 |
| Will Biden stay in the race? |
Before the disastrous debate, I was confident Biden could win the election. But now, it looks really bad. It's not just a question of the president having a bad night. He appeared to be a doddering old man on the edge of dementia. There are reports this is not a "one-off," that he's been this way before. An announcement that he will not schedule any meeting after 8PM and he will get more sleep does not help. That paints a picture of an incompetent, daytime president. And will Biden be able to do the job at least competently through an entire second term at the end of which he will 86?
This is not "elitist" panicking at a poor debate performance or a drama-obsessed mainstream media stirring up conflict in a mindless rush for ratings and clicks. That characterization is unfair. Maybe it works to shore up Biden's support among minorities and labor unions by calling the top brass of the Democratic Party, the chattering pundit class, and Hollywood millionaires like George Clooney clueless rich people who are not attuned to the common man. But the media is just doing its job by reporting the truth and the top Dems are justifiably nervous about Biden's ability to defeat Trump and consequently, their ability to take back the House and keep the Senate.
 |
| VP Harris would not be given a fair shot |
A recent poll said about 70 percent feel Biden is too old and should drop out of the race. But the same poll has the race at a dead heat with each flawed candidate receiving 46 percent. That means about 24 percent of the voters who think Biden is too infirm for the job will still vote for him. This makes me feel a little bit better since it looks like Biden is not going to drop out. But the polls in battleground states make me blanch. Only in battleground states Pennsylvania and Michigan is Biden still ahead of the Orange Slime. There is also the disquieting news that the Dems could lose Nebraska. Only two states--Maine and Nebraska--divide their electoral votes by congressional district instead of winner take all as in the remaining 48. That means if Biden holds on to my home state of Pa. and Mich., and he takes the votes surrounding the big cities in Neb., he can eke out an electoral college victory, which would be ironic since that's how Trump won against Hillary Clinton in 2016. But Republicans in the Nebraska State legislature are aiming to change the rules and make their state winner take all, making it impossible for Biden to win. Apparently it's all up to one Democratic state senator which shouldn't be. The fate of our democracy should not rest with one person. We shouldn't rely on the antiquated electoral college system. It should be a popular vote, plain and simple. But that will never happen.
So what would a Trump second term look like? My partner and several friends are convinced we will turn into an authoritarian state. That national gay marriage will be taken away and it will only be recognized in states which have previously passed laws to have it. Abortion rights will continue to dwindle. Trump will appoint more MAGA judges. The disgusting Supreme Court has ruled a president has immunity from criminal prosecution for all "official" acts. Trump will interpret that to mean he can do whatever he wants including weaponizing the Dept. of Justice to get revenge on those who dared oppose him such as Liz Chaney and Adam Kinzinger. On a side note, I'm furious that this SCOTUS ruling could mean all four of Trump's criminal cases could be thrown out. In the NY hush money case where the felon was convicted on all 34 or so counts, the judge is delaying sentencing while the lawyers submit arguments for dismissal or continuing of sentencing. I hope he rules that Trump's signing of the checks to reimburse Michael Cohen for the hush money and falsifying the business records are not "official acts." BTW, my Congressperson AOC has filed articles of impeachment against Thomas and Alito, but no one is reporting on it.
I don't believe we will turn into the Third Reich or Gilead from The Handmaid's Tale (still awaiting Season Six). My partner and friends call me naive. We could slide into a rightward autocracy like Hungary. (Trump is meeting with Orban as Biden meets with NATO leaders which should tell you something.) I hope not. But the guardrails on our democracy will grow weaker, thanks to the SCOTUS ruling. (I understand their thinking that the President cannot be worried about criminal action for everything he does. He or she can't hesitate to declare war in fear that someone will sue him for being responsible for their child' death in warfare. But by the same token, the president shouldn't be allowed to get away with blatant criminal behavior even if it's an "official act.")
If Trump wins, it will be a triumph of power, money and position over justice and fair treatment. It will send the message to every American kid that if you have the right connections, you can get away with anything. That's the wrong message. Our country was once built on the idea that NO ONE is above the law. Not anymore.
Biden is our only hope. If he does step down or is forced out, the Dem party will look weak and divided. If Harris is the candidate, she is not strong enough to win and there is too much racism and sexism for her to be given a fair shot. It's a terrible situation. Biden should have announced a year ago that he would not run. But he didn't. This is where we are. I don't care if Biden deteriorates in a few years and Harris has to take over. We can't have Trump.
No comments:
Post a Comment