At first this story had a honeymoon ending, and I hope but am afraid there are dark days ahead, even though Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won. One of my concerns is that it appears Trump is boxing himself in to even more radical plans. (As though asking that the count be halted when he was ahead weren’t enough). I’m impressed how much planning and work and thinking has gone into Biden and Harris’ transistion already. I hope it will play out to the advantage of democracy.
So, the tale continues until Jan. 20th. And I would be remiss if…
I didn’t congratulate the FBI for preventing the kidnap plot against the governor of Michigan via one or more undercover agents, and I am also grateful to the FBI for the prevention and apprehension of violent attempted disruptors of vote counting in Philadelphia, again by the FBI’s dedication to their jobs during the very time the Attorney General was harshly and very publicly berating them. By the way, the world is continuing to watch democracy in action…? I hope.
The day has arrived, with our president threatening to fire Dr. Fauzi if he (Trump) is elected–which he doesn’t legally have the power to do. (WHAT ELSE IS NEW?) Donald Jr. caused mischief by siccing his father’s henchmen on Biden’s campaign tour bus. Over much of the United States–our democracy–store fronts and government buildings have been boarded up in anticipation of UNREST. That’s a hopeful name for it. One reporter said he had asked a voter what Trump had done for her and she couldn’t think of anything, but said looking at him made her feel good….Will the denouement of this chapter of democracy occur today…or tomorrow…or in January…or will it be determined by…the supreme court? Tune in…
On my computer this morning: “No matter how big we win—how huge the blue tidal wave is—we must be prepared to take to the streets and Protect the Results after Election Day.” (What was it Trump said he’d do to any demonstrators election day? I can’t remember but it wasn’t nice).
As predicted, the situation is heating up in ye olde democracy:
Since my last journal entry that woman has been added to the Supreme Court, a deviation from procedure; Trump and his gang have been in the hospital and many of them out again as the covid-19 epidemic stats have “rounded down,” and it has been “going away”; thanks go to the “little boy” FBI heros: a bunch of Boogaloos have been indicted for various crimes, not the least of which involves conspiring to kidnap a blue state governor and pretending they represent Black Lives Matter folks. Let’s see, what else? Oh, and the Pope reversed his decision against same sex marriage, although he puts it in terms of a civil union.
Incidentally, what is the status of the incarcerated madam on the pedophile island who Trump wishes well? Will he pardon her too, after pardoning himself and his family? (It just came to my attention that our attorney general is against limiting the powers of our president, and wants NOT to separate church and state.) And I’m wondering about the pedophile who was “hanged” while on suicide watch. Our president wished him well, too. I have to wonder if the flaming conspiracy theory aimed at Democrats (re child sex rings) might be targeting the wrong folks. What stories he could have told…
Oh, almost forgot: Our president has recently been passing the buck onto the doctors, who he accuses of making up covid-19 cases in order to enrich themselves.
Our president has been telling his Ocala, Florida seniors that he has their back, he’s taking care of them; Disneyland folded; and perhaps Mitch McConnell is even less popular than our president. The CDC has been messed with big time, and Jared has told our African Americans that they’re just not trying hard enough to succeed. And a bunch of Trump supporters are stranded in freezing weather at an airport Trump rally. Oh yes, and Trump was a bully during the first presidential debate and told his “boys” to stand down but stand by.
Bloodbath, thy name is Civil War? There are insufficient days to record more in this journal with an as yet unknown ending. Will it be an adventure tale, a tragedy, or a horror? But PLEASE VOTE.
What is the appropriate, healthy way to respond to the coming election? Other than to vote, that is. Obviously “The sky is falling” is not, nor is depression, paranoia or conspiracy theories. Pray, if it works for you. Work magic, if you can. Focus on something else, an avoidance strategy…and vote. Tossing in the towel due to old anger at Obama or Hillary is non-adaptive to the current situation. In fact, some might deem it as avoidant as our president. Swallowing anxiety and getting an ulcer is not recommended. Don’t get a divorce just now nor make any impulsive decisions. Don’t kill or maim yourself. Drugs are contraindicated, as is a long alcoholic binge. Physically or verbally wreaking pain on one’s opponents builds anger, not pacifies it, and one may end up in jail. Don’t take out your frustration on the spouse, children, or little helpless pets. You can eat, gamble or smoke if you like, but that hardly qualifies as healthy. That seems to leave sleeping during the remaining days as an option, or by letting the anxiety out through artistic expression while deep breathing, before it turns into steam.
(P.S., please don’t ring my phone, or others’, and don’t stuff my mailbox with who to vote-for’s. That may help your anxiety, but it wreaks havoc on mine).
Finally made it back before the election. (The Classic and Gutenberg were dueling and not everyone had that problem, but I hope it’s smooth sailing now.)
We were going to see what kind of diary this was going to be. When I heard Trump talking about moving out of the country I had hopes he was ready to move on, in which case this would turn out to be an adventure diary/novel.
Then I read the article in November’s Harper’s magazine called “The Enemies Briefcase — Secret Powers and the Presidency” (p 53-57) by Andrew Cockburn, in which William Barr fortified by a legal opinion the legitimacy of George H. W. Bush’s attack on Panama without congressional approval. During the Iran-Contra scandal Reagan’s minions underwent rehearsals for mass roundups of “subversives.”
Among others, a conservative young lawyer named William Barr was assigned the task in the CIA’s legislative office of designing accommodation measures to keep Church Committee investigators away from its most important records. An article in Politico in June warned that in the event of a national emergency on the grounds of national security, the president would have more than 120 statutory emergency powers at his disposal.
Ignoring the above concerns (didn’t the courts find fault with calling the need for a southern “wall” due to an emergency, in retrospect?), I have to wonder if Trump could rein in his paramilitary troops even if he wanted to. They’ve been practicing. What’s their payoff?
Trump will be concerned about the prospect of Prison if he should lose. EXCEPT that Attorney General Barr has said the president has the power to pardon himself and his friends. (I assume this covers his family, too.) I might see him high-tailing it to a dictatorship, except for the danger to the current dictator, and Trump’s knee-jerk tendency to play “Gotcha.”
Unless we’re VERY LUCKY, I’m thinking this could turn out to be a tragedy instead of an adventure or comedy.
I know that hate can make one a hateful person, but the news that the vacancy on the Supreme Court has just been filled inches me pretty close to it. It seems there’s no mercy in politics; possibly never was. A little power can sure rot the soul, if there is one.
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