destroy the United States Postal Service in an attempt to prevent voting by mail.  He is afraid that people who mail in their ballots will vote against him.

He has even floated the idea that he will postpone the election until the pandemic and its associated economic destruction have passed.  This would clearly be a violation of the Constitution, but I wouldn't doubt that he would try it.  

He has illegally sent federal troops to Portland and other cities to tear gas and arrest peaceful protesters who are merely exercising their First Amendment rights.  But he allowed white, armed militiamen to take over the Michigan state capital and threaten to hang the governor.  He has vilified the Black Lives Matter movement, as a symbol of hate, in an attempt to racially divide the country.  With over 160,000 Americans dead from the coronavirus he continues to attack the medical professionals and insists that families send their children to school during the pandemic. 

In his latest executive orders, he has signaled his intention to destroy social security, the safety net that millions of senior citizens rely upon for survival, and offered a mere pittance to those unemployed Americans trying to live during the pandemic.  His orders did nothing to stop the spread of the Trump virus or ease the suffering of the American people. The executive orders were nothing but propaganda stunts.

Our national intelligence agencies released information that once again there is evidence of foreign involvement in our elections. There is evidence that Russia, China, and Iran have a strong interest in who wins in November.  Intelligence sources point out that China and Iran favor Biden, while Russia favors Trump.  The difference is that while China and Iran may only favor Biden, Russia is actively interfering in our election process already. But Trump only attacks China and Iran for interfering!

In southern states, as usual, attempts at voter suppression targeting people of color, continue but rarely are met with resistance from the predominantly Republican local governments and local courts.  Since the Black and Brown vote may well be the deciding factor in this election, it is easy to see how Trump and the GOP want to diminish the influence of these usually Democratic voters.

It seems as though every morning I wake up to new evidence that Trump is trying to once again steal the election by suppressing the votes of those who oppose him and his administration.  All with the assistance of his master, Putin.  Ordinarily, I would be comforted by the fact that this is a two-party political system, a government of separation of powers, and an honest and effective justice department and judicial system.  But not this year!

First of all the Republicans in Congress have remained in lockstep in their support of every corrupt, unconstitutional, and illegal action Trump has taken to ensure he remains in office and continues to financially benefit from his office, while he vows allegiance to Russia. The Republicans are no doubt terrified of Trump's retaliation for showing any semblance of having any balls by holding him accountable for his actions.  They are not only terrified but I am sure most of them are financially dependent upon Russian money.  If we ever survive this attack on our country and Constitution there should be a Nureneburg-like criminal court to bring these traitors to justice.

Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of this attack on our government is that our very own Justice Department has become the enemy of the American people acting as Trump's own Gestapo. Bullfrog Billy Barr is no longer the attorney general of the country, but Trump's enforcer tasked with protecting Trump at all costs.  Relying on the integrity of the Supreme court and the federal court system has become iffy at best, with some judges and even a Supreme Court justice owing their fealty to Trump.  I can no longer trust our judicial system.

As the election nears not even the press is willing or able to stand up to Trump and ask him questions that need to be asked.  Trump's attacks on the Post Office, Black Lives Matter, voting rights, his relationship to Putin, his rape allegations, his taxes, and most importantly his refusal to address Russia offering bounties to kill American servicemen in Afghanistan, all must be addressed until we get satisfactory answers.  His press conferences are no longer that.  They are campaign rallies and the major television networks allow him to get away with it.  Mainstream media helped him get elected in 2016 by ignoring Clinton and they're doing the same thing now.

I am not confident that we will have a new president in 2021.  Either Trump will refuse to leave if he is defeated, while Congress and the military do nothing or Trump will once again steal the election with Russia's help and the assistance of the Department of Justice. The period between election day and inauguration day will make the pandemic look like a cakewalk.  If Covid-19 doesn't destroy our country, Trump and the GOP will.