Monday, November 23, 2020

Americans Are Suffering

 

I have not spoken much about politics since Joe Biden won the election. I had hoped by now that Republican leaders would have stepped up to congratulate Biden on his win publicly. Yet, few have done so, and America is suffering because of it. They know, Trump knows, we all know that it’s over. Yes, until the Electoral College officially casts their votes and Congress certifies them, there will continue to be a cloud of uneasiness that one of Trump’s schemes will work, and that is only one of the problems at hand. The transition to a Biden administration should be going smoothly; instead, petty bureaucrats are holding up the transition process under some idiotic notion of loyalty to Donald Trump. What Trumpists do not seem to understand is that he cares nothing about them. Trump cares only for himself and no one else, including his family. As Trump fights the election results, the country is in a perilous position. The economy, health, and diplomatic relations of the United States are hanging onto the side of a cliff, trying desperately to hold on until January 20, but will the damage be too great by then? It may be, and that my greatest fear.

 

No matter what he says in public, Trump obviously knows he’s lost. Why do I say this? It’s because he is punishing the people of the United States for his loss. Trump is seeking vengeance against those he believes have betrayed him, which happens to be the American people. It isn’t just the more than 82.5 million people who voted against him (nearly 80 million of those voted for Joe Biden). I suspect he even blames the 73 million who voted for him because he believes they did not do enough to get him reelected. After the election, Trump claimed that he would push through a new stimulus package, but we all knew that came with the unspoken caveat that it was only if he won. Now that he has lost, there will be no stimulus package before the end of his term. Talks with congressional leaders to arrive at a coronavirus stimulus deal, which were active in the run-up to the election, have gone dormant—with no signs, they will begin again despite the clear need for more money to be pumped into the economy to withstand the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on the country. Trump will also not be extending student loan deferments. I received an email yesterday that said those deferments were coming to an end as of January 1, 2021.

 

Black Friday and Christmas shopping keeps many businesses in the black each year. How can that be the case this year when people barely have enough to pay for food or rent? As Dolly Parton sang, “Lord, it's like a hard candy Christmas, I'm barely getting through tomorrow.” Unlike the song, though, we won’t “be just fine and dandy.” Furthermore, not many of us will be able to say, “still, I won't let sorrow get me way down.” The families of over a quarter-million people will be without loved ones this holiday season. I filled my Amazon cart with the gifts for my family, and UPS will play Santa Claus for me this year because I will let Amazon wrap and ship those gifts to my family. I won’t be going home. I doubt I will even decorate for Christmas here. I rarely do since I am not usually here for Christmas, but even though I will be alone in Vermont this year, I just feel it is a waste of money to decorate just for me. I still think about the millions of Americans wondering how they will buy their children something for Christmas this year. It is difficult for many of them during a good year, but this is not a good year.

 

If the problems with the economy weren’t bad enough, the pandemic is surging like never before. Over 200,000 diagnosed cases a day. The surging coronavirus is taking an increasingly dire toll across the U.S. just as a vaccine appears close at hand. The nation has recorded more than 1,500 fatalities daily since Tuesday, death tolls not seen since May. On Thursday, the U.S. recorded more than 2,000 deaths. It is the highest level since the devastating spring in and around New York City. And what is the federal government doing about it? Donald Trump is playing golf at his club in Virginia. He continues to tweet in an effort to push any number of disproven or entirely fact-free conspiracy theories about the election. He is trying to push controversial military decisions, including planning to withdraw American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he has inquired about options to strike at Iran's nuclear capabilities before he leaves office. He is also firing critical people in the government. He removed Secretary of Defense Mark Esper shortly after the election and has carried out a series of removals of civilian staff at the various government agencies. He is also rumored to be weighing the possibility of firing CIA Director Gina Haspel and has openly speculated about removing FBI Director Christopher Wray. 

 

Trump continues to exact vengeance on those who oppose him. Over 82.5 million people opposed him. Even the Constitution opposes him at this point, which is why he will proceed over the next sixty days with a policy of destruction aimed at the people and institutions of the United States. Like Sherman’s March to the Sea in the Civil War, Trump will follow a "scorched earth" policy, destroying the United States' health, infrastructure, and economy. He hopes this policy will break the back of the American people and its democracy that he believes turned its back on him, just as Sherman broke the back of the Confederacy and helped lead to its eventual surrender. If Trump allows things to deteriorate bad enough, he believes it will cause the Biden administration to fail. Republicans will immediately begin blaming Biden for all of the failures in the United States caused by Trump. He thinks this will allow him to remain relevant and rise again to be elected in 2024, which is likely if Republicans continue to humor his every whim. Biden has a new reconstruction of the United States to handle. He will be inaugurated and take over a divided, sick, and economically (and mentally) depressed nation. I hope, and believe, Biden will do better than the Reconstruction government from 1865-1877, and unlike in 1877 when the South enacted Jim Crow and racial segregation and inequality, the nation won’t be again abandoned to the wolves over a political compromise that undermined democracy like the Compromise of 1877 which ended Reconstruction. 


From I Should Be Laughing's "The Funny Papers"

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

You should put up a small tree for you and Isabella and at least she will be happy you are spending Christmas with her. Hopefully in January this nightmare will be over and the crime family will have departed the Whitehouse, its not just America will be glad to see him gone the rest of the world will be cheering.

Take care
Patrick

Joe said...

Patrick, I may do a small Christmas decoration. I have a table near a window that usually holds plants, but I don't have a green thumb, so they all died. I think I will put a few decorations up there. You are right, Isabella will be happy that I am home with her. She seems to miss me so much when I am gone, and she doesn't like anyone else coming to feed and look after her.

naturgesetz said...

"What Trumpists do not seem to understand is that he cares nothing about them. Trump cares only for himself and no one else, including his family. …

No matter what he says in public, Trump obviously knows he’s lost. Why do I say this? It’s because he is punishing the people of the United States for his loss. Trump is seeking vengeance against those he believes have betrayed him, which happens to be the American people. It isn’t just the more than 82.5 million people who voted against him (nearly 80 million of those voted for Joe Biden). I suspect he even blames the 73 million who voted for him because he believes they did not do enough to get him reelected."
Very astute. His narcissism and vindictiveness have been on display for years, but linking them to his post-election behavior is very insightful. Unfortunately, this means that when Republicans encourage him to concede and to let his administration begin cooperating with the Biden transition for the good of the country, it's just more incentive in his twisted mind to continue his refusal.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is only you and Isabella but at least put up something that screams CHRISTMAS. Maybe a nice poinsettia. I love Christmas. Not the commercial aspect of it but the colors, lights, and decorations, and smells.

I love it when you are on a tear. I hate to be your partner. I would be in the bathroom crying my eyes out and wanting my momma. Something tells me your bark is worse than your bite.

I 100% agree with your post. What continues to puzzle me-rhetorically-are the folks who enable. Our elected officials and others. Also, I believe we are on the second vacation and no Heroes Act 2.0. People are hurting out there. But we have time to take vacations, place judges, and play golf.

Our country is far from healing. A suggestion for your next post-should we prosecute crimes committed during this administration. Yes, I say. We can chew gum and walk at the same time. Things did not work out for Ford in pardoning Nixon. Remember NO ONE is above the law. We have to slap some hands. There may come a president who is in the office who just might think they can do what they want because folks are not going to do anything about it. This administration has made it a necessity that we have to put little teeth into the "norms." A wink and a handshake will not work anymore. It's like when you see rules in public that makes one think who in the hell did that to make it a rule that you can't do it anymore.

Keep on preaching!! Say it loud for the folks in the back!!

Dave R said...

You are so right about his blaming the GOP for not getting enough people out to vote for him. For him, that's betrayal.

Joe said...

VRC-Do You!, my bark is worse than my bite. I am mostly a very mild-mannered individual, but when my hackles are up, I can get on quite a tear. Usually, only those closest to me ever see my temper, and I have quite a temper sometimes. I can be driven by my emotions at times, and I despise injustice of any kind. I've said this before (I think), but my dad used to always say, "Do as I say, not as I do." It is a saying and a belief that I absolutely despise with all my heart. At the heart of all that I believe is the Golden Rule--treat others as you want to be treated. My dad's little saying goes against everything I believe. That being said, while a partner of mine would occasionally see my temper, I would love and cherish him with every fiber of my being, and I would be as devoted as one man can be.

I agree about the taking vacations, placing judges, and playing golf. Mitch McConnell has made it his life mission to stay in power, push through conservative judges, and subvert Democrats. He has done these three things to the detriment of this country, and his Republican colleagues allow him to do so. If they really cared about the American people, which I do not think they do, they would choose a majority leader who would work with Democrats for the good of the country instead of blocking everything Democrats attempt to do.

I would also like to see a long list of indictments after Trump's term ends. I'd really like to see the members of Congress who profited through their knowledge of coming coronavirus back during the first of the year. Yes, that is likely to include Diane Feinstein, but it needs to be applied equally and without deference to their party. It was sick that they sold stock in businesses they knew would be hurt by a pandemic and bought stock in companies that would do well. They need to all be in federal prison. Trump and his cronies need to be imprisoned. It will not only be the only way to keep him out of the running for another term in 2024, but he has broken so many laws, he needs to be punished. Republicans blocked that during the impeachment, but they will not be able to block the court systems of the United States.

Anonymous said...

Joe:

I like to get my information here and there-i.e. not Fox News. I was informed the other day that a lot of big corporations do business in Kentucky. After thinking about what I was told I got to thinking. If all that money is being poured into the state why is it they are on the bottom of so many lists. Snarky-I say that trickle-down thing is not working.

I am a fairly mild-mannered person as well. It takes a lot to get me ugly mad. I can't remember the last time. It must be when I was a teenager. I would rather give you side-eye and walk away. I was actually chastised at work because I was not animated enough. Running around with my head cut off. One manager told me I am like a swan. I am cool and calm on the surface but underneath my feet are going crazy to get things accomplished. I just don't see the point in yelling and throwing things. Now, don't get me wrong. You can disappoint me. I can cut a person off quicker than anything. But usually, it is because your true colors are showing and I don't want anything to do with you. Character matters a lot to me.

I have been around the world and back in my 63 years of life. But my golden rule has always been to treat others as you want to be treated. Now I may not always get it in return but that is on them. Go back to I will cut you off thing. I am not naive.

Have a great Thanksgiving!!

XO

Chris said...

As one who has spent many a holiday alone, I did buy a small tree (when I lived in Germany) that I haul out -- it is only decorated in fruit but it is a small reminder of the holiday -- which you should celebrate in at least small small way. Issy will enjoy having something new around to play around.