Political puzzlements

 

Every once in a while, my anger, my indignation gets the best of me, and I feel the need to dip into matters political in this blog. Tonight is such a night. If you want to turn away, I’ll understand. The source of my puzzlement is of course the man some have referred to as the orange buffoon. Now thoroughly disgraced in the eyes of most of us, he is still front and center in the daily news. So I’m throwing out some things that puzzle me, not expecting hard and fast answers, but perhaps some will share their thoughts

We hear constantly about trump’s plans for his next term as president, as though it were a given certainty. Much of what he plans to do is apparently illegal, but he’s good at manipulating, and I have no doubt, back in office, he would consolidate power in the presidency. That’s one of the more scary thoughts, considering the direction he took the country in his term—disease uncontrolled, debt ballooning out of sight, international relationships destroyed, environmental controls ignored and cancelled, infrastructure improvements promised but never delivered.

But so much that indicates that he will never hold office again. For starters, most Americans think he deserves a trial and punishment, and if statistics are right, most of us assume he has done at least half of what he’s accused of. So who’s going to vote for him? (I know—the cult; but how big are their numbers?)

Legal scholars, even conservative ones, are coming forward in recent days to declare that the fourteenth amendment absolutely means trump is ineligible to hold any federal office because instigated a revolution against our country and violated his oath of office. Even though that has not yet (stress yet) been determined in a court of law, most folks agree. But if that’s true, and if the Senate has to vote on his eligibility (I think that’s the way it works), who is going to put that in motion? We can talk about it for two years, but it shouldn’t wait until after an election.

Then there’s the question of his mental stability—just ask his niece, Dr. Mary Trump. Or maybe we don’t have to ask her. Clearly, he is impulsive, uncontrolled, without compassion or intellect or any idea of the social bounds that govern most of us in our daily lives. Does he fit the definition of a psychopath? Sociopath? I’m no expert, but it seems to me experts are testifying, granted at a distance, to his instability. So once again, who puts things in motion? The 25^th amendment is no help now, since it applies to sitting presidents. So who declares a candidate mentally unfit for office? It’s a question not much considered in elections in our long history. But we have never before elected a man like Donald J. trump.

On the other side of these weighty questions are the MAGA folks who are threatening to shut down the government unless the DOJ backs off all charges against trump. I’m not sure the American people would stand for that, let alone elect him. Why would we let a minority dictate that the rule of law be abandoned?

Yet these folks seem convinced of the rightness of their arguments, and I am left puzzled. Do they really believe, in the face of all the evidence and court cases, that the 2020 election was stolen? And do they really believe that President Biden weaponized the DOJ to help him defeat trump in 2024. They have watched trump throw most of his colleagues under the bus—do they not realize they could be next? And do they really believe that they can sway the 2024 election by hounding Hunter Biden for being the president’s son?

How many American voters assess the candidates logically when deciding on their votes? I’m afraid it’s a disappointing number. If people were paying attention to policy, they would see that the Democratic policies, as enacted by President Biden, have put our country on an upward path—economically, internationally, environmentally, etc. Those logical voters will see that the Republicans have no policies, no plans for the American future. They are too busy trying to blame Biden and his family for what they call the disastrous path that America is on.

In some ways, it all comes back to education—and that explains why DeSantis, Abbott, and other Republicans are trying to destroy public education. An educated voter will see through the smokescreen of lies and choose the party and leader who has solid plans for the future of the country.

I sure would welcome some comments.

Saving the children

 

Last week I wanted to refer to a comment that a friend had made on one of my blog posts. This meant scrolling through recent posts until I found the right one. It was an educational experience. Seeing my blogs as a whole, I realized my voice was—there’s no other word for it—shrill! Granted, most of what I post is shared material, not my own writing. But it’s still shrill and angry and not peace-making.

An old friend told me long ago that because she’s such an activist, she makes sure to post about her grands, her garden, her dogs and cats, so that people will know that there’s a warm, fuzzy side to her. Except for food-related posts, I have fallen down on that end of blogging.

Shrill is what men criticize about women in public affairs or politics when what they really want to say is, “Shut up, sit down, and tend to your knitting. Let us men handle the affairs of the world.” I surely don’t agree with that attitude, but I don’t want to be known as a shrill female. Thoughtful, insightful, concerned—yes, all of those things. But shrill? No. I resolved to change my tone, perhaps post less often.

And then Nashville happened. How can any of us remain silent in the face of this recurring butchery of our children? I remembered back in the sixties, before Roe v. Wade, when we were encouraged to vote a one-issue ballot: if a candidate was for women’s rights to their bodies, we should vote for them; if not, nada. It didn’t matter what a candidate’s stance was on any other issue—the decision was made on the basis of the attitude toward abortion.

I am feeling that way again today. Two issues will determine my vote: gun control and abortion. I will not now or ever vote for anyone who opposes reform for those two issues. Yes, I know that saving the climate is crucial and immediate, and voter suppression is a problem, and yeah, I’d vote against any Republican who wants to withdraw support for Ukraine because that says to me they have no understanding of international relationships and do not deserve to hold public office. But those problems are not of immediate concern to me; the lives of children take precedence.

I was still mulling over my shrill voice when I attended church (via LiveStream) Sunday. Russ Peterman’s powerful sermon was about the school shootings. Pointing out that the leading cause of death in school children in this country is violence (and we are the only country for which that is true), he suggested that we are failing our children, failing our responsibility to keep them safe. Oh, some would have us keep them safe from drag queens and books that might enlighten them about our LGBTQ neighbors or the drag queen who reads stories to them, but not safe to live.

A meme on Facebook this week has a seven-year-old telling his mom he doesn’t want to go to school. “Why not?” she asks, and he responds, “I’d rather be dumb than dead.” Think of that. Let it soak in.

Admitting that the solution to gun control is complicated, Dr. Peterman pointed out that we have solved much more complicated problems. My thought was, “Yes, we are about to put men (and a woman) on the moon again, after fifty years.” But we cannot keep our children safe. I sent my kids off to elementary school in the late seventies and eighties—I cannot imagine how I would have felt if there was the slightest possibility of one of them being shot at school.

Dr. Peterman talked about compromise, with both sides trying to see the other side. For me, that’s so hard as to be impossible. When someone writes they will pry his AR-whatever out of his “died hands,” I know what kind of enemy I’m facing. When a Tennessee representative dismisses the whole things with, “We aren’t going to change it,” I know the enemy. I am beyond tired of people who don’t want to get involved or who withdraw for some peace—there is no peace, ever, for parents who lose their children in a shooting. And there is no reason we cannot ban military weapons in the hands of civilians. When Clinton did it, shooting deaths declined dramatically.

So watch for me to continue to be shrill, because I cannot in good conscience not speak out. If you want to tune me out, so be it. Dr. Peterman quoted someone who said, “Our faith does not  allow us to remain silent behind stained glass.” Either you  put your faith to work daily, or you are a Sunday believer.

Fittingly, our church service ended with the singing of “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus.” Jesus, be he prophet or teacher or divine god, loved the little children. How about you?

An apologia: this post is couched in the terms and traditions of Christianity, because that is the faith I know. I recognize that not all of my friends nor all of my readers are necessarily Christian but I am sure the beliefs herein can be adapted to your faith.

Politics as usual

 

I don’t know about you and your political affiliation, but I suspect what I’m experiencing is true of you too. I guess it’s because I support liberal candidates financially, either when I’m feeling a bit flush or in some moment of political concern like the Dobbs decision, but I am deluged these days as the midterms approach with appeals for money.

Some are desperate: “We’re packing it in, giving up.” Others are bullying, “If so-and-so doesn’t win, the [other party] will be in control.” Strange how many contests, especially for the Senate, depend on just one seat. Lots of appeals cite “one-time matches” and yet I see them more than one time.

And the inconsistency: one day they’re ready to pack it up, but the next they are triumphantly reporting that their candidate is “surging,” or “gaining two points,” or even “leading by two points.” Of course, it’s too early to put much faith in polls, so I ignore these. And then I get emails that say, “We’re crying tears of joy,” or “Trump bawled when he read this.” You just must take everything with several large grains of salt.

I am leery of PACS and seldom respond to the emails, which often have blaring, boldface warnings and dire predictions with lots of exclamation points. What bothers me is that a few of them may really be doing good work, but they hide it behind the flamboyant, demanding presentation. Those are also the ones that often make you feel guilty: “We haven’t had your response!” or “Does Judy Alter not want to support so-and-so.” Katie Porter of California is one of six legislators who does not accept PAC money, and I support her.

The mailings I most dislike: polls. They want to ask your opinion on a certain topic, and I am always glad to share that. But say it’s a question about environmental concerns, you answer, even choose the dots for one or two opinions, and then the email becomes a series of such dumb questions, the answer so obvious that no one, but no one, needs a survey. And of course, finally, you find yourself confronted with a screen demanding to know if you want to give monthly (I never do, because I’ve known the bookkeeping to screw up) or a one-time gift. If I give, it’s always a one-time gift.

For years I thought I’d just wait and donate closer to the election, when who needed the most support was obvious. But lately I’ve been impressed by ads that include a reminder that giving now does much more good than the week before the election.

So I’ve settled into my routine, which is pretty unorganized. I give sporadically to a group of candidates that I think I want to support. Lately my list includes Val Demings in Florida, John Fetterman in Pennsylvania (love that he won’t wear a suit), Raphael Warnock in Georgia (can anyone in their right mind vote for Herschel Walker who gives all the signs of brain damage from too many hits in the head), Mark Kelly in Arizona (thought his emails are for some reasons particularly annoying), Michael Franken, the U. S. Navy retired admiral running to defeat the aged and infirm Chuck Grassley.

I have to remind myself that federal elections are not all that matters and to pay attention to local races, especially in Texas. Who controls our state legislatures matters a lot in daily life, and in Texas, we sure need new blood.

I’ve read lately about the divisions in both our major parties. I could not care less if Republicans fight among themselves—oh, okay, maybe I do care because it’s a sign that some are moving away from blind loyalty to trump. But I am concerned about divisions in the Democratic party at a time when solidarity seems most important.  The big concern to me is whether Joe Biden should run again. A good friend said to me tonight that after all, he is 84 and would be close to 90 at the close of his second term. I think that’s a common misconception—he is 79. No spring chicken to be sure, but he has accomplished so much for this country, that I am leery of abandoning him unless he himself decides to step down, which he had said he would do when he ran.

I think Biden has a magnificent vision for this country, one that would restore us in the way that FDR’s New Deal did in the thirties, restores the middle class, give every American a chance, not just the one percent. But he’s been stymied by a Republican congress and one recalcitrant Democrat—Joe Manchin. Biden has faced a looming economic recession, a pandemic, our destroyed international reputation, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a near crisis in the environment, domestic terrorism, a rogue Supreme Court and the destructive Dobbs decision, and he’s dealt effectively with each of them. His rising employment numbers have kept us out of recession, his diplomacy has managed to restore out international reputation left in shatters by the former guy, and to contain the Russian invasion by assembling European nations as allies.

I also think that Biden’s own low-key personality betrays him. He hasn’t been as forceful in the public eye as even Obama. He makes me think of a guy who goes quietly and efficiently about his work, ignoring criticisms. But he ought to get before the public more, and I think he’s beginning to do that.

Before we succumb to the stereotype of ageism, let us look long and hard at the individual and his accomplishments, not his age, and make a rational decision.

And my question: who would the nominee be if not Biden? It’s time for Democrats to stop bad-mouthing their leader and pull together.

Oops. I’ve preached far too long.

The Joy of Cooking

 

I forgot to take a picture of the meatloaf, and it was grand,
so this is me eating leftovers at ten o'clock at night. Still good. 

Where is Irma Rombauer when I want to talk with her and compare notes? The sum total of my accomplishments today: I made a meatloaf. Not just any meatloaf though. The old-fashioned kind with both pork and beef—my mom always combined the two in her meatloaf—and lots of vegetables—onion, carrot, celery, and parsley. It took me a good portion of the morning to put it together, but about halfway through rough-chopping carrots and onions and celery I realized that I was happier than I have been in days (my mind was off Ukraine). I also made my own breadcrumbs. Salt and pepper, Worcestershire, Pecorino, and marinara sauce went into the mixture before I hand-shaped it into a loaf. The marinara sauce was store bought because one can only do so much. The TV was on, but I wasn’t paying attention, lost in my own little world of vegetables. And when I got the meatloaf ready to cook, I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment, as if I’d just written a good blog.

This evening it will go in the oven to bake, and then I’ll slather it with more marinara sauce and mozzarella. It’s large—a pound and a half of beef and a pound of pork. We’ll be eating meatloaf all week, but that’s okay with me. Great lunches.

One thing I did not accomplish: voting. But Lord knows it wasn’t for lack of trying. If you’ve been following my saga, you know that it took me three applications to get the mail-in ballot that I usually get with one try. First, they lost it, then it wasn’t filled out properly (SB1 in Texas stuck in new requirements, in fine print, without alerting the public). When I finally did mail in my ballot, it was rejected because I didn’t put my social security number (last four digits) or my state identification number on the outside of the envelope—another of those fine-print, new requirements.

I am not overly concerned because I didn’t see any tight races that I felt strongly about on the Democratic ballot, and in some down-ballot races, I didn’t recognize any names. (If I’d have voted in the Republican primary I’d have had a long list of people to vote against!) But I am angry that the privilege of voting was deliberately taken from me (along with apparently thousands of other Texans). In a democracy, the goal should be to get as many people as possible to vote, not to eliminate as many as possible. Believe me, come November I am armed and ready for them. My vote will be counted.

My laugh for the day: if you’re on Facebook, you know that standard post with which men try to troll women. It begins something like, “It’s weird talking to someone you don’t know ….” and goes on to say how the writer is charmed by the woman’s appearance or humor or wisdom, but his efforts to friend her have been unsuccessful and could she please friend him. Today, the same man posted his identical message on comments made by not one but five of my friends, each on a different post but all on posts that originated with me (some were shares but all had my name on them). Disqualify that one because he has no brain. I’m never sure what such men are looking for, but I presume it’s lonely, wealthy widows (all five of my friends that he hit on are happily married). Since he posted on my wall, I took the liberty of deleting all of them—with some glee.

And a PS for the evening: The meatloaf was delicious. I did not slather it with as much marinara as the recipe called for, but we did top it with one cup and shredded mozzarella. Ran it under the broiler. Served it with a green salad with Paul Newman’s Own Vinaigrette and grated Pecorino. And fresh green beans cooked with just a bit of white wine and a pinch of sugar. Mom always told me sugar heightens the flavor of fresh vegetables. One of my better meals, if I do say so.

And yes, I watched the State of the Union message, found it powerful and strong, especially in the opening parts about Ukraine. I read today that Politico, that conservative voice, published that Joe Biden has done a masterful job of uniting the free world against Putin and that no one else could have done it as effectively. It is, they said, what his whole career has been building toward. Let’s hope this counters the conservative misinformation machine and raises his ratings.

I may not sleep any more soundly tonight, for I am very worried about President Zelensky and even more about his family. To think that Putin has put a price on their heads. I am aghast if that includes Mrs. Zelensky (is Madame Zelensky the proper address?), as it apparently does, and even more so if it includes their children. But I am reassured by Biden’s resolve and strength and the coalition he has built. I find this week as I go about my life that the Ukraine invasion is like a black cloud hovering over my head. Anyone remember Joe Bftsplk from Li’l Abner?

Big day for the Burtons

 

Cutest ranch couple I ever saw

Tonight is the annual Cowtown Ball, a charity event held for the benefit of the American Cancer Society. Christian is co-chair, with Virginia Durham, and Jordan is a member of the committee. Last year, when Christian was also co-chair, they had to go to a virtual event because of Covid-19. This year, because it’s at the Fort Worth Zoo, we thought rain was going to spoil the evening. It’s been a tense couple of days around here.

Feeding giraffes was 
part of the fun

But the weather is lovely, the temperature mild, and I presume everyone is having a good time. Christian said they had sold close to 500 tickets, which he considered a good turnout. Jordan got a special hairdo this morning that would fit under a cowboy hat, and she tried on her dress for me. Of course, I thought it was smashing—her usual black brightened with black-and-turquoise cowgirl boots and big turquoise earrings under a black hat. Last I heard she was debating about wearing my squash blossom necklace, but the picture shows she wore it.

Meanwhile, I wasn’t exactly playing Cinderella, but left on my own I ate a composed salad for supper. Sometimes there’s nothing better. I had defrosted some freezer leftovers with soup in mind, but what I thought was chicken broth turned out to be scallops in a wine sauce—in a cracked plastic container that leaked. What a mess! Jordan complained of the smell when she came out just before leaving, but I think now, with the doors open, it’s going away.

One of those days when suddenly everything hits at once. This morning I gleefully announced publication of The Most Land, the Best Cattle: The Waggoners of Texas. My tag line for marketing came from Red Steagall’s blurb: "The majesty and intrigue of a ranch is of course invested in the land and livestock. But the true soul of a ranching property rests with the humans involved, both staff and owners. Judy Alter has done a magnificent job of explaining and describing the amazing family of the world-famous Waggoner Ranch, all under one fence.” It’s more the story of the people than the cattle, land, and oil.

But, unbeknownst to me, the pub date had changed, and the book is not yet available. Supply chain problems have affected publishing as they have many industries, and the book is delayed three weeks. Paper supply, no doubt. So now I get to announce it all over again. I did read today that some university offers a graduate degree in managing the supply chain, and I thought it a great idea, if a bit late. But who knew that in addition to astronomic deaths and unbelievable political squabbles, the pandemic would delay goods. Jordan has stocked up on toilet paper again, and my closet runneth over.

Late this afternoon, I got my voter registration (glad to have it) and my mail-in ballot, which is full of nothing but constitutional amendments, almost none of which I understand except that several are labeled as tax increases. Since our state governor is spending billions to build a wall and advance other items on his warped agenda, like Operation Lone Star which imprisoned immigrants without charges or counsel, I am not inclined to support bond program until his right-wing, partisan spending stops. If he would fix the power grid, I might have more sympathy. It would be interesting to see the state budget and see what is allocated to maintaining power all winter. I have asked for ballot advice from a friend whose husband was a state legislator and who keeps current on such matters.

Then came a questionnaire from the Medigap program TCU offers its retirees and a questionnaire from my insurance company—all sparked by the Medicare enrollment period which opens next week. Keeps a person busy, I’ll tell you.

Today is National Black Dog Day (I love these oddball national days), so Sophie bids each of you good night and sweet dreams.

Letter to a young man who won’t read it

Last night a friend told me her son, eligible to vote for the first time, wasn’t enthusiastic about Joe Biden, so he thought he’d just sit this one out. I was appalled. There is so much I want to say to him and can’t, so I’m saying it here: Voting is a privilege and an obligation if you live in America and enjoy the dwindling benefits of that residency. Even more of an obligation if you’d like to return America to the standards and values we were raised with and have held on to all our lives.

We vote not just for the president, but for an entire new government—from cabinet ministers on down a long list of presidential appointees, including right now attorney general.. And we vote, in 2020, for a totally difference concept of government, one that starts with the “little people.” If you don’t vote, you also miss the opportunity to voice your choice on a long-list of down-ballot state and local officials.

Somewhere I saw a meme that pointed out that voting is not like marriage. You don’t have to fall in love with a candidate—you simply have to make a reasonable choice about who would bring about a better way of life for all Americans. To make that conscientious choice requires some research, study of the platforms, familiarizing yourself with the issues and the positions of various candidates. It should not be a decision based on who appeals to you—that’s falling in love, not politics.

In the upcoming election, the economic issue raises its head. People believe that the economy will do better under trump, though history consistently demonstrates that the economy does better under Democratic administrations than Republican. Right now, the economy is doing great for the one percent, but failing the middle class and the poor miserably—especially people of color.

People claim that we have to open up after quarantine, that the economy is what matters most. I would suggest that human life  matters more. A sick and dying people cannot rebuild a shattered economy like ours. Opening up too soon will eventually leave the economy in worse shape—more deaths, more illness, more fear that will keep people at home, more overuse of health facilties, more cost to the government from unemployment and health care. Germany stands out as a country where workers survived pandemic unemployment almost unscathed, a contrast to America where 40 million are unemployed. (Sorry, you’ll have to research that one, but you will find our government could have used bailout for average workers, hourly employees out of work, instead of bailing out the wealthy and corporations who were not desperate, just greedy.)

A huge part of the problem in our country is the percent of the population that is noncompliant, from ridiculous “virus parties” to the guy next door who won’t wear a mask. Setting the tone for that is the man who calls himself president and refuses to wear a mask, wants mass gatherings of people at rallies and political conventions without disregard to the health concerns. Florida, whose governor is an ally of trump, recently experienced the highest ever one-day spike of new virus cases, after opening up.

It’s almost a circular argument that brings you around to the beginning—vote Blue. No, getting rid of trump will not make everything roses and sunshine immediately. It will take time to rebuild our country, but it is a task we must begin. And it starts with voting out trump and his enablers, including much of the Senate.

A long lecture the young man in question won’t listen to, but I needed to say it. Thanks for listening.

Outrage

Warning: rant ahead. Detour if you wish.

I am outraged, angry, humiliated, resentful, puzzled—I cannot begin to tell you the emotions that have raged through my mind since I read about 45 referring to people from “shithole countries.”  That such language from the Oval Office is unpresidential goes without saying; so does that it violates every one of our dearly held democratic principles, the ideas that our country was founded on. “Give me your tired, your poor, your hungry.” The statement is racist beyond belief.

And sadly, it will appeal to his base, those people who are desperate to find some way to feel better about themselves. LBJ, whose wisdom was probably underappreciated in his day, said it: If you can convince the lowest white man that he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice that you’re picking his pocket.”  Unfortunately, not much has changed since LBJ’s day, and 45 is playing that song like his theme.

But there’s more. Not only is he a disgrace to democracy, to American principles, and to our presidency and the White House, he is a man with clear mental incompetency, what appears to be dementia.

And nobody is doing anything! That old phrase keeps going through my mind: “If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck . . . .” Well, you know the rest.

Clearly the Republicans are in power, and they are the ones who can do something about this terrible, frightening situation that they have thrust us into. We look to Mueller to save us (and he may, but he’s a slow and deliberate man, carefully building a foolproof case—will he be in time?); recently we’ve looked to Michael Wolff’s book to save us (and again it may—that’s what Kim Jung Un predicts). But it is the Republicans who have the power and the tools in their hands right now to correct what they have wrought. They have the 25^th Amendment.

Suely they don’t think their legislative record, their blind eye to the president will win them votes. Most are seasoned politicians, and they know the odds. The base 45 courts is not big enough to counter a voter wave that will sweep many of them out of office—perhaps that’s why so many are announcing resignation and retirement. But for the nonce, they are unfettered. They have their way, with a president who can be easily manipulated, and they’re going wild with power. Not a conscience or a backbone among them. The best they can do is resign, which doesn’t help us. I call out Senator Bob Corker who seemed for a bright moment there to be earnest, sincere, and aware, but he caved to a little bribery. Greed rules all.

What will save our country at this point? I don’t know. Do you? Will you be the one? Will you vote come November?