dailykos--2020-10-02--Let's uplift Joe Biden so he can uplift us: Fundraiser now at $69,852

Let ’ s send Joe and Kamala an exuberant , life-affirming message !
By doing that , we send a @ @ @ @ @ too .
Thanks to those who participated in our end-of-September money bomb for Kamala and @ @ @ @ @ 4,853 !
Please donate to Joe and Kamala via my ActBlue fundraising page establish ( @ @ @ @ @ the Bye Don AKA Biden 2020 community group for readers and members of Daily Kos @ @ @ @ @ grass-roots group effort , organized by 2thanks and not organized or endorsed by Daily Kos @ @ @ @ @ about how your donation is handled by ActBlue here .
We started today at $ @ @ @ @ @ of the way to our goal of $ 100,000 !
If you donated already , @ @ @ @ @ our ActBlue page to donate to Joe and Kamala ’ s campaign : A grassroots @ @ @ @ @ members of Daily Kos .
Solidarity .
Teamwork .
Bragging rights .
Building community .

Let’s send Joe and Kamala an exuberant, life-affirming message! By doing that, we send a message to President Not-Smart Baby too.
Thanks to those who participated in our end-of-September money bomb for Kamala and Joe: We raised $4,853!
Elizabeth Warren and Katie Porter
Joe Biden retweeted:
x When news broke about Donald Trump’s taxes (or lack thereof)—a few of you asked me to break it down with my friend @KatiePorterOC.
So I gave her a call: pic.twitter.com/PPtMnp8NIx — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) October 1, 2020
.
Dear Readers and Members of Daily Kos:
Please donate to Joe and Kamala via my ActBlue fundraising page establish((9ed on behalf of the Bye Don AKA Biden 2020 community group for readers and members of Daily Kos. This fundraiser is a grass-roots group effort, organized by 2thanks and not organized or endorsed by Daily Kos. You can read more about how your donation is handled by ActBlue here.
We started today at $66,190, about two thirds of the way to our goal of $100,000! If you donated already, thank you!
Please use our ActBlue page to donate to Joe and Kamala’s campaign: A grassroots election-season effort for readers and members of Daily Kos. Solidarity. Teamwork. Bragging rights. Building community.


dailykos--2020-10-02--Satan and Trump's Republican Party

Satan and Trump's Republican Party

This is my first post on Daily KOS .
I apologize if others have already expressed these views which I have held for many years .
I was born and raised in a devout Catholic family , the ninth of ten children .
My family has always been registered Democrats but since the establishment of Fox News Channel and other right wing sources of information nearly all of them , including my nearly 100 first cousins have moved over to the Republican party .
And of course they are hypocrites , justifying their support for Republicans because they are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you all know the rest .
The election of , and continuing high support for Donald Trump has convinced me with no doubt whatsoever that Republican voters will vote for literally anyone with that R behind their name .
And conversely , they will vote against anyone with a D behind their name .
So , just imagine as I have , a campaign pitting Satan himself running for president of the United States , as a Republican of course .
He would receive probably 90 % support from Republican voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ running on the Democratic ticket .
How many Republican voters have you ever heard say , ” I ’ m a Republican .
I could never support a Democrat.
” This theoretical match up would be no different .
Republicans would justify their support for Satan by saying things like , ” He ’ s made some mistakes , but he ’ s asked for God ’ s forgiveness.
” “ Satan is pro-life AND he supports the second amendment.
” I ’ m sure we would also see Sean Hannity and Laura @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christ is a radical liberal .
He wants to raise your taxes to redistribute wealth to the poor , the sick and the needy .
Those LOSERS.
” It would be a tight race .
Republican turn out would be high .
Democratic turn out would be simply OK .
In the end Jesus would win millions of votes more than His opponent , Satan .
But as usual , the electoral college decision would be in favor of the Republican .
We seen this all before .
It ’ s a true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

This is my first post on Daily KOS. I apologize if others have already expressed these views which I have held for many years. I was born and raised in a devout Catholic family, the ninth of ten children. My family has always been registered Democrats but since the establishment of Fox News Channel and other right wing sources of information nearly all of them, including my nearly 100 first cousins have moved over to the Republican party. And of course they are hypocrites, justifying their support for Republicans because they are the “Pro-life” party and, well, you all know the rest.
The election of, and continuing high support for Donald Trump has convinced me with no doubt whatsoever that Republican voters will vote for literally anyone with that R behind their name. And conversely, they will vote against anyone with a D behind their name.
So, just imagine as I have, a campaign pitting Satan himself running for president of the United States, as a Republican of course. He would receive probably 90% support from Republican voters. Now imagine his opponent is Jesus Christ running on the Democratic ticket. How many Republican voters have you ever heard say,” I’m a Republican. I could never support a Democrat.” This theoretical match up would be no different. Republicans would justify their support for Satan by saying things like,”He’s made some mistakes, but he’s asked for God’s forgiveness.” “Satan is pro-life AND he supports the second amendment.” I’m sure we would also see Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham on TV saying,” Jesus Christ is a radical liberal. He wants to raise your taxes to redistribute wealth to the poor, the sick and the needy. Those LOSERS.”
It would be a tight race. Republican turn out would be high. Democratic turn out would be simply OK. In the end Jesus would win millions of votes more than His opponent, Satan. But as usual, the electoral college decision would be in favor of the Republican. We seen this all before. It’s a true story. Only the names were changed.


dailykos--2020-10-02--Tag! You're it! President Trump and Melania aren't immune to COVID-19 either! What now?

I was waiting for my local news channel to announce what I read here in Daily Kos prior to that .
It ’ s true apparently !
My question is , “ Mister President .
Do you still maintain that COVID-19 has passed as you so proclaimed in the not too distant past ?
That it is not an issue .
If so ... how in the world did you and your wife and First Lady Melania , contract it then ?
” I am confident that he would hmmm and hawww for a bit then start with whatever comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Ha !
Ha ! )
.
Although I am pretty sure that Trump might do better than that , a fair bet .
Yet that is the way he has been with everything so far , so that too would not surprise me a bit .
However , this one deal is a little different for several reasons .
Here are some of them and interesting notes for the same : • He can not say that the tests were faulty , like he claimed fraud with votes .
This is something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing if you will .
You either have COVID-19 or you don ’ t !
There is no wiggling out of that one .
• He ’ ll have to admit that he was wrong , that ‘ it is what it is ’ , but it shouldn ’ t be to the extent that it is here in the good ol ’ U. S. of A .
• There are no arguments that are viable to argue our high rate of infection and death , respectively .
About 210,000 or more is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths !
• I am hard pressed to think that Trump might still endorse his personal ‘ no mask ’ policy .
If he did , I think that even his strongest supporters might claim that he ’ s ‘ crazy ’ or ‘ stupid ’ or ‘ blinded by stubborn nature ’ , perhaps all three !
• There is no way that the man can claim ‘ superior genes ’ , or , ‘ maximum immunity ’ , or even , ‘ divine intervention ’ .
Though it is his temptation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is little hope in that sort of retort on his end of things would work .
It would n't !
• Trump can ‘ t claim ‘ China ’ poisoned him or even had any relations with him or his wife .
Most people want him out of office devoid of ‘ germ warfare ’ !
He ca n't claim it had anything to do with ramps , glasses of water or baseball tosses !
!
There are so few options that good ol ’ Don can fall upon at this point in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did Melania get it ?
She 's with him and he ’ s been everywhere !
And with all that in mind , what can we say , what can anyone say ?
WE TOLD YOU SO !
!
!
That 's right !
Dr. Fauci said it !
The CDC said it !
The scientific community said it !
The AMA said it !
The U. S. Army ’ s unit regarding infectious diseases said it !
The GM plant that you visited said it and respectfully asked you to wear a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else ?
Just about everyone in the media ( barring some at Fox News and elsewhere ) said it !
Celebrities , sports stars and big time artists , said it !
A great deal of the public has said it !
Foreigners have said it and they can ’ t understand why you wo n't join with them for the quest of a vaccine !
My coworkers , friends , and even my roommate said it !
The guy down the street asking for a spare cigarette said it !
Yet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in spite of all mentioned and those that mentioned it .
An ox is less stubborn !
But the worst part is that drinking bleach , trying funky drugs and remedies were the answer , as you suggested , in some way , shape or form .
Guess what ?
None of it proved effective and some of your suggestions were just downright dangerous and became fact in various cases .
Some died as a result of all !
Worse than that , so many people went with your so called crusade !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
With that being said .
I will personally say this , I know how people feel about this , but I hope there is something to be learned here and perhaps more measures that are scientifically proven or viable be implemented .
And a word of advice , specifically for President Trump.….WEAR A MASK , Will ya ’ ?
!
And also at least acknowledge the threat of COVID-19 as viable , factual and a challenge to overcome .
If that happens , then there is hope to defeat that dastardly virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , look into your ‘ red zone ’ areas and see what really needs to be done .
Conquering this is a positive thing for everyone and might even be worth some voting points .
Barring that , it is useless !
I end with that since I need to get some sleep , go to work with a mask on ‘ required ’ and do an essential job for minimum wage .
Minimum wage ?
Right .
But I am working !
Take care of those whom are unemployed as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Don .
Who knows what the day brings to all of us !
Be safe !
Be somewhat sane !
And do the right thing , people !
Together and with all efforts , this too shall pass !

I was waiting for my local news channel to announce what I read here in Daily Kos prior to that. It’s true apparently! My question is, “Mister President. Do you still maintain that COVID-19 has passed as you so proclaimed in the not too distant past? That it is not an issue. If so...how in the world did you and your wife and First Lady Melania, contract it then?” I am confident that he would hmmm and hawww for a bit then start with whatever comes into that brain of his (Brain? Ha! Ha!).
“I am sorry! The Proud Boys? Kyle Rittenhouse? George Floyd? Scrambled eggs and bacon? What was the question?”
“Don, please! Please for the love of all that’s holy, don't, I repeat, don't try to even blow this one off! All right? Take care of yourself, which you are used to, and get better. You and Melania!”
I would repeat everything word per word. He would make weird faces, look at Melania then at me. “What lies? Who’s lies?”
Although I am pretty sure that Trump might do better than that, a fair bet. Yet that is the way he has been with everything so far, so that too would not surprise me a bit. However, this one deal is a little different for several reasons. Here are some of them and interesting notes for the same:
He cannot say that the tests were faulty, like he claimed fraud with votes. This is something of a ‘black and white’ thing if you will. You either have COVID-19 or you don’t! There is no wiggling out of that one.
There is no wiggling out of that one. He’ll have to admit that he was wrong, that ‘it is what it is’ , but it shouldn’t be to the extent that it is here in the good ol’ U. S. of A.
, but it shouldn’t be to the extent that it is here in the good ol’ U. S. of A. There are no arguments that are viable to argue our high rate of infection and death, respectively. About 210,000 or more is what I last heard recently regarding COVID deaths!
is what I last heard recently regarding COVID deaths! I am hard pressed to think that Trump might still endorse his personal ‘no mask’ policy . If he did, I think that even his strongest supporters might claim that he’s ‘crazy’ or ‘stupid’ or ‘blinded by stubborn nature’, perhaps all three!
. If he did, I think that even his strongest supporters might claim that he’s ‘crazy’ or ‘stupid’ or ‘blinded by stubborn nature’, perhaps all three! There is no way that the man can claim ‘superior genes’, or, ‘maximum immunity’, or even, ‘divine intervention’. Though it is his temptation to try and do so, there is little hope in that sort of retort on his end of things would work. It wouldn't!
Trump can ‘t claim ‘China’ poisoned him or even had any relations with him or his wife. Most people want him out of office devoid of ‘germ warfare’! He can't claim it had anything to do with ramps, glasses of water or baseball tosses!!
There are so few options that good ol’ Don can fall upon at this point in regards to the COVID thing. How did Melania get it? She's with him and he’s been everywhere! And with all that in mind, what can we say, what can anyone say? WE TOLD YOU SO!!! That's right! Dr. Fauci said it! The CDC said it! The scientific community said it! The AMA said it! The U. S. Army’s unit regarding infectious diseases said it! The GM plant that you visited said it and respectfully asked you to wear a mask! Let's see, who else? Just about everyone in the media (barring some at Fox News and elsewhere) said it! Celebrities, sports stars and big time artists, said it! A great deal of the public has said it! Foreigners have said it and they can’t understand why you won't join with them for the quest of a vaccine! My coworkers, friends, and even my roommate said it! The guy down the street asking for a spare cigarette said it! Yet, Donnie had to do his own thing in spite of all mentioned and those that mentioned it. An ox is less stubborn! But the worst part is that drinking bleach, trying funky drugs and remedies were the answer, as you suggested, in some way, shape or form. Guess what? None of it proved effective and some of your suggestions were just downright dangerous and became fact in various cases. Some died as a result of all! Worse than that, so many people went with your so called crusade! What is the net result of that?
With that being said. I will personally say this, I know how people feel about this, but I hope there is something to be learned here and perhaps more measures that are scientifically proven or viable be implemented. And a word of advice, specifically for President Trump.….WEAR A MASK, Will ya’?! And also at least acknowledge the threat of COVID-19 as viable, factual and a challenge to overcome. If that happens, then there is hope to defeat that dastardly virus through collective and coordinated efforts. Also, look into your ‘red zone’ areas and see what really needs to be done. Conquering this is a positive thing for everyone and might even be worth some voting points. Barring that, it is useless!
I end with that since I need to get some sleep, go to work with a mask on ‘required’ and do an essential job for minimum wage. Minimum wage? Right. But I am working! Take care of those whom are unemployed as a result of all that has happened this year, Don.
Who knows what the day brings to all of us!
Be safe! Be somewhat sane! And do the right thing, people! Together and with all efforts, this too shall pass!


dailykos--2020-10-02--Don't allow Republicans to establish a wrong assumption that courts will decide the election

Republicans have done a very good job of framing this next election as automatically going to the courts to potentially pick a winner .
But normally the losing candidate only gets to ask for a recount .
He or she does not have some freestanding right for a court to decide the election .
So , the really critical question is : what showing needs to be made to elevate an electoral dispute to the court ?
Because it does n't happen as-of-right , and Democrats should not be conceding this baseline/jurisdictional point upfront .
State laws set out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging them in court .
Candidates can claim that election procedures were n't followed or that fraud was committed .
It is n't enough to cite a generalized belief that something went wrong .
Courts demand specifics .
Contest laws allow claims that fraud or irregularities changed the outcome of the election or at least put the results in doubt , by disregarding votes that should be counted or by counting votes that should be thrown out .
Possible allegations include claims that ballots were cast by people who were n't qualified to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrongly tabulated , or voting machines were improperly programmed .
In general , I think this is akin to pleading fraud in any ordinary court case , and courts have always required fraud to be alleged with a higher level of particularity at the outset .
You have to allege specific instances , and the Who , What , When and Why .
So , for example , in 2000 there was a specific question about one Florida county ’ s so-called “ butterfly ballot.
” Or whether late military ballots should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recount that was provided by statute because the county ’ s original results were within a statistical range of potential error .
These are specific , discrete and identifiable disputes .
Neither candidate had the right to bring a court case simply because they lost the result .
I can see more fully now that Trump is trying to lay the groundwork by arguing ( without evidence ) that mail-in ballots are de facto fraudulent in order to meet this legal obstacle .
But in a sane legal environment that argument should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump people are arguing that any election where the margin of victory is smaller than the number of mail-in ballots inherently meets the specificity or particularity requirements to get into court in the first place .
Since there is no evidence that mail-in voting is subject to greater or significant fraud , the argument is baseless .
Instead the Republicans should be required to identify something specific - like the butterfly ballot – in order to access the courts in the first place .
This is a really important distinction .
As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats and the press start to say , repeatedly : “ We don ’ t know if there will be any basis for a court challenge at all , or , if so , in which state.
” Now , I know the rebuttal here is based on a little disbelief : “ Of course , there is going to litigation surrounding this election and , of course , some Red State courts will leap at the chance.
” I don ’ t disagree generally .
I am saying something as equally important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations battle upfront , particularly because we are right .
Don ’ t give permission in advance for legal chicanery ( and , trust me , courts are aware of public opinion ) .
Don ’ t weaken a very important legal argument in advance .
In short , don ’ t be resigned to Republican framing of issues , but constantly fight back ( in real time ) .
In other words , when Trump says the Supreme Court will decide the election , the first proper response is to challenge : @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Republicans have done a very good job of framing this next election as automatically going to the courts to potentially pick a winner.
.
But normally the losing candidate only gets to ask for a recount. He or she does not have some freestanding right for a court to decide the election. So, the really critical question is: what showing needs to be made to elevate an electoral dispute to the court ? Because it doesn't happen as-of-right, and Democrats should not be conceding this baseline/jurisdictional point upfront.
.
I found an article with a very brief description below, which is not overly helpful, but the underlined sentence is the key to what I’m asking:
State laws set out the grounds for contesting the election results by challenging them in court. Candidates can claim that election procedures weren't followed or that fraud was committed. It isn't enough to cite a generalized belief that something went wrong. Courts demand specifics. Contest laws allow claims that fraud or irregularities changed the outcome of the election or at least put the results in doubt, by disregarding votes that should be counted or by counting votes that should be thrown out. Possible allegations include claims that ballots were cast by people who weren't qualified to vote, absentee or overseas ballots were wrongly tabulated, or voting machines were improperly programmed.
In general, I think this is akin to pleading fraud in any ordinary court case, and courts have always required fraud to be alleged with a higher level of particularity at the outset. You have to allege specific instances, and the Who, What, When and Why.
.
So, for example, in 2000 there was a specific question about one Florida county’s so-called “butterfly ballot.” Or whether late military ballots should be counted. Or the procedures for a recount that was provided by statute because the county’s original results were within a statistical range of potential error. These are specific, discrete and identifiable disputes. Neither candidate had the right to bring a court case simply because they lost the result.
.
I can see more fully now that Trump is trying to lay the groundwork by arguing (without evidence) that mail-in ballots are de facto fraudulent in order to meet this legal obstacle. But in a sane legal environment that argument should not be sufficient.
.
In essence, the Trump people are arguing that any election where the margin of victory is smaller than the number of mail-in ballots inherently meets the specificity or particularity requirements to get into court in the first place . Since there is no evidence that mail-in voting is subject to greater or significant fraud, the argument is baseless. Instead the Republicans should be required to identify something specific - like the butterfly ballot – in order to access the courts in the first place. This is a really important distinction.
.
As a result, I would like to see Democrats and the press start to say, repeatedly: “We don’t know if there will be any basis for a court challenge at all, or, if so, in which state.”
.
Now, I know the rebuttal here is based on a little disbelief: “Of course, there is going to litigation surrounding this election and, of course, some Red State courts will leap at the chance.” I don’t disagree generally. I am saying something as equally important: Don’t lose the public relations battle upfront, particularly because we are right. Don’t give permission in advance for legal chicanery (and, trust me, courts are aware of public opinion). Don’t weaken a very important legal argument in advance. In short, don’t be resigned to Republican framing of issues, but constantly fight back (in real time).
.
In other words, when Trump says the Supreme Court will decide the election, the first proper response is to challenge: “On what fucking basis?”


dailykos--2020-10-03--Trump brags: we haven’t YET had the millions of deaths that we will under my herd immunity approach

Recently , Trump ( a latest Covid case ) claimed credit , and gave himself an “ A+ , ” on his Covid response because we only have 200,000 plus deaths when models predicted 2 to 3 million deaths if we all did nothing in response .
( Yes , that ’ s an amazing argument . )
But that same number , 2 to 3 million , is the number of projected deaths if we pursued a “ herd immunity ” approach - because then we also would be doing nothing .
And Trump believes in the “ herd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get to a certain number , you know — we use the word herd , right ?
” Trump told Laura Ingraham .
“ Once you get to a certain number , it ’ s going to go away.
” So Trump is claiming credit that we have not reached the number of deaths that his own approach predicts that we will reach .
That is one hell of a sales pitch : : Look , I am doing great .
If we followed Plan A , we would lose all your money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost 10 % of your money !
: So what plan are we following ?
: Plan A

Recently, Trump (a latest Covid case) claimed credit, and gave himself an “A+,” on his Covid response because we only have 200,000 plus deaths when models predicted 2 to 3 million deaths if we all did nothing in response. (Yes, that’s an amazing argument.)
But that same number, 2 to 3 million, is the number of projected deaths if we pursued a “herd immunity” approach - because then we also would be doing nothing. And Trump believes in the “herd immunity” approach:
“Once you get to a certain number, you know — we use the word herd, right?” Trump told Laura Ingraham. “Once you get to a certain number, it’s going to go away.”
So Trump is claiming credit that we have not yet reached the number of deaths that his own approach predicts that we will reach.
That is one hell of a sales pitch:


dailykos--2020-10-03--SECOND CHAPTER OF PASSIONATE INTENSITY, THE SERIAL DETECTIVE NOVEL

TWO : THE DEATH OF THE VICE PRESIDENT Chandresakar had read about the death of the vice-president in one of his newsfeeds , like everybody else .
Alate-model Cadillac had t-boned the veep 's limo as it was pulling out of the White House parking lot , killing the veep instantly .
If theCadillac had been going forty or even sixty maybe the limo 's armoring would have saved the vice-president .
But it was going over eighty , so delivered twice the kinetic energy it would have delivered at say56 or 57 .
Bilaly kept track of things like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physics .
He was no scientist , but he was a fan .
Unlike the unit functions who in his opinion made up most of the populace , he saw nothing wrong with understanding a few things that were not exactly his specialty .
Apparently the driver of the Cadillac had suffered a fatal heart attack and collapsed against the wheel with his foot on the accelerator .
Later there was reason to think that perhaps the fatal collision was not the accident it had seemed , but that was later , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prove and anyway events had already gotten way out of hand by the time it occurred to Chandresakar that the collision might not have been an accident .
But this was when Chandresakar felt that things were spinning out of control .
Events were cascading into events and the complexion of the whole situation changed every time something new happened .
The train of consequences got stranger and stranger , nobody had time for strategy , but everybody felt like things were heading towards a blow-up .
Later Chandresakar felt he should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how it could be a plan .
Things were happening too fast for humans to keep track of .
But it was n't really his fault for not noticing .
Things were happening too fast for him to notice , after all .
The veep , Elmore Conway Faling , would have been no big loss , not even to the Demagogs .
As a person , he had pretty much been a zombi , a corpse-eyed snub-nosed zero with pretensions of righteousness and a close enough resemblance to an actual human to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midwestern state .
There had been more than a few jokes involving the Vice President 's last name , most of them variations on the theme of failing upwards .
The vice-president died at precisely 5:22 p.m. on a Thursday .
The very next day , at 10:00 in the morning , at a press conference on theWhite House lawn , during which Pludd was suppose to announce his choice to replace the vice president , he instead pulled down his pants and mooned the crowd .
It was a disturbing sight , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrinkled fat of a vain and aging roué .
What made it worse was his decision to sing “ Nigger , nigger , niggeroni , equal rights is pure baloney , I love Nazis why do n't you ?
” all the while and to accompany these antics by making , as Dante had described a similar occurrence , “ a trumpet of his ass , ” and sounding said trumpet loudly “ umpty-teen times , ” as a young member of the press , Barbara Delacroix , of the Delaware Delacroises , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It seemed almost unavoidable that the fourth provision of the 25th amendment would be invoked .
But that would mean that the hated Speaker of the House , an Anticrat , a woman , and a fierce opponent of Pludd 's , would take over as President , so the Demagogs were furiously stalling .
They denied there was anything wrong with the president , claiming that he had merely suffered a bad reaction to the blood-pressure medicine necessitated by his diet , summoning a bunch of preposterous doctors , none of whom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sponsor the notion .
So far none of the Demagogs , who controlled the Senate , had had the guts to oppose the this transparent and clearly criminal strategy .
Contrary to the Constitution , the Demagogs insisted that the Supreme Court , which had been packed with Pludd appointees , including that last-minute appointment which had scandalized a nation and violated the very claims the President Pro Tem of the senate had made in refusing to let an Anticrat nominate a candidate to the court in the last month before an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the invocation of the 25th amendment .
Meantime , the Anticrats were summoning all the chief officers of the executive branch they could , and such other members of the Congress as could be argued to have jurisdiction or input , to put together a written declaration for The Speaker of the House , whom we have already mentioned , and the afore-mentioned President Pro Tem of the Senate ( a gormless individual who had somehow perpetrated his gormlessness to power , having apparently sold an intangible possession of his to a rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , to the effect that the President was no longer capable of discharging his duties by reason of senile dementia .
The Demagogs , of course , while , as we have noted , stalling furiously , also deployed a multifarious ( not to mention nefarious ) defense .
They had mined the justice department and the courts of the United States with their own lawyers and judges , and they exploded as many of those mines as they could , fighting ( in the way the Germans had sent submarines to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we entered WWII with the excuse that those ships were carrying arms to Britain ) to annul the efforts of the Anticrats .
It was a neck-and-neck race , and nobody knew who would prevail .
Chandresakarhad his opinions , and in general they were the opinions that any sane and decent person would have had—he was repulsed by Pludd in more ways than he could bear to think about , and he was astonished at the sheer groveling kicked-dog sycophancy of the Demagogs—but he pretty much hated all politics equally , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it entirely ( except for voting ) .
If the U. S. went down , it went down , and on the whole it probably deserved to go down .
He was not so big a fool as to suppose he could have the least effect on the scrimmages of latter-day power hyenas .
He was well out of it , he figured , and indeed he would not have become involved at all if it had not been for the apparent suicide , at 3:13 Friday afternoon , of the latest-but-one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simmons ( his father had once visited Australia ) disappeared .
At first no one realized that he had .
William lived in Angstrom , Georgia , and was a second lieutenant in the local chapter of the KKK ( not that they had military ranks , exactly , but that is approximately what he would have been—he definitely was n't a general—in fact nobody in the KKK had the wit to be a general , but none of the members had ever noticed their lack of the necessary brain-power ) .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bar that night , Amanda Simmons , his wife , figured he was dead drunk somewhere .
When he had n't shown up by the middle of the next day , she thought maybe he had run off with one of his floozies .
The relief was so great , she hardly minded the humiliation .
The children , two boys and a girl , had been atypically happy that morning , had set off to school in the best and happiest moods Amanda had seen from them in years .
WhenWilliam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it finally dawned on her that maybe she should notify the police .
But it was so wonderful not to be hit in the stomach , or called a useless bitch who had ruined his life .
She had voted against Pludd in the last election .
Not because she cared a jot for the Anticrats , just a secret venomous cancellation of her husband 's vote , a silent vengeance ( which of course she would never dare tell him about ) .
She put off calling the cops all that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
There were not nearly as many questions about why she had waited so long to call them as she had expected .
A bored detective stopped by her house and asked a few bored questions .
The local police made a desultory search for him , checked passenger lists for planes and busses , checked for charges on his credit card .
Nothing .
They were bored too , she could tell .
She did n't call them with complaints , harry them about being so slow to get any results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the possibility that they might somehow accidentally find him , or that he would show up out of the blue and commence beating on her and the two boys again began to fade .
He never did show up .
The cops never found a trace .
She got a job , and quit worrying .
The first time a co-worker propositioned her , she slapped him .
Since he was not her boss , she got off with ar eprimand .
Anyhow , the guy stayed away after that , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children began to do reasonably well in school .
And William never did show up again .
He had just disappeared .

TWO: THE DEATH OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
Chandresakar had read about the death of the vice-president in one of his newsfeeds, like everybody else.
Alate-model Cadillac had t-boned the veep's limo as it was pulling out of the White House parking lot, killing the veep instantly. If theCadillac had been going forty or even sixty maybe the limo's armoring would have saved the vice-president. But it was going over eighty,so delivered twice the kinetic energy it would have delivered at say56 or 57.
Bilaly kept track of things like that. He actually liked math and physics. He was no scientist, but he was a fan. Unlike the unit functions who in his opinion made up most of the populace, he saw nothing wrong with understanding a few things that were not exactly his specialty.
Apparently the driver of the Cadillac had suffered a fatal heart attack and collapsed against the wheel with his foot on the accelerator.
Later there was reason to think that perhaps the fatal collision was not the accident it had seemed, but that was later, and anyway the suspicion would have been impossible to prove and anyway events had already gotten way out of hand by the time it occurred to Chandresakar that the collision might not have been an accident.
But this was when Chandresakar felt that things were spinning out of control. Events were cascading into events and the complexion of the whole situation changed every time something new happened. The train of consequences got stranger and stranger, nobody had time for strategy, but everybody felt like things were heading towards a blow-up.
Later Chandresakar felt he should have noticed. He didn't see how it could be a plan. Things were happening too fast for humans to keep track of. But it wasn't really his fault for not noticing.
Things were happening too fast for him to notice, after all.
The veep, Elmore Conway Faling, would have been no big loss, not even to the Demagogs. As a person, he had pretty much been a zombi, a corpse-eyed snub-nosed zero with pretensions of righteousness and a close enough resemblance to an actual human to have gotten himself elected governor of a midwestern state.
And then chosen Vice President.
There had been more than a few jokes involving the Vice President's last name, most of them variations on the theme of failing upwards.
The vice-president died at precisely 5:22 p.m. on a Thursday.
The very next day, at 10:00 in the morning, at a press conference on theWhite House lawn, during which Pludd was suppose to announce his choice to replace the vice president, he instead pulled down his pants and mooned the crowd. It was a disturbing sight, all that pale white flabbiness, the wrinkled fat of a vain and aging roué.
What made it worse was his decision to sing “Nigger, nigger, niggeroni,equal rights is pure baloney, I love Nazis why don't you?” all the while and to accompany these antics by making, as Dante had described a similar occurrence, “a trumpet of his ass,” and sounding said trumpet loudly “umpty-teen times,” as a young member of the press, Barbara Delacroix, of the Delaware Delacroises, a debutante, expressed the matter.
It seemed almost unavoidable that the fourth provision of the 25th amendment would be invoked. But that would mean that the hated Speaker of the House, an Anticrat, a woman, and a fierce opponent of Pludd's, would take over as President, so the Demagogs were furiously stalling.
They denied there was anything wrong with the president, claiming that he had merely suffered a bad reaction to the blood-pressure medicine necessitated by his diet, summoning a bunch of preposterous doctors, none of whom had actually ever treated the President, to sponsor the notion.
So far none of the Demagogs, who controlled the Senate, had had the guts to oppose the this transparent and clearly criminal strategy.
Contrary to the Constitution, the Demagogs insisted that the Supreme Court,which had been packed with Pludd appointees, including that last-minute appointment which had scandalized a nation and violated the very claims the President Pro Tem of the senate had made in refusing to let an Anticrat nominate a candidate to the court in the last month before an election, should make the decision about the invocation of the 25th amendment.
Meantime, the Anticrats were summoning all the chief officers of the executive branch they could, and such other members of the Congress as could be argued to have jurisdiction or input, to put together a written declaration for The Speaker of the House, whom we have already mentioned, and the afore-mentioned President Pro Tem of the Senate (a gormless individual who had somehow perpetrated his gormlessness to power,having apparently sold an intangible possession of his to a rather menacing individual some at some previous date), to the effect that the President was no longer capable of discharging his duties by reason of senile dementia.
The Demagogs, of course, while, as we have noted, stalling furiously, also deployed a multifarious (not to mention nefarious) defense. They had mined the justice department and the courts of the United States with their own lawyers and judges, and they exploded as many of those mines as they could, fighting (in the way the Germans had sent submarines to blow up our commercial ships long before we entered WWII with the excuse that those ships were carrying arms to Britain) to annul the efforts of the Anticrats.
It was a neck-and-neck race, and nobody knew who would prevail.
Chandresakarhad his opinions, and in general they were the opinions that any sane and decent person would have had—he was repulsed by Pludd in more ways than he could bear to think about, and he was astonished at the sheer groveling kicked-dog sycophancy of the Demagogs—but he pretty much hated all politics equally, and he had long ago decided to avoid it entirely (except for voting). If the U. S. went down, it went down, and on the whole it probably deserved to go down.
He was not so big a fool as to suppose he could have the least effect on the scrimmages of latter-day power hyenas.
He was well out of it, he figured, and indeed he would not have become involved at all if it had not been for the apparent suicide, at 3:13 Friday afternoon, of the latest-but-one of Pludd's Supreme Court appointees.
SecondInterlude:
WilliamWallaby Simmons (his father had once visited Australia) disappeared. At first no one realized that he had.
William lived in Angstrom, Georgia, and was a second lieutenant in the local chapter of the KKK (not that they had military ranks, exactly, but that is approximately what he would have been—he definitely wasn't a general—in fact nobody in the KKK had the wit to be a general, but none of the members had ever noticed their lack of the necessary brain-power).
When he didn’t come home from the bar that night, Amanda Simmons, his wife, figured he was dead drunk somewhere. When he hadn't shown up by the middle of the next day, she thought maybe he had run off with one of his floozies. The relief was so great, she hardly minded the humiliation. The children, two boys and a girl, had been atypically happy that morning, had set off to school in the best and happiest moods Amanda had seen from them in years.
WhenWilliam didn't show up the next night, it finally dawned on her that maybe she should notify the police. But it was so wonderful not to be hit in the stomach, or called a useless bitch who had ruined his life.
She had voted against Pludd in the last election. Not because she cared a jot for the Anticrats, just a secret venomous cancellation of her husband's vote, a silent vengeance (which of course she would never dare tell him about ).
She put off calling the cops all that week. Finally she felt she had to. There were not nearly as many questions about why she had waited so long to call them as she had expected. A bored detective stopped by her house and asked a few bored questions. The local police made a desultory search for him, checked passenger lists for planes and busses, checked for charges on his credit card. Nothing. They were bored too, she could tell.
She didn't call them with complaints, harry them about being so slow to get any results. After a while even her anxiety over the possibility that they might somehow accidentally find him, or that he would show up out of the blue and commence beating on her and the two boys again began to fade.
He never did show up. The cops never found a trace. She got a job, and quit worrying. The first time a co-worker propositioned her, she slapped him. Since he was not her boss, she got off with ar eprimand.
Anyhow,the guy stayed away after that, and the job was bearable, and the children began to do reasonably well in school.
And William never did show up again. He had just disappeared.


dailykos--2020-10-03--The Masque of the Red Death 2020

The Masque of the Red Death 2020

It is the year 2020 .
The Coronavirus roams the country side , terrorizing its inhabitants , infiltrating epithelial cells with exponential abandon , claiming victim after intubated victim , threatening to consume all in its ravenous hunger .
The people clamor for help and medications but the dark prince trump and his minions in the White House care not but for their own power and wealth .
They offer quack remedies and proclamations that the pestilence is nothing but the flu and it will miraculously go away .
They force workers to keep the stock market booming and force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from “ God ” to the faithful that the sacrifices of the elderly are required for the young to prosper .
In September , they throw a lavish party in the Rose Garden to celebrate the death of one of the icons of the nation — a supreme court justice named RBG .
They salivate and feast at the chance to replace the justice of the people by someone who will serve the masters and who will be a master at fooling the people .
All party attendees have the best of medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mock at the virus with maskless sneers .
But the Coronavirus silently makes its appointed round though the revelrous party , unknown and unseen , until it is too late .
The prince and his enablers fall one by one as the virus infiltrates their bodies and slowly makes its presence felt .
Others wait helplessly in their quarantined chambers watching their oxygen levels .
The story is not complete since the angel of death in this case works slowly ; the ending of the story remains shrouded in mystery .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writings , this story sounds eerily familiar , because it is .
In 1842 , Edgar Allan Poes wrote the “ The Masque of the Red Death '' ( it was originally published as `` The Mask of the Red Death : A Fantasy '' ) .
The story follows Prince Prospero 's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague , known as the Red Death , by hiding in his abbey .
Prospero and his court are indifferent to the sufferings of the population at large ; they intend to await the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the walls of their secure refuge , having welded the doors shut .
He , along with many other wealthy nobles , hosts a masquerade ball in seven rooms of the abbey , each decorated with a different color .
In the midst of their revelry , a mysterious figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters the castle .
The guests , too afraid to approach the figure , instead let him pass through the six chambers .
Prospero dies after confronting this stranger , whose `` costume '' proves to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guests also die in turn .
The final line of the story sums up , `` And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all . ''
en.wikipedia.org/… How life imitates art and how the current story ends remains to be seen but the “ The Masque of the Red Death '' story is a fitting allegory for 2020 .
But unlike Poe ’ s story , there is a happy ending waiting in the wings ; after the forces of darkness are vanquished at the elections in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will return to the land , ready to banish the virus and to govern the country guided by Science and Democratic principles .
Now let ’ s switch gears , take our minds off politics for a while and feast our senses at this opportunity to watch some free online Edgar Allan Poe stories , movies and plays as part of the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival being held this weekend in Baltimore .
Check out this website for info .
on how to participate and watch .
The festival kicks off today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Masque of the Red Death .
Four Chesapeake Shakespeare Company actors narrate this eerily relevant tale of plague and arrogance .
The performers are all professional actors who live in Baltimore and are long-time Chesapeake Shakespeare Company members .
The 2015 Emmy Award winner film “ The Raven ” will be shown tomorrow at noon .
There are many other exciting and rewarding events .
Check out the full schedule at poefestinternational.com/ ... • Theatrical narration of The Masque of the Red Death by the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company • Radio drama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edgar Allan Poe Theatre • Half Light Theatre Presents : POE-etry in the Parlour , wherein a New York troupe of actors and musicians bring Poe poetry to life • Viewing of `` The Raven , '' winner of the 2015 Emmy Award ( Regional ) for Educational Program Here is the YouTube link to today ’ s program - For those who want to see the story on film , this 1964 film starting Vincent Price is a classic .
Here is the full film on YouTube - • The Masque of @ @ @ @ @ @

It is the year 2020. The Coronavirus roams the country side, terrorizing its inhabitants, infiltrating epithelial cells with exponential abandon, claiming victim after intubated victim, threatening to consume all in its ravenous hunger. The people clamor for help and medications but the dark prince trump and his minions in the White House care not but for their own power and wealth. They offer quack remedies and proclamations that the pestilence is nothing but the flu and it will miraculously go away. They force workers to keep the stock market booming and force children to school. They peddle messages from “God” to the faithful that the sacrifices of the elderly are required for the young to prosper.
In September, they throw a lavish party in the Rose Garden to celebrate the death of one of the icons of the nation — a supreme court justice named RBG. They salivate and feast at the chance to replace the justice of the people by someone who will serve the masters and who will be a master at fooling the people. All party attendees have the best of medical care, the best of viral testing and mock at the virus with maskless sneers. But the Coronavirus silently makes its appointed round though the revelrous party, unknown and unseen, until it is too late. The prince and his enablers fall one by one as the virus infiltrates their bodies and slowly makes its presence felt. Others wait helplessly in their quarantined chambers watching their oxygen levels. The story is not complete since the angel of death in this case works slowly; the ending of the story remains shrouded in mystery.
To aficionados of Edgar Allen Poe’s writings, this story sounds eerily familiar, because it is. In 1842, Edgar Allan Poes wrote “The Masque of the Red Death" (it was originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy"). The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague, known as the Red Death, by hiding in his abbey. Prospero and his court are indifferent to the sufferings of the population at large; they intend to await the end of the plague in luxury and safety behind the walls of their secure refuge, having welded the doors shut.
He, along with many other wealthy nobles, hosts a masquerade ball in seven rooms of the abbey, each decorated with a different color. In the midst of their revelry, a mysterious figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters the castle. The guests, too afraid to approach the figure, instead let him pass through the six chambers. Prospero dies after confronting this stranger, whose "costume" proves to contain nothing tangible inside it; the guests also die in turn. The final line of the story sums up, "And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all." en.wikipedia.org/…
How life imitates art and how the current story ends remains to be seen but the “The Masque of the Red Death" story is a fitting allegory for 2020. But unlike Poe’s story, there is a happy ending waiting in the wings; after the forces of darkness are vanquished at the elections in a month, competence, peace and justice will return to the land, ready to banish the virus and to govern the country guided by Science and Democratic principles.
The International Edgar Allan Poe Festival
Now let’s switch gears, take our minds off politics for a while and feast our senses at this opportunity to watch some free online Edgar Allan Poe stories, movies and plays as part of the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival being held this weekend in Baltimore. Check out this website for info. on how to participate and watch.
The festival kicks off today at 11:00 a.m. with a reading of The Masque of the Red Death. Four Chesapeake Shakespeare Company actors narrate this eerily relevant tale of plague and arrogance. The performers are all professional actors who live in Baltimore and are long-time Chesapeake Shakespeare Company members.
The 2015 Emmy Award winner film “The Raven” will be shown tomorrow at noon. There are many other exciting and rewarding events. Check out the full schedule at poefestinternational.com/...
x Looking for some spooky fun this weekend? Join our friends at @PoeBaltimore for the 2020 International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards, a weekend of performances, movies, music and art, all in celebration of Edgar Allan Poe!
This virtual event is FREE!https://t.co/TCs6cygk5J pic.twitter.com/9NSmb5UPCN — American Writers Museum (@AWMuseum) October 2, 2020
Links -
A partial list of events —
Theatrical narration of The Masque of the Red Death by the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
by the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company A 3D-sculpting demonstration of Mr. Poe's bust by Florida artist Adrianne Draude
Radio drama and performance of selected Poe works by the Edgar Allan Poe Theatre
Half Light Theatre Presents: POE-etry in the Parlour, wherein a New York troupe of actors and musicians bring Poe poetry to life
Viewing of "The Raven," winner of the 2015 Emmy Award (Regional) for Educational Program
A special Sunday Brunch with Edgar Allan Poe's dead mother??
The full poster -
Here is the YouTube link to today’s program -
For those who want to see the story on film, this 1964 film starting Vincent Price is a classic. Here is the full film on YouTube -
The Masque of the Red Death begins as follows - THE "Red Death" had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avator and its seal -- the redness and the horror of blood. There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim, were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men. And the whole seizure, progress and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half an hour. But the Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court, and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his castellated abbeys. You can read the full short story at poestories.com/... A few quotes from The Masque of the Red Death There are chords in the hearts of the most reckless which cannot be touched without emotion, even by the utterly lost, to whom life and death are equally jests, there are matters of which no jest can be made.
There was much of the beautiful, much of the wanton, much of the bizarre, something of the terrible, and not a little of that which might have excited disgust.
And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all. I presume there are many members here who are much more knowledgeable about Edgar Allan Poe’s writings and who can provide deeper insights into and comparisons between the story from 1842 and the drama being played out today. So, let’s discuss.
Further Reading and Links


dailykos--2020-10-03--"I voted for Trump," she said, "I made a mistake." How to Reply? ☼ Fundraiser for Joe and Kamala

`` I voted for Trump , '' she said , `` I made a mistake . ''
How to Reply ?
On a deep canvassing* call yesterday , a woman told me `` I voted for Trump , '' and then she added , `` I made a mistake . ''
With so many people already voting this election season , what if this happens to you ?
What would you say ?
I ’ m in Michigan , deep canvassing part-time into Michigan .
My response to that woman could have been a lot better : I suggested that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to which she replied that although she had campaigned in the past , she was unable to campaign at this time due to her disabilities .
In that moment , I totally forgot that in Michigan it ’ s possible to get another absentee ballot , and so I was unable to tell her about the process .
But I learned from my mistake , and so can you .
It might be possible to get a replacement absentee ballot in your state !
In Michigan , if you are voting at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot , you can ask for a replacement ballot .
In Michigan , such a ruined ballot is called “ spoiled.
” The same thing is true if you sent your ballot to the clerk ’ s office and change your mind : you can get another ballot by mail .
However , there are of course details that might limit your ability to obtain a replacement ballot .
Short Version : If you sent in your ballot and want to change your mind , you can ( in Michigan ) .
Detailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office : If a voter has already voted absentee and wishes to change their vote ( because the candidate has dropped out of the race , or for any other reason ) , a voter can spoil their ballot by submitting a written request to their city or township clerk .
The voter must sign the request and state if they would like a new absentee ballot mailed to them or if they will vote at the polls .
This request must be received by 2 p.m. the Saturday before the election if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be spoiled in person at the clerk ’ s office until 4 p.m. the Monday prior to the election .
The voter can obtain a new absentee ballot there or vote at the polls .
There is no option on Election Day to spoil an absentee ballot that has been received by the clerk .
( Michigan Secretary of State 's website . )
Those mailing dates probably do not reflect the current USPS situation .
It looks like that website needs to be updated .
Your state might use different terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spoiling a ballot .
You will have to discover the proper terminology in your state to be able to help voters who spoil their ballot get a replacement .
• The Best Way to Beat Trumpism ?
Talk Less , Listen More • Can Millions of Deep Conversations With Total Strangers Beat Trump — and Heal America ?
In the meantime , let ’ s send Joe and Kamala some jinglies for their campaign pockets .
Many a mickle make a muckle .
Please donate to Joe and Kamala via my ActBlue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behalf of the Bye Don AKA Biden 2020 community group for readers and members of Daily Kos .
This fundraiser is a grass-roots group effort , organized by 2thanks and not organized or endorsed by Daily Kos .
You can read more about how your donation is handled by ActBlue here .
We started today at $ 71,446 , more than 70 % of the way to our goal of $ 100,000 !
If you donated already , thank you !
Please use our ActBlue page to donate to Joe and Kamala ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for readers and members of Daily Kos .
Solidarity .
Teamwork .
Bragging rights .
Building community .

"I voted for Trump," she said, "I made a mistake." How to Reply?
On a deep canvassing* call yesterday, a woman told me "I voted for Trump," and then she added, "I made a mistake." With so many people already voting this election season, what if this happens to you? What would you say?
I’m in Michigan, deep canvassing part-time into Michigan. My response to that woman could have been a lot better: I suggested that she might like to campaign for Biden, to which she replied that although she had campaigned in the past, she was unable to campaign at this time due to her disabilities. In that moment, I totally forgot that in Michigan it’s possible to get another absentee ballot, and so I was unable to tell her about the process. But I learned from my mistake, and so can you.
It might be possible to get a replacement absentee ballot in your state!
“Spoiling” an absent voter ballot
In Michigan, if you are voting at your voting place and you ruin a ballot, you can ask for a replacement ballot. In Michigan, such a ruined ballot is called “spoiled.” The same thing is true if you sent your ballot to the clerk’s office and change your mind: you can get another ballot by mail. However, there are of course details that might limit your ability to obtain a replacement ballot.
Short Version: If you sent in your ballot and want to change your mind, you can (in Michigan). Detailed Instructions from the Michigan SOS’s office: If a voter has already voted absentee and wishes to change their vote (because the candidate has dropped out of the race, or for any other reason), a voter can spoil their ballot by submitting a written request to their city or township clerk. The voter must sign the request and state if they would like a new absentee ballot mailed to them or if they will vote at the polls. This request must be received by 2 p.m. the Saturday before the election if received by mail. An absentee ballot may be spoiled in person at the clerk’s office until 4 p.m. the Monday prior to the election. The voter can obtain a new absentee ballot there or vote at the polls. There is no option on Election Day to spoil an absentee ballot that has been received by the clerk. (Michigan Secretary of State's website.) Those mailing dates probably do not reflect the current USPS situation. It looks like that website needs to be updated.
Your state might use different terms for absentee ballot, voting precinct, and spoiling a ballot. You will have to discover the proper terminology in your state to be able to help voters who spoil their ballot get a replacement.
* Deep canvassing:
In the meantime, let’s send Joe and Kamala some jinglies for their campaign pockets. Many a mickle make a muckle.
Dear Readers and Members of Daily Kos:
Please donate to Joe and Kamala via my ActBlue fundraising page establish((9ed on behalf of the Bye Don AKA Biden 2020 community group for readers and members of Daily Kos. This fundraiser is a grass-roots group effort, organized by 2thanks and not organized or endorsed by Daily Kos. You can read more about how your donation is handled by ActBlue here.
We started today at $71,446, more than 70% of the way to our goal of $100,000! If you donated already, thank you!
Please use our ActBlue page to donate to Joe and Kamala’s campaign: A grassroots election-season effort for readers and members of Daily Kos. Solidarity. Teamwork. Bragging rights. Building community.


dailykos--2020-10-04--Should there be more debates?

Should there be more debates?

I just got a “ survey ” email this morning from letvoteamerica.org .
There are questions like , “ Should the moderator have the ability to mute Trump ’ s mike ?
” Or “ Should we have realtime fact checking ?
” Are you kidding me ?
This is what our country has become ?
One could suggest Dr Jill Biden but she taught at the college level .
Her classroom experience is at the wrong level .
Sister Karen Anne would do a good job and straighten things out .
She was my 4th grade teacher and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t intimidating enough to us not-quite-big boys , she had been around the block more than a few times with middle-graders .
Then again , my mother was a 4th grade teacher which is probably why I couldn ’ t pull any nonsense at home either .
But that was 1955 and this is now and both of those women have been gone for a while .
I ’ m glad Mom , a life long Republican , didn ’ t live long enough to see this .
She saw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m glad she didn ’ t see this .
Trump is within weeks of my age… The GOP has slid on its own slime a long way from their high point when President ( and 5 star General ) Eisenhower was the measure of serious adult behavior .
How far we have sunken .
What kind of country/society have we become ?
This is beyond an embarrassment .

I just got a “survey” email this morning from letvoteamerica.org. There are questions like, “Should the moderator have the ability to mute Trump’s mike?” Or “Should we have realtime fact checking?”
Are you kidding me? This is what our country has become? One could suggest Dr Jill Biden but she taught at the college level. Her classroom experience is at the wrong level. Sister Karen Anne would do a good job and straighten things out. She was my 4th grade teacher and if her black-and-whites (the penguin suit) weren’t intimidating enough to us not-quite-big boys, she had been around the block more than a few times with middle-graders. Then again, my mother was a 4th grade teacher which is probably why I couldn’t pull any nonsense at home either. But that was 1955 and this is now and both of those women have been gone for a while. I’m glad Mom, a life long Republican, didn’t live long enough to see this. She saw a lot in her 99+ years but I’m glad she didn’t see this.
Trump is within weeks of my age… The GOP has slid on its own slime a long way from their high point when President (and 5 star General) Eisenhower was the measure of serious adult behavior.
How far we have sunken. What kind of country/society have we become? This is beyond an embarrassment.


dailykos--2020-10-06--Southwest Florida Roundup: COVID, masks and Byron Donalds; a ‘no’ to stimulus and QAnon, and more

On Saturday , Oct. 3 , in the wake of President Donald Trump ’ s COVID-19 diagnosis and quarantine , Cindy Banyai , Democratic congressional candidate in Florida ’ s 19th Congressional District called on her opponent , Republican state Rep. Byron Donalds ( R-80-Immokalee ) , to quarantine himself , having met with the president .
“ Given the current skyrocketing rate of infection among White House staff and event attendees , and considering Mr. Donalds is still in the potential incubation period of 14 days , I think it would be in the best interest of our community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed , ” she said in a statement .
“ He should also get tested for COVID-19 and release the results , so anyone he may have exposed to the virus in the interim can have the best information possible to take care of themselves and their loved ones .
This is especially important because of Mr. Donalds ’ stance against mask wearing , which is effective in reducing transmission rates of the virus.
” Donalds met with the president in Washington , DC on Sept. 23 , where he was photographed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fort Myers News-Press that he had been tested for the virus on Friday , Oct. 2 , and the results were negative .
He said he had also tested negative prior to his meeting with Trump .
“ After you ’ ve had two negative tests within 10 days , that ’ s sufficient , ” he told reporter Amy Bennett Williams .
“ I have no symptoms … That puts it to rest .
I ’ m fine.
” “ I was disappointed to see Mr. Donalds attend indoor events without social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past week , including events after the announcement of the president testing positive for COVID19 , ” stated Banyai .
“ It seems like he is not taking the risk seriously and doesn ’ t care about the people in our community.
” Donalds has vociferously opposed mask mandates by local governments , arguing that mask wearing should be an individual decision .
He appeared at the Cape Coral City Council to oppose masking when that body debated a mandate on July 6 .
“ You have no authority to mandate what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fear people are having doesn ’ t justify it , ” Donalds said at the time .
“ As a council , you have the solemn duty to vote this down and get back to common sense.
” On July 14 , when the Collier County Commission first debated a mask mandate , Donalds argued it would put “ extensive burdens ” on local law enforcement .
“ How are you going to have them enforce such a mandate ?
” he asked commissioners .
“ Who are they going to decide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they not going to enforce it on ?
There are major issues with such an order.
” The commission ultimately voted in a mask mandate .
Donalds repeated his positions during his televised debate with Banyai on Sept. 28 at the studio of WGCU .
Donalds has not worn a mask at public events he has attended .
There is no indication that Donalds has changed his position on mask mandates given the president ’ s diagnosis and the spread of COVID-19 among high-level officials and presidential intimates .
___________No answer has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yes on QAnon Southwest Florida congressional representatives , Reps. Francis Rooney ( R-19-Fla. ) , Mario Diaz-Balart ( R-25-Fla. ) and Greg Steube ( R-17-Fla. ) all voted against a second stimulus package in Congress last week .
Called the HEROES Act ( House Resolution 925 ) the bill passed late Thursday , Oct. 1 , by a vote of 214 to 207 .
The bill provides $ 2.2 trillion in relief to people , businesses , states and local governments hard hit by the pandemic .
It is a follow-on to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in May that propped up a badly damaged economy .
Passage of the bill occurred following a stalemate in talks between House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi ( D-12-Calif. ) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
The administration had proposed a $ 1.6 trillion package and the two were unable to resolve their differences , so Pelosi proceeded with the House version .
None of the Southwest Florida congressmen issued statements explaining their votes .
The bill is not expected to make any progress in the Senate .
The same day , the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Condemning QAnon and rejecting the conspiracy theories it promotes.
” While not a law , the bill explicitly condemned the online QAnon conspiracy theory as well as “ all other groups and ideologies , from the far left to the far right , that contribute to the spread of unfounded conspiracy theories and that encourage Americans to destroy public and private property and attack law enforcement officers.
” It called on federal agencies and the intelligence community to investigate and “ uncover any foreign support , assistance , or online amplification QAnon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelming vote of 371 to 18 .
Of Southwest Florida ’ s representatives , Diaz-Balart and Steube voted for it .
Rooney was absent .
On Sept. 29 the News-Press and on Oct. 4 the Naples Daily News published an op-ed by Rep. Francis Rooney and Michael Whittaker , a conservation activist , titled , “ Climate is on the ballot in Florida this November.
” It argued that voters should elect environmental champions this November given the urgency of climate issues facing Southwest Florida .
It made the case that political conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market-based solutions to environmental threats .
“ As constituents of Southwest Florida , when we head to the ballot box this fall , we need to remain vigilant and strong to ensure that our principles are upheld and our environment is protected , ” they wrote .
Politically , what was most interesting about the op-ed was what it didn ’ t say : it didn ’ t endorse any candidates running and most especially did not mention Byron Daniels , whom Rooney might have been expected to anoint as a fellow Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not made any endorsements of any candidates to date .

The Paradise Progressive Roundup October 4, 2020 4 Minutes
Oct. 4, 2020 by David Silverberg
On Saturday, Oct. 3, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and quarantine, Cindy Banyai, Democratic congressional candidate in Florida’s 19th Congressional District called on her opponent, Republican state Rep. Byron Donalds (R-80-Immokalee), to quarantine himself, having met with the president.
“Given the current skyrocketing rate of infection among White House staff and event attendees, and considering Mr. Donalds is still in the potential incubation period of 14 days, I think it would be in the best interest of our community if he quarantined until that window has passed,” she said in a statement. “He should also get tested for COVID-19 and release the results, so anyone he may have exposed to the virus in the interim can have the best information possible to take care of themselves and their loved ones. This is especially important because of Mr. Donalds’ stance against mask wearing, which is effective in reducing transmission rates of the virus.”
Donalds met with the president in Washington, DC on Sept. 23, where he was photographed in the Oval Office. He told the Fort Myers News-Press that he had been tested for the virus on Friday, Oct. 2, and the results were negative. He said he had also tested negative prior to his meeting with Trump.
“After you’ve had two negative tests within 10 days, that’s sufficient,” he told reporter Amy Bennett Williams. “I have no symptoms … That puts it to rest. I’m fine.”
“I was disappointed to see Mr. Donalds attend indoor events without social distancing or masks in Southwest Florida over the past week, including events after the announcement of the president testing positive for COVID19,” stated Banyai. “It seems like he is not taking the risk seriously and doesn’t care about the people in our community.”
Donalds has vociferously opposed mask mandates by local governments, arguing that mask wearing should be an individual decision. He appeared at the Cape Coral City Council to oppose masking when that body debated a mandate on July 6.
“You have no authority to mandate what people can put on their body. The fear people are having doesn’t justify it,” Donalds said at the time. “As a council, you have the solemn duty to vote this down and get back to common sense.”
On July 14, when the Collier County Commission first debated a mask mandate, Donalds argued it would put “extensive burdens” on local law enforcement.
“How are you going to have them enforce such a mandate?” he asked commissioners. “Who are they going to decide to enforce it on and who are they not going to enforce it on? There are major issues with such an order.” The commission ultimately voted in a mask mandate.
Donalds repeated his positions during his televised debate with Banyai on Sept. 28 at the studio of WGCU.
Donalds has not worn a mask at public events he has attended.
There is no indication that Donalds has changed his position on mask mandates given the president’s diagnosis and the spread of COVID-19 among high-level officials and presidential intimates.
________________________________________
On Oct. 2, The Paradise Progressive sent the following questions to the Byron Donalds for Congress campaign: 1. In light of the president’s contracting coronavirus, have you changed or altered your position against government mask mandates? A. If you have made any changes, please state your current policy position. 2. What is your position on wearing masks in general?
___________No answer has been received to date._____________________________
No on stimulus, yes on QAnon
Southwest Florida congressional representatives, Reps. Francis Rooney (R-19-Fla.), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-25-Fla.) and Greg Steube (R-17-Fla.) all voted against a second stimulus package in Congress last week.
Called the HEROES Act (House Resolution 925) the bill passed late Thursday, Oct. 1, by a vote of 214 to 207.
The bill provides $2.2 trillion in relief to people, businesses, states and local governments hard hit by the pandemic. It is a follow-on to a previous $3.4 trillion HEROES Act passed in May that propped up a badly damaged economy.
Passage of the bill occurred following a stalemate in talks between House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-12-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The administration had proposed a $1.6 trillion package and the two were unable to resolve their differences, so Pelosi proceeded with the House version.
None of the Southwest Florida congressmen issued statements explaining their votes.
The bill is not expected to make any progress in the Senate.
The same day, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 1154, “Condemning QAnon and rejecting the conspiracy theories it promotes.”
While not a law, the bill explicitly condemned the online QAnon conspiracy theory as well as “all other groups and ideologies, from the far left to the far right, that contribute to the spread of unfounded conspiracy theories and that encourage Americans to destroy public and private property and attack law enforcement officers.” It called on federal agencies and the intelligence community to investigate and “uncover any foreign support, assistance, or online amplification QAnon receives.”
This bill passed by an overwhelming vote of 371 to 18.
Of Southwest Florida’s representatives, Diaz-Balart and Steube voted for it. Rooney was absent.
No endorsement here
On Sept. 29 the News-Press and on Oct. 4 the Naples Daily News published an op-ed by Rep. Francis Rooney and Michael Whittaker, a conservation activist, titled, “Climate is on the ballot in Florida this November.”
It argued that voters should elect environmental champions this November given the urgency of climate issues facing Southwest Florida. It made the case that political conservatives have to take the lead in devising market-based solutions to environmental threats.
“As constituents of Southwest Florida, when we head to the ballot box this fall, we need to remain vigilant and strong to ensure that our principles are upheld and our environment is protected,” they wrote.
Politically, what was most interesting about the op-ed was what it didn’t say: it didn’t endorse any candidates running and most especially did not mention Byron Daniels, whom Rooney might have been expected to anoint as a fellow Republican seeking to fill his seat. Rooney has not made any endorsements of any candidates to date.
Liberty lives in light
©2020 by David Silverberg


dailykos--2020-10-05--There's a reason Trump isn't getting any sympathy, and it has nothing to do with politics

The New York Times reports there is no sign of a “ sympathy bounce ” for Trump since his positive COVID-19 diagnosis and subsequent hospitalization at Walter Reed .
In support of this conclusion the Times cites the Ipsos/Reuters poll released October 4th , which includes polling conducted after Trump ’ s COVID-19 positive status was divulged , noting that “ The poll found that nearly two-thirds of Americans , including half of Republicans , think Mr. Trump could have avoided the virus if he had taken it more seriously.
” So there is an unusually broad , bipartisan consensus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political spectrum , that Trump ’ s misfortune is essentially his own fault .
And the fact that former Vice President Biden continues to maintain ( and extend ) his significant lead over Trump in the national polls , even in light of Trump ’ s hospitalization , together with that perception by Americans that Trump himself is to blame for his own infection , are the factors the Times apparently relies upon to explain why no “ sympathy bounce ” is evident ( presumably such a “ sympathy bounce ” would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Vice President Biden ) .
A president succumbing to a potentially serious—even lethal -- illness is a rare occurrence in the modern era .
The last time a president was publicly diagnosed with a critical medical problem was likely Ronald Reagan , who underwent surgery in 1985 to have some cancerous polyps removed from his intestines .
The health issues of John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt were elaborately disguised to keep the public in the dark about their conditions as much as possible , so it ’ s not possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have evoked .
A less meaningful but still relevant comparison is the enormous “ bounce ” that George W. Bush received in the days immediately following the 9/11 attacks ; although Bush himself was not the victim of the attacks , the perception , right or wrong , that he was exhibiting leadership of the country directly in their aftermath led 90 % of Americans to express , if not sympathy , broad approval for his behavior , contrasting sharply with his approval ratings prior to the attacks .
But Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnosis , is so far receiving nothing that would suggest either sympathy or any increased approval from the American public .
And the explanation for this must lie beyond the merely political ; even if George W. Bush , Bill Clinton or Barack Obama—all quite polarizing figures in our political era -- had been stricken with a malady as potentially debilitating or deadly as COVID-19 , while some ultra-partisans would doubtless be gloating with pleasure , its difficult to believe that any of these presidents would not have generated a sympathetic reaction among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflected in the polling .
Politically Donald Trump is not far removed from George W. Bush in what he has actually achieved—enormous tax cuts for the wealthy , the appointment of rabid right-wing judges , deregulation and degradation of the environment—the list of similarities is actually quite long .
But if we assume that the public would sympathize with such an illness striking George W. Bush , but refuse to do the same with Donald J. Trump , then the explanation must be elsewhere .
Donald Trump is unique among American presidents in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his way to publicly abuse , malign and impugn various segments of the American public .
He first displayed this tendency during the 2016 campaign , when he denigrated undocumented immigrants , so-called “ Mexican ” Judges , members of the press , even going so far as to mock those with disabilities .
His entire campaign against Hillary Clinton ( whom he labelled as “ crooked Hillary ) was rooted in abuse and insults .
Since becoming president Trump has doubled down on this behavior at every turn , maligning our intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ( “ losers and suckers ” ) Congresswomen of color , peaceful protesters , ethnic minorities of all persuasions , Democrats , Republicans , women and men .
Through his active Twitter fingers he has spewed a relentless torrent of bile at nearly everyone in this country , even saving his private contempt for his most ardent supporters .
But beyond the verbal and Twitter abuse , Trump has also taken concrete , substantive actions to express his contempt and abusive feelings towards Americans as a whole , none more deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimize the COVID-19 pandemic .
Unlike his selective abuse of certain groups and individuals , this malevolence was directed in effect at all American citizens .
He offered them a stark choice—believe what he said about the seriousness of the SARS-CoV-2 virus , or face demonization and more abuse .
He directed that abuse and mistreatment towards Democratic governors and by implication , towards the citizens who had elected those governors to manage their states , for their efforts to resist his blanket exhortations to reopen their businesses .
He directed that abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen the schools even in the face of clear danger , and by implication he directed his abuse towards the children and young people forced with no choice but to abide by premature and ill-advised school reopenings decisions that he himself pushed for .
Meanwhile , he steadfastly ignored the mounting death toll resulting from his casual disregard of Americans ’ lives .
He ignored the individual tragedies of those Americans coping with not only the sicknesses and deaths of their loved ones , but also with a devastating economic crisis that threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ futures .
And while all this was occurring he continued to lie and mislead to Americans about the lack of any progress being made .
So Americans find themselves , in October , no better off than they were in March , when the nation shut down on the assumption that the federal government would take some type of effective measures to combat the pandemic .
And all the while , the abuse , the insults , the arrogant self-aggrandizement continued .
It never let up , in fact .
It manifested itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that significant majorities of Americans condemned as self-serving and providing nothing in the way of assistance to their lives .
Into this befouled environment—teeming with sheer , wanton disregard for American citizens -- came the unsurprising revelation that the Trump White House has now become a bubbling Petri dish of COVID-19 infection , entirely as a result of its inhabitants ’ own arrogant behavior—and now , that Trump himself is among the infected .
But as the polls reflect , Americans by and large simply don ’ t care .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s political positions , but a reflection back of the behavior he has exhibited towards Americans during his entire tenure in office .
Americans know that this president doesn ’ t care one whit about their lives , so there is no reason for them to care about him , his family , or anyone else that works in this White House .
So it isn ’ t simply the fact that Trump clearly brought this on himself that ’ s behind the lack of a “ sympathy bounce.
” It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slightest shred of human empathy towards American citizens either through his words or actions .
Put bluntly , Americans are tired of being shit on over and over by this shameful excuse for a president , and as a result most don ’ t care whether he gets sick or sicker than he is right now .
The polls reflect the fact that a clear majority of Americans want him out of office , and at this point they don ’ t give a damn what condition he ’ s in when he @ @

The New York Times reports that Donald Trump’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis and subsequent hospitalization at Walter Reed Medical Center do not seem to be giving his struggling reelection campaign a boost.
The Trump campaign is hoping the nation will rally around the ailing president as he battles the coronavirus. But the first polls conducted since the president’s announcement of his diagnosis early Friday did not seem to show a sympathy bounce.
In support of this conclusion, the Times cites the Ipsos/Reuters poll released on Oct. 4, which includes polling conducted after Trump’s COVID-19 positive status was divulged, noting that “The poll found that nearly two-thirds of Americans, including half of Republicans, think Mr. Trump could have avoided the virus if he had taken it more seriously.”
So there is an unusually broad consensus, extending across both ends of the political spectrum, that Trump’s misfortune is essentially his own fault.
The fact that former Vice President Joe Biden continues to maintain and extend his significant lead over Trump in the national polls, even in light of Trump’s hospitalization, coupled with many Americans’ belief that Trump himself is to blame for his own infection, are the factors the Times apparently relies upon to explain why no sympathy bounce is evident (presumably such a sympathy bounce would be reflected in a more narrow lead for Biden).
A president succumbing to a potentially serious—even lethal—illness is a rare occurrence in the modern era. The last time a president was publicly diagnosed with a critical medical problem was Ronald Reagan, who underwent surgery in 1985 to have some cancerous polyps removed from his intestines. The health issues of John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt were elaborately disguised to keep the public in the dark about their conditions as much as possible, so it’s not possible to guess what sort of sympathy they would have evoked. A less meaningful but still relevant comparison is the enormous approval rating bounce that George W. Bush received in the days immediately following the Sept. 11 attacks. Although Bush himself was not the victim of the attacks, the perception, right or wrong, that he was exhibiting leadership of the country directly in their aftermath led 90% of Americans to express, if not sympathy, a broad approval for his behavior, contrasting sharply with his approval ratings prior to the attacks.
But Donald Trump, despite the ominous ramifications of his diagnosis, is so far receiving nothing that would suggest either sympathy nor any increased approval from the American public. The explanation for this must lie beyond the merely political. Even if George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, or Barack Obama—all quite polarizing figures in their own right— had been stricken with a malady as potentially debilitating or deadly as COVID-19, some ultra-partisans would doubtless have gloated with pleasure. Yet it’s difficult to believe that any of these presidents would not have generated a sympathetic reaction among the general public—sympathy which would have been reflected in the polling.
Politically, Donald Trump is not far removed from George W. Bush in what he has actually achieve. Enormous tax cuts for the wealthy, the appointment of rabid right-wing judges, deregulation and degradation of the environment—the list of similarities is actually quite long. But if we assume that the public would sympathize with such an illness striking George W. Bush, but refuse to do the same with Donald J. Trump, then the explanation must lie elsewhere.
Trump, of course, is unique among American presidents in that he has deliberately gone out of his way to publicly abuse, malign, and impugn so many segments of the American public. He first displayed this tendency during the 2016 campaign, when he denigrated undocumented immigrants, so-called “Mexican” judges, and members of the press, even going so far as to mock those with disabilities. His entire campaign against Hillary Clinton (whom he labeled as “crooked”) was rooted in such abuse and insults.
Since becoming president, Trump has doubled down on this behavior at every turn, maligning our intelligence agencies; calling fallen American soldiers and POWs “losers and suckers”; and attacking congresswomen of color, peaceful protesters, ethnic and religious minorities of all persuasions, Democrats, Republicans, women and men, and those outside the gender binary. With his busy Twitter fingers, he has spewed a relentless torrent of bile at nearly everyone in this country, even saving his private contempt for his most ardent supporters.
But beyond the verbal and Twitter abuse, Trump has also taken concrete, substantive actions to express his contempt and abusive feelings toward Americans as a whole, none more deadly and far-reaching than his sustained effort to minimize the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike his selective abuse of certain groups and individuals, this malevolence was directed in effect at all American citizens. He offered them a stark choice—believe what he said about the seriousness of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, or face demonization and more abuse. He directed that abuse and mistreatment toward Democratic governors and by implication, toward the citizens who had elected those governors to manage their states, for their efforts to resist his blanket exhortations to reopen their businesses. He directed that abuse toward teachers who repudiated his edicts to reopen the schools even in the face of clear danger, and by implication toward the children and young people forced with no choice but to abide by the premature and ill-advised school reopenings that he himself pushed for.
Meanwhile, Trump steadfastly ignored the mounting death toll resulting from his casual disregard of Americans’ lives. He ignored the individual tragedies of those Americans coping with not only the sicknesses and deaths of their loved ones, but also with a devastating economic crisis that threatened their very lives and their families’ futures. And while all this was occurring, he continued to lie to and mislead Americans about the lack of progress being made. So Americans find themselves, in October, no better off than they were in March, when the nation shut down, expecting that the federal government would take some type of effective measures to combat the pandemic.
And all the while, the abuse, the insults, the arrogant self-aggrandizement continued. It never let up, in fact. It manifested itself most recently in an appalling debate performance that significant majorities of Americans condemned as self-serving.
Into this befouled environment—teeming with sheer, wanton disregard for American citizens—came the unsurprising revelation that the Trump White House has now become a bubbling petri dish of COVID-19 infection, entirely as a result of its inhabitants’ own arrogant behavior. Trump himself is among the infected. But as the polls reflect, Americans by and large simply don’t care. That’s not a reflection of the president’s political positions, but a reflection of the very behavior he has exhibited toward Americans during his entire tenure in office. Americans know that this president doesn’t care one whit about their lives, so there is no reason for us to care about him, his family, or anyone else in his administration.
So it isn’t simply that Trump clearly brought this on himself that’s behind the lack of a sympathy bounce. It’s that he’s never exhibited the slightest shred of human empathy toward American citizens, either through his words or actions. Put bluntly, Americans are tired of being shit on over and over by this shameful excuse for a president, and as a result, most don’t care whether he gets sick, or sicker than he is right now. The polls reflect the fact that a clear majority of Americans want him out of office, and at this point they don’t give a damn what condition he’s in when he leaves.
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