Monday, December 19, 2016

Happy Electoral Day



Attention, class. The "Electoral College", an antiquated idea from the Eighteenth Century - which was only designed in order to give southern slave owners a little more pull at the polls - gets together on this chilly winter's day to officially choose the next president of the United States. While there is a molecule of room to be optimistic, I won't be terribly surprised to learn at the end of the day that an unhinged, not terribly bright, sociopath and pervert will be taking the oath of office come January 20. Which is fine 'n' dandy by me. These idiotic Americans deserve Donald Trump. It'll be such a hoot to see the poll results, as early as July, when ninety percent or more of these fools tell pollster-after-pollster that they voted for Hillary Clinton. Of course they did. Enjoy your stay in Idiot Nation. Watch your step, ya hear?
 
There are an awful lot of people who should have been a bit more careful what they wished for. Maybe they don't understand the ramifications of their error now, but they'll understand them soon enough. The bazillion dollar shit hammer is about to hit the fan. In four years you won't recognize this place. I can't wait to see the looks of mass-shellshock on the faces of so many Americans. That'll be the funniest thing of all. So many of them and their elected representatives  will attempt to blame the economic carnage that is surely coming on Barack Obama. Blame the nigger. It works every time. Why do you think there are so many innocent black men in prison in this country? C'mon, folks! Put on your thinking caps!
 
"Donald Trump is one of us."
 
From the mouth of a poverty-stricken primary voter in the south

Oh yeah, it'll be a screaming fucking riot watching these clueless Americans stewing in the juices of their own idiocy. It makes me giddy to know that at least I'll have something to look forward to. Someone pinch me.
 
This is 1948 all over again. At the Democratic convention in Philadelphia that summer, Harry S Truman saw his beloved party torn apart at the seams. A third party uprising is every presidential candidate's worst nightmare. Poor old Harry had to contend not only with the spectacle of Strom Thumond and the racist Dixecrats bolting the party because he was too much of a liberal; he also had to deal with Henry Wallace and the progressives jumping ship because he wasn't liberal enough. A fourth party uprising! Every poll had GOP nominee, Tom Dewey, winning easily on Election Day. It seemed that the only person in the country who thought Harry Truman would be able to pull off the seemingly impossible was Harry Truman himself. On the morning following Election Day, Dewey looked as if he had been hit by a train - not unlike the way Ms. Clinton looked on the morning of November 9. That is what is known as "historical Deja vu".

I'm sure that at this moment many of the Republican electors are being warned from on high not to rock the boat by denying the presidency to a man as horrifically unqualified as the Donald. By doing so, they would only be opening up a rat's nest of rage on the part of the millions of mesmerized, Tea-Partying dingbats who honestly believed that sending this asshole to the White House would be a really neat idea. "Fuck the good of the nation!", the head-honchos from the RNC are almost certainly telling them, "The future of our party is at stake!"

They don't give a damn about you or your children. Tax breaks for a class of people (like Donald Trump) who already possess more money than they could reasonably spend in three lifetimes: That's the only mantra they know. It's the only reason they exist. Dwight D. Eisenhower was inarguably a great Republican president. Don't you find it rather strange that they never mention his name in their campaign literature and propaganda? There's a jolly good reason for that: When Eisenhower sat in the Oval Office, the richest one percent in this country were taxed at a rate of ninety-one percent. During the eight years he served as chief-executive he never once felt the need to change that scenario. That is why during the years 1953 to 1961, the American economy surged in a way no economy in the history of humanity ever had. That is no longer the case. That is why your country is in ruins.

This ain't rocket science, folks. This is Civics 101. It makes one wonder when we're finally going to learn this lesson.

Ben Gilman
`
I had these thoughts running rampant through my mind yesterday when I received the word of the passing of my former congressman, Ben Gilman. Ben represented the people of the Hudson Valley from 1972 until 2002. I was first introduced to him by my father in the parking lot of the Holiday Mountain ski slope at Monticello, NY in the early winter of 1966 when I was only eight and he was a newly-elected New York State assemblyman. He was a friend of the family, but that was no big deal on our part: Ben Gilman knew everybody  - or so it seemed. He was the type of politician that no longer exists: "a moderate-to-liberal Republican". He was a kind and thoughtful statesman who always got my vote: The last member of that disgusting party I ever cast my precious ballot for.

His district was gerrymandered out of existence fourteen-years-ago by George Pataki and Dick Cheney. Ben refused to march to the beat of the extreme right wing's drum, and his political courage cost him his seat. Georgie and Dickie's chicanery backfired - BIG TIME, BABY! The end-result of their meddling was two new Democratic congressmen - one of whom is openly gay. Isn't that funny?

Ben Gilman was the last great Republican statesman to serve in the House of Representatives. They're all gone, and they're not coming back. And please, don't get me wrong; it's not merely for the Republicans I mourn. The Democrats used to stand for something noble, too.

I need to get very intoxicated right now.

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

SUGGESTED READING:

Plain Speaking
by Merle Miller

This oral biography of Harry S Truman is worth its weight in gold. Twice I have read it. Twice I could not put it down. A really entertaining political biography - one of the best ever! Highly recommended to you and yours.

SUGGESTED LISTENING:

According to Facebook "Memories", I posted a link to this recording five years ago today. I had forgotten all about it, and I'm grateful to be reminded of it. For the next four years this is going to be my national anthem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE-8emw39fA#t=45

Indeed.



13 Comments:

At 10:56 AM, Blogger Majormajor said...

Tom

"Clinton’s 2.3-million-popular-vote plurality over Trump depends on the votes in a single state: California. Clinton has more than a 4-million-vote plurality over Trump there. In the other 49 states plus the District of Columbia, Trump actually has a 1.7-million-popular-vote plurality over Clinton. So California single-handedly turns a Trump plurality into a Clinton plurality."
James E. Campbell

Every 10 yeas we have a census, from the results the number of Representative are determined for each State. The census counts everyone, including illegals. Do you think the number of illegals in a State should be included in figuring the number of Representatives for a State? Or do you believe only the number of citizens in a State should be used?

 
At 2:27 PM, Blogger Darrell Michaels said...

Without the electoral college, the presidency would be decided by the top several most populous states like New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Illinois. I am sure the left likes that idea since most of those states either lean or stupor to the left. That said, the presidency of the United States of America should be decided based on the representation from ALL 50 STATES instead of four or five, don't you think? Or should the UNITED STATES just shut up and go with what the more enlightened folks in New York and California think?

Trump is a damned fool, but his track record of stupid to good decisions thus far since winning the presidency seems to far exceed his predecessor's who is probably STILL blaming Bush for his woes.

One thing I agree with you on, Mr. Degan, is that we are still screwed regardless.

 
At 4:20 PM, Blogger woodenman said...

Sounds like T.Paine would like to get rid of "One person One vote" and have each state get one vote each to decide the presidential election. Since there are more Red states than Blue there would be only Republican presidents forever.

He might change his mind after Trump is done in four years.

 
At 10:42 AM, Blogger The New York Crank said...

"I can't wait to see the looks of mass-shellshock on the faces of so many Americans."

Unfortunately, the exploding shells that cause shellshock don't give a diddley-damn who they explode on. They also explode on me and on thee. When I've lost Medicare and my Social Security income is gone, the look of shellshock on Clem Cadiddlehoffer's stupid mug will be completely inadequate compensation.

Moreover, Clem won't change his mind. He'll simply agree that somehow, it's all Obama's or Hillary's fault.

Did I mention the nuclear bomb?

Yours very crankily,
The New York Crank

 
At 10:44 AM, Blogger The New York Crank said...

"I can't wait to see the looks of mass-shellshock on the faces of so many Americans."

Unfortunately, the exploding shells that cause shellshock don't give a diddley-damn who they explode on. They also explode on me and on thee. When I've lost Medicare and my Social Security income is gone, the look of shellshock on Clem Cadiddlehoffer's stupid mug will be completely inadequate compensation.

Moreover, Clem won't change his mind. He'll simply agree that somehow, it's all Obama's or Hillary's fault.

Did I mention the nuclear bomb?

Yours very crankily,
The New York Crank

 
At 11:21 AM, Blogger Darrell Michaels said...

No Woodenman, I do not want each state to have only one vote. I prefer the way the electoral college addresses the issue just fine. I am no more for a homogeneous Republican governance than I am for a Democrat one. Both, when left unchecked, become corrupt and unresponsive to its constituents. As for more on that, if our gracious host Mr. Degan will permit me, you can see why I think the Electoral College is just peachy at my own site.

http://savingcommonsense.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-genius-of-electoral-college.html

And I am already certain we are screwed under this upcoming Trump administration. It just is in a different way then we would have been royally screwed under a Hillary administration. These two candidates were the result of an uneducated and apathetic electoral body of citizens.

 
At 11:54 AM, Blogger Rain Trueax said...

We don't have one person one vote. We are a Republic and supposedly a United States. With popular vote, one state, California, with a 4 million vote majority for her, would determine all Presidential elections in the future. Currently, they want to secede, shows you how much they care about the concept of a united states. I think the Electoral College is a good concept, and it means a candidate has to care more than about the elites and one state. Trump actually, according to what I read, had the majority when totaling up the rest of the states-- not that anybody cares about flyover country.

Democrats accepted a flawed candidate, one who Powell said had ruined all she touched with her hubris, and now want to blame the voters who did not vote for her. Next time have real debates in the primary, where they can be seen by more people, don't lock it all up with 'special' delegates called super because they are told what to do. Look at what your favored candidate has done and is doing, not the propaganda... and finally have a story to tell regarding what you can do that will help others-- not just celebrities and intellectual snobs. Hillary is lucky she got as many votes as she did given her statement about how she said one thing in public and another in private, how she saw half of Trump voters as deplorables (something Bill said could fit him too). If all the Democratic party wants are the elites, they will never win another election.

And in the meantime, whining helps nothing. Start donating to groups like the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood and those who will be trying to preserve civil rights. Head in the sand won't help and neither will gloating at bad things that happen. Be part of the solution or you are part of the problem.

 
At 4:14 PM, Blogger Dave Dubya said...

Without the electoral college, the presidency would be decided by the top several most populous states like New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Illinois.

No, it would be decided by a majority of voters.

Slave states were given more representation in the electoral college than free states, and states decide. It is NOT fair representation by any stretch.

But who cares? Democracy, equality of rights, and fair representation are the enemies of Republicans.

White rural states have an imbalance of representation and power in the House, Senate and presidential elections. Yet still they gerymander and suppress voter registration and access to polls. And nobody whines more when they don't get their way. The Tea Party, militias, Klans, and white nationalists howled like whiny brats when Obama won BOTH the popular and electoral votes.

Now they have an authoritarian ignoramus leading us to glory.

Some "free country".

 
At 12:22 AM, Blogger Majormajor said...

"White rural states have an imbalance of representation and power in the House'

Not true! Census counts the population of a State (including illegals) to determine the number of House members (IE 733,103 people on average per Representative) they get to send to Wash. DC. Seven "white rural" States, Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming have only one Rep, and two Senators. You want to reduce that from one to zero?


Based on the whining from liberals after this election I doubt you are serious, or mentally stable to believe a word of you post. I suggest you review your definition of "white rural" State, keeping in mind WI, OH, PA. and your home State, MI, which all voted for Trump.







 
At 7:58 AM, Blogger woodenman said...

Tom, if this blog were a child you would be accused of neglect.

 
At 9:35 AM, Blogger Jefferson's Guardian said...

woodenman1954: "[T. Paine] might change his mind after Trump is done in four years."

I fear our nation will be done in four years...

 
At 4:41 PM, Blogger ArchieBunkerNYC said...

Tom,

I think it is time you stopped smoking cannabis.

To become President you have to win the Electoral College, NOT the popular vote.

Trump did not spend 1 minute in the Marxist stronghold of CA. amirite?

Obama has DESTROYED the Democratic party. Just get over it. It wasn't Bushes fault, Trumps fault, Comey's fault, ... Excuses are like arseholes, everybody has one.

OK, there wasn't enough lipstick in the world to make HRC pretty. It wasn't Trumps fault that the DNC chose an old goat. amirite?

 
At 11:38 AM, Blogger Dave Dubya said...

Congratulations to Archie/Chuck, Trump, Russia, China, the Klan and ISIS for their victory.

They laugh and celebrate as America falls.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home