The Screaming Moderate

A good walk spoiled

12/5/2024

Golf season, for me, is officially over.

I played about a week ago when the weather was still above 40, which is a rule I added to the Rules of Golf – no golf under 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s a shame, in a way, because when the tundra is cold or, even better, frozen, my drives are much, much longer.

But, that’s my rule and I’m sticking to it.

Since that last round, it’s been under 40 at the time we typically tee off (9 or 10 a.m., when the frost clears). I haven’t taken the clubs out of the car yet, but I haven’t played either.

Ending golf (probably) for the season is sad in many ways. I’ve made some good friends playing, the same guys I play with most days of the week. But, I won’t see them probably until Spring. Why, I’m not sure, because we all live near each other.

But, golf is golf! It’s separate from the rest of your life.

Plus, I walk the relatively short course so it's decent exercise and walks not interrupted by poor swings take its place.

Played properly, golf is a game of rules and honor. I like to think I play with honor but (obvious to my playing partners) I don’t follow every rule. For example, I take mulligans (a second swing) – usually more than once a round, not that even one mulligan is allowed under the rules.

It, however, is an unwritten rule of golf that if you hit a really, horribly bad shot and then a hit second ball from that same spot (a mulligan), that “mulligan swing” is always pure.

And I mean always.

It is an unwritten rule of golf sent by the heavens, I’ve come to accept.

Also, when I take a legitimate drop of the ball (unplayable lie or for any legitimate reason), I never measure the exact club length (or whatever the rule is) you are allowed to take. I just drop it in a better place. Near enough, but not the strict dictate of the rule. Call me a rebel.

I don’t play well, as my handicap (no, I won’t publish it) attests. I keep a handicap just so I can measure how well, or not, I’m doing against myself.

Or if I ever decide to play in an official club event.

There is the club championship, for instance. I actually could contend for that one (with my handicap) but I really don’t want to tell anyone my handicap (I said I’m NOT telling!).

Ten or so years ago when I started playing (after I retired) I kept a handicap and played in what my course (a nine-holer designed by one of the great designers before he was great) calls the “Pro-Am,” a twice weekly tournament where you put up cash and the prizes are shared from that pot of money.

So, this time I played, we come to the second green. I putt up to a few inches and I pick up the ball, awarding myself a “gimme.”

The best player in our group said, “you can’t pick it up, you have to putt it; there are guys here who will penalize you for that!” I said, penalize me, and moved to the next hole. I finished the round, went home.

I didn’t understand how handicaps worked in those days.

Next day, I go to the first hole and a bunch of the “Ams” from the tournament (don’t tell them, but there are no “Pros” in the tournament) are talking about yesterday’s competition. “Some new guy won some money,” I heard them say. Then Bruce, who ran the course, said to me, come into the club house, I have some money for you.

I did and he said your team came in second and you won closest to the pin on Number 9. It came to something like 50 bucks. I took the money and retired from competition. I’m probably the only guy who stopped playing that tournament and wound up in the plus column. One and done.

I realized, later, that we probably came in second because
of my handicap being so, uh, high (that's the only clue I'm offering).

I just don’t want to follow all the rules! I’m just in it for the fun, friendship and exercise. (Remember, Mark Twain called it a good walk spoiled.)

Though I spent a bunch of my career in politics one rule I try to follow on the course is – no politics is discussed! That’s because I really don’t like arguing anymore with those who disagree over politics with me, especially when it comes to you-know-who.

Anyone who doesn’t support you-know-who, I’ll talk politics with -- but no one wins, or enjoys, when that person-who-shall-not-be-named enters the discussion –be you for or against him.

In fact, not long ago I was having a nice conversation with a few guys as we waited to tee off and one said something like “it’ll be better when he gets in.”

I suddenly had to use the facilities in the clubhouse and politely left the conversation.

Apparently, there are two things that can spoil a good walk.

Getting upset on the course – whether it’s using the wrong club, hitting your ball from a divot or allowing that guy-who-shall-not-be-named enter the discussion is a key mindset that will destroy your next few holes, at least.

Nothing has changed about your game. You’re still that same guy who hit that previous near perfect shot. But something entered your personal space that puts your mind in a different place – that place from whence bad shots emanate. I do not like that place, despite spending much time in it.

Anyway, I don’t need to worry about any of that until the Spring!

What? Oh, the temp will over 40 next week?

When's our tee time?

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A long time out while I'm pissed

11/11/2024

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Over the weekend, I began to write my thoughts/analysis of the election. As sometimes happens, I stopped in the middle. Typically when that happens I'm telling myself something isn't quite feeling right to me.

During my stoppage, I realized what was missing. I was pissed and my writing didn’t reflect my anger. So, I’m putting that post aside for now – I’ll get back to it.

I’m pissed because we elected a convicted felon who ran on a platform of dividing not uniting us. I’m pissed because this is a man who disrespects too many of his fellow Americans.

Yes, I know a majority of my fellow Americans who voted, voted for Donald J. Trump. And, yes, I accept the election was fair and honest, as I have accepted every other election I’ve witnessed in my 74 years on this earth.

I don’t care that he expanded his support among so many demographics. I understand those folks were voting for a better economy. I get that.

I voted for Kamala Harris not because she was the model of someone I would have built to be the next president. I voted for her because, here I’ll say it, she is not Donald Trump.

I would have voted for a turnip if that was Trump’s opponent.

Personally, the economy, for me, is fine. But I get that I’m not the average American. I’ve been lucky in my life and I don’t need to count my pennies when buying eggs. And I know there are millions of others in this country who need to count those pennies. People, understandably, voted their selfish interests, which is what happens in elections.

I get it.

But the man who they are putting their faith in is a spoiled rich kid who’s never been held accountable for anything.

Nothing.

He was and remains a con man, a charming (to some) charlatan who knows how to sell a product, even a product that's too expensive and you don't need (Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump watches, Trump bibles, etc. etc.)

He was scared to death to lose because he knew accountability was weeks away for him on many allegations made against him, some of them already proven in court. Some of them he’s already been penalized legally for.

Those weren’t pretend cases. They were real. The allegations were real. The guilty verdicts were real, not decided in the Oval Office but in courts of law, presided over by fair judges.

This man took choice away from women. And he did it with intention. It served his selfish political self-interest to take that right away. His BS about turning the issue back to the states “like EVERYONE wanted” is just that – bullshit.

A handy excuse to, again, try to escape accountability.

People remember what a good economy we had in Trump’s first term. It was good for a while – that was the economy President Obama left behind. Maybe it would have been better for Trump, too, if there had been no pandemic. Another issue he bollixed up because he’s a selfish man who told us it “will just go away.”

It didn’t. What went away were far too many lives of our relatives, friends, neighbors.

I have Trump-voting friends. I spoke with a couple over the weekend. Some said, we agree on more issues than we disagree. That’s true.

But we disagree on the biggest “issue.”

That is that we just elected a selfish convicted felon who is out for himself, not for the people. A man who lies with almost every breath he takes.

He might he be right on some of the issues. Yes, he might be. But he is a bad man. He has demonstrated that to all of us, even those of you who choose not to believe it.

He campaigned on expelling illegal immigrants from our country. OK, I can’t argue with that. But after he was elected he said he wouldn’t put a price tag on that endeavor. Why? Because then maybe it wouldn’t sound like such a great idea. Once again, no accountability. No discussion of how it will be done, who specifically he will toss out. How many tax dollars it will take.

What does he do if he ever succeeds in that endeavor (which, experts say, he doesn't have time to complete in his last term). And who's going to do those jobs those illegal immigrants are doing? How does that affect our economic well being? Is tossing them all out the only answer? It's the simplest, I admit, and the one easiest to sell to an angry voter.

Again, though, I digress – talking about issues. That would be a healthy, productive discussion to have. Trump refuses to have it because he knows the answers aren't good.

The issue is this man, Donald John Trump, does not deserve to sit in the Oval Office because he is a bad man. A dishonest man. Not even a smart man, according to those who have worked with him.

Trump supporters, I’m not going to argue about it anymore. He’s a bad man. Personally, and professionally. Bad. And he has been bad his whole life. You can think differently. It’s still America and you have that right. Just as I have the right to feel as I, and millions of others, do.

His suck ups in the Congress now are following lockstep with him, afraid, he will turn his supporters against them.

Senators are giving up their rights and caving to his demanding them to allow recess appointments – in other words the right to appoint whoever he wants without any advice and consent from the Senate. Anyone.

Step one on the road to having a monarch who just gives orders and his minions say, "thank you, sir."

We have checks and balances in our system of government for a reason. But Trump is demanding those checks and balances be tossed out so he can do whatever he wants to do.

Presidents don’t get to do that. Monarchs do.

I’m pissed. Gotta tell you, I won’t get over being pissed. To me he has no redeeming value. We have just put into office a man who I cannot tell my children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren to respect or model themselves after.

That’s a key requirement, in my world, to be the President of the United States. Someone I respect. We can disagree on the issues but I need to respect the President and why he or she believes differently than I do.

So, my Trump supporting friends, comment all you want. I do not plan to respond. This isn’t an argument to me. It’s a core value. I cannot, will not, be convinced otherwise.

You voted for a bad man. A bad man who has demonstrated how bad he is. A bad man who I’m guessing will be even worse now that he’s had one term in office and realizes some of what he needs to do to be the “strong man” leader he admires.

He won a free and fair election – which is what this country is all about.

But he won it with lies and deceit.

That is not what this country is all about.

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In the spirit of unity, Trump should admit 2020 wasn't rigged

11/6/2024

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How about we start off this transition period to another term of Donald Trump as president by all agreeing that the 2020 election was not stolen or rigged by the Democrats?

If the Democrats were capable of rigging an election, one would think this would be that election. The one when they lost the White House, the Senate and, likely, the House of Representatives.

Wouldn’t that be a nice way to start this period which half the country is scared to death about? By finally giving up the lie about the last election being fixed?

I mean, Trump convinced his entire base that it was fixed. He’s said it every day since he lost.

And, in this election, I’ve yet to hear anyone on the Democratic side say it was fixed in spite of being shocked by the results.

In fact, we just elected a man who survived two impeachments, numerous federal and state indictments and a conviction for which he’s slated to be sentenced later this month. His own chief of staff and some senior advisors called him a “fascist.” He endured two assassination attempts, including one in which a bullet grazed his ear.

And we are witnessing a full GOP takeover of the government two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Yet, Vice President Kamala Harris called Trump to formally concede. She didn't run to the cameras yelling "foul!!"

She’ll be giving a speech in a couple of hours to publicly concede and, I expect that both Harris and President Joe Biden will be on the platform January 20th for the inauguration of a man who has called them every name under the sun and who remain under his threat to prosecute them for whatever he feels like when he is sworn in.

After, of course, he has the pending cases against himself dismissed.

Wouldn’t that be a nice way to start his last term? By being honest at least about that fact that he actually lost the last election and now has staged a comeback even Hollywood would not have made up?

It's a move that would be against character for Trump and one that might make some of us give him a second look.

I don’t expect it, of course, nor do you – even those of you who voted for Trump.

I think I get why he won. As James Carville told us years ago, “it’s the economy, stupid.” It’s ironic, too, that Trump will be inheriting, again, not a bad economy, but a very good one – yet one that has not positively affected all our fellow citizens.

It will, of course, unless Trump gets to put in place his threatened tariffs on other countries first, which will explode prices to Americans and pump up inflation, again.

This isn’t sour grapes. These are my expectations. I didn’t have a good feeling for two minutes watching the results Tuesday night. Even though each of those early states was going the way everyone expected – red states went red and blue states went blue. The battleground remained close. But good vibes were not coming from those early states.

I went to bed nervous because my expectation was Harris would do better than expected. That was not proven out by those early results.

In fact, Trump even won the popular vote. So much for ballot box stuffing! They weren’t stuffed … but millions were invested by taxpayers all over the country to guard against something that needed no guarding against – rigged elections.

Did foreign players distribute misinformation? Yes, they did. Did Trump and his people spread lies and disinformation? Yes, they did. It’s what they do. And, my guess is that will not stop despite his not being able to run for reelection (term limits) and therefore him being beholden only to the Constitution, which we’ve seen him ignore in the past.

So, he won. I’m not claiming foul play. I’m not alleging cheating. It’s not what we do in America when you lose an election.

That doesn’t mean I have to celebrate.

First, I’m going to be afraid that he actually will do the things he’s promised – prosecute his enemies, even if it takes the military; deport millions of people that could take years and result in refugee camps; put Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of health policy and Elon Musk in charge of the budget; and so many other outrageous things he promised.

Friends on social media who are Trump supporters are posting today, in effect, that we need to unite now. The election has been decided. Many of those same “friends” who published the most disgusting memes about Vice President Harris. Many of those same friends who told me 2020 was rigged, Democrats cheated.

That will take a bit of time, I’m afraid. This isn’t like a “normal election” other than it was decided by the voters and we respect the voters' decision.

But a nice touch would be for Trump to begin his final four years of public service by admitting he lied about the last election.

As was proven by this one.

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...And the winner is ...

11/1/2024

1 Comment

There still could be a November Shock I guess but I’m going in early to call this election for Vice President Kamala Harris.

I know everyone says this is the closest election of the century, and maybe in history. I think it’s definitely the closest polling we’ve ever seen from the national polls to the swing state polls.

I think the Vice President will win bigger than the polls show though, and win in a way that it shouldn’t be contested.

But, as we all know, ex-President Donald Trump could lose in a popular vote and electoral vote landslide and still claim victory. He’s already telling us he expects Pennsylvania to be his battleground for the post-election war he will declare.

Why do I think this will be a bigger win than the polls show?

Because, well, women. Women are for Harris big time. Yes, men are for Trump bigly too, but there are more women. There are definitely more motivated women after Trump removed their right to choose by appointing the Supreme Court judges who ended Roe v. Wade. Not to mention the last couple days when he promised to “protect the women…whether they want me to or not.”

I think women have had it with Trump.

Let’s just call bullshit on the old “now the states can decide on abortion” argument. This is an issue that needs to be – and was – decided nationally and is being so again as states vote. Just far more slowly.

Women, and men, can have their religious view on abortion and run their lives that way. It’s a free country. And so can men and women have the opposite view because, well, the Constitution gives us freedom of religion.

Plus, no matter that some in the Christian right think this needs to be a Christian nation -- the Constitution says otherwise. Be a Christian. Let me be Jewish, Muslim, or agnostic or another religion. That's why we live in America. We are free to be what we choose.

There are other reasons I think this will be a bigger win for Harris than anticipated.

While much is made by the media about her losing ground among Black Americans, I think Black Americans will come back to her more. Plus, few mention those men without college degrees. Trump has lost significant ground in his lead among them. And, remember, there are lots of men in that category, which means bigger numbers.

If that trend holds, Trump will lose ground especially in those Democratic Blue Wall states.

Another reason I think Harris will win bigger than anticipated: Donald J. Trump.

His act is over. Yes, there is still almost half the country who supports him. That’s largely because, in my view anyway, he is still that middle finger that half of the country understandably gives to the establishment. He doesn’t care what he says or who he angers by saying it. I get that many like that about him. He says things they can’t, or won’t.

They feel they have been forgotten, lost in the shuffle of government priorities, and political priorities.

Many of them have been forgotten, and they won’t be again after this election. In that sense, they win by Harris winning. She and the government must pay attention to that segment of America not just because they want to win back their votes – but because they deserve to have the establishment’s attention, and action.

Another reason I think she’ll win is because Puerto Rican voters will break for Harris after last weekend’s tribute by the Trump campaign to the Nazi approach. There, I said it.

Do I think Trump is a Nazi? No, but I think he sure likes the rhetoric used by fascist regimes. Do I think Trump wants to kill Jews and illegal immigrants? No, I don’t.

But I think he will use the hell out of the issue if that’s what returns him to power.

If it didn’t suit that purpose, he would not be so all over it. All he cares about is winning – for himself.

For example, his trip yesterday to campaign in New Mexico, a state he won’t win. Why was he there? To try to secure Latino votes. What did he say there? “New Mexico, look, don’t make me waste a whole damn half a day here,” he said. Yes, New Mexico voters, it’s about him, not you.

Then there are his creepy loyalists. Like Stephen Miller, and Steve Bannon, and Rudy Giuliani and Tucker Carlson. These are dangerous men. I won’t go into all the reasons here. Not enough space.

While Tim Walz got on the Harris ticket partly because he called the Trump team “weird” he could have gone a few steps further – those four and others are creepy and mean and crude men.

It’s the type of “loyal” staff that Trump attracts. And likes.

The rhetoric Trump uses is fascist rhetoric. It is aimed at getting his party united behind him (mission accomplished), loyal staffers around him (mission accomplished) and many of his followers willing to take him at his word (mission pretty much accomplished).

Look at fascist societies in the world and study a bit how a charismatic leader jumped ahead of the parade to lead them. And get the people to believe him, and only him.

Some may have been short-lived reigns and they clearly were among the worst governments in human history. Good for the "leaders." Bad for the people.

Then, there is the other side. Harris gave a great speech the other day on the Ellipse. It was written well, structured well, and covered not only who she is but what she believes in. Did she define Trump as she wants to define him? Yes, as she needed to do too.

Harris has been a candidate for President for about 100 days.

She squashed a lot into those days: secured the nomination, named a staff, vetted and named a vice presidential candidate, created a platform, did the vice-presidential dance of being loyal to the man who nominated her as Vice President, raised a billion dollars, and more.

That’s a pretty good 100 days, not to mention making this the “closest race” in history instead of a Trump walk.

She also did the same balancing act other vice presidents have done – from both parties – throughout our history: Being loyal to the person who nominated her and still trying to forge her own way.

Ironically, President Biden handed her the way to do that when he stuttered (no pun intended) in his take on that comic at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally who insulted Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans. That gave her the opportunity to delineate a difference without tossing her boss under the bus. And she took advantage of it.

That whole “she was last person on the room thus she is guilty of all the Biden Administration mistakes or policies that didn’t work?” Bull. You may get in the last word, but you may not carry the day. Being the last person in the room with your parents didn’t give you veto power over their decision, did it? She was listened to. That was Biden’s promise. That was Reagan's promise to Bush too. He didn’t always agree – he is the President, not Harris.

Did she agree publicly after she left that room? Yes, as is her job.

So high numbers of women are highly motivated to vote this year. That oversimplifies it. There are also hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rican voters in those key states, and they were listening to that rally the other night, or heard about it – quickly. Oh, and those Haitians accused of “eating the dogs…eating the pets” … motivated.

Not to mention, but I will:

Trump’s candidate for vice president, JD Vance, said the other day: Well-off kids may be identifying as trans to get into elite colleges. Oh, and he and Trump could win the “normal gay guy vote.”
And, was Trump referring to a firing squad or the enemy when he said of Liz Cheney last night: “She’s a radical war hawk – let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK? And let’s see how she feels about it, you know, when the guns are trained on her face."

So, just thinking that with a younger generation of candidate being put forward, with specific plans for what she’ll do – plans that won’t destroy our economy like putting taxes on every imported good we buy and cutting taxes for the wealthy – this may not be the closest race we’ve ever seen.

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Dear Jeff Bezos, Washington Post owner

10/26/2024

1 Comment

I don’t read a newspaper’s editorials to tell me what to think or who to vote for.

I read a newspaper’s editorials to tell me what its owner and/or editorial board believe. I use the editorials to inform my decisions, not to make them.

How and when those owners/boards want to state their view is up to them, of course. But when you use miles of newsprint to inform me during a year on everything from sewer bonds to education reforms to women’s health, why stop days short of what you keep telling me is the most important election of my life?

And, this is the most important election of my life.

It truly is, as the ex-President’s “best people” he hired have told us, a choice between Democracy and fascism.

It is that when a certain segment of our population views ex-President Donald Trump as “sent by God” to lead them to salvation. That segment of our population says it believes in the Constitution – but they seem to be skipping over that pesky freedom of religion section.

It is that when a certain segment of our population believes only in freedom of the press that mirrors what they already believe.

It is that when a certain segment thinks it knows better than a woman what is good for her health and family.

It is that when a certain segment thinks that if you deport illegal immigrants that unrelated problems get solved – like drugs, like affordable housing.

It is that when a certain segment is voting for Donald J. Trump who promises nothing specific but lots in a macro-sense: he will solve centuries -old battles around the world or stop authoritarians from invading other countries and end seemingly impossible to end wars.

He will do this magically. Based on the largeness of his personality. He even promised doing some of those things before taking office. When he will have no authority.

He won’t tell us how he will do this because he says that will blow his strategy. (Much like, I assume, the “concepts of a plan” he has for fixing our health care system.)

He, who owns that he ended Roe V. Wade, will be the protector of women.

His BFF Tucker Carlson says “daddy” is coming home and he’s gonna “spank” his naughty daughter. The crowd cheered spanking the child.

Needless to say, to quote a phrase trumpeted from every podium Trump can rent (with other people’s money) -- that is just "bullshit."

But back to the point I began with (I call my train of thought "the weave”), when billionaires like Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, and Patrick Soon-Shiong, owner of the Los Angeles Times, refuse to endorse, shortly before the most important election in our lifetime, then something is up.

Trump, known to be talking to folks like Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu, rooting them on in the face of U.S. foreign policy, (unsubstantiated conspiracy theory alert) those newspaper owners must be on his call list, too.

We know he’s talking to crypto advocates, vaping advocates and other advocates (so much for draining the swamp, Mr. Ex-President) and promising to enact policies they’ll profit from (well, make that he, too, will profit from to since his family is now into crypto).

But, I weaved again.

Things are happening in this country exactly as they have happened in too many other countries where fascists and authoritarians have taken over. Institutions – courts, regulatory authorities, elections officials, media– have had their credibility damaged with lies and now the people, at least those who mostly seem to be supporting Trump, think they are corrupt, when they are not. A somehow charismatic leader (Trump, for those who won’t say he’s charismatic) has risen to power, taking over one of the two major political parties in the country.

And, independent newspapers are being kowtowed into not performing a responsibility they, for decades, claim was theirs to perform. And they do this in advance of him even winning the election, so afraid are they of his revenge if they don't.

They are taking pre-emptory action to prepare for Daddy’s election, afraid he’ll be spanking them too.

The polls are dead even. Importantly, Democrats typically are ahead in national polls at this stage – though maybe not the Electoral College). Importantly at least one Republican Member of Congress proposed that because of the devastation of the recent hurricanes, the electoral votes in North Carolina should magically be awarded to Donald Trump, taking away his constituents right to vote.

We are ripe for a fascist leader. He/they are not even hiding their efforts at ignoring the Constitution.

Since newspaper owners are stepping up to step down from their previously felt moral obligation to endorse a candidate for president, maybe those papers should do another appropriate thing: refer to the former president by all his earned labels: felon, sexual abuser, business, education and charitable institution fraudster, election denier, unrepentant liar. (OK, I stole that idea from a Washington Post letter writer, but she is right). Each of those descriptors are proven, not alleged.

Weaving home:

The time for a newspaper to abdicate its editorial freedom to endorse a presidential candidate is not just days before not only the most important election of our lifetimes but possibly the closest election of our lifetime.

Don’t tell me who to vote for – it wouldn’t affect me anyway. But tell me who, after your newspapers best reporters have given us the facts, who you think merits your endorsement.

Then you can tell me you aren’t gonna do that anymore.

But you just walked away from a responsibility at that responsibility’s most important time in my lifetime.

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Haven't decided who to vote for?

10/14/2024

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As the hours dwindle to Election Day, there still are many voters who either haven’t made up their mind or whose support for former President Donald J. Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris is still soft and they can be persuaded.

Millions of us wonder how that can be but I do get that some view Trump’s presidency as better for them financially, even though the numbers of his presidency prove that wrong.

This piece is not for those who, a long time ago, made up their minds. Obviously, you are hard-core Trump supporters and you aren’t changing your mind. This is for those soft supporters or undecided.

It is a list of (just some) my reasons for not voting for Trump. My decision to vote for Harris has less to do with her ideology, whatever you think it may be, and more to do with – she is not Donald J. Trump, described by even those who worked for him as a danger to our system of government and our Constitution.

There, I said it. I'm voting against Trump just as I did in 2016 and 2020. I wasn't thrilled with the nominees I voted for. But I was certain who I was voting against.

My reasons for being a never-Trumper since 2016 have only grown, not diminished. Among them:

Right now, he is saying the silent stuff out loud. He demands in interviews he not be fact-checked. If ever there was a tell that he’s lying, there you go. Don't believe me? I have a list of about 30,000 lies he told when he was the President. He hasn't changed.
He talks like a fascist or wanna be authoritarian, saying things like “the enemy is within.”
He never admits error. He is Der Leader.
He wants to replace the career federal bureaucracy with people only loyal to him, not the Constitution.
For years he has been doing what despots do: Destroy belief in all institutions so that he and only he is the bearer of “the truth.”
The only campaign promise he kept, was that he appointed three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who allowed it to overturn Roe v Wade.
After completing that transaction with the Evangelical Right, he now claims he will be the “protector of women.” Mr. Former President, you already blew any chance at that by taking a 50-year-old right away from women and declaring that the (state) government has control over their health care.
He raises money to fund his campaign and instead uses it to pay his millions of dollars in legal bills. And then he complains to the people who gave him that cash that they aren’t doing enough and need to give him more.
He says Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, are eating your pets. He says Venezuelans have taken over Aurora, Colorado. The Republican mayors of those cities say that isn't true but he keeps repeating it.
No one is taking “Black jobs,” whatever those are.
He denies he lost the 2020 election and led an invasion of the Capitol to overthrow the election.
He called Obamacare a joke and now takes credit for “saving it.” And his vice-presidential running mate, JD Vance, now admits his mother was on Obamacare. Vance then, disingenuously, says Trump saved it!
Trump states that the feds are not helping hurricane relief (they are) and that FEMA has used its budget to fund programs for illegal immigrants (they aren’t).
He is constantly grifting by selling his supporters everything from $100,000 Trump watches to $400 Trump golden sneakers to a $59.99 Trump Bible! (and wait, there will be more!)
If you have a conspiracy theory no one believes, just give it to Trump, he will gladly repeat if it serves his purpose – true or not.
He says that if elected, he will determine who gets disaster relief, not what the situation dictates. Read that to mean that if you live in a state that delivered its electoral votes to his opponent, you are less likely to get disaster relief – at all.
He said: immigrants “are the enemy from within…we have some very bad people, we have some sick people, radical left lunatics…and it should be easily handled by, if necessary, the National Guard or, if really necessary, the military.”
He says he’ll resolve the Russian invasion of Ukraine even BEFORE he takes office. First, he can’t; not an iota of authority to do that. Second, the only way to do that is to cave to his buddy Putin’s territorial demands (Don’t believe me? Check out the COVID test machines he secretly and callously gave to Putin when thousands of the people who elected him couldn’t get them at the height of the pandemic.)

And that ain’t all. But if that’s not enough, I have a $100,000 watch to sell you. And, I’ll throw in, for $499.99, a pair of gold sneakers. Or tell me you need more and I'll list some other reasons I have for not voting for him.

I do get how millions of my fellow American feel – and have been – left behind. I get how many of them believe they are being “replaced” by new citizens (and non-citizens) in their jobs.

Our immigration system needs major fixing. I get it. And agree.

And I get that the recovered economy hasn’t yet improved everyone’s lives. Got it. Not skipping over it. I don't see how giving the wealthiest among us another tax cut solves it, which is Trump's solution.

What I don’t get is how anyone thinks the answer is electing a convicted felon, thrice married playboy who has been found legally responsible for rape, and appointed the justices – proudly – who overturned Roe v Wade is the solution. He didn't build The Wall and Mexico hasn't paid a peso for what was built.

Donald J, Trump cares about one thing and one thing only – Donald J. Trump.

Trump likes to say that if you elect Harris, “you won’t have a country anymore.”

Like everything else he says in that vein, he’s projecting.

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Tied, for now

10/2/2024

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The biggest word in presidential politics this year is also the smallest: Tie.

The polls nationally are tied. The battleground states are tied. Even the vice-presidential debate last night was “tied.” At least that’s what the pundits are calling it.

While Veep Debates haven’t ever made a big difference in presidential elections they sometimes have produced some memorable one liners (See Sen. Lloyd Bentsen’s "Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”).

No such memorable lines last night.

The “debate” is being described as Midwestern Nice because of the participants’ home states. They were (Gosh, Almighty!) civil to each other!

Gov. Tim Walz clearly was off at the beginning of the debate. He looked Midwestern Nervous from the git-go. The first question was on the day’s events in the Middle East. Clearly, this was a question that was gone over and over the day of the debate in preparation and responses were determined.

Still. Walz looked caught in the headlights by the question. It was not a good start, especially against an opponent who is a transplanted Midwesterner, Yale educated, a lawyer, and a U.S. senator with all of about two years of experience.

Walz began to hit stride when the questions moved to abortion. He was ready with specific examples and names of women who have (being Midwestern nice about it) suffered from the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Suffered meaning some have died because their health care choices were taken away.

Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump’s Chosen One, wasn’t the constant attack dog he’s been on the trail and has had lots of practice defending the impossible since his transformation from calling Trump Hitler to becoming his goose stepping dance partner.

Let’s just mention two lies he told: One, he said Trump “saved” Obamacare despite Trump’s constant efforts to repeal it and his lifetime grudge with the late Sen. John McCain over McCain’s thumbs down at one repeal vote.

Two, Vance said that Trump “peacefully gave over power on Jan. 20th.” Technically, he’s right that Trump left town and didn’t attend Biden’s inauguration. But Trump, to this minute, claims the 2020 election was “stolen” from him. And claims that if he loses, the 2024 election is premeditated larceny too.

Two comments about the moderators: Margaret Brennan, did her usual professional job. Nora O’Donnell (my least favorite news anchor) was her self-aggrandizing self when after each question she’d say to the candidate being asked, “I’ll give you two minutes,” when those were the rules. Two minutes for response, two minutes for rebuttal.

But I digress.

Not sure what the viewership was for the debate but I’m sure it dwindled as the debate went on which is too bad. Walz had his best minutes at the end when the topic turned to the riots of Jan. 6th and Walz turned to ask Vance if Trump lost the 2020 election.

True to lockstep form, Vance avoided the question and used his line about Trump’s peaceful exit of Washington two weeks later.

Walz responded, “America I think you’ve got a really clear choice of who’s going to honor democracy and who’s going to honor Donald Trump.”

And that’s not a tie.

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Debate analysis: A picture sums it up better than I can

9/11/2024

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Tonight's debate: Huge but expect small poll changes

9/10/2024

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Tonight’s first, and likely only debate, between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will not move mountains in the various polls, which are still showing a very tight election.

But I don’t imagine either Trump or Harris expects, at this stage, to win in a landslide. The country is divided almost equally between Trump supporters and Harris voters, though just as clearly the polls have put Harris back into a “the Democrats really can win” posture since President Biden exited the race.

What to expect tonight? Good question!

No one really knows but I’ll make a few guesses (which means they were guesses if I’m wrong) and predictions (which mean I was proven correct).

While Trump's advisors are trying to protect him by arguing the microphones must be muted, Trump will not be mute. I mean, can he really?

So he likely still will be saying stupid, unfiltered things. It's just we, the TV audience may not hear him clearly.

But Harris will hear him. Her one-line comebacks in those situations will depend on whether they are heard in the context of something he just said. An unknown.

My guess is she will have a one-liner prepared for just such an occurrence when he is trying to talk over her.

Overall, Harris will be prepared, there is no doubt. That is what prosecutors do, they prepare. Trump will not be as prepared because that is what Trump, who believes he’s the smartest person on the room, does -- not prepare.

Who will “win” the debate? I think Harris will but remember that the goal is not to move tens of millions of voters. The vast majority of voters are not movable. They already are on one team or the other.

The target audience is those in the middle, where presidential elections are decided. And, if a significant number of those voters are moved by tonight’s debate, they’ll only show in the after-debate polls as small movement, maybe a couple of points.

Holding those couple of points over the remaining weeks of the campaign will be the key.

Trump needs to keep reminding people of how good they think the country was, economically and otherwise, while he was president.

Harris needs to keep telling people who she is and what she stands for because polls show she is still an unknown.

Pollster and political expert Frank Luntz said on TV today that Harris needs to stop saying her “values haven’t changed” because what the heck does that mean anyway? She does need, he said, to explain why she has changed positions, which she has, on things like fracking.

As Luntz said, as human beings we all change over time on many issues. Because we listen, we pay attention to others, and we change. That is what leaders do listen to people.

Trump doesn’t do any of those things. Harris should admit it and explain her flip-flops came from listening to other people, thinking and adapting her personal views. It will explain her position changes and reinforce that Trump doesn’t like to admit, ever, that he’s wrong about anything.

Anyway, pop your popcorn, prepare – no matter whose side you’re on – to yell at the TV set and prepare for no major change in the polls because no major change is coming, but small change – either way – is really what’s important after tonight.

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Harris changes the entire dynamic

8/17/2024

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With the Democratic Convention two days away, the election has been totally changed since Vice President Kamala Harris took over the top slot on the ticket.

Not that she’s a winner.

Yet.

This was always going to be a close election, until that horrible debate performance by President Biden. And Harris, now, has turned it back into a close election.

In May, for example, The New York Times/Siena poll showed former President Trump leading then-candidate Biden by 6 points in Arizona, 9 in Georgia and 13 in Nevada. With Biden bowing out and Harris taking over, the presidential race has returned to normal -- a dead heat in those states. At that rate, Trump might need to take Georgia, North Carolina and Arizona to win in November.

The electoral map has changed dramatically in just a matter of weeks. The Democrats' electoral options have expanded.

This is why Trump refers to the Harris-for-Biden switch-a-roo as a “coup.” He knows he’s in a race now, while before he was waltzing back to the Oval Office.

It’s a “coup” in his mind not against Biden, but against Trump. He, once again, is the victim, his preferred role in life. ("It's a witch hunt;" "It was a perfect phone call;" "I did nothing wrong!")

It’s not a waltz anymore. And Harris isn't dancing backwards. And he knows it.

And he needs someone to blame who isn’t named Donald J. Trump.

This is why Trump is having trouble finding attacks against Harris. He’s not playing against the same team. Harris’ team is more up on the intricacies of online battles; quicker to respond and take a position to answer in Tik Tok time when something happens. Faster with a quip. More eager to make light of Trump than to take him seriously.

His nicknames are not catching on like before.

Harris has brought a new vibe to the campaign. Big crowds are returning to hear her. Reactions are boisterous. Excitement has returned.

As her vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, put it, she put “joy” back in politics.

The money is pouring in.

Can she keep it up?

That’s the question.

The assumption is the convention will be successful for her, most of course are. Though this one has been rebuilt in less than a month, a huge endeavor. She has demonstrated the respect Joe Biden has earned as President.

Monday night of the convention is all about Joe. He deserves that, at minimum.

How much pulling out of the race hurt him personally can only be assumed. Assume it still hurts, a lot. But, he did it. He put country before self -- once again proving he is at least twice the person Trump is. Make that multiple times the person.

Trump couldn’t step aside or blame himself for anything. This is why he’s trying to find the attack target to misdirect any blame/responsibility from himself.

It’s what he does. It's what he's always done -- his entire phony life.

He’s having trouble landing a punch. It’s almost as if, besides from his strong base, the country is moving on from Trumpism and he can’t figure out how to stop it. He’s even trying the “she’s a Communist” approach.

Now it’s more about Kamala than Trump. (Side note: I was going to talk more about why we seem to use first names for female candidates – Hillary, Nancy – and last names for men but, nah. Kamala has become her “brand” as they say these days – more power to her. Young people especially respect that. And Trump reinforces it as he continues to intentionally mispronounce her name. Another out-of-date, childish tactic.)

Polls also are showing down-ticket contests (House, Senate) back to close races and that means Harris is being taken seriously. Remember, sage Nancy Pelosi was reacting largely because she saw the House totally slipping away from even possible Democratic takeover with Biden at the top of the ticket. That’s when she entered the game and gets big credit for Biden seeing the light, even though she has seriously damaged her decades old friendship with Biden. At least for now.

That’s putting country ahead of party and friends. It will take a long time for Biden to get over it but he will and realize she and he did the right thing.

Harris is polling above 50 percent in many districts where Democratic candidates were in trouble before her taking over the ticket. That puts many of those seats back in play for Democrats. If you don't believe that, ask a Republican House member in one of those districts for a candid observation (which may be an oxymoron in Republican language these days).

As old Democratic strategic genius James Carville said, Democrats have gone from a convention “sitting Shiva” to a joyful party with Kamala topping the ticket.

It ain’t over but it’s a contest again.

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A good walk spoiled

A long time out while I'm pissed

In the spirit of unity, Trump should admit 2020 wasn't rigged

...And the winner is ...

Dear Jeff Bezos, Washington Post owner

Haven't decided who to vote for?

Tied, for now

Debate analysis: A picture sums it up better than I can

Tonight's debate: Huge but expect small poll changes

Harris changes the entire dynamic

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