I can't get past this...

 

President Donald Trump walks with judge Amy Coney Barrett in the Rose Garden at the White House.

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

AP

AP

Then, today...this - 

Our judiciary has been overrun by Trump appointees (via The Federalist Society).

There isn't anything to be done.  The current Supreme Court is nine justices, six of whom are extreme right wing, and three liberals.  There nothing Congress or the people can do.  Even if one of the justices becomes a swing vote, there will still be five conservatives.  

Three of the justices were legally appointed by a Republican president guided by the Federalist Society. But, President Trump won the electoral college, not the popular vote. His "mandate" comes from a minority of the country's population.  Within the minority of people who voted for him, I suspect the number of people who would agree with the conservative, originalist views of the new Supreme Court is even less.

Mitch McConnell used his power like a bully. 

He didn't/doesn't care about what's good or best for the country.

He denied the Obama administration any opportunity to put forward their own judicial nominee when Scalia died.  Rather than admitting he was a bully, he pretended it was because the opening came within one year of an election.

When Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies he added a caveat to that reasoning - it's only applicable when the Senate and the President are not the same party.  When they are the same party - you can nominate, hold a hearing, and approve a new justice to the Supreme Court less than two weeks before an election.

People were overcome with how much they disliked Hillary Clinton and ignored the big red flag that Mitch McConnell waved in front of their faces.

These days we blame Mitch McConnell - and Donald Trump - for 'breaking' the norms of governing.

We should blame ourselves.  We're the ones who didn't understand the threat of Mitch McConnell + Donald Trump.

Even though the end of the election is still three days away (or would it be four? Today is Saturday and the election is Tuesday.) I feel like the whole thing is lost already.  

Joe Biden may win on November 3 (I hope he does!!!!) but the problem persists.  

My first thought was that if this is what Republicans want, then fine.  We'll make laws at the state, county, and municipal level. They don't like a big federal government?  Great, we'll stop participating.  

I'm not so sure, though, that even reasonable laws a state or local government would put in place regarding human rights, gun violence, climate change, and social justice wouldn't be struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional.  

There are enough people emboldened by Trump and his tactics who will bring suits against the states or municipalities on behalf of Trump's ideological and partisan positions.  They will claim the law takes away their personal freedom or their religious freedom.  

The new Supreme Court, I imagine, will agree.

Even though a reasonable thinking person might find their arguments ideological and partisan rather than wise, studied, and logical, it wouldn't matter because they have at least 5 votes on the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the law of the land and if I believe the rule of law is a defining feature of successful democracies, I have to go along with what the Supreme Court rules. I can say it's wrong all day, every day, and it doesn't look like I'd have any recourse whatsoever.

The election is the recourse.  Right?

This election doesn't do anything to take away those justices on the Supreme Court or the lifetime Federal judge appointments.  

Not only that, but Donald Trump has been doing everything he can in the last year to make sure his followers believe that if Donald Trump loses it's because the election is rigged.  

He's said numerous times at his rallies that they (meaning Republicans) have many lawsuits already making their way through the courts about voting and voting rights in many states.

One of the reasons he said we needed to nominate and install a new judge to the Supreme Court before the election was so there's no possibility of a tie if the election goes to the Supreme Court.

If Trump wins...I can't imagine what will happen.  I suspect people will be out in the streets.

I'm not sure what the goal would be.

This is how badly Donald Trump has 'broken' America...we can't believe in the integrity of the government AND want the election results overturned.  

I suppose the Biden camp starts some lawsuits of their own?

How well will that go with the judiciary 'packed' with Trump appointees.  

Normally, I wouldn't assume that because a Republican appointed a judge - at whatever level - they would definitely side with the Republican. 

But Trump demands loyalty and the people he selects to work with him and the ones he nominates to be on the federal bench, I believe, will be loyal to him.  

If Trump wins and that's just the way it ends up - I can't imagine how people will move forward from now until 2024.  More chaos, more lies, more 'figure it out for yourself'.  I guess people will retreat a little because it will feel helpless.  I think I will.  People will still be in need, though.  Trump policies will continue to hurt poor, nonwhite, 'others' disproportionately. I hope I'll find a way to be helpful and make a small difference to one or another person.

If Biden wins?  First of all, Trump won't allow that to be a settled question.  He'll take every vote to court.  How long will it last?  And what will he do between the election and inauguration day?  He'll destroy whatever he can. 

His supporters will take up arms.  

In their mind, they're saving 'America' as they know it. I know this is true because my Mother believes what she hears on Fox News...that Joe Biden will turn the country Socialist.  Joe Biden has been taken over by Socialist people like Sanders.  In that narrative, this election is existential for 'them' too. So of course they'll take up arms.  

And then what?

And then what?

...

What if Biden wins, but Republicans still control the Senate?  Continued inaction similar to Obama's last six years.  Biden will have to govern by Executive Order.

We go back to the idea that our only recourse is locally - at the state, county, or city level.

One thing I am sure of as we approach election day is that I'll never be free from Donald Trump.  Even out of office, he'll get people to pay attention to him and he'll be hurling insults and telling everyone how great he is.  It will be unbearable.  When he can't do it anymore, his sons will lionize him constantly.  And his daughter...Trump said at a rally the other day that she's happy being a homemaker.  Ugh.  That's after he assured suburban women he will get their husband's jobs back.  Yeah - Make America Great Again, alright...1950's great - where everyone knew their 'place'.  

Donald Trump is bad.  Real bad. 

And now he has a Supreme Court backing him up.

It feels like the takeover already happened.  I come full-circle back the beginning of this long post.

Hey - maybe none of this will happen and I'm being as alarmist as I think my Mother is about a socialist President Biden.

I'll be honest, though - I don't have a problem with the government - all of us, via our taxes - providing education, healthcare, safe and affordable housing, and nutritious food to all people. 

We already provide free education for K-12 and Medicare/Social Security for older citizens, we pay for police, roads, utilities, firemen, government administrators, libraries, and tax breaks for corporations, etc.  I'm not sure what makes the other stuff 'socialist' and not those things.

A couple videos

Isn't it lovely that other people are creative and want to share their truths?  I think so.

Here are two videos I find valuable when I feel frustration, disappointment, judgement, impatience, or anger at other people.

This first one is new to me.  There's a saying about being gentle with other people because you don't know what burdens they carry.  This video is a good illustration of the idea via a whole new word!

John Koenig coined the word Sonder in his Dictionary of Obscure Sorrow website (which it appears will soon become a book!). 

I heard about Sonder from a TikTok video by @kevinktqiu.  Hey - that's how things happen these days!  (Do I know how to link to the original TikTok video?  No.  No I do not.)

This video is 02:38 minutes.

And this video...this next one is really profound to me.  

It's an animated interpretation of a story by Andy Weir called The Egg.  The animation comes from Kurzegsadt studio.  According to their website "We are an animation studio and a design agency. We create unique explanatory videos. But we also offer many graphic design services"  They have a YouTube channel:  Kurzegsadt - In a Nutshell

Now that the introductions are over - here's the video (07:54):

It's important that in this life I forgive everyone because in another life I will BE everyone.  

This concept allows me to imagine myself AS everyone and I feel myself in their lives living it - doing the best they can with where they are.

The person who today, in this life, looks to me like they have hate in their hearts...one day that will be me and I'll understand what brought them to that point.  

As I think about that person now and forgive them this moment, a loving energy is sent out into the universe. They'll feel it in their heart because we are the same. Maybe there will be less hate in their heart - because it's my heart, and I have less hate in mine. 

The more I remember these ideas, the happier I'll be in this life.

One Week

It's One Week before the 2020 election. These are the first news items (the ones before the weather and drive time reports) from the 4:30 am KIRO Morning News:

• 1.     Protests continue through the night in Seattle near Broadway and Pine.  Yesterday, in Philadelphia, another police shooting when Walter Wallace, Jr wouldn’t put down his knife.
• 2.    Amy Coney Barret is sworn in as the newest Supreme Court Justice
• 3.     Election 2020 campaign stops for Trump (Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska) and Biden (Georgia). Ballot returns in Washington (2,2 million have already been returned statewide). Assurances from Secretary of State Kim Wyman that ballots are secure (the counting machines are not connected to the internet)
• 4.      Coronavirus in Washington – new cases yesterday 587, 25 deaths.  New cases per 100,000 in a two week period are 111.2.  Goal is 25.
• 5.      Seattle City Council approved a stop gap measure to fund an 8 person team to coordinate outreach efforts for the homeless (after council previously approved measures to defund police). The first affordable high rise in Seattle for 50 years broke ground yesterday.  The 17 floor tower on First Hill will house low-income families and homeless seniors.

I started to write some thoughts on these topics, but I realize - once again - that I can't write them succinctly or with clarity. I'll try again with brief comments: 

1. In police encounters, Black people are more likely to be shot and killed than white people in the same circumstance.  Incomprehensible. All these years I accepted and believed it was true, but didn't understand the depths and layers of individual and systemic racism until starting my UW ISS classes.  The murder of George Floyd this year and the writing and information that came out afterward made it clear that I have more to learn.  I THINK I've learned it now...but I thought that before.  I'm open to figuring it out.     

2. Feeling powerless to stop the religious right takeover of the Supreme Court.  I wish people understood what we'll be losing when they didn't vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016. We were steamrolled after that.  I support adding more Justices to the Supreme Court.

3. I worry this is the calm before the storm.  I dropped my ballot off on 10/17/2020.  I confirmed on the County website that my ballot was accepted. I am hopeful that Biden will win. Like most other people, though, I know Trump could win.  It's all the stuff after November 4 that sounds scary.  We've been setup by Trump for a rocky time after the election if he doesn't win.  I'm afraid it will be rocky even if Trump wins.  Who's United States will I be living in if that happens?  Not the one I thought I was in, that's for sure. Also - what good is a Biden win if the Senate is still in the hands of Mitch McConnell?  We have to win the Senate and the House and the Presidency.  That's what the Republicans have led this country to...nobody can compromise (Newt Gingrich's Contract with America, Tea Party).  It's not healthy. Yup - this is the calm before the storm.

4. Coronavirus is confusing - what's the right level of caution? I'm erring on the side of extreme caution. It feels excessive.  But, I don't want to get it.  I don't want to get the flu either.  

5. Does anyone know how to solve homelessness?  The immediate concern is to get people into a safe space.  But, then we have to start looking at how and why people don't have homes.  Mental Health, Drugs, Income Inequality.  Overwhelming.  

That's the state of things one week before the election.

Jen Sorensen explains the GOP EndGame...

A link to Jen Sorensen's website

FYI - I saw the first comic via The Nib newsletter.  The second one I saw on Jen's website.

I wish I could express ideas and emotions so concisely!!

From Jen's website:   As you may have heard, the Court was split 4-4 yesterday in a ruling that allowed Pennsylvania to count ballots that arrive up to three days after election day, as the state Supreme Court had ruled. This was, apparently, a Constitutional no-brainer that should have been 8-0 in favor of democracy, but four right-wing justices took a radical turn. With Barrett on the court, these election rulings will almost certainly favor Republicans.

This LA Times editorial has more on the fake ballot boxes in California.

Here's another of Jen's comics I discovered I like:

From Jen's website:  Suddenly much of traditional media seems preoccupied with the idea that Democrats might consider “packing” the Supreme Court. This particular phrasing is ahistorical and completely misleading. It ignores the years of scorched-earth Republican obstruction to Obama’s judicial nominees, including the refusal to give Merrick Garland a hearing, followed by unbridled court-packing under the Trump administration, in which the judiciary has been stuffed with unqualified cronies and Federalist Society nutjobs.

Today is...

TEN

TEN

TWENTY

TWENTY

YAY!!

https://www.bingohouse.com/promotions/october-tenth-oct2020.html

Update: What's on my mind?

1. Too much information I don't know how to organize or use. (current events, social science ideas, etc)

2. Technology is nearly beyond me. I want to use it to help me organize information but I'm frequently bamboozled.  (OneNote, Google Chrome Bookmarks, using Microsoft, Google, Apple together)

3. Thinking about WHY I feel the need to save information when I never use it.

    a. A form of procrastination to avoid a deep dive on individual ideas or topics - which requires focus and effort.

    b. A form of anxiety about what I'll miss if I don't know everything. I want to know everything because I'm trying to keep up with the smart people I read, listen to, or watch.

    c. My underlying belief that I can find the ONE TRUE ANSWER if only I have the right information arranged in the right way that will make the answer obvious to me.  I can't have a 'correct' opinion if I don't have all the facts. 

Note: there's no such thing as a 'correct' opinion.  I want to be satisfied with an opinion I can reasonably back up. If I try to have a 'correct' opinion I can't change my opinion when new information is available.

    *I gather books, movies, television shows, and music because I imagine one day I might not have money to purchase them, or the internet will shut down (solar flares?), or books/ideas will be banned, or...?

4. Donald Trump is STILL the worst president in the history of the United States.  How many different ways can he show that he is?  He keeps working on it, that's for sure.

***

My current understanding is that the only things separating me from the 'smart' people I read, listen to, or watch is Focus, Motivation, and Effort.

Maybe there's some 'brain physiology' I don't have, but if that's the case there's nothing I can do about it and it won't hurt to try increasing my focus and effort while clarifying my motivation.  

And that's what I'm thinking about this morning!