Joseph R. Biden, President-Elect!!

 

A Nail Biter

 Michigan was just called for Joe Biden, putting him closer to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to elect him the next president of the United States.

Avid MSNBC and CNN television watcher that I am, I couldn't bear to watch live TV coverage of the election results last night. I knew I couldn't go to sleep after watching MSNBC's Steve Kornacki continually show all the ways Trump could pull another rabbit out of the hat, like he did in 2016 (with Russia's help) and win re-election. I went to bed early (for me, 11 PM), hoping to wake up to the good news, I mean FABULOUS news that Biden was elected president in a landslide. 

At around 4:30 AM I work up for my nocturnal bathroom visit and I just couldn't resist.  I picked up my iPhone of my charging pad and saw where the presidential race was UNDECIDED!  

Oh damn! This was the worst case scenario. 

Of course Trump went on TV, from the White House now behind an unscalable ten foot fence (nice),  to declare victory, before all the votes were counted. Twitter went ablaze reminding Spanky that that's not the way elections work in the U.S. Here we counts ALL OF THE VOTES first before one or the other candidate can declare victory. You don't get to declare victory when you're ahead, YOU.WAIT.UNTIL.ALL.THE.VOTES.ARE.COUNTED.

The Blue Wall of Democratic states Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, which Trump narrowly won (with Russian help) in the 2016 with a combined total of 70,000 plus votes, enabled Trump to score one of the greatest political upsets in modern American history. This election that Blue Wall is trumping Trump's re-election as president. Wisconsin and Michigan have already been called for Biden. Absentee or mail in ballots are still being counted in Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia. The majority of those absentee ballots are favored from Democratic voters. 

We would have know the results of the election earlier but Republican controlled state legislators in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania forbade mail in ballots from being counted ahead of time. Trump claims that only ballots counted by election night should count. Of course this twisted logic comes from a con man who has cheated his whole life (and gotten away with it). Did you get the Catch-22 here? Republican controlled legislators pass a law that ballots can't be counted until the day of the election and Trump says only ballots counted on the day of election should count. Trump threatens to sue, which is another life long feature of his sad and evil life, threatening to sue anyone who stands in his way.

Biden is on the path to win this election however there is a drawback. It looks like Moscow Mitch will continue to be Majority Leader in the Senate of his coward, Trump sycophant Republican senators whose only function is to put as many conservative judges on the Federal Court system as possible and repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obama Care", which will take health care away from millions of American with pre-existing conditions.

I'm glad Biden is going to be our next president. However I am saddened and shock at knowing so many of my fellow Americans were willing to vote for Trump after knowing him. Trump's catastrophic failure as a leader controlling the COVID pandemic resulting in the deaths of 236,000 Americans, one of the highest death rates in the world. Trump's racism and formenting violence with his orgiastic rallies of fellow racists and "poor educated" also known as "The Deplorables". Hillary was right, they are deplorable. And they live among us folks. Trump attempting to shake down a foreign government (Ukraine) to gin up false evidence on Biden's son. All the rampant corruption in the Trump world from his many indicted fellow criminals to his cringe inducing family and yes including the sainted (in Republican circles) Melania. Don't let the pretty face fool you, she's just as evil as Trump. SHE.DOES.NOT.CARE.

I'm venting and rambling now. Time to bring this blog post to an end. Oh how I look forward to having a boring president that I don't have to wake up every day worried sick to my stomach at what did Trump pull while I was asleep. Yes, Biden is boring. I could Harding bear to listen to one of his stumbling, screechy speeches (Obama gives a much better speech). Oh sure, I know he overcame stuttering (like I did) but I can speak better than Biden.  I'm surprised he's been able to have a 47 year career in politics with his obvious speech impediment.  And yes, Biden has lost a few steps, I'll admit that. Biden is only a year younger than me but even I've "lost my step" (you should see me walking up stairs), I have more vim and vigor than Biden and I'm not as forgetful although I'm going in that direction.

I am so looking forward to posting blogs about my hum drum life these days, which isn't actually so hum drum, lots of drama around here especially with Bill who continues to slip mentally and physically. And then there is the drama with my Canadian friend Pat F. We haven't been about to get together for our quarterly adventures because of COVID. This week we were supposed to be in Philadelphia to celebrate my birthday (next Monday). We had to cancel that trip too because the border continues to be closed between Canada and the U.S. for the foreseeable future. Hopefully we can make the trip to Palm Springs this February to celebrate Modernism Week. The last time were together in person was last year in Palm Springs during Modernism Week. 

Hopefully the next time I write a blog Biden will be officially the next president of the United States. That is if Trump's Supreme Court appointed judges and the other conservative judges don't perform a coup and invalidate enough of the mail in ballots to deprive Joe Biden of the presidency. If that happens folks, expect a revolution in these United States because we won't stand for it. 

Trump is trash and he and all his sycophants and enablers are on the way to the dustbin of history. Only fly in the ointment is that we have to endure another six years of Moscow Mitch McConnell and Susan "I'm Concerned" Collins, of Maine, who was unexpectedly re-elected. WTF?

Just One Day To Go!

 Tomorrow is election day. 

After four LONG year we're finally going to end this great national experiment called the Trump presidency. 

For all of those of you who voted for this narcissistic, incompetent, criminal, lying big baby weak man, you like what you got? Really?

The Deplorables are still out there, and Trump and his unpatriotic enablers are going to do everything they can to steal this election.  

Trump has already declared that he is going to declare victory no matter what the vote count is tomorrow night. Trump is depending on his appointees on the Supreme Court to back him up.  For sure Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alioto and Bret Kavanaugh will back him up because they are noting but Republican political hacks, totally useless in applying proper judiciary conduct in any cases that come before the Supreme Court.

No matter what the vote count, expect chaos tomorrow night when the polls close. Trump loves chaos and he has nothing to lose. And he knows his Republican enablers will do NOTHING to stop him. They are ALL cowards and will be remembered in history as such.

We're finally here folks.  History is being made. Democracy is at stake. 

VOTE!

Four Days To Go!

 

Four long years of waiting have come down to four days of waiting to end our great national nightmare, the end of the Trump corruption of America.

If you haven't already voted, vote now. 

Vote in person or if you have a mail in ballot, take that ballot to an authorized drop off box. 

DO NOT TRUST THE POST OFFICE because Trump has corrupted the Post Office with the appointment of his political lackey Louis DeJoy.

Four very long years of the greatest danger our country has ever been in.  I was going to say "in my lifetime" but actually the history of our country.

Trump and his Republican enablers and his racist cult followers (yes, they are all racists, let's not tiptoe around that obvious provable fact) in four years have almost destroyed what American stands for.

Their rampant corruption and racism has left a stench across our country that will take years to repair.

Trump has damaged relations with our allies that hopefully can be repaired when Joe Biden is elected president. 

And worst, Donald Trump through his catastrophic failure of leadership in managing the COVID pandemic was resulted in the deaths of over 230,000 Americans. The blame lies at the door of Donald Trump and his Republican enablers. I don't blame his cult followers as much as I blame his Republican enablers because they knew better. They know and we know who they are and we will never forget them and their failure to fulfill their Constitutional oath of office to protect us. They have all failed and now we will hold them responsible for their cowardice and failure. 

VOTE!

One Week Until The Election!

 

Only a week to go folks until the election! 

Finally, perhaps our great national nightmare will end with the election of Joe Biden as president. 

I have to admit I'm nervous, concerned that Trump and his corrupt, unpatriotic Republican enablers will somehow muddy up the waters and steal the election like they did in 2016.

Both Bill and I have already voted by mail. First time in his life for Bill. Of course we both voted for Biden. The receipt of our votes have been confirmed.

Wow, what an exciting time to live. History is being made. 

So much damage has been done by Trump and his traitorous Republican enablers and his racists (and yes, they are racists) MAGA cult followers. 

Trump and Turtleman (Mitch McConnell) have succeeded in packing the courts with their ultra conservative lackeys. Those judges will repeal a woman's right to choose, health care for those with pre-existing conditions and same sex marriage. Sound like I'm exaggerating? Oh no, this is WHAT they WILL do.

So if you haven't already voted, go out and vote NOW. 

END THIS NIGHTMARE OF TRUMP

Fasten Your Seatbelt It's Going To Be Bumpy Night

Two weeks from today voting for the election of the president of the United States will end. 

Hopefully, our great national nightmare will come to an end and Donald J. Trump will be soundly defeated. 

Hopefully, Trump's Republican enablers in the Senate and the House will be voted out of power, never to hold power again for at least a generation.  Those Republicans, by their cowardice and silence in the face of Trump's many crimes against the United States do not deserve to be in power ever again.

Four years ago on my birthday (November 9th), I was in Philadelphia during my annual visit with my good friend Pat and Don. I had expected to celebrate the election of the first woman president of the United States. Instead I was shocked to learn that Trump (and the Russians) had succeeded in stealing the election. I along with many other millions were in shock that Trump had actually won. Probably even more in shock was Trump that he actually won. He only ran for president as a branding opportunity but there it was, he and the Russians and his poorly informed base succeeded in putting this con man game show host failed businessman in office as the president of the United States. 

In the past four years Trump has worked relentlessly to divide us as a country and to trash our alliances. He has made us less safe. His greatest crime is his catastrophic failure of leadership in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands have needlessly died because of Trump's vanity in not wearing a mask.

This time two weeks from now we may know who the next president of the United States is. As Bette Davis's character Margo Channing famously said in "All About Eve", "fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

Monarch Butterfly In Our Backyard

Our backyard had a welcome visitor late this afternoon, a monarch butterfly. I read in today's local newspaper (which is published twice a week) that monarch butterflies were beginning to hatch in the Villages of Five Points butterfly garden. Lewes is only about two miles from our home and backyard. This monarch butterfly was probably from that garden. The article said "As cooler fall weather comes ito the area, monarchs begin their annual migration of thousands of miles to Florida and Mexico. The garden of midweek, a plant critical to the life of monarchs, is helping to repopulate this iconic species, which has been on the decline for several years Scientists say the population has fallen to less than 30,000 monarchs." Just think of the trip this monarch butterfly will make to Florida or Mexico. What a stroke of good luck that I happened upon this monarch just as I was taking one of my videos of our backyard. Maybe this is a sign.



It looks like I'm settling into blogging once a week or less. Caring for Bill is taking more of my time. I am still working two nights a week at the hotel (business is good) in addition to mowing our backyard at least once a week now. Which reminds me, it needs mowed.



We've already voted (by mail), Bill for the first time. Of course we voted for Biden and Harris.  Hopefully we won't be surprised this election cycle like we were four years ago. Three weeks to go until Trump and his enablers are voted out of office. Can't happen soon enough and we get back to decency in this country.



Bill and I had another COVID test a couple weeks ago. We both tested negative. I don't know anyone who has the virus.  We're still practicing safe measures. Bill doesn't go into the store with me now except Ace Hardware, and when we do go in we're masked up. I work behind a plexiglass shield at work and am also masked up although not all of the hotel guests are wearing masks. I offer them a mask but I don't get into any confrontations. 



I won't be going to Philadelphia this year to met up with Pat.  The border is still closed between the US and Canada. Next planned trip is February when we're scheduled to take our annual two week stay in Palm Springs California. Hopefully we'll be able to make that trip.  This will be a year since I've been with Pat in person, although we do talk every day on FaceTime. I miss our get togethers but we're both saving a lot of money.  More money saved for future trips. I already have over $1,500 in airline ticket credits, which they say is good until the end of 2021.  Will this pandemic be over by then? I doubt it. I don't think life will get back to anything approaching normal until well into 2022. Yes, not until 2022.  Hope I'm alive then. One thing for sure, I'll be OLD (80). 



One blog post I've been thinking about writing is all the recollections I'm having of past episodes of my long and wonderful and interesting life. I haven't written my memoirs yet and probably never will but I think I will post some of those life vignettes. I'm finding these memories release very pleasant endorphins from my brain or in others words, remembering make me feel good. 



Some of these memories I've written before in previous blog posts but many I have not. Some of the memories aren't pleasant but part of my growing up. Of course all this comes down to answering the basic Question of Life. Why are we here? I think I know why.  I think we're here to contribute to the betterment of life by giving.  Yes, giving, not taking. I know that's where I get my greatest sense of satisfaction. Now that I am Bill's caregiver, I feel fortunate to do so. I cannot imagine where Bill would be in life now if I wasn't here. That may sound self-serving but it's not. I can imagine where I would be in life if Bill hadn't entered my life. Probably a big mess, if I was still alive. Too many times I choose the wrong path in life and when I realized I did, Bill was there to back me up.  Not everyone would do that. Bill would and did. 



These days I take Bill out for at least one ride a day. Somedays we go out for two rides. Will Bill's failing vision he so appreciates seeing the different colors and scenes. I reminded Bill this morning that for the first sixteen years of our relationship I didn't drive. I didn't even have a car.  I didn't take up driving until we moved to Downingtown, Pennsylvania from center city Philadelphia in 1980. Then I had to get a car. For many years we both had vehicles. About six years ago Bill got rid of his twenty-five year old Jeep. I've been driving ever since, a complete role reversal. 



That monarch butterfly that I by chance happened upon in our backyard today has a long journey ahead of him (or her). For Bill and I, our long journey (of life) is about to end. It's been some life folks. What a trip.