WHAT SHOULD CONGRESS DO WHEN REPUBS IN THEIR RANKS WANT A COUP?

 Hey! As I mentioned in the last post, we're a week away from the electoral votes being counted in a joint session of the U.S. Congress. With that the 2020 Presidential election will be finalized and the final few weeks of the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago's reign will begin. Normally a routing procedure most don't think about, this year has made this omnipresent in our minds over an election we're hoping to finally finish and move on from.  However, a few days before that the next session of Congress begins as all members of the House of Representatives and the Senate begins their new session. While this may seem unrelated most election cycles we're in a time where there's more linking them than one would think.

On December 10, 2020 126 Repub members of the U.S. House of Representatives filed a brief backing a lawsuit from Texas asking the Supreme Court of the US to overturn the 2020 Presidential election results in a handful of states where Joe Biden won the electoral vote, claiming there was some sort of fraud. Thankfully SCOTUS threw the case out (on the grounds that Texas had a "lack of standing:" and "has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another State conducts its elections." refused to hear it on December 11 but, by filing that brief, the Repubs have shown that, after four years of telling those on the other side that they "lost the election" in 2016 and should "get over it," some in the GOP were willing to do what they could to overturn a major election if they didn't get their way. 

Keep in mind this lawsuit was filed after the electoral votes reached the December 8 "safe harbor" status and days before the states certified their votes showing former vice president Joe Biden won more than the 270 electoral votes to win the Presidential election (he actually won 306). One would think this would be enough and things would get back to normal. However this continued as Rep. Louie Gohmert (R, TX) and a handful of would be electors filed a lawsuit against co-electoral vote inner Mikey and the electoral college in hopes of overturning the election.  In addition several Repub congresspeople and Sen. Joshy (a.k.a.: MO junior senator Josh Hawley) has said they were going to contest the electoral count on the 6th. 

In other words the Repubs are still trying to use a mix of legal action and Congressional shenanigans as a way to try and overturn an election so they can win. When reports of some in their rank wanting the military to seize voting machines or asking the Mad Fuhrer to use the insurrection act and suspend the constitution as his term nears it s end and it's apparent tbat they may actually want to get rid of our democracy or constitutional republic or whatever you wish to call it via a coup and make the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago the supreme leader.

Which leads to one question - WHAT SHOULD CONGRESS DO WHEN REPUBS IN THEIR RANKS APPARENTLY WANT A COUP?

The best thing that they should do is what Sen. Bill Pascrell (D, NJ) said in response and use the 14th Amendment forbidding members of Congress from engage in rebellion against the U.S. and refuse to seat them. However, while I know this would send a strong message I'm also aware that the establishment Democrats are most likely not going to do this out of some twisted idea of unity that seems to have the Dems doing all the work while Repubs continue to act in bad faith. However, if they do nothing it will continue to normalize said behavior form the Repubs, who will continue to break rules and twist the game to their advantage while refusing to let the country move forward. 

So, not seating them is most likely a non starter. I wish it wasn't but it probably won't happen. Still there has to be a way to hold these assholes accountable for trying to force an election result that the majority of the population doesn't want. Yes, ten or so of them aren't serving in the next session of Congress but what should be done with the wastes of sperm and eggs that are coming back. While I don't have the concrete answer there is one simple step.

TAKE AWAY THEIR COMMITTEE PLACEMENTS AND REMOVE THEM FROM ANYWHERE THEY COULD HAVE SOMETHING NEAR REAL POWER IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

Yes, it will be controversial. However, it is a way to send a clear message that may be very doable and limit the amount of whining that the Repubs will do about how they're persecuted and limit the complaints from the mainstream media that the Democrats aren't being civil. Also it would state that those who try and pull shit like this again will be moved to the back burner as soon as possible and kept there while those in the House and the Senate who want to get things done can actually do the work and try and make things better. 

It won't be easy. It will cause some drama in the media but it's an easy step and pushing these asshats, especially those who have been in office for a while, to the back burner would send a strong message and show the Democrats are capable of fighting a good fight. 

I'm not sure this will even happen.;I do hope that the House and the Senate make those trying to do a political coup responsible for their treacherous bullshit.

A COUP FOR THE NEW YEAR? THE MAD FUHRER OF MAR-A-LAGO AND HIS REPUB MINIONS STRIKE AGAIN

 Hey! so we';re about to enter 2021, which would be a typical changing of the year if it weren't for an election. Even for an election season this has been far from typical as machinations are afoot to try and force a change in the 2020 election result, eithe rby court decree or in the halls of Congress.

Yes, in the nearly two months since election day the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago still has refused to concede the election and admit that former Vice President Joe Biden will get his job at noon on January 20, 2021. From trying to pressure legislators in states where Biden won to numerous court battles on both the state and federal level the Mad Fuhrer's minions are doing their damnedest to try and keep their power and, in same ver extreme cases, further play footsie with a weird turn of christian theocratic fascism that seems to hold democracy in contempt.  

So far it's been at best an extremely uphill battle as states, after facing some pressure, certified their electoral college votes in mid December and sent them to Washington, DC for the Senate to certify on January 6 (about a week from today).  In normal times this will be a mere formality as the loser of the lection would've conceded long ago and the transition ould be well underway.  However, since the last four years under the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago haven;t been typical we probably shouldn't expect this last step to be quiet and/or non eventful.  

Already there are signs that a number of Repubs in the House of Representative plan to challenge the results and the electors' votes on the 6th. Several Senators have also implied that they may do so as well. The purpose of this is a way to force co-electoral vote winner Miikey to overturn the certification of the states that chose Biden and hand the election to electoral vote winner Donny , despite losing the popular vote by 10 million and the legal challenges in these states have almost always lost (there was one win in Pennsylvania and even that was unlikely to change the election result). Add to that a conservative legal group called the Thomas More Society joining with some of Donny's minions to sue co-electoral vote winner Mikey and the electoral college over this and things are truly reaching a level of the absurd.,  

As I said so far the legal challenges have been shot down almost instantly. I expect it's unlikely the Supreme Court will take up the latest filing from the Mad Fuhrer's legal team claiming alternate electors were officially chosen (in fact, when some people have claimed to be alternate electors they weren't officially chosen. In addition, some states were required to go with the popular vote winner and would be unable to do so). Like the previous filing with SCOTUS I have a feeling that this newest one will be refused more out of politicall savvy on the part of the new right wing justices Donny appointed rather than any integrity. Or, to quote Scott Soriano of Soriano's Comment, "They wouldn't willing fuck themselves."

This leaves us with the Congressional count on the 6th and the possibility of Repubs in either houses challening electors or the result. Odds are it's going to happen. However, so far it would have to be agreed on by both the House and the Senate to be taken seriously. Even though the Senat eis ontrolled (for now) by Repubs, the House is still controlled by Democrats and it's unlikely (though there may be conservative Dem who might try) they'd choose to overturn the will of the people. 

I left out the option of the military coup which may still have some very slight possibility as the Mad Fuhrer called for the military to seize voting machines just before Christmas. While his firing civilian leaders at the Pentagon is alarming and can be seen as planning for a coup, this step would've have to have been taken weeks ago. Also, there are reports that some in the Pentagon are meeting in secret for contingencies in case of violence in January over the election. Whether that's in case there's a call for a coup or to have to remove Donny from office come inauguration day is uncertain. However, military leaders have said they won't interfere in elections in this country. So, I won't say we shouldn't be worried but a close friend of mine who's a military history buff thought it was unlikely citing the military's dislike for the Mad Fuhrer among other things. 

So where does that leave us? We have one more step before the 2020 election is officially over. Odds are good that Biden will be declared the winner (Senate Majority leader Addison the Turtle has reportedly warned Senators against acting otherwise) though it's prudent to be aware and prepared for anything at this point.

In a truly just world those Repub Congresspersons who signed onto support that last SCOTUS request to overturn the election wouldn't be seated on ground that they supported a coup of sorts against a leader who, while not their guy, was democratically elected. Sadly, establishment Democrats in the House have probably been warned in advance against doing so by wealthy donors who care more about their tax cuts than you or I. Still, there needs to be some accountability for those who already tried to overturn this election as well as those who might try on the 6th. 

The last thing this country needs is a coup for the New Year>

THE MAD FUHRER OF MAR-A-LAGO'S ROAD TO ELECTION LOSS CERTIFICATION

 Hey! Sorry for not being on the blog more but a combination of a lot of hours at the paying job and family situations have kept me from doing this as often as I'd like. Also, when every day brings a new twist or turn it can be hard to keep up.  

In about a day and a half (Monday December 14, 2020) the final step of the 2020 Presidential election will take place when the electors chosen by each state will cast their votes in the election as part of the electoral college (something we've learned way more than we ever wanted to know about in the past two election cycles). While this comes with little fanfare most election years as usually the person who lost the election has conceded and it's merely a formality. However, with the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago refusing to concede (and taking forever before allowing the GSA to allow President elect Joe Biden's team to start the transition tasks) and many many lawsuits whose persistence is only matched by their lack of making a clear case of election fraud and it's clear that there might be a chance for fireworks on this front as well, 

Mainly this exists on two fronts. The first is the concept of a faithless elector who may change their mind as cast an electoral vote for the Mad Fuhrer in a state that Biden won. Theoretically if enough faithless electors do so than there could be some shenanigans. The problem here is that the votes are cast into envelopes that Congress won't read until January 6. In addition, while there were some faithless electors in 2016 on both sides the Supreme Court is allowing states greater leverage in requiring electors to cast the assigned votes. 

Then there's the pressure on Repub state legislators in states where Biden won (particularly in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Arizona) to replace the assigned elector with an alternate hat would choose the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago over the assigned electoral vote for Biden. Normally this wouldn't even be thought of but since the Mad Fuhrer and his minions have proven themselves to be poor losers this time around it is something that needs to be taken into account more than a generally faithless elector.  

Should these be a concern? Maybe - but there are deadlines passed and measures in place that will likely prevent this from becoming too big of a deal. 

Several of the states being targeted by Repubs for choosing Biden over Donny (Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nevada) require their electors by law to vote for the person who won the electoral votes for the state, While this doesn't prevent a faithless elector said person would be charged with a misdemeanor and pay a $1,000.00 fine as a result. Add to this, for example, that if a Repub state legislator in a state like Pennsylvania that has a Democrat governor chose to appoint their own electors the governor would simply overrule them and use the electors appointed to vote that way the state voted - and while it's still possible, it doesn't appear likely (though, as we've learned from this year, never say absolutely never on that front). More important in how this election and the electoral vote will occur is what occurred on December 8th 2020.

On December 8th the electoral votes reached safe harbor status - the time when all the state level election challenges (such as recounts and audits) are supposed to be completed, including any state level lawsuits. At this point the states should have certified all their votes and that Congress shall be compelled to accept their results. In other words, once all the votes are certified and safe harbor is reached then, while the faithless elector remains a possible issue [and somewhat expected] Congress has to accept who won which state's electoral votes. At that time, with the exception of a state level lawsuit in Wisconsin and Hawaii not finishing certification, Joe Biden had already reached ov er the 270 electoral votes needed to win the Presidential election. 

In most cases this would've likely been a done deal but the Mad Fuhrer's reusing to concede meant him and his minions and fans would continue with ridiculous lawsuits including two with the U.S. Supreme COurt. The first asked that the court overturn the electoral win for Biden in Pennsylvania. This was followed by a lawsuit from TX Atty General Paxton to challenge election laws in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin claiming the changes in rules to make voting easier allowed for voter fraud that was indetectable. SCOTUS refused to hear either case.  

And with that the 2020 election is closer to being done. The one obstacle left is on January 6,2021 when Congress will have a reading of the electoral votes where Repubs in either the Senate or House may challenge some of the electoral votes for Biden. While these challenges are likely to happen (and the Repubs will make a big show out of it) the face that Democrats control the House of Rep[resentatives means that it's unlikely, barring any unforeseen event, for the election result to be overturned at that level, especially given safe harbor nailing down the electors and their votes.

And with that the election will be over. Once again many of us will wish to scrap the electoral college and go with the popular vote (if we did that already this would've been over a long time ago). And many will move on tired from politics but while the office holder will most likely change the damage the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago has done to the Repub party will continue for a long time to come.

ELECTION WITHDRAWAL: THE MAD FUHRER OF MAR-A-LAGO'S MINIONS REFUSING TO CONCEDE ALONG WITH WAY TOO MANY LAWSUITS TRYING TO STOP THE ELECTION

 So there was an election in the U.S. nine days ago.  It seems like it's still going on but it was on Tuesday November 3, 2020 that election season (which began with the end of primary season in late August and really kicked off when the states that allowed early voting getting their requests and sending out ballots)went from the big day to its wrap up phase.  
 

As the nation went to sleep that night it appeared that the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago might win re-election by a mandate as much of the heartland went for Repubs. However, several key swing states that had to count mail in vote last said it would take time and by Wednesday night it appeared that predictions of a red mirage were, in fact, correct. AS the election became the map show many Americans were waiting hours upon upon as the electoral map seemed to br frozen until at 10:24 am Eastern time it was announced that former vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris had won Pennsylvania, thus gathering the 270 (or283 if you went by the sites that called Arizona several days earlier, mainly Associated Press) electoral college votes needed to become President elect.  
For many average Americans this was a sigh of relief as, if someone's not all that interested in politics, this means they can move on to life, work, the Holiday season, etc. However, after returning from the golf course The Mad Fuhrer has bunkered down and...refused to concede.Instead electoral vote inner Donny's minions decided to hold press conferences and file lawsuits claiming voter fraud is causing this election as mail in votes coming from areas that leaned towards Democrats changed the race.  So far all of the cases have been thrown out of court because they either have covered things that have already been fixed or were so full of errors that one has to wonder why they're wasting money on this shit.  
 

In the meantime the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago has ordered those in his minions who can help with the transition not to work with Biden's transition team, including refusing to sign the paperwork to allow him funding as well as security briefings. In addition government agencies have been ordered to come up with a new budget under the guise of nothing happening. Biden also hasn't been given access to message from world leaders that are at the State Dept. Normally the transition is semi smooth at the least but it appears the Mad Fuhrer's minions are giving orders to make things as difficult as possible.
However, as the final votes get counted the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago has lost the 2020 presidential election in terms of both electoral college votes and the popular vote. Many of the lawsuits are over amounts that appear to be a fraction of the late coming votes and, even if they were thrown out in court, would be very very unlikely to overturn Biden's victory.  
 

So why is this going down now? Part of it is the the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago is acting exactly as expected given his refusal to say he'd accept the election results and have a peaceful transfer of power. Some people are even suggesting that his minions are trying to instigate a coup so he can remain in power with the help of his toadies in the Repub party, who seem hell-bent on using him to stay in power (especially in light of both Senate seats being up for grabs in Georgia and heading towards a runoff in early January 2021) rather than sitting him down and telling him to concede and be graceful in moving forward.
 

Then there's the Georgia Senate races, both of which have been forced into runoff elections. Both Democrats and Repubs are aware that whomever wins this will likely control the Senate. Thus, while Dems are energized to donate and campaign for Warnock and Ossoff, Repubs are being scared into line in order to try and make sure they don't lose their grip on what had long been a reliably Repub state.
As I said earlier so far the court cases filed by the Mad Fuhrer's minions have been failures as judges either rule against them or throw them out of court outright due to the cases being based on conjecture rather than actual instances or facts. Still, there’s a possibility that this could change down the road,. While such an action may be unlikely to succeed given the current vote counts (the Mad Fuhrer's minions have already called off the Nevada vote count) the Repub enablers desire to keep power at any cost means we, unfortunately, have to at least consider this possibility.
 

At this point, some are still seeing someone around Donny as a political master playing 5-dimensional chess. However, unlike Bush v Gore in 2000 the legal team pushing to either stop the count or count the votes are often relying on hearsay and claims that were thrown out of court in earlier attempts. Also, plans to have Repub legislators in states like PA or WI call their own electors to vote for the Mad Fuhrer are unlikely to succeed given they have Democratic governors who'll quash that.
 

Which leaves us at this point with the Mad Fuhrer staying barricaded in the White House while his minions try and enact his trumper tantrum in an attempt to steal an election that he pretty much solidly lost (and not just because of the strangeness in the theories that the Democrats rigged it against Donny but somehow didn't make the legislative branch a Dem supermajority). What happens now is still up in the air but it is something we need to be on guard about and ready to do everything in our legal power to stop if the asshole tried to have a coup to stay in power.  Hopefully it won't get to that point. However his refusing to go away with some dignity does have aftereffects in his fan base who still think it was rigged and, contrary to any calls to reconcile, will prefer to act like they did in the Obama years rather than work together.
 

Either way, barring something truly over the top going down (something to still consider given the Mad Fuhrer fired four top officials at the pentagon and will likely replace then with people who are even more yes men than Espey et al) it's likely that even if all else fails [including Repub Senators refusing to count the electoral votes] on January 20 2021 the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago and co electoral vote winner Mikey won't be in power anymore which would likely make the House Majority leader acting president.  
 

Since the election was only nine days ago it's beyond conjecture to say it'll get to that point (and it shouldn't). If we do get to that scenario are Repubs sure they want a President Pelosi?

ELECTION SEASON AND VOTING ....

 I've been meaning to talk about the upcoming election for a couple of weeks but have been drawing a blank.  Every time I start it seems a lot of what I want to say has been better said by other people. However, I also know that it's a topic I have to bring up since it affects pretty much everyone, either here in the U.S. or beyond its borders.  

First, if you haven't already voted I encourage you to do so. I know that for a number of readers the choice isn't all that inspiring and it may take time to wait in line just to cast your ballot even if you  have the option of voting early. However, given the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago and his minions have given numerous hints that they either don't plan to recognize the result if they lose or don't plan to commit to a peaceful transition of power, it appears one of the main ways to fight many shenanigans from electoral vote winner Donny and company from trying to once again steal the election and get another term (one that seems to have ambiguous endings given the Mad Fuhrer's urging his fans to chant 12 more years at his COVID superspreader rallies) is for people to either vote early by mail or vote in person early (if you live in a place where that's possible). If all else isn't possible there's gong to the polls on election day and casting your vote. 

With that out of the way I just want to say a few things.  Much of this has been said before but I want to get this out in the open.  

First, DO NOT BE TEMPTED OR LULLED INTO COMPLACENCY BY THE POLLS.

 I know the polls seem to consistently show Biden in the lead over the Mad Fuhrer but we need to point out that four years ago people Hillary Clinton was favored to win over Donny and we know how that turned out. Reportedly the polling companies under-counted  the "white uneducated voter" demographic (sometimes also known as the "non college educated white "voter).  While the polling firms claim to have fixed that problem, those on the Democratic side of politics shouldn't take that for granted. The reports I've heard that some activists (and even some campaigns) are running like they're several points behind in the polls until November 3rd  even if they are in fact ahead in the polls in one reaction.  While that is a logical response (ans as one person I know working on campaigns told me - the only poll that matters is on election day). This is a logical response and probably good strategy but even with that one must remember that these are not normal times.

Which leads to complacency vis a vis Biden's lead in the polls. This means there's a possibility that some people will look at the polls and, thinking it's a done deal, decide not to vote. Maybe it's because they're dissatisfied with the choices or maybe it's because they think their vote won't matter. While I hate to say this, people need to get that thought out of their heads. Thinking like that four years ago was one of multiple things creating the election results.  While this may be less of a problem this time around it's important to keep that tendency to be complacent out of our minds and exercise one's right to vote.

Also, EARLY VOTING APPEARS GOOD BUT TIME WILL TELL WHAT COMES FROM IT

One of the big news stories of this election cycle as we head towards election day is the huige amount of early voting in states that allow it. Part of it is form people concerned about the riswk of the current coronavirus pandemic (which is still a thing and we could face another wave) and want to be safe. Others are voting early to try and avoid any issues regarding possible voter intimidation.  The media has pointed out that the numbers who have received early or absentee ballot are tending to lean towards Democrats. However, while that and the mass numbers voting can be seen as a good sign we must be careful. It's somewhat likely that a good chunk of those early voters might be hella enthusiastic about the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago and want him re-elected. If the polls regarding early voting turnout and in which places are correct it's might not be all that likely but it's still something we have to take into consideration as election day nears.

POST FINAL DEBATE 

The last debate happened a few nights back. While some in the media are trying to keep that the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago stayed calm and reasoned compared to his shit show at the first debate and the town hall that substituted for the second debate because Donny refused to have the plexiglass as protection, most people watching saw him revert to his talking points from the rallies he's spreading COVID at rather than speak to the nation as Biden did. In the next day or two we'll see whether Biden won the debate or not (though, to be honest, all Biden had to do was not throw up on himself  to keep momentum going). Odds are the debate didn't change most people's minds as the MAGAssholes are still ride or die behind Donny and Biden's supporters are going to stick with him.

As for the undecideds the question is how many are still actually undecided/ Some may have decided and not told anyone. Other may lie come election time. A few are leaning Biden but the Mad Fuhrer's minions hope whatever last ditch dirt they try to throw can lure the ones who react from emotion rather than reason. However, we;re currently at the week from the actual election day mark and the Mad Fuhrer's minions attacking Hunter Biden or rumors of deals Biden supposed had with China (after news was revealed that electoral vote winner Donny had a private Chinese bank account and paid more in taxes to China than to this country) reeks of desperation. 

Does that mean the polls will be right? Time will tell but early voting has been extremely high and if reports of high mail in voting and early voting coming from registered Democrats and Democratic party strongholds prove correct than the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago will have to not only keep his base (mainly white supremacists and white conservative christians [calling them evangelicals leaves out not just the differences between Black and Latinx evangelicals (who leaned Democrats more than not) and white evangelicals (who love Donny) as well as leaving out white fundamentalist christians and charismatics (both of whom differ subtly but have distinct differences for those in the know) but also gain strides in moderates and win over some liberal voters. Constantly speaking to the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago's base instead of reaching out doesn't help Donny.  

We're a week before election day and it's still hard to tell what will happen. The polls could be very right but it's safe that people working on Democratic campaigns are operating as if they're behind in the polls instead of ahead in many of them. As voter suppression efforts get cranked to full in an attempt to scare those who'll vote against the Mad Fuhrer away from the polls the long lines for early voting can be a double edged sword. If these were normal times it'd be easier to say who might be a winner early on but these are not normal times and, with people still remembering 2016, things are up in the air and odds are good the winner won't be called on election night. 

We'll see what happens in early November.

THE DEATH OF RBG, RIGHTS IN THE CROSSHAIRS, AND A FEW THOUGHTS ON THER STRUGGLE AHEAD

 Last night I came home from a rough night at the paying job and, after cleaning up, looked on a certain social media site that doesn't need my help for publicity to learn about the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg from pancreatic cancer at the age of 87. While we all knew she was struggling healthwise (that form of cancer is notorious for killing most of the people diagnosed with it) it still came as a shock for multiple reasons from timing (just a little over  a month before the 2020 Presidential election) to what's on the line (the new appointee from the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago could, if approved push back nearly 100 years of progress for women and various marginalized peoples as well as on various environmental and other issues).  In fact Ginsburg herself had reportedly stated to her granddaughter a few days before her death that she didn't want her replacement chosen under the current President.  The fact she apparently had to say that even on her last day is saddening enough but what';s at stake ranging form the reprodutvie rights of those people who can get pregnant to LGBTQIA rights. We also know that the new choice, if forced through,k could give the Mad Fuhrer license to turn this country full on to a authoritarian extreme right wing state more in line with apartheid era South Africa or Brazil under Bulsonaro than even what this country was like 20 years ago.

Now most of us know what's at stake here so I'll leave other people who have more details to share of that tell them. However, before I suggest or support any next steps I feel I have ot discuss a few things briefly. Yes, I'm aware that I'm not alone in saying these things but they need to be said.
First, Ruth Bader Ginsburg should have never been positioned as the one person who's passing could endanger the rights of millions of people. That it ended up that way due to several stolen elections (2000 and 2016) as well as an increasing lust for power from the Repubs (to the point where when Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland in 2016 Repubs denied Garland a hearing claiming it was against the rules for the President to nominate someone in an election year (though Addison the Turtle relishes the though of pushing through a justice for his side now). A system is broken when too much power is in the hands of too few people. And anyone who has actually laid attention can attest to - the system has been broken for a long long time.

In addition, Obama's mistake in not, when the Repubs refused to give Garland a hearing, putting Garland in as a recess appointment was a misfire. Granted conventional wisdom thought that Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 election and this wouldn't be an issue. However, we got electoral vote winner Donny which lead to SCOTUS justices like Neil Gorsuch and Bretty Brett Kavanaugh. Garland's nomination itself was an attempt to triangulate with a candidate both Dems and Repubs said was worthy to be a justice. However, when Obama tried this he learned yet again that even when he tried to satisfy the Repubs theGOP moved the goalposts and continued their quest to do everything possible to make sure he got as little as possible done (and why suggestions that if Biden wins the Repubs will suddenly come to their senses and work with them is naive at best).

Meanwhile both Senate Majority Leader Addison the Turtle and the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago seem hell-bent on pushing through a candidate with a little over a moth before the election and, if electoral vote winner Donny loses (and more importantly, if the asshiole concedes in the aftermath) a lame duck session. While some have suggested that there are a few Repubs that might not vote for a new justice in these circumstances we have to remember that Repubs in government often voice mild concerns but tend to vote in goosestep with the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago so we should be skeptical of this.
So what should be done. In the bigger picture - VOTE!!!! Yeah, I know it's not a great choice and there's enough misinformation designed to try and keep people home and away from the polls (or mailing in their vote, depending on location et al) but it's a step that has to be taken. While I won't outright tell you whom to vote for I do agree with Beau of the Fifth Column that Biden represents breathing room in the path of trying to change the way things are now. Yes, we'll have to protest him as well but the breathing room is necessary after the overwhelming shit sandwich that the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago has made the last four years.

Also, I know some people are going in for vote shaming and I understand that. However, it might not be the best way to get potential allies to your side on an electoral basis down the road. In addition I've heard anecdote that some people on the far left are nto voting or claiming that four more years of Donny will disgust people enough to choose a truly progressive candidate. However, Donny's had one term and the DNC still found a way to make the majority in its ranks vote for Biden (even if some will do so than throw up as soon as they find a nearby trash can) - so that isn't an accurate path either.

It's going to take the diversity of tactics or, to paraphrase Jello Biafra, rebellion both in the voting booth and on the streets. Yes, voting is an important step but, unlike what those in power tell you, it's not the only thing that can be done. People are going to have to do everything from contacting their elected officials to voice that a new justice appointment shouldn't happen until after the election to even taking up the First Amendment right to protest (i.e.: what is meant by people have to petition their government for a redress of grievances). Yes, this means Repubs but also pressuring the Democratic party establishment who seems more interested in making money than in creating solid substantial policy (the latter of which ould offend wealthy donors).  

As I said earlier these are merely a few brief thoughts, many in line with what other people are saying but is my take on them. While people may be in mourning last night and today the fight got a lot more real and has to be taken up tomorrow. We have less than 45 days until election day and shit got a lot more scary - and a lot more real.

2020 POST CONVENTION PRE ELECTION THOUGHTS

 As I type this the RNC convention has been over for a couple of days and, with that (and the 2020 DNC convention happening a week earlier) formalizes the race we already know with a renominated The Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago (a/k/a: electoral vote winner Donny on the Repub side) facing former Vice President Joe Biden (for the Democrats) in the 2020 Presidential election this November.  In the wake of this we've all seen more than our fair share of emotions related to this from frustration over what Biden and the establishment Dems represent to the fake populism of the Repubs (despite it being easy to disprove) as well as varying degrees of enthusiasm while unrest rose once again in an American city (this time in Kenosha, WI following the shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer and the protests that predictably erupted in the aftermath). However, that frustration has lingered on multiple levels in our society for a while and while it's still difficult to predict what will happen in November I do feel compelled to comment on some of the scnenrio we find ourselves in as we head towards another election that many will be sick of weeks before it actually happens.After watching clips from teh conventions (I work nights currently at the paying job) as well as reading various news sites and seeing what's going on these are my thoughts regarding the upcoming election. First let's get to the unavoidable fact that faces everyone who votes in the upcoming election:
 

THE MAD FUHRER OF MAR-A-LAGO HAS TO GO!!!!!
 

This is the first thing we must consider.  While I won't badger people who are considering third party who are either expats or living in places so midnight blue it's just a couple shade variations from the cover of Black in Black (or Metallica's self-titled album (a/k/a: the black album) or the soundtrack to This is Spinal Tap, to name a couple for reference), I do need to point out that Biden (while very very far from perfect) will be less horrible than electoral vote winner Donny. Those disaffected voters in swing states should take that into account when making their choice. Also, electroal vote winner Donny's flirting with authoritarianism, if nto outright fascism, has been well documented over hsi terms ranging from the attempted Muslim bans to the decision to separate famil,ies seeking asylum at the border to his implying that neo-nazis were "very fine people: after the United the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA in 2017. Add to this reports from former minions of the Mad Fuhrer that he plans to be unleashed to do whatever he wants if re-elected and it's clear that we are at a very dangerous place in this country and leaving him in charge could cause everlasting harm.  

Before anyone accuses me of being a Biden apologist I wish to make it clear that he's far from my first choice. However, in a country that where the electoral college chooses the actual President and an election structure that almost makes third party candidacies impossible to run (and often ridiculed when they kind of make headway) he's what we have against the Mad Fuhrer. To the extent possible, the best electoral choices for progressives will likely be downballot races if possible. We're in the crosshairs where parallels to Nazi Germany are getting closer (though still slightly out of reach) but other achievable authoritarian regimes such as apartheid era South Africa style regimes are in reach if Donny is allowed to keep power. 

I know that not everyone who hates electoral vote winner Donny will go Riden with Biden. Third party candidates (as well as write in candidates) have long been around and will continue tinto future elections. However, before making that choice I do urge people realize the cost our country will face if the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago gets to keep this job (as well as his grift on claiming not to take a salary but making money off the Secret Service et al). What is obvious from the last four years is this - The Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago should've never been elected, should've never been in office, and HE HAS TO BE VOTED THE FUCK OUT - PREFERABLY IN A LANDSLIDE!!!!

THE DEMOCRATS ARE PLAYING A DANGEROUS GAME BY AIMING FOR NEVER DONNY REPUBS OVER THEIR BASE...

The Repubs caving into the demands of the Mad fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago is terrifying on some level but it is alos expected by this point as even many of those who were against him in the 2016 election have fallen in line, most apt on keeping their jobs and power than on doing anything that would actually help the American people.  What;s more alarming is the path the Democratic Party chose - rather than go more progressive by choosing a candidate more in line with not just what its base wants (according to how issues poll) but with issues popular with many on both sides of the aisle in the rank and file, they chose a middle of the road platform that wouldn't aliente the Never Donny Repub.

The so-called Never Donny Repub, noted for media stances in opposition tio the Mad Fuhrer have a habitate mostly on cable news shows but the rare Repub politician who voices mild criticism tends to be upheld in these circles as a brave hero standing for the American people. The problem is these same politicans who occasionally criticized Donny voted with what he wanted most of the time. However, in an ear of Repub politics where 100% obedience to electoral vote winner Donny isn't nearly enough many of them either retired or lost their seats in the 2018 midterms. They still weren't as willing to go all the way after the Mad Fuhrer (possibly seeing state governor's races in the future and assuming they'd need Donny's help). While a number of former elected officials and former Repub minions from both the current and previous administrations are backing BIden, having seen what the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago has brought to the U.S. in his first term, this strategy has its obstacles.
First, while there may be a lot of never Donny Repubs in the media there aren't many amongst the rank and file. To be fair this strategy was beginning implementation earlier this year as the Mad Fuhrer's reaction to the coronavirus tended to cause more problems than solutions, angvering a lot of people. However, as the conventions wrap up the race appears to tighten in swing states, giving whatg earlier appeared to be a somewhat certain loss a tighter bump (some of it post convention as expected, some of it due to the amorphic apolitical part of the center that doesn't keep up on the news and is likely to believe talking points).

This, when added to the DNC's unfortunate path of trying to push porgressives out of the spotlight in order to appease suburbanites who may be disillusioned with Donny in hopes to get their vote rather than encourage possible new voters amongst their base makes for a dangerous strategy that, while it might be successful at the top of the ticket (and - WE NEED TO GET THE MAD FUHRER OF MAR-A-LAGO OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE) could backfire on down ballot races (state represenatives, Senate, House on the Federal level, etc) and could force people who might be willing to vote for Democrats into nihilism and not voting altogether.

While in the past a narrow victory may have been a strategy that could work to a poinbt, these aren't normal times. As such, previous talk of how we need a landslide should be more than rhetoric. Right now it appears it might backfire.  

Why a part of me hopes what the DNC is trying to do gets Donny out of office, I am worried about how it could backfire - and how establishment Dems will blame everyone but themselves if it does.  
 

ANY PREDICTIONS?

Hard to tell right now? Biden is holding on narrowly (within 10 points) overall in the polls but Clinton had a similar situation in 2016. Regardless, things are different in 2020 as we have four years of the Mad Fuher of Mar-A-Lago's record to judge from as well as a pandemic response that's made things worse in take into account.  Still, the fact that a lot of people working on the ground for the Democrats are taking the approach that they have to act as if they;'re 5 to 10 points behind until election day makes things seem like something might have been learned since last year.  I hope they have - since there's enough stress and fear in the world without foru more fucking years of The Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago.

THE MAD FUHRER OF MAR-A-LAGO'S SECRET POLICE AND THEIR ABDUCTIONS OF PROTESTORS- SOME THOUGHTS

Like most of you I was shocked by footage of Federal troops grabbing protestors in Portland, Oregon  without identifying themselves and pushing them into unmarked vans. While reports from those to the destination these"federal forces" took them to the moment they asked for a lawyer, this excessive response calls to mind secret police in military dictatorships rather than a country that's supposed ot be a democracy.  When added reports of such troops being in Columbus, Ohio and some suspected of being in the Kansas City area one has to wonder what this is for. Especially when its revealed that neither the city of Portland nor the state of Oregon asked for nor wanted them there (they reportedly aren't working with local law enforcement). So, why is the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago doing this?

 Many think it's an election stunt. Given Donny's falling approval rating, especially among white people in the suburbs (who are pissed over how he's fucked up the CoVID-19 response) his minions may feel that playing into the racism many white folks (NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE THIS, BUT ENOUGH TO BE A PROBLEM) may have. While this could potentially work, it's a risky maneuver as these sort of events also can backfire and bring even more people into the movement (with sympathizers taking to the streets as well, like what happened in Portland).  So, could this be the Mad Fuhrer and his minion's attempt to look strong to voters?  Maybe, but it could be him looking tough and unbeatable to his fan base, who are already on board with the racism and hatred but have some delusion of feeling put upon and oppressed over things ranging from being called out on their crap on social media to being asked to wear a mask to help combat the COVID.

I think, in a way, the latter may be more important to electoral vote winner Donny than the former, despite his weird desire to be adored while doing everything he can to provoke the opposite response.  It's also a great diversion to take the corporate owned mainstream media off the trail from his COVID-19 response or, as Democracy Now reports, his continuation fo the drone war in Yemen.

In a weird way, this action has proved telling,.  Not that he gave the order (he had hinted at that before and, when combined with the ICE raids of the past few years, is nauseating but not surprising), but in one telling thing that happened.

Mainly, where are the people on the right who like to blather on about the second amendment and how its needed to fight government tyranny and abuse of power?

We've seen them storm state houses armed and scream int he face of cops when it comes to lockdowns over the pandemic and we;ve seen them be keybaord warriors on the topic but when there's an actual instance of government abuse of its people and we hear nothing from them.

I"m not the first to bring that up and I"m sure I won't be the last but it's something to think about. 

Apparently the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago's minions claim they'll have plans regarding Chicago this week. If it grows to other cities will  they join the protestors or was their talk of liberty and fighting tyranny really talk and that they're okay with oppression if it happens to those they disagree with.

Personally, I hope this shit stops soon and that this garbage doesn't end up elsewhere. There's enough for the government to deal with without these stunts.  But, who knows?  For now we know that the protests in Portland actually got stronger rather than dissipate so time will tell how Donny's and company's abductions have any effect except for adding more people wanting police reform, if not abolition.

Checking Back In- An Explanation

Before we get on with this post I wish to apologize for my absence on the blog as of late.  Between going back to the paying job after a self imposed month and a half leave of absence to protect people I'm around who are at higher risk of the pandemic as well as finding myself falling into recording mode for a project has meant I've been away from the blog.  While I wish I could say I'll try and be on here more often one lesson I've learned from the quarantine and its aftermath is that it's not always wise to make statements like that.  Now - onto the blog post.

Reopening While Pretending Things are Under Control

First, my apologies for not being on the blog as much recently.  While I have been forced by my current living situation to take a leave of absence from the paying job thanks to this damn pandemic I also have been busy with other obligations and projects and haven't had the time to comment on this until now. 

As we all know a number of states have begun the process of reopening from lock down from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Under the guise of "getting the economy running again" A number of places with Repub governors have decided to open certain nonessential businesses and "get people back to work."  While the surface rhetoric seems somewhere in the valley of reasonable the underlying doubts appear to tear the argument to shreds when viewed in context.

Originally the CDC (under the minions of the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago) came up with specific standards that a state had to reach in order to be considered worthy of reopening.  Those standards were quickly discarded by the Mad Fuhrer and his minions in favor of largely letting the states do what they want (though no state had matched the threshold set by the Mad Fuhrer's administration's Task Force said (even when the CDC list was excluded) had to be done in order to reopen).  So why now?

Part of it is the understandable frustration of many people being trapped at home either working in a diminished situation or not working at all and wanting to earn money again.  The mainstream media likes to keep bringing this up as a main reason for the push to reopen.  Most of us are concerned about this since, even though the smart course of action would've been to have a period where no evictions and no shutting off of utilities would be allowed  some places went to partial freezes or kept things business as usual, thus requiring some people to keep working while those that were laid off found themselves having to still pay bills while unable to leave home and do their job. 

The frustration someone faces in that scenario is understandable it could've been handled by states or the Feds making sure bills were paid and that people could function while the stay at home orders were in place.  They could've also done more than one check to help people make ends meet and make sure things didn't reopen until they knew it was safe across the board nationwide.  However, as you all know, that isn't what happened.

Some states appear to be slowly getting things under control when it comes to the COVID.  Others haven't yet broke and experts predict that another outbreak will hit them hard.  Still, a number of states are opening in various phases.  Why now?

When it comes to states with Repub governors it may be more a way to wash their hands of the least amongst them more than anything else.  In some of these states they've made it so if someone doesn't want to go back to work because of fear of getting COVID-19 it's considered a voluntary quit and they're thrown off of unemployment.  It's even more clear when I came across a meme attributed to a restaurant owner in Georgia that pointed out that by opening up if he stays closed out of safety he takes the hit rather than them remaining covered by the state.  He also pointed out that if he calls them in and they get sick later than it's the business not the state that's on the hook, leaving him possibly liable. While the latter may be negligible due to plans form teh Repubs in Washington to pass bills shielding business owners form liability if employees who return to work get ill or die from the pandemic, it's still something that lingers for many actual small businesses (who didn't get hte PPP loans that were intended for them as big banks somehow managed to guide much of that money to larger companies who shouldn't have been eligible for it). 

As for the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago it's more selfish than that.  It';s been established that he wants to get back to his rallies again where his ego gets puffed up by MAGA idiots who cling on to every hate filled word coming out of his mouth.  However, with everything shut down (and even now now allowig crowds of more than 1o or so people from meeting that's not possible) his daily press briefings were supposed to fill the void of propaganda void but backfired when people were more willing to hear DR. Fauci speak on the virus (and contradict when Donny said shortly before) than swallow the hate pablum.  IN the process his ratings have faltered somewhat.  Then you factor that thanks to the pandemic he can't tout the great economy anymore and it's easy to see the formula of "open the economy, force people back to work, and the Mad Fuhrer will look good again and beat those Demon Rats [I believe that's what the Repubs want Democrats to be called these days] in November." 

While the formula is easy to see it's also easy to see where it can fail. First, forcing everyone to open when medical experts predict another wave of the virus either later this summer or in the fall means a risk that we can fall back into this pattern again later this year.  That means that there's a chance everything has to shut down again this fall because things were half-assed in preparation for it to open up.  Also of note is the simple reality that people travel form state to state which makes it entirely possible for someone from a more locked down state to travel to a place fully open and catch it before bringing it back to their home state.  While our electoral vote winner wants us to believe it'll fade or just leave most of us are up for another round of the quarantine happening all over again somewhere down the road if things aren't ready.  Then there;s overlooking that the people on the lower end of the economic spectrum are the ones in the service industry and could be working sick while making your food, thus putting you in danger not out of spite but because they had no choice but to work sick since the GOP didn't want to make.  This is the reality too many don't want to take into account when they call for hair salons and restaurants to be fully open before the virus is fully under wraps.

And the saddest part is things didn't have to be like this?  However, the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago fired the pandemic response team in 2018 partially because it was an Obama creation.  He then ignored several warnings to be prepared for a possible pandemic and even repeated told the press it would not a big deal even when warmed otherwise. 

So that leaves us where we are now?  Repub states are opening up with some governors and officials even knowing more people will die from the pandemic in the process.  While they say it's to get people back to work the fact that our lack of response in terms of testing et al means it's good that we'll see another lockdown again down the road makes this more about fooling people to vote for the Repub party in November rather than make sure every is actually healthy enough to go outside. 

While I hope it doesn't get that bad the fact that several states that have reopened large parts of the state have seen jumps in the number of people who have the virus means that it's a very likely possibility.  And that's the sickest part of all this.

WHY THE HELL IS THE MAD FUHRER OF MAR-A-LAGO ISSUING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER STOPPING ALL IMMIGRATION NOW?

On Monday night April 20, 2020 the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago announced via twitter that, in an effort to "protect our GREAT American workers" he was "issuing an executive order to :temporarily suspend immigration into the United States."  This apparently surprised his own minions who had to quickly write up an order for him to sign two days later.  All of this leads to a question that's way way too simple to ask - "Why now?"

Look at it simply.  Electoral vote winner Donny had already imposed travel bans stopping people from a number of countries from entering the U.S.  ranging from China to all of Europe.  This was done in a manner that seems ridiculous given that it was imposed after the virus had already reached America and started getting people very sick.   Add to this the basic fact that nobody was traveling anywhere because of COVID-19 because many countries were pretty much fully locked down and this sort of order seems even more unnecessary than the travel bans.  Since nobody is going anywhere, including people from abroad coming here, what's the point?

The reasoning behind both the COVID travel ban and this executive order may be rooted in one of the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago and his minions push to make this country even more racist than it already is.  The order itself means a stop on issuing green cards for two months where, even though being sponsored by a spouse who's a citizen is okay being sponsored by an employer isn't. This could mean a slight possibility of being a back door test run towards stopping green cards altogether (even though it would anger a lot of employers in the process) - which could also be a stepping stone towards ridding us of birthright citizenship and the road to race based citizenship (an., if the Repubs pull this shit, you can damn well bet that the race they base it on is white). 

That is a possibility. However, it's more than likely that this is a distraction intended to keep the white supremacists in the Mad Fuhrer's fan base distracted from how he and his minions screwed the pooch in responding to the pandemic.  While he didn't create the virus (if people way smarter than him aren't smart enough to do that you know Donny ain't smart enough to) his actions such as firing the pandemic response team (whose job was to prepare for things like this) back in 2018 as well as his slow reaction to reports in late 2019 that this was coming and he needed to prepare made the pandemic far worse than it could've been.  Add to this the resulting rise in unemployment because a lot of places had to shut down as a result plus the wiping out of economic gains made since the recession of 2008 and the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago's talking point of a great economy (which really was only great for the wealthy and corporations, not for most people) gets kneecapped for all intents and purposes. 

This, I think, is the main reason for this distraction.  While it gets people upset in the media, this is really more to assure the white supremacists who supported him four years ago (and are a big part of why he got into office) that he's getting their agenda done.  There's an election in November and while many thought the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago and co-electoral vote winner Mikey had a good chance the first crisis not of his own making has caused more damage than anyone intended and electoral vote winner Donny wants things back to normal regardless of who gets hurt. 

And while the useo f it as a stepping stone on the path of making it so only white christians can be U.S. citizens would be an added bone for his base, at the end of hte day electoral vote winner Donny cares only about his ratings so while this order makes no damn sense it's red meat to try and keep the most bhateful part of his fan base ready to vote for him this fall.

DO NOT EVEN THINK OF INJECTING DISINFECTANTS TO CURE COVID-19!!!!

The Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago's propaganda conference last night took a turn to the nauseating last night when he asked Dr. Deborah Birx, one of the medical experts on his Pandemic response task force, to check and see if it was possible to inject disinfectants to cure COVID-19 in people as well as the possibility of applying light and heat to people as a cure for the virus. 

Let's put aside the obvious fact that if something has to be locked away so toddlers can't do a taste test with it then it's most likely not a good idea to inject it thinking it'll cure a coronavirus.  This should be a no brainer.  Unfortunately, while electoral vote winner Donny asked Birk and have doctors merely look into it there will be an unfortunate trickle down effect from him bringing it up.

Sadly and nauseatingly, because the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago brought it up it's inevitable that one of his fans who trust his words more than medical professionals will actually try to drink bleach, if not shoot it into their veins, thinking it'll either cure them or prevent them from getting it. While we all want to hope that nobody will when one factors in the couple who got very ill (and the husband died) because they took some fish tank stuff with hydroxychloraquin in it and most people wioth sense live in dread of hearing the news report that someone will kill themselves by drinking some disinfectant thinking

Yes, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and isopropyl alcohol can kill the virus IF THE VIRUS IS ON A SURFACE.  Nobody should ingest them thinking it'll cure them.  Using them for medicine is generally a non starter and I think it's safe to say that, for the most part, any medical professional will tell you that. 

So the point I want to make is simple , I'll repeat the title.  DO NOT EVEN THINK OF INJECTING DISINFECTANTS TO CURE COVID-19!!!!  NO GOOD CAN COME FROM THIS AND YOU MIGHT DIE!!!!

I just hope most people have the basic sense to realize this is a bad idea and not do it.  Unfortunately, somebody out there will do something this ignorant - and pay the price with their health, if not their life. 

March 11 2020_ Primary Election Commentary and Thoughts on White Suburban Moderates and their Role

Yesterday, six states held primary elections in the run up to the 2020 Presidential election in the U.S.  The result was Joe Biden winning four of them (Mississippi, Missouri, Michigan, and Idaho) with Sen. Bernie Sanders winning North Dakota and Washington state still too close to call at this point.,  In the process, the delegate spread is moved further with Biden holding an almost 200 delegate lead over Sanders and calls in the mainstream media and amongst Biden supporters for Sanders to drop out and that it's all over - hoping for a coronation that the establishment Dems and media pundits have long been used to.  With this in mind I wanted to post a quick commentary on the issue.

Is it all over yet?  The establishment narrative is that Biden has this on lock and Sanders should just disappear somewhere.  However, with over 50% of delegates still up for grabs it's still too soon to say it's all over.  What is accurate is to point out that it's a lot more difficult for the Sanders campaign from this point forward.  While post Super Tuesday may have made the race 50-50, last night's results have made it 61.5-38.5 in Biden's favor.  While Sanders' supporters can feel disheartened there's still a slog ahead - a very dangerous slog up a very steep hill, but a slog nonetheless. 

So why is Biden seemingly conquering the race when two weeks ago he seemed to be almost dead?  One reason is large percentage of black votes for Biden (which we'll discuss in another post).  Along with this factor is a high turnout of white suburban moderate voters in many of the primary states.  While the mainstream media views this as a good sign for the party establishment I'm not so sure.  For example, while white suburban moderates may have been counted on for primary votes how many of them will vote blue no matter who come November (rather than use the phrase as a condescending cudgel against progressives and those fighting issues the Dems all claim to like and support)?  While the current coronavirus has put the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago on the ropes one has to take into account that the white moderate often tends to be silent when it comes to issues like the Mad Fuhrer and company locking kids in cages at the border or issues of racial justice.  Because they feel these issues don't affect them it should be inquired whether they're really tired of electoral vote winner Donny or just wanting to kneecap Bernie Sanders like establishment forces inside Elizabeth Warren's campaign did to her campaign from the inside (notice how when she started getting more and more moderate it didn't translate to votes and she was out after Super Tuesday). 

So why are they appearing now?  According to exit polls, they claim to want a return to normalcy after three years of the current regime.  However, what normalcy means to the moderate can be up for interpretation. Do they really want a change from the policies of the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago and a shift towards sanity, if not real change or do they just want things to be less awkward with their Repub friends and family members?  I ask this question not to be impudent or difficult but because the Democratic Party establishment has a long history of taking minority votes for granted while seeming to bend over backwards to get suburban whites (even to the point of trying at times to try and throw key issues the party supports under the bus in hopes of gaining their support, as the Missouri Democratic Party in 2018 briefly tried to do with abortion rights before realizing it turned more of their voters off rather than drew in white conservative christians in rural and outer suburban areas). 

Anotrher reason I wonder about this is the knowledge that several of the states Biden won yesterday are most likely going to go for the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago in the general election this November.  Mississippi, for example, had a large number of black voters in the priamry but has been blood red for so long you know damn well a blend of white voters choosing racism over country mixed with voter suppression tactics will go hand in hand to try and screw over Democratic voters), almost making it a shoo-in for electoral vote winner Donny.  Missouri had been a bellwether state until 20 years ago and could've gone either way.  However, way too many white Missourians love their racism which, along with a war on those who can get pregnant, will turn them out for the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago, especially in outer suburban and rural areas. 

I sincerely hope I'm wrong about this.  However, if Biden does get the nomination they'll have to work damn hard to win over disgruntled Sanders supporters (and knowing that no [primary winner ever gets 100% of the losers supporters in any race) and, given Biden's habit of getting angry when asked challenging questions, this could be a problem.  It's also an issue when factoring in the white suburban moderate who, while we hope would go out and get electoral vote winner Donny out of office this fall, are comfortable enough where issues of life and death and inequality don';t affect them so one can nauseatingly envision a chunk of them voting for Biden in the primary and then going back towards MAGA-dom this fall. 

Unless whoever wins the nomination for the Democrats takes this into account and has safeguards against that contingency it could bite them in the ass this November. 

The Primary Race So Far - And Another Round of Voting

Before we get into this, pardon my inactivity over the past couple weeks.  I've been busy at the paying job and needed to rest.  The down side is I was a little out of action.  On the other hand it gave me room to process and think.,

So, since Super Tuesday it's been reduced to a two person race for the most part between former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders after Mike Bloomberg dropped out last Wednesday and Sen. Elizabeth Warren dropped out of the race last Thursday.  In the aftermath there's the divide between Biden followers and Bernie followers seems to be getting hyped up more in social media as well as the corporate owned mainstream media.  While Warren so far hasn't made an endorsement, there appears to be some key Warren endorsements who switched to supporting Sanders.  As the media tried to whip up a scare of Bernie Bros being mean on the Internet (trying to give the impression that all Sanders supporters are like that), there seems to be an attempt to overlook a few things.

First, while the media and Biden supporters want everything to think it's a done deal we have to remember that the primary race is still far from over.  At this point Biden has more delegates but it's still a 50-50 race as we head towards the Democratic Convention.

Tomorrow primaries will be held in six states (Idaho, North Dakota, Michigan, Washington, Mississippi, and TTWN's original home base of Missouri).  365 delegates are at stake 99.2% available).   While the results will still be far from the 1,991 pledged delegates the Dems need for a nomination.  While some predict it'll go easy for Biden (and it might) I still hold by the fact that it's anyone's guess who gets more delegates tomorrow.  It's easy for media pundits to armchair quarterback but they're guessing as much as the rest of us. 

Regardless of what happens one thing is certain - it's still going to be a long hard slog between now and November.

Primary/Caucus Race Update and Thoughts on Tomorrow (Super Tuesday)

So tomorrow's Super Tuesday.

Apologies for not being on the blog lately but I've been busy between the paying job, trying to get the new print issue done, and trying to keep healthy in this weird age.  As a result there's a bit about the election primary race that snuck under the radar that I want to comment on. So, let's get to it.

First, since Iowa Bernie Sanders has taken ground in a lot of ways.  After winning the popular vote in Iowa (but not the delegates for some reasons) the Senator from Vermont won the New Hampshire primary but still was criticized by mainstream pundits for being popular in small mostly white states.  Then came the Nevada caucus where Sanders managed to get an overwhelming and decisive win that gave him momentum.

Yes, former vice president Joe Biden had a big win in South Carolina last Saturday but he was expected to win to some degree.  Sanders' second place win was narrower than it was against Hillary Clinton in 2016 but the mainstream pundits seemed to revel in this and hope that it kills either Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren's chances of winning the election.  It doesn't take into account that SC has a heavy military presence and that Democrats there may be more centrist for that and other reasons.  Add name recognition and his win shouldn't be a big surprise.  Billionaire Ton Steyer suspended his campaign almost immediately thereafter

The dropping out of the race and support of Biden in the wake of Saturday may have some impact.  Both former South Bend, IN Mayor Pete Buttigieg and MN Sen. Amy Klobuchar suspended their campaigns and have gone on record to endorse Biden. Along with former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, this alliance is giving the mainstream media a chance to brag about Biden's rebirth and how he can clearly take the race from more progressive candidates. 

Which leads us to Super Tuesday.  With over 1,000 delegates at play and 14 states in play this is where anything can happen.  Could it be a game changer for Biden (after only winning one state)?  It's possible.  Could Bernie Sanders win large in California and have a decent win in Texas and be close to unstoppable?  That's possible too.  Sen. Elizabeth Warren could even mount a comeback out of left field and keep the race tighter than the coronation the corporate owned mainstream media would like it to be. 

The truth of the matter is I don't know what's going to happen once votes are counted on Tuesday March 3, 2020 - and neither does anyone else really.  People have some ideas of what might happen but media pundits treating it like a sporting event on the old Wide World of Sports show might not necessarily be a realistic look at how things are on the ground. 

So, what I suggest is to take a deep breath, relax, and realize that the election primary race still isn't over.  People still have to vote for the candidate they like best (remember, if any time is the time to vote their hearts it's here).  Maybe the person they like is electable, maybe not.  Regardless, the race is far from over.

The Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago's Impeachment Verdict" Acquittal/Coverup and Possible Aftermath

 On February 5, 2020 Repubs in the U.S. Senate voted to acquit the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago in the impeachment trial against him with some citing a lack of new evidence (all the while refusing to allow any new evidence, any new witnesses, and with some key people coordinating with the Mad Fuhrer and his minions).  While time will tell the true danger this causes (outside of allowing him to commit further crimes knowing that nobody will hold his ass accountable) it sadly was expected for several reasons.  

The first is that no President was ever removed from office by impeachment.  Nixon came close but resigned before the trial could commence in 1974.  Clinton survived and somehow become more popular after the ordeal. 

      

 The other reason this was expected is that the Repubs have loyally lined up to do the political equivalent of cleaning the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago’s prostate with their tongues.  Sure a few on occasion will voice some mild criticism (which appears to be enough to see electoral vote winner Donny on a rampage on twitter as well as get the mainstream media heralding them as “voices of reason” within the GOP) but when crucial votes to prove they stand apart are needed then 98% of the time the vote the party line and fully support the Mad Fuhrer.  It is this, even from people in either House of Congress that are retiring, that keeps things going on this hell ride.

So what now.  The Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago has, es expected, touted this as total exoneration even though anyone with sense can see it for the coverup it was.  The fact tha tanumber of Repu Senators even were on record saying what electoral vote winner Donny did was bad and wrong but they didn't think it was impeachable.  The most odious example was Sen\. Susan Collins (R, ME) who, while hiding as a moderate, has increasingly aligned her votes to some of the worst things accomplished by electoral vote winner Donny (including the vote to confirm Bretty Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court Justice), who replied that the Mad Fuhrewr "learned a lesson."  She quickly backpedalled the statement when he denied learning a lesson. 

With two days out, the Mad Fuhrer seems hell-bent on payback, removed from anything that could hold him to account for his bullshit.  From his rant at the National Prayer Breakfast yesterday to a rambling speech that was more rally than anything else and showed no signs of growing from the experience, one thing is clear.  He most likely will commit crimes again  and the road to the next election is going to be a dirty, nasty hell-ish ride.

Live from Washington DC it's.......The Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago's Impeachment Special Part Four: The Partisan Ending

Okay, so last Friday the impeachment trial of the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago reached the conclusion that most people pretty much expected.  The Repub party voted en masse not to allow any new witnesses or any new testimony while the Democrats pointed out the coer up potential of having a trial where no witnesses were allowed and new evidence wasn't brought up at the very least. 

All of this led to a dwecision by Senate Majority Leader Addison the Turtle (a/k/a: Moscow Mitch) to have the vote Friday night and wait on the vote on whether to acquit or convict until Wednesday (tomorrow). 

Yes, it appears likely that the Repub Party, who have already shown more loyalty to party over country with its votes in the trial so far, will acquit electoral vote winner Donny and keep the asshole in office.  Pretty much nobody expected him to be removed from office.  Unfortuantely this leaves open a very extremely real worry that the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lag, now unfettered by anything to keep his ass in check or hold him accountable, will ratchet up the corruption and desire for revenge against his "enemies" both on the other side and those Repubs he considers not sufficiently loyal to him.  While any scenario he might take will be conjecture at this point, it's entirely within the realm of possibility that the rhetoric about locking up his political enemies or the media that the mainstream media treats as just hype (but are actually trial balloons)  will actually be tried since his toadies in the Senate will look the other way and let him get away with anything.

Add to this a recent Gallup show showing a 49% approval rating (though I wonder who took the survey and when it was done) and the racist asshole dipped in Cheese curl dust is  going to make this country a very fucking ugly place. 

There are a couple of  glimmers of hope of sorts.  By this strict party line vote we now can get rid of any notion that moderate Repubs exist (that was slowly phased out of the Repub Party (Should we now call them Coupublicans?) over the past 25 years and - thanks to extreme gerrymandering - is a hard hard right wing machine devoted to winning over anything else. 

The other glimmer is this: thanks to this party line vote the Repubs have to own their vote to acquit the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago.  If Democrats are smart they should force this issue and make the Repubs own this for the rest of their careers and use this to get people to vote against Repubs running for House or Senate seats in states that could potentially go either way. 

Regardless of what happens this is going to be an ugly fucking ride over the next nine months.