I’ve pointed out here I’m a Christian – liberal – because I do believe in the “teachings of Jesus.” To me, they’re hard to argue against, but I “get” everyone sees these things in their own way. However, I’m also becoming clearer in my witnessing people who claim to be Christians who make me rethink my own beliefs because, in no way, do I want to be associated with them. Last night I heard someone, I can’t remember who – someone in individual 1’s employ – was lamenting Joe Biden’s “plan” for a “public option” as being “Socialized medicine.” Since the end of WW II republicans have been fighting to prevent America from having a national health care system. The idea of basic health being a “right” for American citizens just doesn’t register with these republicans. I don’t understand how they can “square” that thinking with “the teachings of Jesus.” (And, of course, they all claim to be “Christians”)

My granddaughters are in Christian schools and the oldest one, who knew virtually nothing about what is in the Bible when she started the school as a freshman, was talking the other day about her “favorite verse.” I forget the exact verse, but it had to do with how “everyone” is loved by God. Well, that reminded me of one of my favorite verses which is in Matthew – “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Just as “What you do FOR the least of these you do FOR me.” Almost every day I’m reminded of republicans who don’t believe in this basic human decency – whether you’re not a Christian or if you are a “Christian?” you SHOULD support health care for all of us. It’s the “right” thing to do. If not out of empathy and compassion, then because it saves money for those who are already insured. Sadly, not only are republicans opposed to health care for “the least of these,” just yesterday individual 1 blocked any more negotiation for stimulus with MILLIONS of Americans on the verge of economic disaster. (It didn’t take even him long to realize how STUPID that decision was)

Calling a “public option” “socialized medicine” is beyond absurd to me, let alone thinking about how it relates to the MO of republicans in general. Joe Biden putting forth a “public option” will require the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to survive the Supreme Court challenge. My thought is, if they succeed in overturning “Obamacare” (ACA), then maybe Bernie Sanders becomes “front and center.” Doing the “Medicare for All” solution to the issue of health care in the middle of this pandemic very well may be the reasonable way to go if the ACA has been overturned. And, again, suggesting the “public option” is “socialized medicine” is absurd on its face. What they’re saying (ADMITTING) is the private health insurers with their BLOATED executive salaries, can’t compete with a “Medicare like” option.

By all accounts, individual 1 is looking at a LANDSLIDE “whoopin” come early November – he’ll try to prevent any of the ballots COUNTED after November 3rd from “counting” – which is why Americans are VOTING EARLY in numbers never seen before – and, our IMPEACHED so-called president is counting on soon to be Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett to be the deciding vote to help him overturn – once again – the WILL of the people (Remember: “Bush v Gore”). This year, individual 1 is standing to LOSE the “popular vote” by OVER 10,000,000 votes. That’s TEN MILLION for anyone who struggles with math. And, it could be as many as 15 MILLION votes! Just imagine what it would do to this nation if he could somehow completely overturn Biden’s LEGITIMATE victory on November 3rd!

And, if, as it appears to me it will, even the Electoral College is clear on the outcome, there are few who believe individual 1 will go away quietly. By many accounts Biden could win over (or close to) 400 Electoral College votes with only 270 needed, but individual 1 believes (“future”) Judge Barrett will be what is necessary for him to overturn all those “ballots” he doesn’t like “we the people” submitting to our polling places. From what I’ve heard, as of today – 20 days before the “election” – there have been 15 MILLION Americans voting early ALREADY. And, based on reports I’ve read/heard something like two out of every three, so far, have gone for democrats. Other than finding ways to CHEAT in order to win, what our IMPEACHED so-called president is doing is turning away MORE and MORE Americans who might be thinking of voting for him.

Take us old people, for example. He’s basically suggesting we get “written off,” kind of like how people like him depreciate their property so they can CHEAT on their taxes. Do you think that’s a good idea to turn things around in Florida where he’s already, according to Five Thirty Eight (the best polling place on the internet in my view), trailing Biden by almost four points? I believe it’s possible he’ll LOSE Florida by even more – except for one thing – Ron DeSantis. Do you really believe DeSantis won’t CHEAT in order to help individual 1 “win?” PPPPPPLeeeeease! In 2000 Florida’s governor was Jeb Bush – I’m sure you remember – and, along with his republican Secretary of State AND the Supreme Court they managed to STEAL the 2000 election – resulting in, among other travesties, the Iraq Fiasco. Stay tuned…………

And, how about Texas? Governor Abbott is doing everything he can to BLOCK as many Texans as possible from voting – and, it’s not necessarily working. In Harris County, today, over another 100,000 voters voted on the second day of early voting – after almost 130,000 voted yesterday. After two days of early voting, just in this one county, close to 15% of all registered voters have voted and when you look at the lines, it would be a reach to think too many of them were standing there for 6 – 8 hours to vote for individual 1. It’s happening all over Texas in the urban areas and, yes, Abbott is trying to “slow the spread” (of voters) by going to court and finding ways to SUPPRESS the vote, but it appears Biden has a real shot in Texas – and, maybe the young lady who’s trying to unseat John Cornyn – who is not what I would consider anything close to a “progressive” – which is what young people are looking for. Not too many people, early on, thought Biden had any chance in Texas. But, what about, say, Georgia?

Well, in Georgia on the first day of early voting, which preceded that of Texas by a day or two, the lines were LONGER and it took longer for people to vote – but, they stood there and waited – in some instances – TEN HOURS! These are people I consider American heroes. If you remember Wisconsin back during the primary campaign, there were long lines of voters who stood in the rain for HOURS so they could vote – in the early stages of the pandemic. They voted down a judge who the republicans believed they could get elected by making it harder for democratic leaning voters to vote – and, it backfired. The voters overcame the republican legislature of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court – all who said the voters had to risk their lives to vote in a pandemic. And, what did they do? They risked their lives to vote and, sure enough, that republican judge LOST!

We’re going to see the same thing with individual 1 except he’s not going quietly. He very well may need to be dragged from the “White House.” I have to admit, I’m a bit anxious about the “transition period” – from the end of the election and inauguration day – this man is as VINDICTIVE as anyone I’ve every witnessed. I keep saying he’s a “mafia boss” and his actions are those of someone you’d expect who was in that “line of work.” I believe he’s going to discover Joe Biden will be a “law and order” president and the first example will be “dragging” him from 1600 Pennsylvania, Avenue. Following that will be all the investigations into the ILLEGAL activity which is/has been going on while he’s serving as our (IMPEACHED so-called) president. I believe individual 1, several of his offspring – including Jared Kushner, William Barr, possibly Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan, and who knows how many of them – will be facing legal liability for their transgressions. Yup – “law and order” – I totally agree! DRAINING THE SWAMP!

Getting back to the election individual 1 is planning to CHEAT in order to “win,” there’s early voting in several other states besides the two I mentioned above. As of tonight – with twenty days to go until “election day,” as I said above, there have been over 15 MILLION votes cast – ALREADY! That’s MORE than 10% of the total votes cast in the 2016 election and, based on what I’ve seen, individual 1’s total very well could be substantially less than he received back then – and, early indications are that Biden is on track to exceed the totals of Barack Obama! I’m thinking of a musical I saw when I was a kid and one of the songs went like this: “And, wouldn’t it be lovely!?” I’m expecting to receive my ballot by next Monday and I will have it on it’s way to the polling office by Tuesday – guaranteed! I’m guessing HALF of all votes COULD be cast prior to the actual election date of November 3rd.

You might wonder, “why are so many people voting early?” Well, even though republicans are doing everything they can to prevent people from voting, there’s your answer. The FACT republicans are openly trying to SUPPRESS the vote is what is MOTIVATING millions of Americans to plan ahead and VOTE early. Individual 1’s threats to shut off the voting count on November 3rd, even though MILLIONS of votes will arrive after that date because they come from places like Afghanistan – where our troops get to vote – as long as votes, in almost ALL jurisdictions, are postmarked by November 3rd they WILL be COUNTED. Of course, that’s what individual 1 is going to try to prevent – the counting of the ballots which arrive after the 3rd. But, he won’t be legally allowed to in almost every state – even with Amy Barrett on the Supreme Court.

Speaking of Judge Barrett. No one is lost on why republicans are violating their own “norms” they set back in the last year of Obama’s term when they refused to even vote on Merrick Garland – as they try to “cram” her nomination through, they see “red” in their opportunity to turn the court into a 6 – 3 “majority.” Not only does individual 1 think Ms. Barrett is going to save his presidency, but republicans are counting on her to be the key vote in overturning the Affordable Care Act – as mentioned above – along with overturning Roe v Wade (along with a bunch of other stuff). I, personally, believe the only part of that scenario which concerns individual 1 is the first part – that she can help him CHEAT to stay in office (and out of court).

Honestly, I want to give John Roberts the benefit of the doubt and, I believe, he’s in a very precarious position at this point in time. The nomination of Barrett at this point in time – instead of waiting for “we the people” to “speak” is taking whatever mask (pun intended) off the exterior of the Court which may have existed – largely thanks to a couple votes by Roberts which suggested an endless number of right wing 5 – 4 decisions were on the horizon leaving some of us optimists to hope we would have a “fair” court. The nomination of Barrett and the process which republicans are going through has taken any semblance of that “mask” away. The court will now be simply considered another highly partisan part of our political process – anyone suggesting otherwise is more naïve than me. (Most were already “there” – meaning seeing the partisanship of the judiciary – especially after the work of Moscow Mitch over the previous 4 years)

Individual 1 has put the very basic foundation of our republic in jeopardy – an attempt to turn our nation into a fascist corporatocracy/dictatorship “from within” (Mussolini style) – and, the good news is, it appears that MOST of us are willing to FIGHT to preserve our traditional nation where “we the people” choose our leaders and where we “frown” on people like Vladimir Putin sticking his/their noses into our “business.” When the “smoke clears” and individual 1 has been “run out of town” the partisan courts are going to be left “standing.” In our nation, when the people get to a point where they don’t trust the Judiciary we are in serious trouble, and that’s where William Barr is leading “we the people.” There are going to be some right wing challenges to the legitimacy of Biden’s administration via actions similar to what we saw recently in Michigan. My own governor has received similar threats to those received by governor Whitmer of Michigan and I have to wonder if Barr’s Justice Department will/would respond. We KNOW the groups who are fulminating the threats.

Everytime I start writing the thoughts just pile up and I struggle to keep up with them and keep myself coherent, but the bottom line here is for those at the “bottom of the hierarchy” this is a really dark time in America. And, for those of us a bit more fortunate, watching how those who are the sycophantic supporters of individual 1 are willing to accept as being “our country” is gut wrenching. When I talk about the “least of these” the first picture I get in my mind are the CAGES full of children who have been separated from their parents – in many instances NEVER to see them again and facing the likelihood of being sent back to their home country and dropped off at some airport and – good luck ‘ it breaks my heart every time I think of this.

And, the list goes on and on – and, now what I’ve been suggesting for two months is individual 1’s acceptance of the “herd mentality” (I pointed out when he said that he meant “immunity”) approach to the Covid-19 pandemic – which means his plan is to do NOTHING (works well for him) – is further evidence of his disdain for “the least of these.” By now, MOST Americans understand that is who take the “brunt” of the damage of this virus. The elderly, “Black and Brown” Americans who are disproportionately represented on the “front lines” of the fight against this pandemic, the poor (in many tangential ways affected by the virus), and people with disabilities of various natures are the ones who would be the bulk of the 2 – 6 MILLION Americans who would have to die to reach “herd immunity” – if that’s even possible.

This is why I’m so saddened every time I think about “Christians” being the “base” of this DEPLORABLE person and why I’m lost in understanding how they can find themselves in what appears to be almost a death cult. The next three weeks are going to be determinative of where this country is headed. Joe Biden is correct, this election is for the heart and soul of this nation! The FACT a significant majority of American oppose individual 1 has been no secret – that has been consistent since the WOMEN’S MARCH just a day after the inauguration of our IMPEACHED so-called president. Clearly, individual 1 is planning on different ways to CHEAT to achieve his “end.” That’s what he’s been doing for his entire life – so, it should surprise no one. It’s time for him to enter the history books after LOSING to “Sleepy Joe Biden.” “Wouldn’t that be lovely?”

Final Thought: When I made my “kitchen sink” prediction a couple months back I was not able to think creatively enough to keep up with the republicans. This is one you may have problems believing, but I can assure you it’s true. Republicans are placing FAKE ballot drop off boxes all around the state of California. What do you think their plan is with all the ballots which might get inadvertently put in there? When I heard this one, it was “are you kidding me?” But, sure enough, it’s true. Apparently, GOP operatives were caught and a judge has interceded but it shouldn’t take too many brain cells to realize what they’d do with all the ballots they’d collect. Of course, doing this is a FELONY, but, these days, our “law and order” republicans don’t feel they are encumbered by the laws. Stay tuned……………….