To me, the trance has broken. On Thursday night, Biden spoke of truth and issues and plans and decency and the hopefulness of working together. On another channel, a female journalist stood up to the bloviator-in-chief and pierced the bubble of his “reality.” Suddenly the mirage cleared for me. And I hope for many. I don’t think “gaslighting” is a good enough term for what he has been doing. It’s classic. The abuser-in-chief has been selling an image to his abused nation that there is no-way-out. Then he abuses his “enemies” further. As the fear level and anger level rise in us, he baits his loyal subjects to appear more powerful and make them more afraid of us.
But the truth is, they are not growing in numbers, just in rage. We are rising in numbers, and in power. Somehow this fake-prez has convinced himself that the same people fawning over him is enough to win re-election.
Biden knows that reason and respect will get us to the polls.
Not to say that there will be nothing but rosy days ahead. But there are more good people to stand ground with than there are violent wackos. Don’t let him suck you into his version of this. He’s an abuser, he’s been abusing America this whole time, and this truth will set us free.
You're right that "gaslighting" does not necessarily imply criminality. Pondering a word for criminal deception and manipulation, especially for personal financial gain. Ideas?
It is difficult to not be discouraged by the constant barrage of negativity that flows from news and social media now. I read the NYT editorial and found a renewed sense of outrage which quickly afterward slid into near despair because no one is being held accountable and because of the dire knowledge that, even if Biden does win - and make no mistake, that is still a big “if”- we will still be dealing with the fallout from all of this - likely for generations. This switch in my thinking was triggered by one thought: imagine if, upon winning, Biden issues a national mask mandate. What, exactly do you think the reaction will be? Yes, it would go a long way to keeping us all safer especially with winter upon us, but I think we would have chaos in the streets from those who refuse to comply. ‘Rights’, you know. We have a mess and we are stuck with it for the foreseeable future, no matter who wins. That is trump’s legacy. Still, I fervently hope and pray that it’s Biden because, if not, say goodbye to America because trump will continue to work to complete his destruction.
Sorry for being so down today, folks. It’s just where I’m at today but I am grateful that I can share my thoughts with all of you because there is nowhere else I can safely do so. Onward, together.
Yes. And one thing that keeps me sane and gives me hope is THIS community of thoughtful readers of HCR. Just knowing you are there makes a huge difference.
You are right about both counts. There is reason to be worried and this community has become our lifeline. Last night I watched John Heilman’s “The Circus” on Showtime. The first part scared me to death. This group of domestic terrorists (I refuse to call them a militia) talked about going into the streets to foment a civil war if Trump lost. The interviewer asked “ so if Trump wins, it’s legitimate but if Biden does then it’s fraud) and they all said yes. Then the second part had John interviewing a lawyer who was in the Obama administration and is very well regarded. He has assembled a very large contingent to help him if Trump tries to steal the election. But what gave me hope was his cool, calm way of saying that won’t happen. He refused to give John any specifics, but clearly has a hand that he can play and I somehow felt comforted by that.
You are not alone in feeling such despair about the legacy that will be left once tRump is gone. Generations will be left to clean up his swamp, the one he promised to clean up. He's only made ir worse.....more like quick sand.
Good news is that there are bar coded zip ties and seals on all equipment, including over SIM card slots and USB ports, all of which must be verified as intact and scanned routinely.
Bad news is that the training is damn hard! The online training prerequisite took about 9 hours instead of the stated 3, is procedurally very technical and hard to follow--provoked much cursing! Just give me a manual or interactive user guide. I signed up in the spirit of doing my part as an able-bodied, aware, and level-headed citizen experienced in emergency response and de-escalation if needed. The training process so far was very discouraging and difficult, and I can only hope enough people are persevering to follow through. Two days of in-person training lie ahead.
Ellie, I was inspired by your poll worker report so I figured I’d give a quick poll-goer update here too: I voted in Dallas County, TEXAS this morning along with a steady but efficient line of dozens of people. Something I was really surprised to see was curbside voting! People were driving up to a designated spot, they had a portable registration tablet and then a voting booth on wheels!! I hadn’t seen that option talked about at all (The news has mostly focused on the lack of drop off boxes) and it was an oddly heartwarming sight. The only place you wait in line now is outside and everyone was readily wearing a mask and keeping space. Inside, there was a worker wiping down the chairs at the register tables (which had plexi barriers for the poll workers to sit behind) between each person. I then got the second “sign of the times” surprise when they gave you not just your ballot but an “I voted stylus” so you didn’t have to touch the screen. A much better keep sake then the traditional sticker if you ask me; too bad I can’t add a picture to the comments but kudos to whichever election official thought of that! After casting my ballot I walked outside and took a deep breath, something that until that moment I hadn’t realized I hadn’t done in months... I hope there are more deep breaths for all of us in the future.
I trained for 2018, and it was a lot of steps and a LOT of seniors. With a pre-existing condition, I’m out of the loop this year. So, thank you 🙏🏻 for jumping in. ❤️🤍💙
Thank you, Ellie. My parents were vote center volunteers in their retirement years, and I always assumed I'd be doing the same. With my state going to all-mail-in ballots, it hasn't been necessary, but I honor your -- and their -- service.
Ellie, you're doing what I REALLY wish I could do! My mobility issues necessitate that I not stand up for too long or walk around too much, and if I thought that I'd be able to stay seated I'd have volunteered in a heart-beat. I also can't really leave my mom unattended for that long. Keep at it! We need more people like you!!
Thanks for doing this Ellie---and all others doing this! I'm too old to take the risk health wise or I'd be there too. The tide seems to be turning---but the dirty tricks team is gearing up also, I'm sure.......
It wasn't that hard in NC either. This is one of the problems with every state (and every county) being able to set their own agenda, so to speak.
Couple this with elections being on a weekday, which pretty much limits the volunteer pool to retirees, mostly women. My son-in-law, who works from home, has served as chief judge for his precinct in a nearby city and floated the idea that the day be split into two shifts. I don't know how that would play out in guaranteeing the integrity of the election process (I'm sure there would be issues arise), but it would make it easier to recruit workers, and younger ones, at that.
Most of the polls in my county are manned - as it were - by elderly women. Since the day starts before daylight and ends after dark, many of them don't feel comfortable having to drive on narrow country roads after dark, which they do when they serve at far-flung county precincts.
At some point, it seems to me, we will have to bite the bullet and agree to standardize at least national elections. If counties want to maintain control over how municipal and local elections, even state elections, are run, fine. But we need a nationwide policy for our presidential and maybe even Congressional, elections.
Relief! It was much better than online, but the online was good preview for today's second round of information and hands on processing.
Good news: All young (25-35) to middle age people in the class of 30, however limitedly that might be representative. It was heartening to see the cross section of people.
Not the worst president in modern history, the worst president ever in the entire history of the republic. Hopefully the owner of another real first - the first president to go to prison for his career criminal behavior.
It seems like Giuliani and Bannon (Lord, why won he just go away?) are indeed going to the same 2016 well to try and poison Biden’s campaign. The idea of hanging a scandal out to view a couple weeks before the election is becoming a campaign ritual, like Christmas decorations showing up before Thanksgiving. It’s done with the knowledge that it probably won’t be proved/disproved until after the election. The wake doesn’t matter as much as the splash.
Only differences between 2016 and now are: Comey was just being a dumbass when he announced the reopening of the Clinton email investigation to congress, but Giuliani’s intentions are clearly insipid and panicked. Comey had (has) an inflated sense of self-importance, and thought he was saving democracy or America or some bullshit, but he was just an idiot. Giuliani is using this conspiracy theory about Biden’s SUPPOSED hard drives like some low rent Rube Goldberg device. It is a contraption that will take so long to run the course that nobody will even remember it in four weeks. (Apologies to Rube Goldberg fans.)
I can't picture a politically savvy person such as Hunter Biden bringing a computer containing highly incriminating evidence to a repair facility, where there very likely are people able to access the dirt, and then forgetting about it. Nope, not happening, not real; especially given the timing. Add Giuliani and Bannon to the mix and it's a slam-dunk; the same for QAnon; "Made in Moscow".
My comment is unrelated to today's letter, but it is related to the divisiveness of our current President. I live in a small town (9,000) in western MA. On Saturday night, my Biden-Harris sign was stolen from the end of my 200 ft. long driveway. I feared this might happen because the sign was so far from the house. But I am angry that some folks in my town don't even have the civility to allow fellow citizens to openly declare their preference for a candidate who is not Trump. There are a lot of Trump signs in my town, which is why I put mine up - to counter the narrative. But I would not dream of stealing someone else's property, even if it's a Trump sign. I'm replacing my sign with a hand made one that says, "Thou shalt not steal - Biden-Harris 2020"
I had the audacity to drive a pickup truck in Mississippi in 1972 with a McGovern bumper sticker. I was parked at a diner and before my meal was finished someone had scraped it off with a tire iron.
I am expecting Biden and Harris to win. I hope that in his inaugural speech he says—WE ARE A MULTICULTURAL, MULTIETHNIC COUNTRY AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. GET OVER IT.
Re: the uncertainty of this time, I’ll paraphrase the zen teaching, “Be careful with what you put into your body, and your mind. Only ingest what is heathy for your spirit.” Thich Nhat Hanh famously teaches this balm for our modern frenzy. In this moment, where I am right now, "I am safe. I am sound. I see the sun and the clouds, and it is time for breakfast"
Advisedly, for my health, II take only the news of the NYTimes, Washington Post, WSJournal (cautiously), my local paper, NPR - all are TRUSTED, professional sources.
They inform me about the Hunter Biden tapes - but there I do not linger and create discontent in my soul
The trusted news sources inform me of other right/wing attempts to sow my own discontent - but I do not linger there and create discontent in my soul.
The aforementioned trusted news sources, and fivethirghtyeight.com (Nate Silver, NYTimes) tell me:
Michigan: Biden up by (+) 7.9%;
Pennsylvania : Biden + 6.7%
Wisconsin: Biden + 7.4%
Arizona: Biden + 3.8%
National polls: Biden 52.5% - Trump 41.7%
Trump approval Disapprove: 54.2% - Approve 42.8%
I’ll take these numbers and all other evidence, to heart. Important facts. Real facts.
All of the other ’news’ (from trump, et al) is simply “noise”, and I will NOT take it to heart.
YES! magazine. The Atlantic. TNC. High Country News. Some others, I've already listed somewhere. Several local sources from around the country. I have no problem trying something out for a while, then dumping it if it does not serve. I need to read broadly so I can get a feel for how people experience things.
For sanity: Orion. Brain Pickings. Choose Democracy. My spinning magazine. Some history journals that have nothing directly to do with current affairs. Sci-fi.
Yes, indeed. It was in my original off-the-cuff list of regular reads. It is one I used to subscribe to, now rely on friends and freebies. I love that magazine. Maybe resubscribe next year. Love good writing.
I am no longer shocked by anything that this administration tries to do and with what brush they attempt to tar their opponents, no trick is too underhanded, no sleazy story too dirty to try. That so many people seem to have lost their way and follow so blindly that public health officials such as Dr Faucci and here in OH our own Dr Amy Acton are targets of threats to their lives and those of their families is a sad indicator of how far astray many have been led. A national public health crisis is a political football and because of that the numbers of the sick and the dead continue to rise. trump and his handlers continue to stoke the fires of hate and misinformation with no legal repercussions. November 3 seems a long way away, but I refuse to sink into despair and apathy.
Good morning Professor Richardson: Thank you for today’s Letter.
As if you didn’t have enough on your plate, I would nevertheless be very interested in knowing your take on Professor Jill Lepore’s recent piece in the Washington Post (Let history, not partisans, prosecute Trump. A truth tribunal is not the answer. Preserving presidential records is.)
Perhaps it is something you could address in one of the chats.
I would suggest that in order to let history take the lead, there needs to be a real time prosecution of tRump and his group in order to be sure that the documents are 1) uncovered, 2) saved, and 3) available to historians. Otherwise the shredders will be busy.
This may have already be noted, but in restaurant terms “86” does not mean to get rid of something, but to alert the staff that something has run out. “86 the veal” does not mean dump the veal in the dumpster, it means we’ve already run out of veal. So the Governor could have been saying “he’s already gone.” Which is poetic, I suppose.
Worked as a waitress in several types of establishments & locations. I can imagine "86" being used that way (removing from the menu), but I have never heard it. I have only heard it to mean removing an undesirable customer from the premises permanently. Wiktionary to the rescue, and note that all of these are suppositions, except for sure the last:
86 (third-person singular simple present 86s, present participle 86ing, simple past and past participle 86ed) (US)
1.(informal, transitive) To cancel an order for food.
86 the ham and eggs for table two!
2.(informal, transitive) To remove an item from the menu.
86 the lobster bisque – we won’t have the lobster delivery until tomorrow.
3.(informal, transitive) To throw out; discard.
We finally had to 86 that old printer after it jammed one too many times.
4.(informal, transitive) To deny service to. [quotations ▼]
The restaurant 86ed us because we didn't fit the dress code.
Annie, this is great! My experience with the term dates back to short-order cooking in the 1970s. It just meant “stop selling this.” I suppose it makes sense that language evolves over the past, er, few years... Extending the code to “86 that customer” makes sense, wish I’d had that available back in the day. Again, of course: none of these imply the order to kill someone. :)
I first learned "86" in the 70s, and where I was it meant to remove someone from the premises. We had a list of names, and in one case, photos of persons so designated. Heh, heh. I have heard conjectures that 86 referred to eight feet long and 6 feet down, but that was just people messing around after a particularly nasty event. Wishful thinking. It goes back centuries, and the original meaning seems to mean simply to remove something. Or somebody. Another suggestion ws that it was originally the number of an ordinance. Whichever, I'm all for 86ing Trump from the White House. Permanently.
I don't think so. Essentially, that's what we did when we kicked someone out of a restaurant (or drinking establishment, which was generally dicier). 86ing has long been part of the common parlance. Regardless of the type of establishment. My mechanic has a list of people he's 86ed.
I’m so sick of this crazy I can’t any more! Bannon back on the scene—what a loser. Giuliani doing any dumb thing to stay in the spotlight. Sen. Ron Johnson, another nut job. Republicans—you enabled every last bit of this.
I understand the feeling, Marcy. I just fixed myself a fish sandwich and forgot to save some for my dog. I decided to feel bad about that instead of obsessing over Trump. So I've got to go find something else to treat him with. Then I'm going to eat a small piece of flourless chocolate cake and congratulate myself for getting through another day without going bonkers. BTW, I also finally figured out last week that the reason I feel like a mess is because I am a Covid long-hauler. Good grief. Took me six months to figure that out. That's because I didn't know other people were experiencing the same thing. Somehow, knowing that helps. If you get what I'm getting at....
Sorry to hear you are a long-hauler. I finally got through to a friend that wearing a mask protects others, which is why they should always wear it. Think where we would be if we had had clear mask messaging from the beginning! Sending you best wishes for a full recovery.
Thanks, Elizabeth. The past week has been better, so hoping I am on the way out. So agree about mask issue. I have a neighbor who thinks Covid is a "silly game". She routinely approaches people out walking for a conversation; everyone crosses the street to avoid her. It's sad for her, scary for people who just need to get out of the house for a bit. No idea how to get through to her. She "gets" it, just refuses to believe it and has no respect for others. Her model, of course, is in the White House. Trump has a lot to answer for. Like Heather, I am feeling optimistic: though nothing is set in stone, esp where the electoral college is concerned, the statistical probabilities are greatly in favor of Biden. And his campaign is off the rails.
All this talk of "gaming" the electoral system sent me back to Nash's Game Theory and its use to predict the "best", "optimal"and "equilibrium" results of electoral systems....amongst other "games". The "optimal" result is one in which the maximum possible "satisfaction" is obtained by the people collectively, the equilibrium one in which nobody can change their choice and gain extra satisfaction and the "best" one in which you get the highest level of "satisfaction" given the constraints built into the one person/one vote system. With single vote, party dominated elections and as much or more than half not voting neither optimal nor equilibrium can be achieved as more than half will be totally or partially dissatisfied.
The current system of indirect elections introduces the possiblity of deforming the preferences of the people and introduces into the game new rules and effectively a totally new game which reduces the benefit to the people while maximizing the satisfaction of those prefering non-optimal, non-equilibrium solutions and controlling the application of new game rules.
We have to change the electoral system, maximize the participation and offer real choices to all the people.....and not just to the minority currently, actively supporting one side or the other.
Nope. In the long run, That kind of tweak will cause more problems. It was an idea they tried, and it has always been a problem. And in our times it not only doesn't work, it gets in the way. Time to change and get rid of the electoral college.
I wonder if we could work within our home state to get the Electoral College to award the vote proportionately instead of winner take all. But of course that might make it worse, with Democratic states being proportional and GOP winner take all.
Just sickening... all of it! I do not think “90% of all Republicans support Fake 45 but I do feel his crazies do.
Dump lies. He never had Covid. He played on people’s sympathies to see where that would get him. So far, he has managed to get his followers to threaten Whitmer’s and Fauci’s lives. I can’t stand him! His screws are so loose, that they’ re squeaking to get out of his brain!
I agree on almost all of what you write here (I am a Michigander both terrified and furious about tRump having the gall to call for violence against our governor again. They had no qualms about planning to kill her, and her family). I am convinced though, from what I saw and from my 40+ years working in community health nursing, that tRump DID have COVID-19. He probably had it for a week before it was announced, he received the ideal treatment combination (which includes Regeneron, which is not available to the rest of us), and he was treated by one of the the best medical teams in the country. These treatments are based on what we have learned in the past 6 months, sadly, on patients who have died. The only good news to come out of his illness is hope that once we ALL have access to the tRump red carpet medical protocol, our chances of "miraculous" recovery in 2 weeks will rise significantly.
I am certain you know more about this than I do. I am really pissed that expert care for this maniac saved his miserable life while others lost theirs because of his allowing this virus to spread!!🤬
To me, the trance has broken. On Thursday night, Biden spoke of truth and issues and plans and decency and the hopefulness of working together. On another channel, a female journalist stood up to the bloviator-in-chief and pierced the bubble of his “reality.” Suddenly the mirage cleared for me. And I hope for many. I don’t think “gaslighting” is a good enough term for what he has been doing. It’s classic. The abuser-in-chief has been selling an image to his abused nation that there is no-way-out. Then he abuses his “enemies” further. As the fear level and anger level rise in us, he baits his loyal subjects to appear more powerful and make them more afraid of us.
But the truth is, they are not growing in numbers, just in rage. We are rising in numbers, and in power. Somehow this fake-prez has convinced himself that the same people fawning over him is enough to win re-election.
Biden knows that reason and respect will get us to the polls.
Not to say that there will be nothing but rosy days ahead. But there are more good people to stand ground with than there are violent wackos. Don’t let him suck you into his version of this. He’s an abuser, he’s been abusing America this whole time, and this truth will set us free.
I will treasure all the people who fought to keep Democracy in the dark times I suspect are ahead.
You're right that "gaslighting" does not necessarily imply criminality. Pondering a word for criminal deception and manipulation, especially for personal financial gain. Ideas?
It is difficult to not be discouraged by the constant barrage of negativity that flows from news and social media now. I read the NYT editorial and found a renewed sense of outrage which quickly afterward slid into near despair because no one is being held accountable and because of the dire knowledge that, even if Biden does win - and make no mistake, that is still a big “if”- we will still be dealing with the fallout from all of this - likely for generations. This switch in my thinking was triggered by one thought: imagine if, upon winning, Biden issues a national mask mandate. What, exactly do you think the reaction will be? Yes, it would go a long way to keeping us all safer especially with winter upon us, but I think we would have chaos in the streets from those who refuse to comply. ‘Rights’, you know. We have a mess and we are stuck with it for the foreseeable future, no matter who wins. That is trump’s legacy. Still, I fervently hope and pray that it’s Biden because, if not, say goodbye to America because trump will continue to work to complete his destruction.
Sorry for being so down today, folks. It’s just where I’m at today but I am grateful that I can share my thoughts with all of you because there is nowhere else I can safely do so. Onward, together.
Yes. And one thing that keeps me sane and gives me hope is THIS community of thoughtful readers of HCR. Just knowing you are there makes a huge difference.
Yes, it does for me, too. Thank YOU for being here!
You are right about both counts. There is reason to be worried and this community has become our lifeline. Last night I watched John Heilman’s “The Circus” on Showtime. The first part scared me to death. This group of domestic terrorists (I refuse to call them a militia) talked about going into the streets to foment a civil war if Trump lost. The interviewer asked “ so if Trump wins, it’s legitimate but if Biden does then it’s fraud) and they all said yes. Then the second part had John interviewing a lawyer who was in the Obama administration and is very well regarded. He has assembled a very large contingent to help him if Trump tries to steal the election. But what gave me hope was his cool, calm way of saying that won’t happen. He refused to give John any specifics, but clearly has a hand that he can play and I somehow felt comforted by that.
You are not alone in feeling such despair about the legacy that will be left once tRump is gone. Generations will be left to clean up his swamp, the one he promised to clean up. He's only made ir worse.....more like quick sand.
You are not alone!! 😢😩
I’m right there with you. My post was worse:(
Not “worse”, really, just honest. I have the same fears. Hang in there. Hugs.
Adding a vote center poll worker training report:
Good news is that there are bar coded zip ties and seals on all equipment, including over SIM card slots and USB ports, all of which must be verified as intact and scanned routinely.
Bad news is that the training is damn hard! The online training prerequisite took about 9 hours instead of the stated 3, is procedurally very technical and hard to follow--provoked much cursing! Just give me a manual or interactive user guide. I signed up in the spirit of doing my part as an able-bodied, aware, and level-headed citizen experienced in emergency response and de-escalation if needed. The training process so far was very discouraging and difficult, and I can only hope enough people are persevering to follow through. Two days of in-person training lie ahead.
Ellie, I was inspired by your poll worker report so I figured I’d give a quick poll-goer update here too: I voted in Dallas County, TEXAS this morning along with a steady but efficient line of dozens of people. Something I was really surprised to see was curbside voting! People were driving up to a designated spot, they had a portable registration tablet and then a voting booth on wheels!! I hadn’t seen that option talked about at all (The news has mostly focused on the lack of drop off boxes) and it was an oddly heartwarming sight. The only place you wait in line now is outside and everyone was readily wearing a mask and keeping space. Inside, there was a worker wiping down the chairs at the register tables (which had plexi barriers for the poll workers to sit behind) between each person. I then got the second “sign of the times” surprise when they gave you not just your ballot but an “I voted stylus” so you didn’t have to touch the screen. A much better keep sake then the traditional sticker if you ask me; too bad I can’t add a picture to the comments but kudos to whichever election official thought of that! After casting my ballot I walked outside and took a deep breath, something that until that moment I hadn’t realized I hadn’t done in months... I hope there are more deep breaths for all of us in the future.
I am sorry this is so hard. We thank you! Democracy thanks you!
You can do this, Ellie! And thank you so much!
Thank you for undergoing the lengthy training to work at the polls this year. We appreciate you!
Ellie, thank you for your persistence. Much appreciated. ❤
Thank you for taking this on. I can’t imagine how/why this is so complicated, but thank God you are sticking with it.
thank you for being willing to undertake this task for those of us who can't
I trained for 2018, and it was a lot of steps and a LOT of seniors. With a pre-existing condition, I’m out of the loop this year. So, thank you 🙏🏻 for jumping in. ❤️🤍💙
Thank you, Ellie. My parents were vote center volunteers in their retirement years, and I always assumed I'd be doing the same. With my state going to all-mail-in ballots, it hasn't been necessary, but I honor your -- and their -- service.
Ellie, you're doing what I REALLY wish I could do! My mobility issues necessitate that I not stand up for too long or walk around too much, and if I thought that I'd be able to stay seated I'd have volunteered in a heart-beat. I also can't really leave my mom unattended for that long. Keep at it! We need more people like you!!
Thanks for doing this Ellie---and all others doing this! I'm too old to take the risk health wise or I'd be there too. The tide seems to be turning---but the dirty tricks team is gearing up also, I'm sure.......
What state are you in? My training in Florida was not that bad.
It wasn't that hard in NC either. This is one of the problems with every state (and every county) being able to set their own agenda, so to speak.
Couple this with elections being on a weekday, which pretty much limits the volunteer pool to retirees, mostly women. My son-in-law, who works from home, has served as chief judge for his precinct in a nearby city and floated the idea that the day be split into two shifts. I don't know how that would play out in guaranteeing the integrity of the election process (I'm sure there would be issues arise), but it would make it easier to recruit workers, and younger ones, at that.
Most of the polls in my county are manned - as it were - by elderly women. Since the day starts before daylight and ends after dark, many of them don't feel comfortable having to drive on narrow country roads after dark, which they do when they serve at far-flung county precincts.
At some point, it seems to me, we will have to bite the bullet and agree to standardize at least national elections. If counties want to maintain control over how municipal and local elections, even state elections, are run, fine. But we need a nationwide policy for our presidential and maybe even Congressional, elections.
Completion of Day 1 in person training report:
Relief! It was much better than online, but the online was good preview for today's second round of information and hands on processing.
Good news: All young (25-35) to middle age people in the class of 30, however limitedly that might be representative. It was heartening to see the cross section of people.
Not the worst president in modern history, the worst president ever in the entire history of the republic. Hopefully the owner of another real first - the first president to go to prison for his career criminal behavior.
It seems like Giuliani and Bannon (Lord, why won he just go away?) are indeed going to the same 2016 well to try and poison Biden’s campaign. The idea of hanging a scandal out to view a couple weeks before the election is becoming a campaign ritual, like Christmas decorations showing up before Thanksgiving. It’s done with the knowledge that it probably won’t be proved/disproved until after the election. The wake doesn’t matter as much as the splash.
Only differences between 2016 and now are: Comey was just being a dumbass when he announced the reopening of the Clinton email investigation to congress, but Giuliani’s intentions are clearly insipid and panicked. Comey had (has) an inflated sense of self-importance, and thought he was saving democracy or America or some bullshit, but he was just an idiot. Giuliani is using this conspiracy theory about Biden’s SUPPOSED hard drives like some low rent Rube Goldberg device. It is a contraption that will take so long to run the course that nobody will even remember it in four weeks. (Apologies to Rube Goldberg fans.)
What a year. What a world.
I can't picture a politically savvy person such as Hunter Biden bringing a computer containing highly incriminating evidence to a repair facility, where there very likely are people able to access the dirt, and then forgetting about it. Nope, not happening, not real; especially given the timing. Add Giuliani and Bannon to the mix and it's a slam-dunk; the same for QAnon; "Made in Moscow".
Yup
My comment is unrelated to today's letter, but it is related to the divisiveness of our current President. I live in a small town (9,000) in western MA. On Saturday night, my Biden-Harris sign was stolen from the end of my 200 ft. long driveway. I feared this might happen because the sign was so far from the house. But I am angry that some folks in my town don't even have the civility to allow fellow citizens to openly declare their preference for a candidate who is not Trump. There are a lot of Trump signs in my town, which is why I put mine up - to counter the narrative. But I would not dream of stealing someone else's property, even if it's a Trump sign. I'm replacing my sign with a hand made one that says, "Thou shalt not steal - Biden-Harris 2020"
I had the audacity to drive a pickup truck in Mississippi in 1972 with a McGovern bumper sticker. I was parked at a diner and before my meal was finished someone had scraped it off with a tire iron.
I suppose it's theoretically possible that your Biden-Harris sign thief was a Biden-Harris supporter who just liked it sooooo much... (!)
I am expecting Biden and Harris to win. I hope that in his inaugural speech he says—WE ARE A MULTICULTURAL, MULTIETHNIC COUNTRY AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. GET OVER IT.
I want to yell at people - "Come on in, the water's fine! Equality and inclusion ain't so bad!"
I have to restrain myself.
Loud and proud! Let’s do it.
🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊💙
Re: the uncertainty of this time, I’ll paraphrase the zen teaching, “Be careful with what you put into your body, and your mind. Only ingest what is heathy for your spirit.” Thich Nhat Hanh famously teaches this balm for our modern frenzy. In this moment, where I am right now, "I am safe. I am sound. I see the sun and the clouds, and it is time for breakfast"
Advisedly, for my health, II take only the news of the NYTimes, Washington Post, WSJournal (cautiously), my local paper, NPR - all are TRUSTED, professional sources.
They inform me about the Hunter Biden tapes - but there I do not linger and create discontent in my soul
The trusted news sources inform me of other right/wing attempts to sow my own discontent - but I do not linger there and create discontent in my soul.
The aforementioned trusted news sources, and fivethirghtyeight.com (Nate Silver, NYTimes) tell me:
Michigan: Biden up by (+) 7.9%;
Pennsylvania : Biden + 6.7%
Wisconsin: Biden + 7.4%
Arizona: Biden + 3.8%
National polls: Biden 52.5% - Trump 41.7%
Trump approval Disapprove: 54.2% - Approve 42.8%
I’ll take these numbers and all other evidence, to heart. Important facts. Real facts.
All of the other ’news’ (from trump, et al) is simply “noise”, and I will NOT take it to heart.
YES! magazine. The Atlantic. TNC. High Country News. Some others, I've already listed somewhere. Several local sources from around the country. I have no problem trying something out for a while, then dumping it if it does not serve. I need to read broadly so I can get a feel for how people experience things.
For sanity: Orion. Brain Pickings. Choose Democracy. My spinning magazine. Some history journals that have nothing directly to do with current affairs. Sci-fi.
I ❤️ Yes! magazine, and The Atlantic - might I mention The New Yorker, of course!
Yes, indeed. It was in my original off-the-cuff list of regular reads. It is one I used to subscribe to, now rely on friends and freebies. I love that magazine. Maybe resubscribe next year. Love good writing.
I would add the magazine Foreign Affairs to the list.
I am no longer shocked by anything that this administration tries to do and with what brush they attempt to tar their opponents, no trick is too underhanded, no sleazy story too dirty to try. That so many people seem to have lost their way and follow so blindly that public health officials such as Dr Faucci and here in OH our own Dr Amy Acton are targets of threats to their lives and those of their families is a sad indicator of how far astray many have been led. A national public health crisis is a political football and because of that the numbers of the sick and the dead continue to rise. trump and his handlers continue to stoke the fires of hate and misinformation with no legal repercussions. November 3 seems a long way away, but I refuse to sink into despair and apathy.
Good morning Professor Richardson: Thank you for today’s Letter.
As if you didn’t have enough on your plate, I would nevertheless be very interested in knowing your take on Professor Jill Lepore’s recent piece in the Washington Post (Let history, not partisans, prosecute Trump. A truth tribunal is not the answer. Preserving presidential records is.)
Perhaps it is something you could address in one of the chats.
I would suggest that in order to let history take the lead, there needs to be a real time prosecution of tRump and his group in order to be sure that the documents are 1) uncovered, 2) saved, and 3) available to historians. Otherwise the shredders will be busy.
Hold on to your hats folks, this is the middle of the end.
This may have already be noted, but in restaurant terms “86” does not mean to get rid of something, but to alert the staff that something has run out. “86 the veal” does not mean dump the veal in the dumpster, it means we’ve already run out of veal. So the Governor could have been saying “he’s already gone.” Which is poetic, I suppose.
I figure if your last name is Bordeaux, you know more about cuisine counts than I do. Cheers!
Worked as a waitress in several types of establishments & locations. I can imagine "86" being used that way (removing from the menu), but I have never heard it. I have only heard it to mean removing an undesirable customer from the premises permanently. Wiktionary to the rescue, and note that all of these are suppositions, except for sure the last:
86 (third-person singular simple present 86s, present participle 86ing, simple past and past participle 86ed) (US)
1.(informal, transitive) To cancel an order for food.
86 the ham and eggs for table two!
2.(informal, transitive) To remove an item from the menu.
86 the lobster bisque – we won’t have the lobster delivery until tomorrow.
3.(informal, transitive) To throw out; discard.
We finally had to 86 that old printer after it jammed one too many times.
4.(informal, transitive) To deny service to. [quotations ▼]
The restaurant 86ed us because we didn't fit the dress code.
Annie, this is great! My experience with the term dates back to short-order cooking in the 1970s. It just meant “stop selling this.” I suppose it makes sense that language evolves over the past, er, few years... Extending the code to “86 that customer” makes sense, wish I’d had that available back in the day. Again, of course: none of these imply the order to kill someone. :)
I first learned "86" in the 70s, and where I was it meant to remove someone from the premises. We had a list of names, and in one case, photos of persons so designated. Heh, heh. I have heard conjectures that 86 referred to eight feet long and 6 feet down, but that was just people messing around after a particularly nasty event. Wishful thinking. It goes back centuries, and the original meaning seems to mean simply to remove something. Or somebody. Another suggestion ws that it was originally the number of an ordinance. Whichever, I'm all for 86ing Trump from the White House. Permanently.
Yes, but the implication is that he must be run out.
...of office, sure. But Heather’s definition of the term was flawed.
I don't think so. Essentially, that's what we did when we kicked someone out of a restaurant (or drinking establishment, which was generally dicier). 86ing has long been part of the common parlance. Regardless of the type of establishment. My mechanic has a list of people he's 86ed.
It's a flawed slogan, but most who see it understand the implication.
Agree. Which is not, again: kill the veal.
Especially since in the veal's case and, one hopes, in Trump's presidency--it's already dead.
86 = It's done. Over.
I’m so sick of this crazy I can’t any more! Bannon back on the scene—what a loser. Giuliani doing any dumb thing to stay in the spotlight. Sen. Ron Johnson, another nut job. Republicans—you enabled every last bit of this.
They fit the very definition of treason - working for and with our enemies to enable them to exert power over us.
I can’t TAKE anymore.
I understand the feeling, Marcy. I just fixed myself a fish sandwich and forgot to save some for my dog. I decided to feel bad about that instead of obsessing over Trump. So I've got to go find something else to treat him with. Then I'm going to eat a small piece of flourless chocolate cake and congratulate myself for getting through another day without going bonkers. BTW, I also finally figured out last week that the reason I feel like a mess is because I am a Covid long-hauler. Good grief. Took me six months to figure that out. That's because I didn't know other people were experiencing the same thing. Somehow, knowing that helps. If you get what I'm getting at....
Sorry to hear you are a long-hauler. I finally got through to a friend that wearing a mask protects others, which is why they should always wear it. Think where we would be if we had had clear mask messaging from the beginning! Sending you best wishes for a full recovery.
Thanks, Elizabeth. The past week has been better, so hoping I am on the way out. So agree about mask issue. I have a neighbor who thinks Covid is a "silly game". She routinely approaches people out walking for a conversation; everyone crosses the street to avoid her. It's sad for her, scary for people who just need to get out of the house for a bit. No idea how to get through to her. She "gets" it, just refuses to believe it and has no respect for others. Her model, of course, is in the White House. Trump has a lot to answer for. Like Heather, I am feeling optimistic: though nothing is set in stone, esp where the electoral college is concerned, the statistical probabilities are greatly in favor of Biden. And his campaign is off the rails.
All this talk of "gaming" the electoral system sent me back to Nash's Game Theory and its use to predict the "best", "optimal"and "equilibrium" results of electoral systems....amongst other "games". The "optimal" result is one in which the maximum possible "satisfaction" is obtained by the people collectively, the equilibrium one in which nobody can change their choice and gain extra satisfaction and the "best" one in which you get the highest level of "satisfaction" given the constraints built into the one person/one vote system. With single vote, party dominated elections and as much or more than half not voting neither optimal nor equilibrium can be achieved as more than half will be totally or partially dissatisfied.
The current system of indirect elections introduces the possiblity of deforming the preferences of the people and introduces into the game new rules and effectively a totally new game which reduces the benefit to the people while maximizing the satisfaction of those prefering non-optimal, non-equilibrium solutions and controlling the application of new game rules.
We have to change the electoral system, maximize the participation and offer real choices to all the people.....and not just to the minority currently, actively supporting one side or the other.
National Popular Vote compact. Easier than trying to get a constitutional amendment to get rid of the electoral college.
Nope. In the long run, That kind of tweak will cause more problems. It was an idea they tried, and it has always been a problem. And in our times it not only doesn't work, it gets in the way. Time to change and get rid of the electoral college.
I wonder if we could work within our home state to get the Electoral College to award the vote proportionately instead of winner take all. But of course that might make it worse, with Democratic states being proportional and GOP winner take all.
it's all the States or none if you're looking for representative national results.
Just sickening... all of it! I do not think “90% of all Republicans support Fake 45 but I do feel his crazies do.
Dump lies. He never had Covid. He played on people’s sympathies to see where that would get him. So far, he has managed to get his followers to threaten Whitmer’s and Fauci’s lives. I can’t stand him! His screws are so loose, that they’ re squeaking to get out of his brain!
I agree on almost all of what you write here (I am a Michigander both terrified and furious about tRump having the gall to call for violence against our governor again. They had no qualms about planning to kill her, and her family). I am convinced though, from what I saw and from my 40+ years working in community health nursing, that tRump DID have COVID-19. He probably had it for a week before it was announced, he received the ideal treatment combination (which includes Regeneron, which is not available to the rest of us), and he was treated by one of the the best medical teams in the country. These treatments are based on what we have learned in the past 6 months, sadly, on patients who have died. The only good news to come out of his illness is hope that once we ALL have access to the tRump red carpet medical protocol, our chances of "miraculous" recovery in 2 weeks will rise significantly.
I am certain you know more about this than I do. I am really pissed that expert care for this maniac saved his miserable life while others lost theirs because of his allowing this virus to spread!!🤬