I don’t do a lot of politics in this blog. It’s primarily an entertainment-based destination. And that’s fine. You can find politics on a hundred million other blogs and websites. Whenever I do occasionally introduce a political topic I always get a flurry of outraged commenters who swear they will never visit my site again. That’s fine. I don’t have advertising. I don’t have to show Coca Cola or Sprint that my audience is rising. If I lose readers because I feel passionate about something and they don’t agree, and they’re not paying for the privilege of this content, then be on your way and I wish you well. Ironically, most of the people who swear they will never read me again are back in two weeks as if nothing happened.
But today I’m getting political. Because this is not just a matter of blog traffic, or ideology. It’s life and death. Today we face maybe the greatest single threat in the history of the United States. And perhaps the future annihilation of our planet. You think I’m exaggerating? I am not.
Donald Trump is a dangerous man and is not qualified to be the President of the United States. He’s uninformed, reckless, a sociopath, a horrible human being, and all the things he’s promising you he will not deliver. In fact, he thinks you are morons for even believing him. And in that, I will agree with him.
This is the man you want controlling nuclear weapons? His aides don't feel he's responsible enough to have his Twitter account. This is the man you want at the helm during major international crises? It’s just terrifying. Yes, I’m a Democrat, and I’ve had this blog for eleven years. You never saw me write a post like this about Mitt Romney, or John McCain, or even George Bush. But this is different. This is life-threatening.
Think of it this way: Let’s say you’re going to take your family, friends, everyone you love in your life on a plane flight. Would you trust the safety of your loved ones to someone who’s never flown a plane, says he knows more about flying than anyone, and only wants the job because it’ll make him look good? Would you be comfortable at 35,000 feet during a lightening storm with Donald Trump at the controls? Fuck no. You'd all die horrible deaths. This is the same thing. He will recklessly send your children off to war, he will rule with fear and ignorance and self-interest, and he may even escalate world tensions to where the unthinkable will happen. Most of us are too young to know first hand, but atom bombs have been dropped on civilians and have killed thousands. That threat is REAL.
So you may think we need a “change,” or you may believe the bullshit FBI email brouhaha (which, big surprise, proved to be FALSE), and you may find it refreshing to have a politician who “speaks his mind.” But we’re talking about the lives of your loved ones and YOU. This is serious shit, people.
You may think Hillary Clinton is not an exciting alternative. So what? You're not electing the next host of the Oscars. But she’s super qualified, she’s super experienced, and she cares about the principles of this country and YOUR welfare. If you’re a Trump supporter she cares more about your damn welfare than even you do.
We must keep Donald Trump out of the White House. And to do that, each and everyone of us MUST get out and vote for Hillary Clinton today. Don't sit it out because you're a Bernie supporter. Don't sit it out because the polls are favorable and it's an inconvenience. Don't do something stupid like wasting your vote on someone else who has no chance. This is not the time to make a statement of protest. This is the time to overwhelmingly defeat Donald Trump. Voting for Hillary Clinton is the ONLY way to do that.
It floors me that ANYONE can still be undecided at this late date. Jesus. The man is a racist, feels it’s okay to grab women by the pussy because he’s famous, is facing huge lawsuits for fraudulent practices, refuses to disclose his income tax, is in bed with Russia, knows nothing of foreign affairs, went bankrupt numerous times, doesn't pay his workers, has threatened to throw his opponent in jail like dictators do, has a tax plan that will only benefit the rich, hasn’t paid income taxes in almost twenty years, will repeal Wade v. Roe, came off like a buffoon in every debate against a knowledgeable opponent, refuses to accept the results of the election, is supported by the KKK, calls prisoners-of-war "losers," can be baited by MODERN FAMILY writers, the current President (who has enormously popularity) feels he’s grossly unqualified, and his own party has all but disowned him. What the fuck is there to decide?
If Hillary does a lousy job as president you boot her out in four years. If she does a lousy job I’ll be leading the charge. But if Trump does a lousy job as president there may not even be a country in four years.
Look, you and I have been friends for eleven years. We have shared a lot of laughs and hopefully I have enriched your life even a little with my stories and advice. I’ve never charged for it. I’ve never really asked you for anything. Now I am. It’s that important to me. It’s that CRUCIAL to me. I beg you with all my heart and soul, vote today for Hillary Clinton.
Thank you.
*Applause*
ReplyDeleteGarry Trudeau thought of the airplane metaphor, too, and turned it into a short play:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/24/air-trump-a-short-play
I already did. Thanks to early voting, it took me all of about 30-40 minutes and that is including the walk to the polls.
ReplyDeleteA good friend of mine also took advantage of early voting in California (I'm in Georgia) and it took him five hours, so the strategy of keeping it negative until election day to drive folks from the polls didn't seem to work in his observation.
Everyone that is able MUST VOTE. I don't buy into the argument of eligible, mobile voters and sniff at both candidates. Doing so is akin to the line in "All in the Family", I'm paraphrasing:
MIKE STIVIC: Mr. Davis, it's not like Archie is the kind of guy who would burn a cross on your lawn.
SAMMY DAVIS, JR: Yeah, but he might stop and toast a marshmallow on it.
CORRECTION: According to IMDB, this is the exchange:
ReplyDeleteGloria: I'm sorry, Mr. Davis, sometimes my father says the wrong things.
Sammy Davis Jr.: Yeah, I've noticed that.
Lionel Jefferson: But he's not a bad guy, Mr. Davis. I mean like, he'd never burn a cross on your lawn.
Sammy Davis Jr.: No, but if he saw one burning, he's liable to toast a marshmallow on it.
Tru dat.
ReplyDeleteVote.
The problem with a lot of the discourse around Trump during this cycle (in my opinion) has been that it focused mainly on his character. And while character is important, it's less important than policy, an area where Donald Trump has also shown himself to be woefully unqualified. As multiple outlets from across the political spectrum have pointed out, Trump has proposed a variety of explicitly unconstitutional policies on numerous occasions during the past year and a half. I don't know how many of these have made it into his actual platform, but I'd argue that that's immaterial: the fact that he proposed them at all indicates that he is unqualified to hold the position of President. The Presidential Oath of Office does not require you to swear that you'll be a mensch or fight against corruption. It does, however, require you to swear that you'll uphold the Constitution. And if Trump either doesn't know or doesn't care about what the Constitution allows you to do, he should not be President.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ken.
ReplyDeleteI made a really similar airplane analogy on my FB, and it sort of astounds me that there are people who just don't GET that. A friend of mine likened it to a heart surgeon vs a non-heart surgeon, and someone basically said he'd rather go to someone 'like a podiatrist' rather than the qualified heart surgeon because emails or something *headdesk*
I'm less against her, so I voted for her. Trump is truly terrible. #NeverTrump
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
ReplyDeleteVery well stated, Ken:
ReplyDeleteNow starting tomorrow, we can discuss a different important, yet equally-ly (in Trump's words) question: Who -should- host the Oscars in 2017?
I say offer it to Biden. Dude's going to need a job next spring.
Cue some idiot saying "Hilary's even worse" in 3... 2... 1...
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more
ReplyDelete1. Must one be a Republican groper to host the Apprentice?
ReplyDelete2. Would Arnold be elected Governor in today's more-enlightened climate?
(Edited Wikipedia excerpt:
Allegations of sexual misconduct
During his initial campaign for governor, allegations of sexual and personal misconduct were raised against Schwarzenegger, dubbed "Gropegate". Within the last five days before the election, news reports appeared in the Los Angeles Times recounting allegations of sexual misconduct from several individual women, six of whom eventually came forward with their personal stories.
Three of the women claimed he had grabbed their breasts, a fourth said he placed his hand under her skirt on her buttock. A fifth woman claimed Schwarzenegger tried to take off her bathing suit in a hotel elevator, and the last said he pulled her onto his lap and asked her about a sex act.....
Yeah, it's scary as hell.
ReplyDeleteI think we feel pretty much the same. I don't think she's going to suck at all, but if she does, there will still be a chance to fix it. If his Orangeness gets the nod, this could be the end of the greatest nation in the world.
It's particularly meaningful for those of us in North Carolina to cast our ballot. I have never been so terrified by the possibility that an inexperienced person who makes so many hateful remarks might be elected president of this nation. Trump has legitimized the racists and anti-Semites within our country. His rallies remind me of those Hitler led during the early rise of Nazism. I am happy that there is record early voting turnout in North Carolina which is considered a critical state for Trump in reaching 270 electoral votes. Tonight will be a nail biter.
ReplyDeleteWay to be, Ken! God bless you. What a nightmare he would be.--mt
ReplyDeleteTrue dat. Even SNL's opening skit broke character to do the same thing last week, though I would have preferred more Baldwin-Trump antics. Does Roseanne Barr seriously hope a Trump presidency would make her employable?
ReplyDeleteI'm Canada and I approve this message.
ReplyDeleteAlready done! :)
ReplyDeleteI love this. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteA-MEN!
ReplyDeleteYeah but Scott Baio says Trump really cares about the American people! You all remember Chachi, doncha? He's the guy whose work schedule is quieter than Pauly Shore's.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, I agree with most of what you say, Ken, except on a couple of points.
"He will recklessly send your children off to war"
He probably would. But so would Hillary, given she voted for Bush's Iraq war.
"But she’s super qualified, she’s super experienced, and she cares about the principles of this country and YOUR welfare."
I have no doubt she cares about people having good healthcare coverage, unlike Trump and the entire Republican Party. But her hands are far from clean. Even if we set aside the Benghazi debacle, she's been proven to have cosied up to bankers and big corporations in private speeches for which she received thousands in payments. She has dodgy links with the Saudi ruling family. And she also wants to appoint to the Supreme Court a former judge who now makes his dough shilling for Scientology. http://tonyortega.org/2016/11/01/hillary-clinton-has-considered-david-miscaviges-appeals-lawyer-for-the-us-supreme-court/
From the UK perspective, this is an election with two grotesques as the choice. Obviously Hillary is the lesser of two evils and on that basis I agree with you that people should vote for her over Trump, who's a thin skinned sociopath who couldn't even take being mocked on SNL, a show that mocks EVERYONE, but it's sad that in 2016 these two have been presented to the American people and, by extension, the world, as the best candidates for the most important political office on Earth.
If Trump wins, and if there's still a USA or, indeed, a planet Earth in 2020, I want to see Judge Judy run as the Democrat candidate. She would destroy her opponents in any debate. "Umm is not an answer". "That's a load of who shot John". "Don't give me that bubbe meise". "On your best day you're not as smart as I am on my worst day".
I saw an interview with a former official who oversaw our nuclear arsenal. He said that once the president gives the order, it can't be vetoed by congress. It can't be overturned by the VP. It cannot be overturned by anyone other than the president. The amount of time between go-ahead and launch is FOUR MINUTES. FOUR. That alone should scare the daylights out of any rational American who's even LOOKING at Trump.
ReplyDeleteYou've summed it up well. Thank you, Ken.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you Ken. It is so important to take a stand in this race. I am one of those strange people who is voting for Clinton because I like her record ( believe me, I researched it all ).Even if I hand`t done my research I would have voted against Trump. He is frighteningly inept. Can you imagine Rudi Giuliani as AG? Scary thought.
ReplyDeleteMan-child who needs to be told not to tweet mean things. Lies about Obama encounter with a Trump supporter. And that's just THIS month. I want to bury him, votewise.
ReplyDeleteWell said!
ReplyDeleteAmen.
ReplyDeleteY'know, Mr. Levine, if you were to put together a 13 week sitcom (sit-tragedy?) with the premise of this year's presidential election, I'll bet the concept would be laughed out of every producer's office as far, far too unrealistic - with absolutely no one believing the character of Mr. Trump. Reality is stranger - and worse - than fiction.
ReplyDeleteOn second thought, let's posit a far less talented writer - because I'm sure you'd NEVER present this concept!
Excellent post, Ken! Your plane analogy is spot-on. I voted a few weeks back and it felt great to vote for a woman for president -- I had a similar feeling voting for Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ken!
ReplyDeleteVoting for Trump because Hillary is corrupt and a liar is like moving to Alaska because New York's too cold.
ReplyDeleteA*M*E*N
ReplyDeleteA*M*E*N
ReplyDeleteGoodbye and Farewell, Donald
I rarely comment on blog posts, but this post makes me love your blog even more!
ReplyDeleteThe President can't overturn Supreme Court decisions (Roe V. Wade) (and the GOP will never, ever actually get that done anyway since it's such a great wedge issue to campaign on.)
ReplyDeleteI'm no gigantic Hillary fan, I voted by mail 2 weeks ago (CA) for Mrs. Clinton. The very thought of Trump winning turns my blood to ice.
Watch how long it takes for the GOP to install a "superdelegate system" like the Dems have after this cycle; they'll never, ever want to let "the people" decide who the nominee is again.
Hear, hear! Well said.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ken.
ReplyDeleteWhy would you want someone's first job in public office to be the President???
The President said it best...Trump's people took away his Twitter account. Do we really want someone who can't handle a Twitter account to have the nuclear codes?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I haven't said that man's name in weeks. I call him the cheeto colored ferret wearing moron.
Very well said Ken.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Justifying voting for Trump reminds me of The Simpsons episode where Sideshow Bob is running for mayor of Springfield and Homer Simpson is contemplating whether or not he should vote for the candidate who has repeatedly tried to kill his son. Homer says something to the effect, "I can't say I care for his Bart killing policy but I really like getting that sweet tax cut."
ReplyDeletehttp://imsogladmysufferingamusesyou.blogspot.com/
Voted at 7 am EST. I'm with her.
ReplyDeleteWait. What? There's an election?
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in Chicago, the first political lesson I learned, quite early, was:
ReplyDeleteLowered Expectations.
When a politico promises anything, most likely that promise can't possibly be kept.
At the Federal level, that means the Constitution will keep the candidate from doing much of anything without getting it past Congress.
Every President faces this particular brick wall.
The smart ones learn to deal with it.
That's why so many of them come out of the ranks.
They work both sides of the aisle whenever possible; over careers, they make personal friendhips which can be useful in making any kind of progress.
At least that used to be the case before the "bases" started calling the tune.
I put "bases" in quotes because, contrary to their own beliefs, they are not the majority of their respective parties (I'm talking about the FarLeft for the Democrats and the VeryFarRight for the Republicans).
How this applies to Donald Trump:
DT (appropriate initials, what?) has no real political beliefs at all.
All he wants is be elected.
If he were to get in, he would have no idea of how to really do the job.
Being POTUS is not anything like being a CEO.
DT would not be able to just step in and start giving orders, making changes, firing people he doesn't like; the Constitution prevents that.
DT wouldn't like that at all.
And when DT doesn't like how a project is turning out, he has a habit of walking away from it (tantrum optional).
I think that's what the GOP regulars are counting on - DT having a hissy fit and walking, leaving the White House to his VP, Mike Pence.
And Pence is one of the gang; with a Republican House, he and his fellow Rightists could run the table with their agenda (and if the GOP can keep the Senate, so much the better).
That's what progressives should be thinking about.
And that's why I'm voting for Hillary Clinton.
I gave up expecting miracles a long time ago.
I just want to avoid calamity.
In conclusion,I would like you all to note that the only name I've called Donald Trump has been his own.
History will show that that's quite bad enough.
I wish I could vote and help to keep Trump out of office. Given that whoever's elected has the potential to shape international policy, it's only fair that every non-US citizen be given a chance to make their voices heard.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ken! I voted for Hillary weeks ago by mail (WA). It's scary to me that Trump could have presented himself as more reasonable, and if he had studied the Constitution and the issues a bit, he might have been able to win. Sad that he got as far as he did. Hope Congress passes a law requiring presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns, too.
ReplyDeleteDONE!
ReplyDeletethank you, Ken.
ReplyDeletewhat you said, and what Louie said.
peace.
Voted by mail a few weeks back but wanted to thank you for this. Wonderfully written, and sadly, all too true. -MARV@MARVWOLFMAN.COM
ReplyDelete@David Long: Actually, Homer said that while he was opposed to Sideshow Bob's "killing Bart" policy, he was in favor of Bob's "killing Selma" policy, as Bob had previously attempted to murder one of Marge's sisters (who share reciprocal hatred of Homer).
ReplyDelete"Mayor Quimby even pardoned Sideshow Bob, a man TWICE convicted of attempted murder [...] (Paid for by the Committee to elect Sideshow Bob.)"
Anyhoo... sorry, but not voting for Clinton. Not gonna happen, not even to stop Trump. Because she's NOT qualified, and the e-mail flap WASN'T bullshit. She really did put national security at risk by using a secret and unsecure server. That really happened; it's proven fact. That alone should disqualify her; if you'd get rejected for a security clearance (and she would), you shouldn't be president. (And, yes, this also applies to "diarrhea of the mouth" Trump.)
If, by some bizarre chance, Trump gets elected, there'll be enough blame to go around, including to the Democrats who insisted on stacking the deck in the primaries to nominate the only person Trump could have possibly beat. Had they nominated ANYONE else, this election would have been over months ago. Obviously, it wasn't all that important enough for the Democratic leaders to stop Trump, so why should I vote for someone who doesn't deserve the job to make up for their mistake? Not going to happen, sorry.
I would like to agree with you. But if he wins, I'm afraid I would be put into a labor camp. But if you are in the same camp, it could be fun. Go Pat Paulson!
ReplyDeleteAmen, brother
ReplyDelete@ David Long Homer actually stated that he didn't approve of Bob's Bart Killing Policy, but did approve of his Selma Killing Policy, so he voted for him.
ReplyDeleteKrusty was the one who voted for Bob based on the tax cut (in spite of Bob framing him for armed robbery).
Hey, while I'm on this Simpsons jag, I should note that, even if Trump gets elected, we'll have President Lisa Simpson right after him!
Everyone knows the greatest presidential candidate ever was Kang in The Simpsons, with his inspirational speech:
ReplyDelete"Tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward, not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"
@Green Luthor You're right about Homer, it was a toss up between Bart killing vs. Selma killing. I think it was Krusty who was weighing a serious negative (Bob trying to kill or frame him, I think or something like that) with the idea of getting a tax cut. I just hope this error in Simpsons trivia doesn't come back to undermine my future presidential ambitions.
ReplyDeleteI live in San Francisco. Although I sometimes disagree with Bruce Bochy's decisions I don't want the drunk in the bleachers yelling insults to manage the team.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Ken, and I totally agree with you!
ReplyDeleteThe first election I was old enough to vote in was Nixon against McGovern. I was and am still stunned at what happened in that election.
ReplyDeleteI was your basic long haired, pot smoking college kid. In that time of Nixon, 18 year olds all over the country were being pressed into service against their will through the draft and forced to go fight the war in Vietnam. Song lyrics were appearing like "be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box". Pretty much everyone knew someone who had been killed over there. We were all scared. Groups of people were protesting the war and that led to some of them actually being shot and killed here in our own country for expressing their belief. People suspected of being anti-war people were being spied on and had their phones tapped. There had been violent riots at the Democratic convention in Chicago. We were told that paraquat had been sprayed on the pot fields in Mexico and if we smoked any of it we would vomit violently. These issues and more illustrate what the social climate was like at that time...the time of Richard Nixon.
So George McGovern ran against him and there was a promise of better days...a belief that all this right-wing violence, paranoia and action against our own citizens would end. So what happened? Nixon won in a landslide! A landslide!! How could that possibly happen? How could anyone vote to continue doing these horrible things?
Well they did and we all know how Nixon's days ended. It sorted itself out.
So for this election I feel the same way that you do. There is no way that I can imagine that anyone would vote for this guy. And yet they will. He could even win. In a landslide. But I feel a sense of hope and security knowing that no matter what happens, in the long run, things always seem to work out for the best. I choose to feel optimistic about the future of our country rather than fearful. I believe that sociological evolution follows its own path and that path cannot be determined by any one man or woman. What is right shall, like it always has, prevail.
But- but- he's an "outsider"! He's got a "fresh perspective" on how to fly a plane!
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Here Here!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I am a liberal, I voted for Hillary and live in Washington. I don't like Trump.
ReplyDeleteBut lets not exaggerate his effect. If Trump is elected President he will probably be the most ineffectual president in memory. Neither party likes him. He will accomplish nothing.
As liberals we need to not take our eye off of the real threat. Ted Cruz!!!!!!!!!
Ted Cruz is smart, an ideologue, somewhat charming, dishonest enough to be Republican and evil Trump is a blessing if it kept Ted Cruz from the presidency.
I just voted for Clinton; I couldn't have done otherwise. Trump is disgusting, and in spite of being smart, he is ignorant of American governance and history. These are more serious flaws than even his misogyny and racism. However, even if he wins, I don't envision the doomsday you describe. The President is not a king. Congress is very powerful, and when motivated they can act quickly---to impeach a crazy man, and/or to stop him from unleashing a nuclear war. On a moment's notice, they could order the Secret Service to "guard" the president while they have him examined for mental stability. Certainly there would be a lot of chaos, but the checks and balances are there. Let's hope Hillary wins and none of that has to be dealt with.
ReplyDeleteAmen! I live in Florida which has been my personal Hell for months. Between the robocalls and the television commercials, it's a miracle I still have operable phones and tv screens in my home. I haven't spoken to a dear friend (my college roommate who I have known for almost 60 years) in months because her husband kept sending me ridiculous alt right propaganda. They live on the left coast, your neck of the woods, and are otherwise reasonable, intelligent folks. I take comfort that their misguided votes won't make a difference in California.
ReplyDeleteDespite just hearing that Cheeto Jesus is filing a lawsuit contesting an early voting precinct's extension of its hours (to accommodate those, primarily Hispanic, in line at the actual published time of closing), I hope that HRC's margin of victory is substantial enough so as not to endure another season of court cases deciding who is the winner. I had a front row seat the last time that happened and it didn't turn out too well, much less fair.
The media have consistently presented us with a false equivalency to appear 'unbiased' rather than doing the hard work of journalism. Ed Murrow never felt the need to balance his reporting of Sen Joe McCarthy. He denounced his witch hunt for what it was.
ReplyDelete@DianeD -- the Republican party, especially its leaders like Paul Ryan, have shown zero ability so far to put politics ahead of country or to demonstrate the resolve to buck Trump *as nominee*. As president, there's even less chance of them doing so. Republicans won't impeach a Republican president. That's a fantasy. Or perhaps a belief in impeachment as not just a political tool and perhaps once it wasn't just that. But that time has passed.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Congress can't order the Secret Service to do anything. In fact, the action of impeachment -- their one check against the President -- takes time, far longer than it takes for a deranged man to set off nuclear weapons.
Imagine if I were to lock you in the house with an especially angry tiger. Would you really feel better if I said that there's a telephone somewhere in the living room and if you can get to it and call 911, animal control should be around within the hour to deal with the lion?
I do feel like the election is as close as it is because it's hard for Americans to conceive of someone like Trump in power and thus assume that he would behave like a "normal" politician or a normal human being simply because we've had the luxury more or less of 44 mostly "normal" politicians. Even Richard Nixon actually *resigned* and left the White House voluntarily when it was clear he'd be legally removed from office. He didn't try to seize power but we don't know that about Trump. We honestly don't.
Thank you for this, sir. A devoted reader, Jack Terwilliger
ReplyDeleteAs someone from the UK, I'm astounded at the hatred for Hilary. I can see she's been involved in controversial decisions and situations but this hatred is so deep-rooted and absolute, I just can't understand it. When I've tried to ask people why, they reel off a long list but it's all rather trivial and meaningless when you look at Trump's list. You've pretty much hit the nail on the head here.
ReplyDeleteI won't be staying up to watch but when I wake up, I'm sure my faith in humanity's overall common sense and decency will be restored.
Preach it brother. This is one of the best - and most depressing - things you've ever written. Hopefully we won't have this to look forward to:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EO9y4rGxvk
I'd vote for Hillary but it bothers me that her Secret Service agents cheered when she broke her arm. If she treats them so badly that this is how professional agents think about her, how will she treat the rest of us?
ReplyDeleteTrump, to me, is Martin Sheen in The Dead Zone. He must be stopped. I just hope his followers don't go crazy after the results are reported
ReplyDeleteKen you have to consider both sides. Sure there's nuclear war, but if Trump wins,
ReplyDeleteMiley Cyrus leaves the country.
Also, Amy Schumer and Chelsea Handler.
Lena Dunham and Amber Rose and Al Sharpton.
Tough to lose Sam Jackson and Bryan Cranston, but the benefits outweigh.
I voted this morning at 7:00 am and went totally BLUE.
ReplyDeleteStephen R
ReplyDeleteYou're right about Congress not having the power to declare the President insane, but the Cabinet can, and the President doesn't "push the button" himself. The Secretary of Defense must relay the order---he can refuse, the Cabinet declare POTUS insane, and I won't go into the rest of the process---I think you probably know it. The point is there is a process, and the leadership would not let him start a nuclear war.
Regarding Paul Ryan, he has made it absolutely clear he does not approve of Trump (along with other Republicans). I think they would impeach him in a minute and happily accept Pence as the new President. I just can't believe the world will end if Trump is elected, and I hate to see people genuinely fearful on that level. John Nixon (above) has a very good point and analogy with the Nixon/NcGovern example. It will be a mess, but it will be ok.
@ELS “if you were to put together a 13 week sitcom (sit-tragedy?) with the premise of this year's presidential election, I'll bet the concept would be laughed out of every producer's office.”
ReplyDeleteTom O’Donnell in the New Yorker (here) did something like this – studio notes on the campaign as screenplay.
Politicians of all stripes don't care about the Constitution. If they did, 80% of what government does wouldn't be done. Read the 10th Amendment and then tell me where in the Constitution the following are authorized:
ReplyDelete- Federal spending for education
- Social Security
- Medicare/caid
- Food Stamps
- Federal disaster relief
- Crop subsidies
- Government involvement in health care (Obamacare)
- Free cell phones (Obama phones)
etc., etc., etc.
I feel like I am living a nightmare. California please don't fail us, He can't be elected. !!! Janice B.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you Ken, but I respect your opinion. I feel she would be worse only because she would be opposed less than he would.
ReplyDeleteI call top bunk in the work "camp"
ReplyDeleteJill Stein 2016
ReplyDeleteThis election is a disgrace. Trump has dragged our morals, our hopes, our honor and our flag through the mud. Thank you for speaking out against this great swindler.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and have been reading it for 8 years. But I am a Trump supporter and do not understand this "scorched earth" primal fear you have. Why we jettison an A-Bomb? He seems like an isolationist to me. And Ken, if you really wanted to inspire your readers to vote for Hillary you should have written this post months ago.
ReplyDeleteAnother trump supporter here. I'll stick around though. What's great about this country is that we can all express our opinions. I respect your opinion Ken, and its certainly your right to say it in your blog.
ReplyDeleteSo who's up for crowdfunding the building of a colony on the moon so we can get the hell off this planet?
ReplyDeleteI see you blocked my comment though I'm not sure why but I feel the same way. The Sun will still rise tomorrow and it's on us and not someone in Washington to make our life better. This is a great country full of caring and loving people. Tomorrow will be better than today no matter who you voted for It always has been and will be as long as we are government of the people by the people and for the people.
ReplyDeleteDiane said:
ReplyDelete"President doesn't "push the button" himself. The Secretary of Defense must relay the order---he can refuse, the Cabinet declare POTUS insane, and I won't go into the rest of the process---I think you probably know it. The point is there is a process, and the leadership would not let him start a nuclear war."
That is completely incorrect. I lived in this system for years. The SecDef can approve the order, but he cannot veto it. If he refuses to concur under the two-man rule, the President can unilaterally dismiss him ("You're fired!") and the launch order goes through. Sleep better now?
Time to have a good cry. Then let's dry our tears, suck it up, and get to work. If all we do is sit and tweet then the fascists will definitely win. The midterm elections are not that far off. His "mandate" was four tenths of one percent. The battleground is now the states, trench warfare against the gerrymandering and voter suppression that put him in office. If we're not up for that we deserve what will happen next.
ReplyDeleteBarack Obama predicted this race:
ReplyDeleteYou go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not.
And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.
Two small points,
ReplyDeleteThey had to take away his twitter account- don't you think Trump had to agree to this? Do you think he is a child that is dominated by his campaign team? I think this reflects Trump's seriousness that he was willing to submit to his campaign's advice.
Trump in his acceptance speech thanked the Secret Service. You would never hear that from Hillary.
Anonymous
ReplyDeleteForgive me but I did not ay the Sec. of Defense could veto the order. I said he (as a sane person) would refuse to relay the order. If the Cabinet quickly declares the President insane, he can't fire the Sec of Defense. Trump will not be allowed to destroy the world.
I am very worried that he will remove many of the safeguards for the poor and protections for the powerless. I am worried about Roe v Wade and the Supreme Court, and undocumented immigrants. But I am not worried about the U.S. starting a nuclear war---that will be North Korea or Iran.
Not all the gang at Cheers are moving to Canada today.....
ReplyDeleteYou blocked my post yesterday, too, Ken, in which I indicated why I couldn't vote for Clinton. Yes, it's your blog and you can do as you wish. But I said nothing that was untrue or incendiary.
ReplyDeleteIn any event, say goodbye to Rosie O'Donnell, Barbra Streisand, Lena Dunham, Chelsea Handler, Barry Diller, Al Sharpton, Cher, George Lopez, Whoopi Goldberg, Miley Cyrus and Amy Schumer as they leave the US before January 20.
My favorite quote so far:
ReplyDelete2016: Trump will never be President.
2017: President Trump would never use nuclear weapons.
2018: I don't have to do what that ape says!
Around eight years ago we elected a black man Barack Obama as President. I watched as conservatives reacted with fear and hated. Oh, how we all laughed at the morons who ran out to buy guns because Obama was going to take their guns away. I would like to see my side act with more patience and thoughtfulness. There is so much unknown right now. How will the establishment react to Trump? What kind of relationship will Republicans who wouldn't vote for him have with Trump? The last guy elected to break up Washington and return the government to the people was Jimmy Carter (remember how that worked out). Lets see first what happens before we overreact. Besides the wall will close the US/Mexico border, there is always time to head for Canada.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time in my life, I am terrified of what has become of this country. I have been dealing with the public over the years in a variety of business'. The ignorance level of people I meet has risen to astounding levels, I have people I went to high school with [40+ years ago] that are proud of the fact that they haven't read a book since they graduated, that won't vote for library levies because they have never set foot in a library so "why should I waste my tax dollars on them?" and have children that basically never cracked a book in high school also and cheated off friends papers. Kids I have hired to work for me have gotten progressively stupider to the fact that they can't even give change correctly when someone buys something for 46 cents and the customer hands them a dollar. I deal with school administrators who will pass little Johnny and Sally on to the next level even though they can't spell, read or do arithmetic but are handed their diploma and their excuse is "Well, we have to go to the citizens for our funding so we don't want to piss them off by flunking their kids." I have African-American nieces and nephews [Brother married an African-American] who I am now terrified for because some crazy somewhere will think "I can get away with killing black people now cause Trump will protect me!" He's lucky, since she's from Canada and still has family there they may uproot and flee to that country. I checked and checked hard into moving to Canada but since I am not healthy [one of their requirements is you can't have major illness'] it' a no go for me unless I can get them to sponsor me. If the ACA is gutted, I might as well shoot myself. Due to family medical history I could never get insured before Obamacare; the cheapest insurance I could find before that....the health insurance company wanted $5,000 a month, $3,000 more a month than I made. With Obamacare, I've had a bypass, major back surgery, other surgeries and I more then likely wouldn't be writing this now because I would be dead. I have gay friends that are scared shitless that they'll now be targeted for retribution and actually believe that they'll be rounded up and either killed or imprisoned for being gay.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that the American people could have been so stupid to elect this grifter, shuckster, con-artist, reality TV host, modern-day fascist, any other pejorative comment you can think of as president. As I told people before Bush the Lesser was "appointed", check into how he was as governor of the state and his past. I said we'll be at war within a year and a half and gas prices will skyrocket. And look what happened. I looked at the orange Oompa Loompa's past and all I saw was a greedy pig, not paying business' he hired to decorate, build, supply stuff to his hotels, motels, casinos, etc. Borrowing people's money, then filing for bankruptcies and stiffing them while walking away saying "tough luck". The thousands of lawsuits that have been filed against him by people he stiffed. I can see other countries now calling in their loans and watch him try to file bankruptcy for the USA or telling them to go screw themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if some of our allies are now re-targeting their nuclear weapons at us. And especially egregious.....not paying taxes for 20+ years while I watched my income spiral downward since 2008 and my taxes increase.
ReplyDeleteI seriously think we'll end up in a depression that will make the one from the 1930s seem like a Busby Berkeley musical. The only thought that occurs to me is that they elected a modern-day mobster who's only in it for himself and his buddies and to hell with anyone else, who believes that the constitution's only use is as toilet paper. I truly fear that this is the beginning of the end of the USA. Never thought I'd see the day when we'd elect Biff Tannen to the White House.
ReplyDeleteFrom Wikipedia: Biff is a towering, violent and selfish bully who obtains what he wants by intimidating others into doing his work for him, or by cheating. He and his family members have a tendency to misuse idioms in a way that makes them appear stupid and pathetic despite their intention to insult or scare. In October 2015, when attention toward Back to the Future Part II increased, numerous commentators noted the similarities between the older version of Biff Tannen seen in that film and presidential candidate Donald Trump. When this was brought to Gale's attention in an interview, Gale stated that this was intentional and that he had based those elements of Tannen's personality on Trump, who was already well known in the late 1980s for his work in real estate.
Diane D said:
ReplyDelete"Forgive me but I did not ay the Sec. of Defense could veto the order. I said he (as a sane person) would refuse to relay the order. If the Cabinet quickly declares the President insane, he can't fire the Sec of Defense. Trump will not be allowed to destroy the world. "
And forgive me, but you simply do not understand how the system is wired together. The SecDef does not relay the order. He has the authority to send a corroboration signal *in parallel* but absence of that signal does not prevent launch. See:
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/2016-donald-trump-nuclear-weapons-missiles-nukes-button-launch-foreign-policy-213955
Trust me on this, I lived in the system for a long time, that article is bang on. There are no checks or balances, none. If POTUS decides to launch for good reason, mistaken reason, or no reason or all, the birds fly. Sleep tight.
Protocol or no, illegal or not, people will not stand around and allow POTUS to start a nuclear war. THAT is not the danger we face with this childish, offensive, greedy, morally blind, egomaniacal racist. The danger is having in that lofty position, a man so determined to win the election and so morally bankrupt, he would not even repudiate DAVID DUKE! (For fear of losing a vote, I presume, or worse, because he secretly admired him). He lied and said he didn't know anything about David Duke.
ReplyDeleteBut I will sleep just fine, knowing I will wake up to denounce him and fight another day!
WHY didn't anyone listen to you?!!!
ReplyDelete