Like millions, I expect to be drunken-comatose on Wednesday, either giddy with relief or else nervously watching Putin's end-game plan unfold, or even repelling the Holnist Uprising. (See below about that.)
And yes, with two days left, there are very few Americans still on the fence, so why do I bother with a political posting? Because there are still edges to nibble at.
So, what if the best happens and it’s a wave that repudiates them thoroughly?
Then their final fallback is to confidently expect that the left will betray Biden in 2022, as they did in Clinton in 94 and Obama in 2010. And let’s be clear about the people who will desert our coalition in 2 years: not a single “corporatist Democrat,” or “Republican-lite” mewling has anything to back it up stronger than sanctimony. But sanctimony is among the strongest and hottest of mental metals. So yes, Rupert Murdoch will be counting on that, since it seems as reliable as an atomic clock.
2- So why am I posting today? Who is left to make a difference? Well, consider how the polls might be wrong!
Much hand wringing has gone to the “Shy Trump Voter” who might lie to a pollster, then vote MAGA in the booth. This may have been a factor in 2016, but how shy are Trumpists, today? In any event, there may be a bigger populace that matters even more. It’s the Shy Trump-Fretting Wife of a MAGA. She won't answer a poll with "Biden," especially not if she's in earshot of her husband. But in the polling booth....
In any event, here is one of my last voter appeals:
MAGA wives of Red America, for the sake of your children, get your husbands and their friends too drunk to go vote. Run down the battery on his phone so he stands in line bored and maybe gives up. You can help save the nation.
3- We finally watched the Borat Subsequent Moviefilm… and wow! Not just the Gift-from-God Giuliani part. (And what if Rudy was a knowing participant?) In fact, the most telling and weirdly devastating scene was at the CPAC in March, when Mike Pence told thousands of assembled conservative activists:
“There are only 15 cases of the virus in America and just one recently. It’s under control and if there’s a breakout anywhere, you can count on us to be ready.”
Go 1:20 in and watch... and murmur “OMG. These are worse clowns than Borat!” Show it everywhere.
The notion that Covid-19 might have been crafted by… well, no spoiler but it’s a cute twist.
4- Kinda sad and scary: "No single group of Americans was targeted by IRA (Russian) information operatives more than African Americans. By far, race and related issues were the preferred target of the information warfare campaign designed to divide the country in 2016," the report said. This year, these campaigns are even more widespread, voting rights activists say. And while in most cases, it's not clear who is behind the disinformation, the intent is unmistakable: to depress turnout among people of color by fueling cynicism and distrust in the political process."
== If America wins, will we be done with the crooks? ==
5- And what will each side do, when one of them loses? One sign of a phase of the Civil War is that neither side will accept defeat with any grace. It happens that I believe one side would have immense cause, given the staggering levels of cheating by their opponents. Though the worst we've been talking about -- at least at first -- is a national General Strike.
Alas, the other side promises volcanic and violent fury, no matter what happens with the vote counts. I may post about this on or soon after election day, because those fellows are self-stimulating to a notion that they would win any violent new Civil War Phase Nine.
There are wrong, for seven very strong reasons, other than their delusional brains. They truly need to consider those seven facts, and stand down while they can.
6- R.I.P GOP? Here’s the most cogently well-written optimistic view of what happens if the undead zombie elephant gets a well-deserved stake through the heart.
7- Of course that wouldn’t be the end of American conservatism, nor should it be! Political scientists find that a strong center-right party serves as a bulwark against far worse… and we have seen far worse lately! But it would have to be one with restored love of honesty, democracy, science and justice.
And yes, there’s talk of Republican Party Resurrection after this debacle. Many of the lifelong Republicans who have shown the guts and patriotism to stand up for country ahead of party – including some Lincoln Project fellows who call for the current top GOP corrupt leadership caste to be ‘burnt to the ground’ are hoping for a sane and smart and decent and grownup phoenix conservative movement to rise from the ashes. (Ideally led by a clade of fact and justice and honesty-friendly retired military officers and scientists and the like.)
I pray that will be an urgent topic next year! If so, I have some words of advice for those attempting the revival. Like reject the prince-in-waiting, Paul Ryan, who has been lurking to rake in all the ash-covered bones and make them walk to Rupert Murdoch’s tune. And take nothing from George W. Bush. Junior could have stood up for us by peeling off a million votes from what he himself called “some really weird shit.” His refusal to do so, despite relentless Trumpian insults to his family, is craven and huge. In fact, he would benefit from doing so, by establishing himself as a leader of the new party, so indicates what I’ve always believed. He is another high gopper being blackmailed.
== And finally… ==
Someone asked: 'Say one nice thing about 2020!'
Well… I root for LA sports teams… but how about this? Add a zero in front and 2020 becomes a palindrome and still accurate! 02020.
The Long Now folks push that meme. Put a zero in front of year dates as a statement of faith that we have a future. Start now! For luck.
As for whether ol' Joe can calm us down... well... all 7 previous phases of civil war finally damped down. After each earlier phase of the U.S Civil War there was acrimony, but some normalcy returned... though only after Union victories.
This is a nasty one and if the recurring confederate fever wins this round, we're dead. Even if they break even. There must be an Appomattox.
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