Saturday, September 5, 2020

Labor Day Weekend: Another Super Spreader Holiday

Pandemic Diary
Day 173

Dear Diary,

It's Labor Day weekend and in the age of COVID-19 that means super spreader events will happen from coast-to- coast.

It's a given. Turn the dial back a couple of months and look what happened after the 4th of July weekend - coronavirus cases climbed to record highs.

There's been numerous outdoor events - like the Sturgis Bike Rally, the Trump rally at Mt. Rushmore, the Trump rally in Tulsa, and on-and-on. Each one was a super spreader.

It's no secret that when hundreds of students gather at pool parties, and so-called COVID parties, that the virus is energized and spread very quickly among participants who are ignoring CDC safety measures. 

Healthcare officials have sore throats from constantly warning the public to wear masks and practice safe-distancing... with little effect. Americans want to move on and not dwell in the reality of a pandemic. They're tired of their lives being disrupted.

Trump is not the only person who thinks the coronavirus will magically go away someday. It's sad to say, but from what recent history has shown many Americans don't want to believe that COVID-19 is that big a threat - that it's been exaggerated by political enemies of Trump.

The sad thing about Labor Day this year is medical experts are warning that it's not safe to hold family gatherings. Or, to host social events like parties. There's been thousands of cases reported about family gatherings that have resulted in community virus outbreaks.

Documenting public responses to holidays in 2020 will someday be a essay question in schools. I'm afraid it's going to make us all look like fools.

In our defense, 2020 was the most chaotic year in American history with so many major challenges to our democracy that future chroniclers will record it as a seismic societal revolution.

Regardless of my daily reports, the reader will never fully understand the tension that existed in 2020 as Americans faced fascism, systemic racism, a corrupt president, and the most deadly virus to hit the continent in 100 years.

Quote for the Day: "For now, I just want things all safe and familiar. My life may not be perfect, but it is what I have known." -Ann M. Martin

Friday, September 4, 2020

It's Not About Issues: It's All About Trump

Pandemic Diary
Day 172

Dear Diary,

Trump's racist rhetoric, brazen lies about mail-in voting, and support of extreme right-wingers (QAnon for example) are daily occurrences now.

What started out as a mile-long race in the run for the presidency is coming into the home stretch with 60 days left until Americans can vote. 

The winner is either going to plunge the nation into further chaos and anarchy, or... democracy will prove stronger than an authoritarian government under a demented dictator.

The key to this race is NOT the economy, nor his leadership fighting COVID-19, nor his great track record of uniting the country. Forget about issues. 

Trump is gambling that he's convinced enough people in the last four years to believe every word he utters (with his limited vocabulary) that no amount of facts and evidence of his corruption will stop his followers from drinking toxic orange juice.

Political pundits pointed out that Trump's impeachment by the House, and the failed attempt to bring him to justice in the Senate, was a turning point in his vicious assault on the rule of law. As history will show he went on a revenge tour that continues to this day.

Because we're in the home stretch of this already history-making nasty-ass presidential campaign, the ante is going up with full throttle support coming from Putin to Trump. Russian websites attacking Joe Biden have already been taken down by Facebook, and FBI authorities warn there's more out there. 

Democrats biggest challenge is NOT addressing all the issues important to the majority of Americans - Biden's campaign is doing great with its all inclusive message calling for unity - it's exposing Trump's lies in real time.

His tweets (and retweets) have recently increased to nearly a hundred a day. Each one tells the tale of a desperate narcissist fearful of losing his ill-gained power in November.

The best way to put this presidential election into focus - how important it is - is to look at the real picture... which is Trump versus America.

Quote for the Day: "Within any important issue, there are always aspects no one wishes to discuss." -George Orwell

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Dancing with Racists in Reality Show During Election Season

Pandemic Diary
Day 171

Dear Diary,

I suspect Trump's reality show presidency will define his regime for future generations of historians.

The con man who was boosted by his past Apprentice fans and every racist group in the country in 2016, has succeeded (up to a point) in dismantling our democracy through divisive rhetoric and ignoring laws.

There's a popular show on TV right now called "Dancing With the Stars," that suspends reality with so-called stars (more on that in a moment) dancing their fool heads off in over-the-top routines that bring big ratings to the show.


One of my favorite past competitors was Trump's former Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, who starred in a series of silly outfits last season. 

In the surreal scheme of things during Trump's presidency, Spicer's performances were just a blip on the radar when compared to the BIG LIE he told while still Trump's stooge. 


That was, of course, claiming Trump's inauguration was the biggest crowd ever to attend such an event... despite photos  that proved otherwise.

I don't know what this season's lineup is going to be. Nor do I care. Instead, I'd rather take a look at some Trump minions who should star in the popular show.
Partners
Couple Number One: Steven Mnuchin in a little boy's prep school outfit - shorts and monogramed jacket - and Matt Gaetz dressed up as an English Professor with a riding crop.

Couple Number Two: Mike Pence dressed up as a princess - with different veils for every night - and Betsy DeVoss in a black leather suit with openings in awkward places. 

Couple Number Three: Jim Jordan in brightly colored diapers and a pacifier necklace, doing the tango with Mitch McConnell in a roman toga that doesn't close in the back.

Couple Number Four: Stephen Miller wearing full Nazi regalia doing the foxtrot with Lindsey Graham in a German peasant girl's outfit with a braided blond wig.

Couple Number Five: Louis DeJoy as "Adam"  with only a different colored fig leaf on every night doing "The Twist"  with Ted Cruz in a red-white-and-blue sequined tutu.   

The reader will note I didn't add Trump to the list because he can barely walk upright like a human, let alone dance.

Quote for the Day: "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." -Albert Einstein

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Warning! Watch For Dangerous Caravans In America

Pandemic Diary
Day 170

Dear Diary,

In 2018, Trump warned his base that South American and Mexican "caravans of terrorists" were on the way to invade America.

Looking back, it was a lie based on racial fear and promoted by Trump who was seeking votes from suburban women. It didn't work. A blue wave swept the suburbs and the Democrats regained control of the House.

Emerging as open allies of Trump are conspiracy groups like QAnon, far-right militias, and white supremacist's. In a desperate bid to retain his power Trump is embracing anyone who supports him.

For example, he's suddenly a backer of caravans. Now caravans are good because they're carrying his cult followers.

When a caravan of his loyal minions invaded Portland during a protest with paint ball guns and noxious sprays, he applauded them.

When one of the invaders, a right wing militia group member (Patriot Prayer) was killed during the deadly drive through downtown Portland, Trump sent coded messages to militias around the country that he supported them. Especially since so many of his followers belong to militia groups.

Will there be more Trump caravans invading other cities? It seems likely based upon the chaos Trump is causing during his American carnage campaign to get re-elected. 

The symbiotic relationship between right wing militias and Trump supporters has never been so clearly defined until now. Their supreme leader has called for chaos, and they're more than happy to comply.

Americans have good reason to be concerned about dangerous caravans this election cycle. This time it's not about immigrants illegally crossing the border. It's about Trump caravans rolling into a city near you and causing chaos! 

Quote for the Day: "How do you defeat terrorism? Don't be terrorized." -Salman Rushdie

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

As November Draws Near Trump's Campaign Turning Out Lies With Warp Speed

Pandemic Diary
Day 169

Dear Diary,


Trump Campaign signals full speed ahead for Captain Donny's false claims! 

New alt-right PAC's bulging with dark money have geared up their operations to tell more lies, and faster than ever before in Operation Warp Speed Part Two. Bigly lies.

One of the Pac's - Preserve America - is being run by the same SOB (Chris LaCivita) who orchestrated the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth takedown of John Kerry in the 2004 presidential race.

Despite exposing their false claims, Kerry's campaign was never able to recover from the brazen barrage of lies.

Some of the most vile Republican operatives from the past have crawled out from beneath their rocks in this last-ditch effort to salvage Trump's campaign, which has been steadily losing ground to Biden.
Lies and Dirty Tricks

Last week, Michigan's state officials announced they were investigating a widely inaccurate robocall that targeted Black voters in the crucial swing state with threatening and incorrect information about voting by mail.

This last weekend, a member of the Republican House leadership shared a doctored video of a disabled activist talking to Joe Biden. After manipulating the video to make it appear the activist was attacking Biden.

Twitter labeled the video "manipulated media," and it disappeared, but not before getting millions of views.

On Sunday, Trump had a tweet removed after sharing false information about coronavirus statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Twitter took the inaccurate tweet down and posted that its "no longer available because it violated the Twitter Rules by endangering peoples lives.

There's such an abundance of disinformation coming from Trump and his minions it's impossible to keep up with them daily. That's why I only gave a few examples here today.

Quote for the Day: "There are few reasons for telling the truth, but for lying the number is infinite." -Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Monday, August 31, 2020

No Politics on this Day: Celebrating 46 Years of Marriage


Pandemic Diary
Day 168

Dear Diary,

No politics today.

It's my wife, Shirley and I's, forty-sixth Wedding Anniversary. We were married on this day in 1974.

We're going out on a picnic, and if we're lucky, we might find some agates. To ensure a peaceful outing we'll be unconnected from the world for the day.

Our marriage has been a long and twisting journey with it's shares of highs, and lows. One of the reasons we've managed to work things out is that we're best friends.

The challenges we faced would test any marriage, but we've come out stronger, and even more in love after each one. One key to our happiness is communication. I know. It sounds droll. But it's true.

Never go to bed angry at one another.
Don't be afraid to tell the truth, and never lie to one another.
Listening, really listening, to each other.
Saying "I love you" should be said daily anywhere, anytime.

One of greatest joys in life is our children, and our grandchildren. We are so proud of our three grown sons, and our five wonderful grandchildren. 


Life is too short.
I'll be 70 in a couple of months with the realization that it's important to live for each day... not to worry about yesterday, and not to worry about tomorrow. 

Quote for the Day: "It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages." -Friedrich Nietzsche

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Why is John 'The Rat' Ratcliffe Cutting Back on Election Security Briefings?

Pandemic Diary
Day 167

Dear Diary,

Here's what we know so far...

Trump is busy downplaying Russia's involvement in this year's elections and that means suppressing any intel about Putin efforts to keep Trump in office.

John "The Rat" Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence, is scaling back election security briefings with 64 days to go before the election.

Why? Because "The Rat"  is another Trump toadie who has no problem getting help from Putin. That's it in a nutshell.

Drilling down deeper, this latest information suppression move is part of Trump's overall plan to rig the election. His attacks against the Post Office and the validity of our mail system is sowing seeds of uncertainty in our 245 year-old institution.

In addition, Trump is counting on conspiracy theories popping up as an October surprise. In particular, he has traitor Sen. Ron Johnson "investigating" Biden and his son Hunter, in a conspiracy theory put forward by Russian intelligence that has been repeatedly debunked by our own intelligence community.

It doesn't matter however. Fact-checking doesn't slow down the flood of lies from Trump and his campaign minions. Adding to the chaos, Trump is causing concern in the healthcare community and his own Coronavirus Task force.

The fact that Trump has denied the science behind the pandemic has caused others to follow his ignorant lead which has led to COVID-19 super spreader events and 183,000 dead Americans... and still counting.

For good measure, Trump is doing his best to ignore the reasons for riots in various cities (systemic racism), and to use them as dystopian backdrops for his hypocritical "Law and Order" campaign to save suburban housewives. 

The Rat's  latest move to stop oral briefings (which the Senate and the House prefer so they can ask questions) isn't going to end his interference against facts that Trump doesn't want exposed. Expect more jaw-dropping moves downplaying Russia's ongoing efforts to re-elect Trump.

The overall plan - if can call it that - is to spread fear, confusion, and chaos in the nation; ultimately discouraging people to vote. 

Quote for the Day: "Fear of something is at the root of hate for others, and hate within will eventually destroy the hater." -George Washington Carver 

Blog Break Until Presidential Election is Over

I finally hit the wall today. I can't think of what to say about all of the madness going on in this country right now. I'm a writer...