Democracy is Too Much Trouble!

My friend, Bob Siegel, sent the following, titled "The Electorate has Spoken: Democracy is Too Much Trouble."

 The 60% of the 2024 electorate that even went to the trouble to vote responded to Ben Franklin's "we've given you a republic, if you can keep it" with "no, we cannot keep it."

As for myself, I stopped paying attention to what Trump and his fellow MAGAcytes are doing.  It would change nothing if I did pay attention. 

I suggest you'll enjoy a happier life if you stop tilting at windmills and stop agonizing over the failure of our 250 year experiment in democracy.  After all, it outlasted every other similar experiment.  

The historic record is patently clear: the 60,000 year human species' craving for an authoritarian governing body, ideally headed by an all-powerful autocrat, is hard wired in our DNA.

The Worst, etc.

Like I said, the worst is yet to come!  Oh, you say, give me evidence:

Gaetz

Gabbard

Hegseth

Noem

Huckabee

Miller

Kennedy

More to come . . . 

Conjecture!

The news is overloaded with conjecture.  It seems that everyone with an opinion and a platform is guessing, fantasizing, predicting about the future in the coming Trump world.

Its all a waste of time.  Better to take some action that might make a difference rather than bemoan how bad it will be.  As I've said, the worst is yet to come, so there is no point in crying about what is on the horizon that we don't like and cannot change. 

I find my primary emotion is resignation.  Today's world is fundamentally different that it has been for most of my life.  Wishing for the return of a past that is gone forever won't help.  We've had a good run and I'm grateful for it. 

I have no positive expectations about the future.  My mood may be a defensive mechanism that shields me from being disappointed.  If I don't expect it will get better I won't be disappointed when it doesn't.

Will I live long enough to see the process unfold?  Don't know.  Hope so but don't know.  In the meantime, onward!

The Worst Is Yet To Come!

It seems my election predictions were a wee bit wrong.  Or to say it another way, I fucked up big time.  Or I could say the American people fucked up big time.

Am I surprised?  In one respect, yes.  I didn't think there would be a near 100% sweep by Trump.  I thought it would be close, and it wasn't.

So what now?  Today the airwaves are full of pundits offering excuses, analyses, Monday morning quarterback stuff.  I don't have any more interest in listening to this stuff than I did in not paying attention to all that they said leading up to the election.

My mantra for today?  The Worst Is Yet To Come!

Trump has said what he is going to do.  That I and others of my ilk won't like it is irrelevant.  The people voted and in a resounding voice endorsed what the guy is up to.  Good luck to them.  Good luck to all of us.

P.S.  I think I was right on the San Francisco mayor's race.  Hooray!

Election Day!

I'm back!  Its been a while, and it wasn't because I didn't have anything to say, it was more that I didn't think I had something new or different to say.  So saying nothing seemed the way to go.  Anyway, this is a new day, election day, and so here's what I think:

Predictions:  Harris will win.  The Republicans will take control of the Senate.  The Dems will take control of the House.  Lurie will be elected mayor of San Francisco.

Am I satisfied with those results?  Since it could be so much worse, yes, I am satisfied.  Not really happy, but since as a country this would mean we've dodged a bullet, happy enough.  Now, nothing to do but wait and see if my predictions come true.

New subject:  Quincy Jones died yesterday.  I would normally take note of this news and move on.  In this case there is an underlying aspect to his death.  He was 91.  My age.  I guess I should be noticing that the ones dying are mostly younger than I am.  So should that give me comfort or concern?  Neither.  Just a daily awareness of how old I am and reason to be grateful for another day.

Onward . . .

 

Tom Korologos!

I learned from today's New York Times that my childhood friend Tom Korologos died.  We were best friends from about the age 7 to 10 in Salt Lake City.  Over the years I didn't have much contact with him, but he stayed in my memory as a fun part of growing up.

He earned a lengthy obituary in the Times because he was probably the top Republican lobbyist in the final 30 years of the last century.  So our political views were polar opposites.  Yet when we did communicate it was always with a fondness and respect that transcended our differences.

I recall that he said he hoped I'd see that lobbyists were not bad people (my words, not his).  In his case I'd be OK with agreeing with him.  So long, my friend, you were a good guy. 

Good News!

A huge sense of relief followed by a strong dose of hope that the future is not inevitably dismal.  That was my reaction to the news that Biden was leaving and Harris would be the likely successor.

It is early days, but it seems that the party will rally around Kamala and when she starts going after Trump it will truly be a new ball game.  I am counting on a well managed, hard hitting campaign that will appeal to now-undecided voters, young people, Black women and others now on the fence.  Should the campaign not be strong all bets are off and we will likely be left with a Trump victory.

So for the first time in a long while, my political mood is positive.  Definitely a good feeling!