HANGOVER DAY

TRUMP’s-INTERREGNUM?

My first wish of the three granted was that Trump would catch the virus and it would change his attitude toward the pandemic and take the virus as serious as it is.  That first wish was only partially successful I should have clarified my wish at the time. I thought if he caught the virus it would change his attitude-sorry.   

My second wish is for Trump lose by losing bigly. What could go wrong with this wish?   Who knew there were so many white supremacists, patriarchal misogynists, xenophobes, racists in this country that vote Trump.  There are also the ill-informed and single issue voters such as 2^nd amendment zealots, and right to lifers.  Then there are those that vote only for the republican, whoever it is. As bobby Jindal a republican former governor once said of the republican party “it’s becoming the party of stupid.” We may not know if were in that interregnum period for a week or so, however let all the votes be counted.  Trump has at every turn tried to make voting as difficult as possible with slowing down the USPS mail service, reduced voting places,  1 drop box per county the size of at least 1 state, Long lines with 4-8 hour waits to vote, and voter ID laws. 

Pennsylvania  officials are going to wait to count mail in ballots until after all day of voting. The same day vote will favor the republican count initially.  Mail in ballots have been attacked as fraudulent and Trump will point to the reversal of votes to favor democrats days later will be pointed to as proof by Trump’s lawyers.  They then will ask the state legislature or the Supreme Court to stop the count, a nightmare scenario.  PS the University of Pennsylvania Trump’s alma matter endorsed Joe Biden.

Radicals in most elections are no friend of the democratic party, Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called “the father of modern linguistics”,  Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy, and is one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. He is the author of more than 100 books on topics such as linguistics, war, politics, and mass media. Ideologically, he aligns with anarcho-syndicalism and libertarian socialism.  He is now out with a blistering rebuke of Trump and why everyone should vote Biden.  He contends that Trump is “the worst criminal in human history.”  He distracts from his core project of “enriching….the ultra-rich  and the corporate sector…”  His “legislative achievement is the tax scam….a giveaway to the very rich…harming the working class and the poor and everyone else. That’s extreme”  That’s why “He’s a very loyal servant of private power, private wealth, and corporate sector—which is why they let him get away with the kind of antics you see”  Chomsky is backing Joe Biden and is hoping democracy will prevail. 

The problem with the second wish is not specifying a peaceful interregnum.  What will he do if he is defeated and is facing criminal prosecution for his prior deeds?  Who will he pardon?  Will he resign and have Mike Pence pardon him for his prior crimes?  Note the Constitution does not allow pardon for impeachment crimes.  If the Muller Report as submitted to the House as evidence then the  10 cases of obstruction of justice can be prosecuted after his defeat and he is out of office.  To restore faith in the system this needs to be pursued .  Have him be deposed to show his actions and then depose the enablers of the felonies for healing and a reminder that the law is not to be abused.  Punishment should be public shame and  prison time.

The third wish is for a vaccine that is 80-90% effective within the next 3 months.  This wish could take longer.  The current vaccine criteria is if it’s 50% effective it will be approved.  Clinical trials are being conducted and some look promising, however, that could be hype from the pharmaceutical companies to buoy it’s stock prices.  The subsequent vaccines are always better than the first and ever increasing effectiveness with each new vaccine until the medicine and science overcomes the virus.  Magical cures and wishful thinking will not overcome the virus.