Last night the RNC wrapped up their convention with an over hour-long bloviating speech by Donald J. Trump, preceded by his daughter Ivanka saying what a compassionate good guy he is. Last week the donkeys wrapped up their virtual convention with a dire warning that if Trump is re-elected democracy is in peril. Both sides say this upcoming election is the most important in the history of the universe. All I know is that future conventions will never be the same. No more “Mr. Chairman, the great state of______casts_____votes for the next president of the United States.”, etc.
Bloviating, exaggeration, and down-right lies are ramping up. For those of you who believe in objective facts, I encourage you to check things out. If you do, you are doing what the experts tell us—follow the science. How quaint. Our Founding Fathers, children of the Enlightenment, were all about facts and the pursuit of Reason. Does their legacy survive today? You decide.
Well, anyway, the race is on. Here’s what you’ll hear over the next few weeks before the election in November. Trump: I created the greatest economy in the world; everyone before me was a fool, especially Obama and Biden; I’ve done more for black people than anyone; if Biden steals the election by mail-in votes America will tank, he will bulldoze the suburbs, cities will burn, women will be raped, he’ll defund the police and take your guns, the radical socialist democrats will take away your God, and he’ll shut down the economy and raise taxes. Biden: If Trump is re-elected it will be the death of democracy and Trump will be a dictator; he will destroy America through regulation roll-backs and appointing radical right-wing judges; he will continue to put kids in cages; he will continue to suck up to Putin, Russia, and other authoritarian autocrats he admires; he will continue to stumble in response to the coronavirus; and the soul of America will be lost.
Whew. I’m sure you could add to both lists. Bumper stickers: Trump: Law and Order. Biden: Soul of America.
Conventional wisdom: A pie chart divided into thirds. One third is Trump’s base that will vote for him no matter what. Another third is Biden’s base that will vote for him even if he wasn’t their first choice because they hate Trump. The remaining middle third in swing states will decide the election. If there are more angry white men and their supporters in there, Trump wins. If there are more suburban women who can’t stand Trump in there, Biden wins. As Abraham Lincoln once said: Stay tuned. You’re right, Lincoln never said that. Glad you can still discern the truth.
Bad Randall 