A quiet kind of satisfaction

 

Th

A chocolate sunflower

at’s what I feel tonight—happy but not giddy. Just sort of an “At last” feeling. I refer of course to trump being found liable in the case of his attack on E. Jean Carroll. I never had any doubt that she was telling the truth, but for her to pursue the case and for a jury of her peers to decide in her favor (and decide pretty quickly) is satisfying. Maybe beyond satisfying it signals that even DJT will be held accountable for the first time ever in his life, that presidents are bound by the law, that, indeed, law and order will win in our society. And I think it signals the beginning of the end for the orange-skinned monster. His power has been slipping, and I hope this is the incident that kicks it to the cub.

With Republicans, you never know. This afternoon about three Sophie was desperate to go out, so while I waited for her to come back in, I booted the computer, not expecting to find much. But one, obscure news note reported the verdict. I could hardly wait for the evening news—and then I missed it because we had company. But I’m beginning to see reaction from several sources. What I haven’t seen is reaction from major Republican players, and I’m anxious to see that.

The verdict is a political victory but only in part. It’s also a huge victory for all the women whose stories have been discounted, rape kits lost, charges modified. All the women who have not found justice. I hope now many more will feel empowered to come forward, especially those who accuse trump.

He will, of course, appeal. His lawyer, who has not been brilliant throughout, crowed that a jury had just proven that trump is not a rapist. I don’t want to go into unsavory details and technicalities here, but I think the case may demonstrate that he was not, in this one case, a rapist, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. I hope, for Carroll’s sake, that his appeal goes nowhere, which is what I sort of suspect will happen.

Elsewhere the news of the day is encouraging, at least to me. Greg Abbott is taking a real drubbing in the media—not just online but with credible print outlets—for his efforts to divert concern over guns to mental health problems and the crisis at the southern border. He’s sending his private army to secure illegal crossings at the border, which I read today may be illegal. Does that mean legal troubles for him if they kill immigrants, as they undoubtedly will?

Abbott’s distraction about mental health isn’t faring much better. Researchers have demonstrated that mental health programs are unlike to make an appreciable difference in the rate of gun deaths in Texas. And good old guv has outright lied about a couple of things—that the gun rate death in California is higher than Texas (it is about 73% lower) and that cartels are bring illegal weapons across the southern border (they’re bringing deadly drugs, not weapons). So tonight is another of those rare nights when it looks to me like the good guys might win.

Otherwise it’s a good day of fine weather—we keep hearing rain is coming but nada. Chance are better in the next couple of days, so my fingers are crossed. The lawn crew just put in some new native plants in the back yard, and they sure could use water. Also they moved the sunflower from the herb garden to the native plant bed—Jordan, not sure what it was when it was small, had put it in with the herbs where it began to grow amazingly tall. I figured out what it was and asked the guys to move it today. It is a chocolate sunflower, which I’ve not seen before.

Tonight we had happy hour with Mary, who has been gone for eight weeks due to extensive back surgery. Glad to report that she has had a good recovery, is getting back to normal, and doing well. Fun to be together again. We talked about everything from her surgery to trump to how to poach an egg. I served spanakopita (freezer, not homemade), and ate enough to count them as dinner.

So, pleasant dreams. The world just may be headed in the right direction.