We will not come out of this unscathed but we will come out of it (#3587)

     When I think of this current time with the inhumane trump as our appointed president I have been mentally adding up the costs we have endured because of him without even the solace of a benefit. I am not one of those who would trade a cost for a benefit when the paradigm is our dignity, respect and honorableness. To put simply I do not trade my principles of democracy and equality for a handful of traitorous silver pieces. Yet we are currently experiencing this phenomenon with the republican party and their soulless leader.
     The rest of the world is astonished that we allow such a creature to be our figurehead and they wonder what kind of soul the rest of us have to allow him to continue. All I can hope from the world is for them to look at our form of government where the right to be wrong is protected even when that wrong is awful. This is a lesson for the ages to the civilized world where even a horrible outcome such as trump being installed as the president can happen and must be given the deference of election trust. Yet we know there was election meddling and conspiracy but even those mounting charges must be proven and adjudicated.
     We Americans will learn from this debacle to our election processes and make adjustments to stop further infiltration of these nefarious sorts. We will have to survive our previous complacency and accept the damage done in the meantime. What this catastrophic era has given us is an awakening of our voters to always stay engaged. Yet that is not how we would have learned this mighty lesson. The end is near for the time when trump is no longer a danger to every American life given his disdain for everything not himself. These last midterms gave us back a semblance of who we really are and the next election will demonstrably announce our will to put back the soul in our next leaders convictions.

When telling the truth of things is more important than being silent (#3586)

     I cannot tell you how many family and friends I have lost from my life because of my need to tell the truth of things that are uncomfortable or that upset the way those people like to think regardless of facts or principle. I often feel like I had no other choice than to be real when the illusion of falsehood is their preferred state of being. There is a sense of loss and I actually feel that loss. Had they been more open to facts and truths I would not feel like this and instead would have a greater relationship than what I currently have. Yet I cannot go back from my choice because I made the right one and no amount of longing for the alternative at times is going to change that.
     A sense of loss is the best way I know how to describe how I feel. Yet it is tempered with the conclusion that reality is greater than illusion. Cold comfort however. Yet even that cold comfort is real and I live in the real world where making life better for all is greater than just making life better for myself. I know who I am and what makes me human. I won't lose that for some silver coins or the adulation of power or "friendship". I know the trade off I made and it was not easy. I am no scholar nor wise man of any known degree yet I can see the world without blinders on. I am not captured by the lure of fantasy nor belief that counter my intuitive nature to apply logic and common sense to all that I see and ponder.
     I know I have alienated many who used to enjoy my company. Yet it wasn't me to stay the same when there is knowledge to be learned. I have moved on from who I was when I was younger because like reality shows us in every way through time and nature, change is ongoing and inevitable. Our recorded shared human history on this planet is all the proof I need of change being a constant. What doesn't change is my soul and it's compassion and curiosity for all that is or will ever be. Yet I do miss the days from my past that weren't all bad nor void of reality with those I thought had the same compassion and curiosity that I had found. But that isn't so and because of that the time to move on to other people and things is always the answer when the principles of honor, fairness, equality and justice are devoid from the souls I thought were champions of the same.

Always rebutting the republican desire for nationalism (#3585)

     What does nationalism do for the republican party? It gives it a foundation for it's all white desire for America. One thing republicans seem to embrace more than patriotism to our American constitution is the idea that white supremacy is a higher priority than the concept of the melting pot. The republican party will tolerate "others" in their society as long as they know their place within it. A second class state that rarely advances into the echelon of white rule. If that isn't clear to most by now then the propaganda to hide it is still effective. What is even more perverse is that white nationalism only truly extends to the male gender with republicans. Again, some women are allowed to be part of leadership but only at the direction of republican men.
     I am not saying anything controversial here just blatantly plain and obvious. It is now okay for the racists and misogynists to express their views now that their president is one of them. Not all in the republican party are nationalists but where there are nationalists you may only find them in the republican party. As evidenced by the many moderate members denouncing their party and either leaving the republican party to join democrats or becoming independents. The infestation of racism and misogyny in the republican party is becoming too much for what is left of decent patriotic former republicans. That there is little to no new attraction to become a republican is still invisible to the republican party the rest of us are celebrating the swelling of our ranks in defiance of the new nationalist republican party.
     That we now know that there is a political party in our American politics that prefers nationalism to democratic patriotism, it is up to the rest of us to rebut them at every turn. When they turn their propaganda or outright hatred of our democratic principles back at us we must stand up to them and call them out for it. Not only that, amplify who they are and what their message is trying to destroy. Equal opportunity, justice and fairness is a right for all of us to pursue our happiness. There is no one privileged race or gender of people. We are all equal in that the foundation of our society protects and respects our right to be an equal member of society. This is what we fight to preserve and what the republican party would take from us.

Capitalism on it's own will always be exploitive (#3584)

     Forcing workers into positions of physical danger and unhealthy practices has always been the keen edge of capitalism. To make a greater profit you are required to cut every corner and stunt every possible slowing down of the process of manufacture and service. I have seen this many times in my life where the push to complete or succeed outweighs the peril of doing it. It is why we try to regulate and install health and safety standards that put workers on an even footing with the maximum profit dreamed of by the owners of industry. Statistics relied upon by large corporations often give more favorable outcomes to ventures that would trade off a few injuries or deaths against the success of any given enterprise. Life measured against profit.
    Capitalism at it's core has only been one part of the component to transform our society's into modern efficient and progressive forms of democracy. Social values and moral/ethical considerations are just as important in the determining of a society's success. In other words, money isn't everything it is only part of everything. To offset raw capitalism we need to understand that it is mostly a winner take all sum game. Nothing about that instills the principles of democracy, fairness nor equal opportunity. Society needs to be motivated as to a common purpose but not at the expense of alienating most all of society.
     The exploitative nature of unfettered capitalism is known yet there is a political faction in America known as the republican party who have subscribed to the anti-democratic platform of survival of the fittest. Instead of imagining a society where all can equally participate they choose instead to elevate the privileged and advantaged regardless of their honesty nor their nefarious ulterior motivated intent. It has caused a dis ease among out populations that incites unrest and anger. As a solution to unfettered capitalism we admix elements of socialism, reform of economic practices, and front the necessity of climate change innovations and alternative forms of rethinking our relationships between workers and owners. Always remember, all of us humans are in this life together so making sure we each have a respectful place in life should always outweigh the greed of the bottom line.

Getting through December without republicans doing more damage (#3583)

     The republican party is coming apart at the seams but in their death throes we see that they still have a blood lust to kill off anything that helps women, students, people of color, the aged and the rest of us in the working middle poor class. We are mostly democrats so the outgoing republicans are sharpening their attacks and grabbing any of us who are near to them as they swirl down the drain of irrelevance. The propaganda and dirty tricks are never ending with them as they try to poison our great democratic wave that has hit this midterm and is poised to hit again in 2020. The idea that they would learn from their metaphorical butt kicking is never going to materialize.
     The reason republicans won't learn is that they think they know it all already. What they believe is that we who are embracing science, logic and common sense are the ones who are wrong and no amount of objectivity will ever change their completely subjective thinking. It is why so many years ago I moved on from them and focus my time on those who can be reasoned with. By isolating them I have effectively given them nothing from me to turn into the opposite of what it is. They are not smart enough to create an alternate reality that is successful in fooling intelligent people. They may keep their dwindling base occupied with simple confusions but even they are not immune to harsh reality over time contradicting their desired beliefs.
     So as the clock runs out on the current republican majority in the House they will try to pass anything that may become law before January 3rd. when democrats reclaim the people's House. Like the last 2 years have shown us, all we can do is protest, march and occupy whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. The courts were thought to be associating with republicans, especially given trump's rhetoric but even they are not an endless whipping board for the republican whip. As justice Roberts announced yesterday, he sees the courts as being independent so now trump and republicans have alienated another plank of their takeover of our government. Maybe we will get through the next 40 odd days without too much more devastation but let's not depend on hope shan't we?

A good hard rain coming in a few hours (#3582)

     We had some rain, about a millionth of an inch about two months ago but nothing since late April here in the Sacramento valley. Well that hot dry streak ends today. In a few hours, about 3 to be more precise we will be getting about 3 inches of rain over the next 3 days. Most important is that part of our state will get rain and help to stifle flames wherever they still burn. There may be some flooding because traditional watersheds have been compromised but all in all we will take that trade off. I for one will be outside soaking up some sky water as a thank you to what is left for nature to provide given the greedy man made climate change denial of the past several decades. Those all fall on republicans who chose to ignore science and go with their greedy ass wallets!
     So let it fall and happy the ground will be to get some moisture other than our current Autumn dew. I have nothing but dirt patches in my yard since we are on water restriction schedules here. Yet when I do water it is for my trees, bushes and plants that have survived the years of drought. A rain shower may not seem like a big deal to many others who live in other wetter states but we here in California, as has been highlighted during our devastating murderous fire season, are over joyed at even the slimmest glimpse of a rain cloud. Every region in our nation has some weather related downside and for now ours here in California is not enough rain.
     When I was a child and young adult having been born and raised here in Sacramento, the rainfall per year was around 20 inches and we occasionally even got snow. But now we are lucky if we get half that and it has been hard on our water resource management to keep a close to fair schedule for who gets water when. It is probably why so many of us here in California know about the science and the common sense perception on the ground here that climate change is real and can be proven to be exacerbated by human activity. When president Obama tackled climate change it was with facts and science as the gidelines for reinventing our national economy and social understanding of why the dirty energy companies had to go. Not like with the pretender trump and his republican bootlickers who can only see dollar signs in their dirty energy outlook conveyed on the backs and to the death of our American dreams.

Lost my cat yesterday afternoon found her this morning (#3581)

     Like most things in life a gut punch eventually heals. Yet mine healed earlier than I could have reasonably hoped for given the circumstances. My girl kitty/cat Betsy went missing yesterday after noon and after searching all her little hidey spots I could not find her nor did she eat any of her food. I know my little kitty by now and her food would not have gone untouched had she been around. So off into the evening and late night I went with a terrible feeling of loss even though it had only been about 10 hours since I had seen her. Yet I couldn't sleep so I got up around midnight and searched some more but still no luck.
     I finally feel asleep at about 3:30 and awoke around 5 and still she had not returned. So I went outside again in the backyard and began to search with the flashlight and by lowly calling out "meow". Well to my amazement I heard a return meow however it was faint. So I shut down my mind and closed my eyes and meowed again and this time I heard it more clearly. Although I didn't know specifically where it came from I did have the general direction. So I closed on the neighbor's yard with all the big German Sheppards and meowed again. This time I heard it more clearly and it was from above in the tangle of a couple of Oak trees in the neighbor's yard and in the Arcade creek preserve area that borders both of our backyards.
     So I got my 20 foot ladder and set out into the creek area to scale what I thought was the tree she was in. Well it turned out she was in the neighbor's tree and before I could get through our shared man gate in our shared fence, I heard some rustling in the branches above and then a thunk as she dropped about 10 feet to the top of my neighbor's metal shed. She was alright and began to look to get out of that yard back to mine and her brother cat Artie. All of this happened at about 6 in the morning so my neighbor's dogs were still inside but I sure could here them barking. Well we got out of their yard and back into our house where Betsy voraciously devoured her morning breakfast. A chaotic and stressful hour first thing this morning but all in all a very happy ending to it. :)

An awakening in America (#3580)

     We see the dirty tricks that republicans are making successful now. We don't have to guess how they get what they want outside the will of the American electorate, we see their election malpractice as a strategy. So it isn't surprising that many more of us are angry at them for not holding our trust with honor. As was evident in this last election the tide has turned against republican politics even in states that were heavily republican just 2 years ago. The next big test will be the election in Misissippi. I know that the institutional bias will likely play there since repuiblicans have controlled Mississippi politics for many decades now but again the awakening has come along and those voters who were frustrated there into thinking their votes were inconsequential are now angry and ready to vote no matter hell or high water.
     I do not predict a democratic win in that senate race but I expect it to be surprising and if surprising enough the disgraced republican candidate may find the same result as the disgraced candidate in Alabama experienced last year. It is because we are not in the dark as to who these people running for office are nor are we in the dark as to their ulterior motives and agendas. There is still a lot of blind loyalty to the republican party but that is consistently dwindling even as I write this post. So with less enthusiam for republicans and more enthusiasm for democrats the odds increase for an upset in Mississippi. It may be too early in that deep southern state but I know that a better life is more appealing than one where we are marginalized and taken advantage of.
     We will see but overall the indicators are that the tide is growing for democratic politics because it is one of the people at large and not just the wealthy. It seems crazy that there is even a debate how people of an ordinary stripe would vote but again institutional prejudices and biases with a boatload of misleading propaganda has kept our soeciety from discovering their united strength. When we the people finally decide that we are the masters of what our society should prioritize it will be the end of the republican party as we know it. The awakening is real and it is happening but it must not stop to admire or look back. The awakening must keep pushing forward until we get all of us on the same page as to what honorable vision we Americans are willing to exemplify.

Forcing trump, and the courts are our only hope (#3579)

     There is no reasoning nor trying to expose a sympathetic side from trump. He has his agenda and it isn't about him sharing our nation with us. He wants it all for himself and no amount of debate nor pulling at what should be his heart strings will work. He has been compromised in such a way that the only avenue left for us to travel with him is through force. Putting pressure on him in a continuous way is the last ditch effort we have. Not that I expect he will cave to pressure but it is what galvanizes us to coalesce as a united party in preparation for the next general election. The courts remain as the only check to this president at least until our new majority in the House is sworn in.
     As to the courts we have seen an unexpected non partisan approach in many decisions. This surprises me in that the republican fever has been seen to have no boundaries. Yet the full weight of a conservative supreme court has yet to deal us the reality we all expect it will do eventually. The decisions it is going to make concerning the values our society desires have not yet been adjudicated in a demonstrative way. But again, force by the majority of our nation against the unraveling of equality, justice and fairness is our last bastion until we can remake our high court into a much more objective one. As the incompetent trump goes about his disdain for humanity that is not himself we the people have to find it within us to not let him get anything from what is left of us.
     That we have as a nation survived the first two years of trump is remarkable in my estimation. I had figured we all would be living in a chaotic ruthless existence if at all by now. I know that sounds extreme but it doesn't take much from a cruel appointed head of state, bolstered by a lackey in power congress and courts to undermine all that is welcoming and egalitarian. The republican party cannot discipline itself to be accountable nor honorable so it is up to the rest of us to make them not do what they want when they want. Our pressure back at the ego maniac in the form of trump is all we have left until the House, the courts and the sheer force of our American electorate can rebut him to be less a dictator and inhumane soul.
     

Enjoying a saturday with a busy schedule of doing nothing (#3578)

     It has been awhile since I have done just about nothing for a whole day. Well I did go to the store this morning to get a few items but that really wasn't doing something that taxed my senses. I plan to watch some football and some British crime shows today while keeping an eye out for any new results on the last remaining uncalled congressional races. I figured we would get stumped in Georgia and Florida on the recounts given both states have a fix to them that is not easily overcome. But the many of us are becoming aware of the dirty politics republicans and their last ditch efforts to hold onto power and will come to an end in the next few election cycles.
     But for now we have to live with the results of too may sympathetic democratic voters not voting and letting this terrible time come about. But as we saw in last weeks election, a new invigoration to vote has hit our electorate and the results of that are encouraging. So time to take a moment of a day and do whatever I feel like until the next crisis comes my way. Managing crisis' is a non stop adventure in the life and times of our era but some days we just need to tune things out cook a big breakfast for everyone so that we remember what life should be like. I have a new somewhat cheap skillet but it works great and makes for making big breakfasts much more quickly and easier.
     Now that all that is done, except the hourly vigil to check new votes coming in, I can now sit back and turn on the television and watch something enjoyable. The air is still really bad around here from the lack of rain and the inconvenient wind blowing it at us from the fires but that little problem is nothing compared to the loss of life and home too many others are experiencing. The dolt trump is in the state today to ostensibly look at our fire destruction and presumably give us advice on how to manage his and our responsibilities. Oh well, another day in the era of trump and the rotten republican agenda. Have a good day all and rejuvenate as needed.

I feel like we are in the eye of the storm (#3577)

     The calm I feel right now in our national politics has got me on edge. The lame duck period between now and when the new congress is sworn in is often a time when the party that has been relieved of power of tries to push through a last minute harm to the incoming party and its constituents. There doesn't seem to be an appetite for going after our health care for now and that is good but what about our social security? Also what about the funding for the disastrous idea of building a wall on our southern border? There are many areas in which the outgoing republican majority in the House can still cause our nation much harm with the help of trump and his boot licking Senate.
     This highlights once again the consequences of not voting. Because we will have to deal with whatever this outgoing Congress does to us and we are to blame for it. Now many of us fought against this 2016 Congress with all we had but in the end the non voters or the voters who could not distinguish between what was good for our nation and what wasn't changed the course for the rest of us. Since we are the ones who are being persecuted by this nefarious administration and its levers of governmental power we are also to blame for not doing enough to motivate and educate our disinterested electorate. But that is behind us now as we learned well our lesson about staying informed and determined to work hard to get our points across and our voters engaged.
     So whatever comes out of this last gasp by the defeated republicans, we will have a new era soon enough to mitigate what we can over the next 2 years until we can retake the White House and Senate. We have a mission to accept and it didn't end on November 6th. Hardly, it actually began on November 6th as a springboard to our next success on November 3rd, 2020. The same momentum we established to stand up to the trumps and his boot lickers will be needed in furthering our mission's continuation toward 2020. As an FYI it doesn't end there either and the next midterm in 2022 will require us to kick the last of the accomplice republicans out of office and then and only then can we stop to measure and adjust our manifest destiny to reorder our society to a vision that reflects the will of the people and not the will of criminal politicians and their secretive foreign and domestic power mongering wealthy donors.

Are the people of America finally taking charge? (#3576)

     It would seem that there is evidence of that. With nearly 50% of eligible voters voting in this midterm as one indicator since the last midterm the percentage was around 39%. The ousting of politicians who condescend while ignoring the will of the people has increased dramatically this election with still more races undecided that could add to the total of the cleaning of our House of Representatives. The nearly 400 new democratic office holders throughout the United States is another clue. Given this mounting evidence I would say that America has awakened from its slumber and is now growing in the engagement of the politics of our nation.
     For many it is a first time experience and as such is setting the framework of a lifetime of activism. There are so many problems in our society that other democratic societies have solved it is not surprising that many have had enough and want to do something positive for our lagging nation. As a catalyst we have the women's movement to claim their equal and rightful place in society with men. Then there are the teenage and young adult Americans who have had it with the republican love fest for weapons of mass destruction since their generation is bearing the casualties of it. We have our immigrant populations and people of different color who have had enough of racism and wealth inequality. Then we have our seniors who are constantly threatened with the taking or our retirement and necessary medical insurance programs.
     It is no wonder that the republican party is getting its backside kicked everywhere for their nefarious part in sabotaging our nations people for their own gain. I do not expect a diminishing of this momentum as the inertia of justice and fairness is awakening enthusiasm with most all our citizenry. A new manifest destiny for America is emerging and it is a thoughtful one. In which the principles of democracy and the logic of common sense and happiness are merging into a comprehensive vision for democrats that smothers the petty and pretentious republican party. We are only just beginning the purging of our politics of the decay of republicanism and the next step in that purging will occur on November 3rd 2020.

The prevailing democratic winds (#3575)

     The midterms were just a guage in the wind as to what direction the wind was blowing. Well we now know for sure that the wind is continuing to blow positively toward liberal/progressive policies. The saving of our democracy has begun and it is now a reality, not a hoped for outcome. We democrats control the House and with that we have the power to legislate and investigate while holding onto the purse strings of our nations wealth. There will be no more republicans shoving the theft of our society down out throats. We are now a force in government that is more than ready to put a check on the cruel and grifting republican agenda.
     As results continue to come in and give democrats more victories the blue wave that was hoped for has come to reality. Whether a wave or a wind the resistance to republican policies is evident and not only that the welcoming of democratic policies is being thrust forward to our great delight. The receding of the republican illusion of the illogical and indecipherable is apparent yet there is much work left to be done. Which is why our momentum from here on out must maintain it's inertia. There can be no let up in the dismantling of republican lies and other propaganda. The pressure must remain as we push forward with our democratic vision of a better far more egalitarian world.
     The 2020 election is now set in our sights and as we begin to put our candidates into place that will challenge the very legitimacy of trumps and his cabal of acolyte republicans, our determination and resolve must not wane. I know I took a deep breath after this midterm but there is no more time to waste when it comes to our ultimate prize, the end of the trump appointed presidency. With that end and the defeat of many more republicans in congress and state houses we the renewed democratic party will have ended the worst shame our nation has produced since the malignant idea of defending slavery and the civil war that crushed that despicable idea. Take a breath and then let us all put our shoulder to the wheel of justice and let the wind or wave help push us back to being a beacon to the world for democracy.

Defending my principles is like fighting a war, never surrender! (#3574)

     In some areas of ethics and morality I will never surrender to compromise. It is my life to live as me and who I am is more important to me than what others think. It is the way of this honorable man. Those who need validation from others will never know the brilliance of being true to oneself regardless of peer pressure or preserving an appearance for some family ritual clique. I have learned that those who would be me in some way through influence that is neither wanted nor asked for have an agenda outside anything to do with me being acceptable in some way. They want their power to be who they are while making me a subservient of it. No longer do I engage in the unnatural mind games of twisting logic into a preferred outcome.
     I have felt for some time now that like minded souls attract in ways that are natural and optimistic. I don't need the bonds of familial relationships to entwine my life at the sacrifice of my principles. They are archaic and irrelevant when contrasted with logic and just as importantly, knowledgeable common sense. My life is freer from the chaos and whirligig of drama which always seems to follow those who do not put their principles before their thoughts and actions. I have found a calming peace in my life by not being what others want me to be. I understand that my life has a time limit and anything I don't do that is who I am is time and space I will never get back.
     That is why I see defending my principles as a war. There are always those out there that want me to not be me and I won't stand, sit nor lay down for it. Once one has seen the light of day on what life should be like for each individual there is no going back to a darkness that doesn't allow for change or possibility. My bedrock is now as stable as it should be and the attacks from those who would change me are diminishing as time goes by. I have defended against the mighty first assaults and now it is only skirmishes that appear on my horizons. I have won the war that many have yet to even battle and that is why I write this. Never surrender being who you are no matter what any other person may think or say. We all have to make our stand and if it is in the light of honorable principle then you will find your position well worthy of triumph.

Stopping republicans from voter suppression (#3573)

     No matter what happens to the vote count and many tossup elections that haven't been called yet, we democrats have got to make sure that voter suppression is exposed and stopped. I know that republicans are not going to stop in their voter suppression attempts but we have to combat every step they take toward making their tactics successful. I am not sure how we can accomplish it but I know that wherever it is proposed or happening we have to combat it. The best way is to elect democrats to office in the coming elections but for now we have to take these nefarious attempts to the courts and fight like hell to unmask the intent of these voter suppression activities.
     I know that the republicans control the ideology on the Supreme Court but there may be some on the court who are not ready to throw out democracy just to preserve a seat that was unconstitutionally attained. It is a bit of a stretch to think that any of the right wing justices would actually side with fairness and justice when their party has at is core the winning at all costs philosophy. Yet every now and then a decency in some does emerge. I don't expect that but it may come to pass. That leaves us with the 2020 general election. It is going to be tough to win in that election because what majorities republicans have left gives them plenty of opportunities to suppress more votes going forward.
     There is no easy path to making sure every citizen who is eligible to vote will get that right granted when republicans are hell bent on denying voting rights. But every hard path that is out there must be traveled by us democrats if we expect to gain enough public offices to make real change to more open and inclusive voting opportunities. Let us make no mistake going forward. The republican strategy of maintaining power in any way possible will not stop until we can defeat them at the voting booth. The courts may help some but we cannot rely on them as the republican party has been stacking the federal courts as quickly as they can. If we democrats have to play by difficult  rules republicans impose on us then so be it in order to vote then we must do that as well for now until we can end their stranglehold on our democracy's neck.

I don't expect much from Florida but Arizona is looking good for democrats (#3572)

     The only reason I don't have any high expectation for Florida is because the republicans have an inside track for controlling the outcome. As to Arizona, the counting continues and the majority of votes are coming in for the democrat. There are too many instituitonal forces at at work in Florida to foster any real hope of a fair count toward the outcome. Much like in 2000 when a conservative supreme court cleared the way for a republican victory I see nothing here that would stop another finagling of these outcomes. There is hope for sure that the democrats will be given a fair shot at winning but only up until republicans fear they may lose and then the manipulation will set in.
     It is sad that I have come to expect this from the republican party but they have shown me no other side of them when the contests are close. They have to win at all costs instead accepting the true will of the people they are supposed to represent. It seems that in Arizona however, the republican party is less inclined to meddle in this election. Their have been prominent republicans who have come out against any attempt to stop the vote counting. Which should also be the case in Florida but what we are getting there is a united front from republicans claiming that democrats are cheating when in reality all democrats are doing is telling everyone that all votes should be counted. But that isn't what republicans want as we have seen in their continuing efforts to diesnfranchise historical democratic voters.
     I did not bring the Georgia controversy into this post because it is still evolving into its next phase. However, the Arizona and Florida races are being counted or recounted in real time right now. Much will be revealed over the next few days how the senate and governorship of Florida will turn out and in the coming week we should be done counting in Arizona, Wednesday is that time frame. But as I have learned about Florida, the expectation must remain low to keep from being overly upset by the new round of trickery republicans are planning to keep their power there through whatever non democratic means they can imagine. It is sickening and in some way I hope a karmic event happens to upset the devious plans republicans always, and I mean always resort to.

The mental breakdown of trump is coming (#3571)

     It is going to happen but the timing is the only thing in question. I expect it to happen a bit after the new congress is sworn in but it could happen before. He is such an egomaniac combined with being a childish bully that his tolreance level is lower than most people alive today. He will break in his mind and it won't be a pretty sight. Those who have been around him up until now have given us plenty of signs that trump is unstable and chaotic in his behavior. There will not be many good things on the horizon for trump so he will not get the adoring attention his narcissism craves. He will further crawl into his shell and when he does venture out it will be with bombast and pretention.
    The last of the people he knew coming into this election he surrounded himself with are leaving and he will have to trust new faces he doesn't know. Like I said, he will not be a happy camper nor a carefree soul. It would not even surprise me if he agrees to step down from the presidency because it isn't going to be fun for him anymore. He won't get his policies past the new democratic house without a boatload of compromises and watering down of his hateful agenda. I cannot see him kowtowing to democrats after he has lambasted us for 2 years. Contention would be a dream for him if that was all he faced in the future. But it isn't a dream, instead it will be a nightmare for him as the new House will tear apart his personal and professional life with a vigor that is only sated by exposing every rotten to the core act he has ever permitted or engaged in.
     If trump was smart, yet I know in my head and heart that he isn't, he would resign as quickly as possible. Yet what he is is cunning and devious so don't expect him to do anything that may tarnish or deny him of his bellicosity nor ability to profit off the backs of others. He will not go quietly into that good night as Dylan Thomas composed. Instead trump will lash out and deny with a ferocity any and all logic and common sense that dictates he take his leave from the center ring. Because like any really effective carnival barker he needs a stage to perform from and anything less than that would also dirvie him mad.

The political patients are not dead yet in Arizona, Florida and Georgia (#3570)

     It seems that we have some life left yet on capturing 2 senate seats and and 2 governships that were thought to be lost on election night. With mail in ballots bringing all these races within a mandatory recount paradigm, the other oddities as well as uneven voting inconsistencies on ballots and illlegitimately purged voters has brought new life to the idea that we democrats may not have lost these particular 4 seats. There are more out there that are being looked at like the senate race in Texas but for now these 4 are front and center in the now. No doubt in my mind that the Texas senate contest will find its way to our national attention in the following days. What brings this all about is the sheer volume of votes cast in this election.
     With nearly as many voters voting this time compared to the presidential election of 2016 the counting has been overwhelming for an election process that is not as efficient as it could be. Regardless though, votes were cast and need to be counted before any certification of our national election can become finalized. So for republicans now to be crying about the few extra days it is taking to count votes is reflective of their disdain for democratic processes. Naturally if it were to their benefit they would be heralding the protection of their right to have all votes counted but when it is against them they are screaming that democracy is being unfair to them.
     How anyone could vote for the republican party to begin with knowing their efforts to thwart democracy is disturbing. But to now actually defend the republican postion not to count all the votes is akin to being traitorous. Every citizen who cast a vote is obligated to have their vote counted. That is the duty of every sworn public official who took an oath to defend our constitution. Yet republicans do not see themselves as the defenders of our constitution, instead they see themselves as power mongers beholden only to their wealthy donors. It is past time to beat back the idea that public officials are greater than our constitution and make sure that no vote is left uncounted.

We can breathe now (#3569)

     At least we can take a beath of fresh air after holding our breath for what seems like 2 years. We democrats are now the majority party, yes, say it with me, the majority party in the House of Representatives. This is a wonderful accomplishment albeit not unexpected given the hatred republicans have embraced as their vision for our future. But having succeeded in getting the majority we democrats must now begin to use it wisely. One more thing on the election and our winning the House. I had expected that republicans would pull every dirty trick available to keep from losing the House but they were not competent enough to withstand our blue wave against them at the voting booth.
     Now republicans did succeed in thwarting our chances in the senate with a few underhanded and unethical ploys but we are now into a recount with some of their victories so only time will tell if we come out victorious in those races that are being challenged. We cannot get to a majority in the Senate but we didn't lose much in the process. But with the victory in the House we now have the congressional ability to revisit chages agianst the trump administration and now the repubpican leaders who collaborated with the trumps to stifle any objective investigation. The time is coming very soon when new majority democratic committees are going to go after the collusion and obstruction investigations into republican practices and coverups.
     We can breathe now a bit more freely in that we are not under the dominant rule of cruel and brutish republican manipulation. We the American working middle poor class did enough Tuesday and in early voting to put a stop to the ruinous polices coming out of this White House and followed through by the boot licking republicans in Congress. So many of those boot lickers in Congress and in states were ousted Tuesday evening with more to follow as the counting of votes in tight races continues. This was an important election for the sake of democrats clawing back 100's of state public offices just before the next census comes into play in 2020. That relevance is directly related to who gets represented and how it gets done.

The day after... (#3568)

     There were several outcomes that bothered me deep in my soul from last nights elections but there were also many good things that happened to assuage the potential gut punch once again from the American voting electorate. Overall I am disappointed in how the south eastern portion of our nation conitnues to live in an illusion. I cannot grasp the mindset they have in keeping the republican aprty in control of their lives when a better life exists for them simply by recognizing it. I cannot make people think for themselves as I have tried in many different ways and at many different times. It doesn't work and the worst part about it is that their intransigence in acqquiring knowledge outside their preconceived notions is obstructing the progress of the American dream for all of its citizens.
    Be that as it may however, the good that happened was outstanding. Many long time republican politicians have been thrown out of office and although repubicans held the Senate and then some, they lost many governorships and most importantly they lost the House. With that House loss they no longer have complete control of all the branches of government. The House is special in that it controls the purse strings of our nation so no spending can occur without democratic approval. As well the House can begin to legislate again in ways that will be far more bipartisan because that is what we democrats are all about. We want all to be part of the legislation proposed unlike when republicans just bypassed democrats in formulating their national policies.
     But on the social/political front a large contingent of women were elected to Congress as well as diverse individuals outside the dysfunctional paradigm of older wealthy white men. On a personal note here I have found that women are better leaders of our society because they are the ones who care more about life matters than men. It seems that men are noticeably more selfish and greedy than women are and therefore men should not be the majority of those who should be leading our national progress. The statehouses also did a makeover favoring the democratic party. It is at this grassroots level that the growth of our party will flourish and the still dead weight at the top of our national government will continue to feel the increasingly white hot heat of change on their backsides.

The day of the Democrat (#3567)

     The day has finally arrived and we are ready for it. Enough of the trumps and their boot licking servants in the republican party. Enough with the followers of trump who would rather hail nazi's than be patriots of democracy. Enough of the wealthy who care not a whit about the planet we live on or the souls who are ruined by their greedy actions. Enough! Today we democrats will serve notice through our votes that trumps and republicans are the illness and we are the cure. There will be nothing like the resolute determination that started about 2 years ago with the installation of a person for president and republican party that has no care for all of it's citizens. We democrats will vote in droves and shock the prognosticators who cannot measure nor understand the depth of our unsettledness.
     By the end of this evening most of Americans and the free world will heave a sigh of relief that sanity and goodness have returned to the shores of America. We had to do it ourselves as we are the ones who control whether we vote or not. At least for this moment because if the republican party were given more time in elected office they would surely deprive more of us than they have already of our franchise to vote. This really is a "no duh" moment in that it should be obvious and easy to understand why democrats need to be put in charge but as we all know sometimes the obvious and  easy become chaotic and unfathomable.
     But that won't happen here as since the first women's march back when trump was appointed to the presidency we democrats, independents and like minded republican voters have not lost our focus on the bigger picture. Try as the trumps and republicans did to change our narrative they only succeeded in making it more clear. Their ending begins today and will follow through into 2020. Much like when Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was attacked in an unprovoked way, the slumbering America electorate has been poked and we are awake, ready and growling for the only rememdy at hand, our vote!

1 day and a wake up (#3566)

     We are on the eve day of finally voting to end the trump majority in the House and Senate. I am optimistic that it will be so because the methodology used by pollsters is formulated on normal midterm, low voter turnout. Well as we are seeing there is no normal low voter midterm turnout this time. Even with their methodology underestimating our chances as democrats we are still right there with a shot at winning both chambers of Congress. So my best guess is that we will overperform where pollsters give us little hope. Which is fine by me because If I have gauged the mood of our nation correctly from trumps installment to now the mood I have felt is one of a steely eyed determination and outright disgust for all things republican.
     I have had several of my friends tell me that we need the republicans to survive as a party so that our democratic party has a counterbalance to it's vision. Well I say that we already have the green party for that because we democrats are far more moderate in many things already and what we need is a push from the left, not the right. So the death of the republican party is natural because they have nothing to offer our nation except the lowest form of humanity. We are all above that and therefore will be better off without a republican party around to drag us down. The sooner we put the republican party out of it's misery the better off all Americans will be.
     So beginning in 1 day and a wake up we can begin the dismantling of the republican party and rebuild our democratic one to a level not seen since the second world war. It is time to reclaim the progress of the New Deal under Franklin Roosevelt and the Great Society under Lyndon Johnson. We need to build on their foundations and establish a formidable defense against any and all republican type politicians who only have eyes to destroy democratic progress and return us to a prejudicial survival of the fittest mode. In less than 48 hours we will know the outcome of the last 2 years of angst that republicans have inflicted on us. Except this time it will be us judging them with a fierce rebuke and a mighty stroke to crack and eventually break the republican party for good.

2 days until we can breathe again (#3565)

     I saw that Jane Fonda made the comment that it is hard to breathe in trump's America. Well that is about to end for her and 100's of millions of the rest of us. We won't have hundreds of millions voting but the result of the votes of us who do will help them as well. Even those who vote for trump's candidates and agenda will find that their lives will get better regardless if they immediately recognize or admit it, or not. A calm peacefulness is about to descend on us in the next few days and it will be exhilarating for me and surely everyone else who has had to fight like our lives are on the line for this moment to come about. In 2 days we will begin to see the horizon again with a new and fresh outlook.
     As for trump and his cabal of crooks and liars it will be a different perspective than the one they have enjoyed over the last few years. I mentioned the other day that I expect to see an election not unlike the one Canada enjoyed in 2015 when liberals swept to power everywhere on Canadian soil. We will see something like that when the first returns begin to come in from the East coast. An onslaught of democratic voters are turning out and not to be underestimated are the disgusted republican voters who are voting democrat and the vast majority of independent voters who are aligning themselves with the democratic party. This is because of what trumps and his boot licking republicans in Congress have brutishly done to us and our democracy.

     We may have our full share of disturbed individuals in our nation who are hell bent on destroying goodness and fairness but they are vastly outnumbered by real patriots of democracy. This time the election of our democratic candidates is priority number one like no other midterm election in at least 50 years. Because the threat to our democracy is real and our electorate is awake, aware and prepared to vote. In 2 days the culmination of 654 days under trump so far have led us to this moment. An anticipated record turnout for democratic candidates culminating in a victory so badly needed for democracy after the debacle of 2016. In 2 days our hearts will be singing a new tune and they won't have any of the melancholy strains of the past 2 years within.

3 more days... (#3564)

     In about 72 hours and counting we will begin the final day of voting. If what has happened leading up to November 6th continues it will be the largest turnout in over 50 years for a midterm election. It won't be because trump has a lot of supporters, in fact, it will be because he is opposed by so many. His intentional ill treatment of the working middle poor class is but one area he has alienated himself from approval. His disdain and punishing policies aimed at women and immigrants is another area he has turned a somewhat disorganized grouping into a powerful force against him. The only good that has come from trump is his unintentional ability to galvanize so many in such a short time to rebuke him.
     So with the fact that voter registrations were up this cycle and young voters are being heard in amazing numbers is exceptional given our recent past. That women and hispanics are voting democratic with historic percentages is also something new to our generation of voters. What trump has essentially done is create such a negative force to himself and his republican lackeys that the democratic progressive and moderate policies that had previously fallen on deaf ears are getting revitalized in ways that are astounding. Not only is health care the number one issue among all voters but saving our social security is right there with it.
     The right wing hatred in America is not playing so well with the majority of Americans yet that is the peg that republicans have hung their hats on. Playing on nationalism like with the nazi's is not something we admire nor accept. In fact many more of us are still outraged that republicans would have sided with a philosophy that just killed 10's of millions of freedom loving souls during World War II. That republicans are in collusion with Russia and other dictatorships around the world doesn't reflect the American spirit of democracy nor fairness and justice. The republican party is headed for defeat at the polls come 3 days and nothing they do from here on out will ever change that.

4 days until we know (#3563)

     The countdown from when trump was installed is finally winding down. I have voted as have 10's of millions of other voters who either agree with trump that he is the man for our times or whom agree that trump is a disgrace and the reflection of what the worst of humanity can be. Likely those two narratives will play out against each other and the verdict will be in on the evening of November 6th. Given the wholesale attacks on the women of our nation, immigrants and the majority of the working middle poor class, I am reasonably confident that it is the latter that will carry the day. From the first day of his appointment to the presidency, protests and marches not only here in America but around the world have exemplified that trump and his acolytes are not what we are as a nation.
     Certainly there are those who resemble trump and the cruel and brutish outlook of the republican party but they are not the majority of Americans. Whether through hook or crook, republicans were able to attain a dominant political power these last two years and with that power have exposed the world to their agenda of survival of the fittest with caveats of advantages and privileges for the wealthy. It is not in dispute that the working middle poor class has borne the brunt of the policies that republicans have administered these last two years and in 4 days we the people will decide if we have had enough. I have no doubt, despite my confidence being shattered in 2016, that the one time unexpected ascendency of trump is but an aberration, not a trend.
     We, the many, were caught out unawares to the duplicity of the republican party and it's ulterior motives hidden behind treasonous moves. But that will not happen again and if anything our judgement this coming election will reflect that. The die has been cast by the republican party and snake eyes is it's outcome. They tried to bully us and make us beholden to them but they failed miserably at understanding that we Americans are not servile, we are proud and courageous. The effectual focus of our pride and courage will be the voting booth and this time there will be no doubt as to whom will succeed and whom will fail. 4+ days until the counting and in 96 hours the last day for voting will commence. Happy we are the working middle poor class that our time has come again and we will not fail it.

5 days to go! (#3562)

     October has come and gone without a republican surprise calculated to throw the election away from the American people. But what republicans aren't getting through with some strategically timed event they are trying to make up for by lying about most everything that doesn't make them look like the monsters they are and instead claiming the monsters are really democrats. I know this strategy won't work because it is only red meat for their own voters. Their voters will vote for them no matter what so it is really much ado about nothing. Most all the rest of us vast majority of Americans against republicans can see through it because we have actually been punished by them. Telling us that others are responsible for our torture is ridiculous when we all saw republicans torturing us.
     The republican party is also spending enormous amounts of wealthy people's money to try to offset as many of the losses they know they will have in congressional and state house races. It will work to some degree because there are too many of us who do not fact check ads on television or radio like we should. But still, the vast majority of us do and not only that it is easier to spot false advertisements because again, we are living through the truth of our pain caused by republicans right now. Always a good rule of thumb many of us employ is to find out who paid for the advertising? Also, when it comes to propositions, measures and initiatives, we check to see which political party is proposing it. Life is real simple and far more correct when we stand by our political party and subscribe to their messaging and not the special interests and wealthy donor class.
     Politics is really not that hard to figure out once you understand the nature of our democracy. Our form of government is conceived on the premise that equality, fairness and justice are not to be diminished in any form that violates the integrity of any of them. Which political party comes closest to that ideal? We, and that means all of us, are not perfect but those of us who strive to be perfect are the best choice to lead our nation into the present and future. There is only one major party left in the American political system that is representing all of Americans and it is the Democratic party. So in the next 5 days don't forget who is trying like hell to destroy our democratic ideals and who is trying to secure democracy for all and vote for every democrat on your ballot and any and all reasonable propositions, measures and initiatives from the democratic party as well.

6 days until the crying trump (#3561)

     Just like a baby, trump will be whining his little head off. He will blame anyone else but himself because that is what spoiled children do. Intellectually and emotionally he never grew up and despite the great advantage he started out in life with never took the initiative to mature and gain objective comprehensive knowledge. He is a simpleton by far, not an idiot like he often shows. Of course just ask him and he will tell you how large his brain is and the many genius thoughts he often has. Yet I judge the character of a person by his deeds and somewhat less by his words. On both counts trump has shown that his words are a lie while his actions speak volumes about what a cad he is.
     The crying has already begun with trump in that he has said that if the republicans lose the midterms it is no fault of his but if they carry the day it is all because of him. Childish to the very end I am sure trump will be. He is old enough now that for him to change into a decent human being is nearly impossible. Which is why we need to never relent in our pursuit to negate his personal and public vendetta against the working middle poor class in what time he has left in office. Shortly we are going to see the combined efforts of the backbone of America rise up and confront the trumps with a resolute momentum unseen in modern day American politics. He has unleashed our vigor and hubris in ways that can only come about through being shocked to our core.
     So his crying that has already begun will soon be that which is similar to the blue tsunami wave that is about to descend on his short lived era. That he has already caused damage is undeniable yet to put and end to further damage is now our constant prerogative. We must all get out and vote much like we are doing now in the early voting stage of our national election. What else must be done is to vote for every democrat on the ballot, giving republicans nothing as a reward for their tearing at the rich vibrant fiber of our national heritage. We are done with trumps as a national and world disgrace and having a real Congress of the people in charge is now the first step toward preserving our precious democracy.

7 days to go until we have a new congress (#3560)

     The time for a major change in the momentum of this coming election has passed. The steady march we democrats have made since November 8th, 2016 is finally going to end for a moment when we elect democrats as the majority in both the house and senate. Yes, the senate as well. The under polled surge in new voters, independent voters and frustrated republican voters for democrats will carry the day. I now expect a night similar to the one Canada experienced in 2015 where liberals at all levels of government swept to power. What cannot be lost in all this is the 100's of state house offices that will become democratic. I expect about 600 will go from being republican to democratic. The conventional model is for about 450 but I sense a larger turnout than the conventional model predicts.
     But it is just me here in my chair after these long weeks of frustration finally seeing the fruits of our labors against the trumps and their republican acolytes. I may be doing some wishful thinking here but our momentum if anything seems to be growing and with just 7 days left for the voting to come to a tally, there is very little that republicans can do to assuage it. If anything, knowing trumps he will actually exacerbate republican chances down the final stretch. he will take his carnival barking road show to Pittsburgh today to try to bask in some perverted glory while Jewish parishioners of the devastated synagogue mourn their murdered by a follower of trump principles. The irony is lost on trump and as his ignorance continues to deflate our nation while more anger to vote against him and his ilk grows.
     I am an optimist and so when the outcome of the 2016 general election became clear I hadn't felt such a gut punch since decades ago when I lost the heart of a woman I was dearly in love with. So being wrong is nothing new to me but this time there was no overconfidence nor superficial expectation. Nor has there been with many like minded souls like me who felt that sickening feeling from trumps being installed. But with grit and anger fueling our motivations the many of us fought back with the little leverage we had and forced the trumps to either align with us or feel the wrath of our vote this coming November 6th. Well in one week we will know but if anyone chooses to ask me here is what I say, get out and vote and then let the final day come and watch as our blue wave descends just where it should, on the heads of the republican party.

8 days left to defeat the republicans (#3559)

     This week is huge for our early voters to get out and vote. Waiting until election day November 6th to vote is unnecessary and could become problematic. Any numerous things in life could stop us from our plans as we all know. So procrastinating is not to be borne when this election is so critical to the life of our democracy. I know I will be upset if we don't have 100% of our registered democratic vote cast for all of our democratic politicians. I know that is unrealistic but that is just how I am. Nothing less than everything all of us can do to vote for every democrat running is just unacceptable to me. I am a hard task master on this issue but I know just how devious and manipulative republicans can be when they control the opportunity for us to vote and the counting of the votes.
     We must get our votes in early so that there is time to rectify any shady acts by republican traitors to democracy. Yes, anyone who would manipulate the votes of our citizenry to their advantage is a traitor. Even those who accept foreign help to lie, cheat and steal our votes is a traitor and must face the extreme justice reserved for just such betrayal. So vote now and make no more excuses for not doing so. There are many opportunities to vote and if we must give up some desire to make it happen, even our work for the day, we must sacrifice whatever it takes because in the long run the loss of one days wages will pale in comparison to what we will lose if republicans maintain control of our government.
     What lesson we should all have learned from the 2016 general election is that there can be no complacency when it comes to casting our ballots. The urgency to do so is obvious and clear. We must justify our honorable principles for democracy and the only way that can be done is through our vote. Remember, republicans are all about deny us the vote and each election cycle they are able to disenfranchise our electorate with laws that beneath the surface lie about the true intent of their purpose. We should be guaranteeing the rights of our electorate, not diminishing them. But as we all should have found out by now, republicans don't think of all of us as Americans, only themselves who reflect the light in a white caricature sort of way.

Vote in the next 9 days; also compassion and curiosity are my natures (#3558)

     There is nothing more real to me than my nature, both my compassion and my curiosity dominate my thoughts and actions. There is little room for anything else. I am not infallible so there are times when I divert from my natures and catch myself being less than I am but I can honestly say that it is because I am unsettled by current events that shock my sensibilities to the core. When calm and peace are my environment then there is nothing beyond my care and wonder. I am pretty much a selfless man who is happy enough just to be alive and somewhat healthy. It is all I need in life to make life worthwhile to me as a foundation.
     I have heard people say that they are unsettled in their lives or that they are trying to find themselves. I know both of those because they are to me my insatiable thirst for knowledge. I am unsettled because I can't learn or am barred from learning what my curiosity demands of me. I also know that my unsettled state will always be that because I will never be able to satisfy the what, how and why questions of life. What I have found about myself also is that I can be settled geographically and content in many other ways. I don't need to be the whirligig that I used to think I had to be. But I know that settling for less than everything I can know or learn will never happen. My curious nature must always be fed along with my compassion otherwise I am not me any longer.
     Why do I keep trying to tell you who I am and what my natures are? It is because they define me. In that defining is where my vision for life begins. I wonder, so I must learn, and I care so I try to make life easier for all who need it. Life for me is all that simple. I am aware of the many great wonders of this world and want to now know the great wonders out beyond this world. My curiosity demands it. My manifest destiny if you will. I know that my mortal life is finite but I ignore that fact and still try to pull all I can into my sphere of comprehension. I am a relentless soul trying to be who he is. The best way for all of us to be the best of who we are is to make our society reflect that so vote democratic in 9 days and make it so.

10 days to ending the republican unimpeded rule (#3557)

     Now the latest anti-October surprise from republicans is that one of their ardent followers is not being labeled a terrorist even though he broke many laws trying to kill democratic leaders. It is only obvious that this trump worshipper is a domestic terrorist but the republican majority rule in our government is protecting trump and itself by not acknowledging the fact. I know they are protecting themselves so close to an election but the facts are what they are and no amount of denying the facts is going to change them into non facts. Although it seems republicans are ignorantly willing to try!
     What republicans are not figuring into their calculations are all the independent voters that were out there for the convincing to their side but are now just as disgusted with republicans for trying to tell us all that up is down. So deny that this disgusting human being tried to kill at least 10 democratic political leaders/advocates and try to sweep this all under the rug. I know that I quit long ago arguing against republicans trying to use what logic and common sense as a rule I could muster but now I don't even need to talk as republicans are proving themselves to be liars and cheats right out into the open. My sense of things is that not even 100's of millions of dollars in spending from here on out will help them clean up and wash away their own poopy drawers.
     That is why I am so confident, despite the 2016 debacle, that we democrats are going to wipe the floor with republican politicians this time. They crept up on us last time keeping their agenda mostly hidden but now they are out in the open for all to have assessed their guilt at trying to ramrod their punishments to the working middle poor class down our throats. Well we democrats have our boots on now and are itching for the battle we know we must fight in order to save our democracy and our own dignity. Voting everywhere has begun and as the millions of votes come in to tally we will keep being relentless at every opportunity to build our totals to the level yet seen ever for a midterm election. It will take all of us so get your vote cast no matter what it takes because that is how battles are won.

11 days now (#3556)

     I am nearly at the end of ending the double digit countdown toward the final count of our votes to see just how much our blue wave will sweep republicans out of office in it's undertow. One thing we have seen is that the republican voters are not going quietly into the goodnight. They are coming out and early voting both in person and by mail in balloting. However, that is all they have as an October surprise to try to thwart our vote from coming out. They think that by trying to show they are actually a red wave they will dishearten us. Well let me tell you that their early onslaught at the ballot box is going to wane and what will be left is very few of them actually left to vote on November 6th.
     Meanwhile our democratic and friendly independent voters are steadily keeping pace with in person early voting and mail in voting and the pace we are setting will not wane as we have many more voters than republicans do. Why I know this is because many new voters are casting ballots all over the country for democrats along with our steady likely voters from past elections. Which means we have many more voters who have not voted yet who are reliable voters who will vote before November 6th or on that date. Voting early has been not been easy in many states for the working middle poor class so as the early polling stations begin to expand their hours our numbers will increase measurably.
     So in 11 days from now there will be enough inferential data available to show that more democrats have or will vote than this early rush of republicans to the polls might otherwise indicate. I keep saying this from the bottom of my heart and from the deepest part of my mind, we must not pull our foot from the gas pedal of determination when it comes to speeding along toward casting our votes. Regardless of our assumptions and feelings, all of us have to vote like we are trying to save the very air we are breathing. Nothing is more important in life right now than to stop the criminal insanity of the trumps and their despicable republican accomplices.

12 days is all we have to wait (#3555)

     Despite threats, bombs and physical intimidation, we democrats and independents will vote this election season with a vigor and anger unmatched in the history of our great nation. I say great because comprehensively we are great, despite the current republican lessening of our democracy. In 12 days we can change that. The ebbs and flows of our democracy should not be something we have to regulate like we are now. This is an attack on our democracy unlike anything our nation has ever seen. We have been attacked militarily by other nations but never have we been attacked from within. That there are those in power in our government working to undermine the rule of law and democratic principles is savage and psychotic.
     There will be a reckoning and that reckoning can only happen if all of us vote. The pressure from all this anger trumps has initiated within us is about to find it's release and it couldn't have come much later. We are all weary and exhausted from the daily rambling horribleness from the appointed one, not majority voted elected one. We have our voters registered and ready to vote and now is the time to get those ballots filled out and turned in. The republican party has only a limited supply of voters and although they are voting in bunches early they will peter out soon enough as they just can't keep up with our enormous big tent voting populace.
     When all the mostly older white male and females have finished voting the only ones left to vote republican are some younger deranged ones who find racism and misogyny more attractive than tolerance and diversity. Those stragglers won't add too much to the limited republican total so they will hit their ceiling well before our floor passes them going up to new heights. The republican party cannot escape their judgement. They played out their hand in hopes that they would convince all of us that they are the new master race party. But most of us are not interested in treating people like dirty animals instead we are interested in treating people with respect and dignity. You know, like how most all the rest of us would like to be treated.

13 days to stop republicans from suppressing our vote (#3554)

     The fact that republicans are suppressing minority voters who generally vote for democrats is undeniable at this point. They have been doing it for years with some clever messaging about practically non existent voter fraud plus using the guise of cutting back early voting hours to save money. But as we have seen, they never inhibit the wealthier areas of our nation, for one because they usually vote republican and secondly they are domestically stable and therefore can use the mail in absentee balloting that keeps them from ever having to go to a polling station. That the poorer among generally vote democratic and we have a more transient electorate the removal of polling stations is critical because fewer of us can vote by mail.
     But by far the biggest racket republicans have going on is their voter purging strategy and their exact match mail in voting restrictions. Given that an infinitesimal amount of voter fraud actually occurs is no reason to disenfranchise potentially millions of legal voters as a cure. Unless of course your purpose is not to combat the unlikely event of a few voter fraud attempts but to stop your opponent from voting against you. Occam's razor would suggest that the latter is the reason. For so many years now that this has been going on it is without question anymore the true intent of the republican party is to win without the consent of the majority. Power and wealth drive republican politics so it isn't a stretch to think they would want to keep power and wealth at all costs.
     So the only way we have to stop the republican party of further damage to our voting systems is to oust them in 13 days. I thought for sure that the 2016 election was our most crucial given the vast differences in the two major party candidates and the implications for the supreme court for decades, yet I have been surprised to find out that this coming election is now even more critical in that if we don't stop the complete control of power by the republicans they will then act like they have a mandate for their democracy crushing policies and even our right to vote will no longer be a right when they are through. The republican party wants to be the only political party in America and they will not stop trying to make it so despite any illegality they have to perpetrate.

14 days is all we have to vote (#3553)

     From the women's march back in January 2017 to now we who have been gut punched by the trump appointed presidency have had to heal and then work our tails off to raise awareness of the hideous nature of the trumps and his acolytes. Well 2 weeks from now we will see how well we did to make sure we were prepared to end the complete domination of our government by the trumps. We have already started voting and although our enthusiasm has been record breaking republicans have not been just sitting back letting it happen. They are starting to come out in force to try to offset our onslaught. We outnumber them however along with many independent voters so despite their last minute attempts to combat their comeuppance we will drown them in their punishment.
     We have seen what a trump leadership looks like and it something that is beyond our worst expectations so the impetus to change that is at least on the surface, recognizable. But we have seen with our electorate, more is needed to motivate them even when it is obvious that life is and will get much worse. So we marched and talked and posted information for all to see that the importance of voting is never to be underestimated because that is how we got trump and his despicable enablers to begin with. For nearly 2 years we have been feeling the disappointment day in day and out from what our lack of duty to our vote has cost us. In 14 days no more!
     But our chance to rectify our poor judgement in not voting to secure the Clinton presidency is about to get a reprieve. We cannot replace trump with Clinton but we can ensure that no legislation of a demoralizing democracy killing nature ever leaves the White House with trumps signature on it. We will have taken from him his get out of jail free card and begin to make him pay for his numerous crimes. The end is near my friends for trumps and many republicans who enabled him who are up for reelection will soon find that they no longer have a job in the public trust. Because we the people are their masters whether they accept that logic or not. 14 more days and then we the people will begin to construct the ending of trump himself in the 2020 election.

15 days until the voting (#3552)

     Another October surprise is showing itself. The trumps are lying at every turn trying to woo and frighten democratic voters to their illusion. The latest ones are a tax cut and the threat that he won't recognize a democratic overtaking of any part or all of Congress. The carrot and the stick simultaneously. First the carrot. He says he is going to propose a middle class tax cut before the election. Well, that is just like I promise to do something if you vote for me first. Let us break that down. He says he will propose a tax cut for the working middle poor class, yet Congress won't be back in session until November 15th, well after the midterm election. So instead of offering us a real carrot he is only promising to give us a carrot after we give him what he wants first. Since he has shown himself to be a liar thousands of times over we won't be falling for his latest lies either.
     Now let's look at his claim that he will call bullshit on our votes if they don't go his way. His threat is that if democrats win any majority in congress he will deny it and obstruct it's validity. Well I expected him to do that anyway so his threat is a bit hollow because he hasn't the power to control the other branches of government nor our votes when they are tabulated against him. He is not a dictator like his few most trusted foreign allies so he can't undo our votes against him. Secondly, he puts himself in danger of being ousted through the 25th Amendment by his own cabinet if he persists in the manner of a spoiled child who throws a tantrum that cannot be stopped.
     What most all of us have learned over the last especially 2 years is that trump is a windbag and only threatens like a bully. It sometimes works for him so he keeps it as his go to move. Well the rest of us have more than enough character to stand up to him and this time is nothing new. He will try even more strategies to either entice us to him or threaten us away from voting against him. Either way though we see right through him and as the days continue to countdown his rhetorical nonsense will only get more unbelievably blusterous. Each day we early vote the less his inane and childish threats are heard by anyone who has at least half a brain.

16 days until we start getting justice (#3551)

     The time is getting closer now with only 16 days left to vote in this midterm election. It seems that the republican October surprise is to buy up massive amounts of advertising on all the media outlets and lie their asses off about the horrible things they are doing and the horrible things they will do after the elections. I have already countered that strategy by not watching or listening to media that advertises their corrupt practices. I have also already voted so no matter what they do from here on out I am immune to it as it relates to trying to sway my vote. Which is why I keep encouraging all our voters to get out and vote as soon as the possibility presents itself regardless if it is convenient or not.
     It still amazes me that there are people out there who are not only gullible to the two faced republican messaging but that they cannot yet see or understand that the republican party is unscrupulous in its continued attempts to stoop to the lowest of lows to lie and cheat their way to power. Life teaches us common sense in a variety of ways but we have to want to apply it to our lives. How it is that so many don't is troubling and the real genesis of republican manipulation. Our educational systems are broken and republicans are the root of that by starving our public systems of funds and enlarging private institutions so that they have greater control in creating the narrative for the information being taught.
     So in 16 days we will know if the great awakening of democrats to get involved in our political process after the 2016 national election is successful. The republicans now know that they are behind in many races and will undoubtedly spend 100's of millions of dollars everywhere to convince us that we are the problem not them. Well, they have had the political power over the last 2 years to do what they wanted and now they must be held to account for their condescension and cruelty. The voting has begun and tomorrow it will start in many many more areas so do not wait to vote. Do not give the republicans the opportunity to confuse and misdirect us from our mission to make them pay for their acts of already punishing us for their sickening pleasure.

17 days left to survive (#3550)

     No one knows how much can happen in the next 17 days but I suspect that if republicans had a smoking gun surprise they would have already brought it forth. My reasoning is simple, because the voting has already begun and millions of ballots have been cast and every day many more millions are following. The republican party cannot feel good about it's current position so it would seem that their dirty tricks extend only to voting purges and poll closings as their strategy for winning. They certainly don't have a political or social message that is attractive or imaginative to win over the vast majority of us in the working middle poor class.
     I have been through enough of these elections to know that the republican party is never to be underestimated in their attempt to hijack this election over these last 17 days before the final counting begins. I still expect something even if it becomes nothing from them. They have already tried mightily by allowing outside interference into our voting tabulations and have denied our national government the resources to protect the integrity of our vote counting systems. Yet the states have mostly done some good work here in securing our elections given the nefarious acts committed 2 years ago by trump friendly russian hackers.
     So I encourage everyone to vote now and do not procrastinate because what could happen is still possible and we must make sure that all our votes are recorded for counting. Early vote at any opportunity regardless of the inconvenience. Nothing is more important in the existence of our humanity than the upcoming election. The republican party will negatively change the course of our history if they are validated at the voting booth in 17 days. So let's make sure that we can back away from the crumbling brink they have pushed us toward and vote democratic so we can get back on a solid pathway of normalcy and progress. Nothing is more important in life than right now voting to solidify our democracy away from the carpetbagging republicans and their authoritarian desired rule.

18 days until the blue wave comes crashing down on republican heads! (#3549)

     The only October surprise that appears now is that trump has allowed a murder in order to bankroll his family. I can not come to any other conclusion. So if we were all sitting back waiting for trump to do something otherworldly, which murder is to me, to offset our blue wave then he has failed miserably at it. In fact he has put the whole of the republican party between a bad rock and a bad place. So no October surprise from the republican party which excels at lying, cheating and stealing. Just as well since republicans have been doing that for decades and especially over the last almost 2 years.
     I find comfort in our democratic position coming into this election in that for mostly 2 years now the momentum of our party has overwhelmed any and all attempts by republicans to inhibit it. Instead republicans have been about their egregious agenda and too self important condescensions to notice that our democratic wave has been doing little else but growing and becoming more forceful. The republican party is trying to find solace in that the current polling has them competitive due to traditional polling methodologies, yet that is an illusion. What the current polling models don't include in their methodologies is the tidal wave of new democratic voters who are determined to vote unlike anything political predictors have ever seen.
     18 more days and the worst of our living nightmares will begin to reshape into a more sunny outlook. A democratic house is quickly becoming a foregone conclusion while the senate is still very much in play. With the new voters contributing to our totals that the prognosticators are not including, the likely outcome in the senate will be a democratic controlled one as well. The only questionable divergence of my assessment for the senate is if the new voters don't perform like I expect they will given the turnouts from the last many recent special elections. The deaths of so many school kids and the anger that has percolated up against republicans ignoring their demands for gun legislation of a meaningful nature, makes me believe that their agenda to vote is nothing less than a priority.

19 days until the first reckoning (#3548)

     What this current appointed president is doing to America is dastardly. He is not an honorable man, he is a conman who has little to no compassion for other human beings. Every day some connection to some nefarious act or behaviors emanates from his existence. He treats others with a disdain and condescension unrivaled in our American politics. He has the lackeys in charge of congress to help him along with his rotten core vision. I am utterly stunned and angered at his continued assault on our constitution and our rules of law yet he has no care in the world as he breaks these legally binding restrictions like he is flicking a flea of his smoldering personal stink.
     The voting has already begun and it is going like gangbusters all over the country. More and more states are starting their early voting processes and the indications from what has already been going on since the very first special election way back in 2016 is that we democrats are making ourselves known like we should have in 2016. The greatest mistake of our lives was the disinterest we democrats had in voting 2 years ago. But we can and will rectify that mistake beginning a few days ago when the early voting got under way. Given that we all know that republicans have long been after making voting hard and near impossible for those who are not them, our political party has been eager to vote as soon as the opportunity becomes available, so I have no doubt that most of the early votes are going to democratic candidates.
     Because we know if we wait until November 6th to vote any number of strategic republican obstacles will come up to keep us from the voting booth. So voting early is our safeguard to ensure that our votes count. The idea of a blue wave in this election is more than an idea to me it is happening as I write this post. We the heart of America are done with the conmen of the republican party and their never ending lust for power and wealth. Our nation is more than the greedy bastards who are now trying to force their con on us and the world. In 19 days the beginning of the end for trumps and his stench in congress will commence and because of that my real fear that the trumps and his acolytes would kill us all is getting less certain.

The republican party, making the world hate us! (#3547)

     The cruel, brutish and selfish republican party has one goal in their vision. To conquer the world and subjugate America while they are at it. That is all there is to it. Look at everything they are doing and try and tell me I am wrong! Go ahead, try! You can't defend them for their obvious actions unless your are devoid of logic and common sense. So what to do about them? Well we have an election concluding in 20 days and the best way to stop the self destruction of America by republicans is to vote them out of public office everywhere they are running for public office. The ballot each of us has a chance to fill out and hand in is our way to end this idiotic and ultimately dangerous political reality.
     The republican party has shown us that they will go to any length to keep their strategy of world and American domination alive so expect that they will continue to lie, cheat and steal right up until the votes have been formally counted. They are not above manipulating our ballots in a way that their candidates come out on top regardless of the votes against them. Nothing is beyond their lack of principles when it comes to the outcome they want. So we must not give them any wiggle room for deception. We must come out in force and vote so heavily against them that there will not be enough room for them to manipulate the final count. Our democratic blue wave must be tsunami like if we are to finally end their control of our government and our lives.
     The world at large has seen the effects of the appointed president and his cowering republican party on our home front but they have also seen and felt the effects of the trumps antagonism toward themselves, our allies included. The obvious collusion the trumps have with putin and his russian gang is further proof that the trumps are not patriots of American democracy. The trumps are the tip of the spear in the republican onslaught of our true American destiny and they must be removed before they can further damage what is left our national identity of the melting pot of the world. Our American heritage has been based upon our care and curiosity for all things living and breathing but until we vote the republicans out we will not be able to recapture the rightful manifest destiny of our era.

Getting old sucks but working around the house at least gives me some satisfaction despite the physical price I pay (#3546)

     I feel so tired so much of the time now that I am getting near my sell by date. At least some of the time I feel alive and full of vigor but those times are less than the times I can't wait to take a nap. I get a lot of grief from those who are a generation older than me who are still running around like spring chickens but there are not a lot of them that are so fortunate. People like me who labored hard through life and piled up the injuries, aches and pains that go with hard labor are not so fortunate. That is the problem with living life fast and hard, it does tend to come crashing down hard on those of us who survive the wild and chaotic trip.
     I am not complaining mind you as many of my contemporaries did not survive their hard and fast lives. And truth be told despite the chronic nagging aches and pains I still enjoy being alive and participating in my own life. It is just that the aches and pains seem to be growing exponentially in their annoyance to me. I have cut back on my hurried lifestyle to just plodding along but even my plodding is fast and furious at times. So despite my advancing caution I still get myself into situations where I push too hard physically and then pay the price with the consequences. My trouble is I have much to do around this old house and not a lot of time and money to do what I would like to do so laboring is about the only thing I can afford without penalty except for the physical price I pay.
     This home of mine may not be as modern as I would like but at least it is mostly clear and clean. Elbow grease I have and selectively some upgrades can be made with smart budgeting. Nevertheless I do appreciate what I have and those who went out of their way to help me achieve it so complaining like I am doing here is a bit childish. I hope to be able to employ a more efficient strategy for my labor and the physical cost that labor demands of me as I still have enough hubris left in me to fight against the tide of older age and diminishing physical abilities. Despite the getting old sucks part I am fortunate to have some moments of triumph to comfort my weary soul.

The hate under our skin (#3545)

     It doesn't matter what I say to some people, they say to me they understand but they don't. They won't let go of the hate they have within them. It eats at who they are but they don't seem to care. They put on their easy nice faces and pretend that they are good people but they just can't pull it off. Something always shows their dis-ease when they try to take credit for doing something good. I don't know why they choose to hate without confronting what it is doing to them. There is nothing I can do anymore with some of them because they have built a wall between us that they will not let crumble.
     So what to do when it is unavoidable and constant? I ignore them as best I can without causing a war with them but they get nothing of good consequence from me. Anything they get from me is shallow and hurried. I just have no more time to try to show them that hating is a rot and will cause their lives more misery than satisfaction. I am talking about racism. Hating because it is convenient to their narrative they have built over time. They are unwilling to backtrack and admit that they were wrong. So their choice to deny truths and facts have left me with my choice, to deny them any part of me that is right and good. It is unfortunate that it is what it is for now.
     I myself could have taken their path and been a hater. In some demented way I could have justified it to myself by remembering the past and some isolated instances where I was harmed by those whose skin tone was different than mine. But I am more logical than that because I also remember the past where many more instances of harm was perpetrated on me by those who have the same skin tone as I. I also remember the kindnesses that were given to me by people whose skin tone is different than mine. So I cannot justify hating others who are not the same as me. But what is more prevalent now with a hater appointed to lead our nation is that more people are now showing their hate and with that they get nothing but the back of me. If they persist to make their unwelcome hatred a part of my life what they will get from me is going to be a force of rebuttal that in no uncertain term clearly expresses my resolve.