Good morning and Happy Saturday!
ELECTION SPECIAL
I have decided to break from the three-day-a-week pace and publish the Musings daily through Election Day. My concerns on the election boil down to:
The problems with the media and its ownership and control by modern-day oligarchs and how this has affected the delivery of the news—both from traditional platforms and through social media (as highlighted in yesterday’s Musing).
The descent of our election coverage into more of a “horse race” of undependable polls, rather than thoughtful analysis and debate of the issues. Plus, the notion of a horse race or pennant race metaphor is a false one. There is no lead and there is no catching up—it’s all what the pollsters (historically inaccurate) are telling us from day to day.
The rising level of hate in this country, largely fostered by Donald Trump, a caricature of a conservative, devoid of principle, other than his own financial interests and ego. The Hebrew bible reminds us 36 times—more than any other injunction in the liturgy—to be kind to the stranger. What is going on now in the Trumpified Republican party and through sycophants like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson is exactly the opposite.
The organized effort to fight local vote certification and the success in placing people on election boards who believe in the lack of “election integrity” will make this election a battle royal at the local level. If you can’t win with votes, you can win by substituting your view of what the vote should be (absent irregularities you “feel” exist but can’t confirm), regardless of the facts.
The failure of people to accept the sanctity of our elections or honor the decisions of courts
An inability of many to recognize facts when they in plain sight—even when pointed out.
HISTORY DOESN’T REPEAT, BUT IT RHYMES
In 1939, over 20,000 people gathered in Madison Square Garden to participate in a pro-Nazi rally sponsored by the German bund. The crowds were animated, excited and cheering a rally that featured patriotic American symbolism mixed with fascist symbols and rhetoric. America first…
Last week, over 20,000 people heard a series of speakers, including a former president of the United States who seeks the presidency again, focused on vilification of “the other” and neighbors who look different from them, or come from different places than they do. Rev. Hank Tuell, the head pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church, says “it’s the demonization of the different.” President Trump called it “an absolute love fest” and it was his “honor to be involved.”
DOES RHETORIC MATTER?
It is important that we not simply turn away from this display and the ideas conveyed. Rather, we must look directly into the fire, recognize its source, and act to put it out. Among the views expressed at this rally and otherwise:
Trump on Haitian immigrants, “you have to get them the hell out.”
Puerto Rico is a “floating island of garbage” per a comedian on the bill. What followe4d were comments of Hispanics not using birth control, Jews being cheap and Palestinians being rock-throwers.
Another speaker: Vice President has “pimp handlers,” implying she is a prostitute. Nice...
Another: Harris is “the Antichrist.”
Tucker Carlson: [Harris is] “the first Samoan-Malaysian, low IQ former California prosecutor ever to be elected president.”
And, of course, Trump invoking the notion that he needs to defeat “the enemy within.”
Or this: “I want to protect the women of our country…whether the women like it or not…”
Or this fundamentally untrue claim: “I made Obamacare better but it still stinks.”
“Let’s put [Liz Cheney] with a rifle standing there nine barrels shooting at her, OK?”
Then there are the absurd reiterations of a massive deportation effort, blanket tariffs, retribution against perceived enemies, and sending RFK, Jr. famous opponent of childhood vaccinations, to “go wild on health.”
YES, WE KNOW…
Meanwhile, Trump rails against President Biden’s comment about some Trump supporters being “garbage.” But Joe Biden isn’t running for president. Neither is Hunter Biden. To compare this comment to Trump’s many insults is disingenuous, including calling many of his political opponents “garbage” and “scum” and “morons” and “idiots.”
PRE-EMPTIVE LIES ABOUT VOTING
The lies about election fraud already have begun. The plan, which can be seen in plain sight, is to try to win but, more essentially, cast doubt on the results. In fact, one can see this in how the campaigns are allocating their dollars. The Harris campaign is funding a broad-based get out the vote campaign—the traditional “ground game,” while Trump has told his troops not to worry about the ground game (which he says he will deal with) but, instead, challenge voting integrity.
In Washoe County, Nevada, a divided election board was under pressure not to certify a valid election that lacked evidence of wrongdoing. They, in fact, initially acquiesced to angry members of the audience and the audacious advice of the Assistant County Attorney, who said they were “not bound” to certify. This later was reversed by the board, but this and other boards in Nevada and elsewhere now include many members of the election denying crowd.
In Georgia, it took a court to step in and tell a county board that they could not make voluminous requests for information and then use these requests as justification for not fulfilling their ministerial task of certification.
There is a video out there, allegedly of Haitian immigrants who claim they have voted multiple times in Georgia. This has been debunked as fake and likely the act of Russian election interference.
The FBI is investigating another fake video, claiming ballots are being destroyed in Pennsylvania.
Trump is claiming election fraud in Pennsylvania, without evidence. The Trump election denying campaign already is in full swing.
Expect legions of Trump supporters claiming widespread election fraud, for which they will lack credible evidence. Expect election boards to be under pressure not to certify counties’ results. Expect a host of Trump lawyers to file multiple suits, with the intent of delaying state certifications, produce alternate electors, and/or interfere with Congressional certification. Expect Trump’s supporters to say it would have been “impossible” for Harris to garner as many votes as she did (much as they falsely claimed in 2020).
Unless, of course, Trump wins. Then, presumably, the vote counting, the certifications by election boards, and the peaceful transition of power will have worked just fine.
MEMES OF THE WEEK
· Trump’s polling has disclosed that he is ahead in all 73 states.
· Aaron Judge is going to be at Times Square New Year’s Even—He wants to drop the ball…
That last one is pretty funny but also mean and not reflective of Judge’s excellence all season. It is reminiscent of Bill Buckner missing the grounder in the 1986 World Series. That said, the Yankees’ defeat in Game 5 will go down as one of the most spectacular collapses in the history of baseball—virtually entirely the result of fielding errors one wouldn’t expect to see in a high school baseball game. Go Dodgers!
Have a great weekend,
Glenn
Aaron Judge may eventually get a chance at redemption. This Boomer remembers Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry. The goat of the 1960 World Series, losing two games including serving up Bill Mazeroski's Game 7 walk off. Two years later, Terry won two games with a 1.80 ERA, including a Game 7 shutout (with a little help from Bobby Richardson) of the Giants and being named the Series MVP.