So ... in case you missed it. Two-thirds of Republicans in Iowa told pollsters they believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen from them.
Returning to a question that sits in the back of the rooms, waving its hand and going "Oh! Oh! Oh!" as the years click by.
If they believe that ... if they really believe that ... then why are they voting at all? Give their claim that their previous ballot was stolen from them in some ineffable way their supreme leader, Losey L. McLoser can't even explain, never mind prove, then why even go through the motions of voting? Why waste their precious time? When all the Democrats — the same people who stole the last election and got away clean, remember — have to do is flip a switch or spin a dial or whatever they were supposed to have done last time. And wham-o. The election will be stolen again. Why vote? Why campaign? Why buy ads?
Maybe they don't really believe it? Because they don't really believe anything, anymore. The entire bedrock of factuality having finally eroded away, in the torrent that is Trumpism. Nothing is true, or, rather, anything is true, if it serves the needs of the moment, reality being a paper napkin used to blot the spittle off your lips, then be tossed aside. There is always another one, a whole stack of momentary beliefs, waiting to serve.
Maybe their fearless leader hasn't addressed this conundrum and so they have no opinions on the matter, the only way a thought enters their head is because someone inserted it there via Fox News. That sounds like a possibility as well.
Maybe the problem is mine. This whole applying reason business, this charade of slathering thought over the general confabulation of Republican madness an exercise in futility, like trying to measure a cloud with a calipers; the thing is too far away, moving too fast and dissolving at the same time. The election being stolen is just a bit of faux history, like the Jews killing Christ, used to rationalize whatever it is you want to do. They don't care if it's true or not; the important thing is, it's a story that serves, a means justifying the end.
Enough. I'm still on vacation — having fun, thank you very much — but I didn't have the heart to dig up another old chestnut or scoop out spoonful of unpublished mash that was better left supperating in a jar in the back of the refrigerator. So I thought I'd try my hand at assembling my inchoate thoughts about Monday's election kabuki into some kind of cogent order. Honestly, I didn't find the news that grim. Almost half of the Republicans caucusing in Iowa didn't vote for Trump. Maybe the spell is lifting a little. Heck, any Republican who would vote for Ron DeSantis might also not vote at all. Or vote for Joe Biden. Anything is possible. In the worst sense of the term. We should all agree on that by now.
I hope someone else asks about the photo. Interesting (to me) that the center of attention, the lovely lady in sunglasses smiling and looking back at and apparently waving to the photographer, is depicted off center, yet all eyes seemingly are drawn to her. Could that be Neil's spouse, legendary for her wisdom and pragmatism?
ReplyDeletejohn
No bleepin’ way. We walk.
DeleteMy curiosity, ineptly phrased, was more towards what's going on in the photo rather than whether the lady was your wife. No insult intended.
Deletejohn
Definitely time for the Dems and Joe to starting referring to “Losin’ Donald”.
ReplyDeleteIt's a tantrum , that's all...the right has been throwing a big ef'ing blowout crybaby storm for years.
ReplyDelete100%
ReplyDeleteA Big Lie, repeated often enough, becomes Truth.
ReplyDeleteThey don't want to understand the Truth, because it doesn't fit their mostly white, privileged worldview.
Hence, they believe the horseshit that Trumpolini and his acolytes shovel.
Its up to us to put a stop to this, as Malcom said, by any means necessary.
Those final four words entered American popular culture through a speech given by Malcolm X in the last year of his life:
Delete"We declare our right on this earth to be a man, to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence...by any means necessary."
— Malcolm X, 1965
This lifelong Democrat and third-generation pinko has been using that four-word phrase for a LONG time now...can you believe it will soon be NINE YEARS since Il Douche marched down that escalator, and began to besmirch the pages of our benighted American history?
But in reality, what the hell does it really mean? How does it translate, from words into deeds, especially for an old geezer who can no longer run to save his life, let alone rampage through the streets of Milwaukee, the same way he did in Chicago in '68?
Phone banking for Handsome Joe, texting, banging on doors, mailing out leaflets, and writing postcards? All fine and dandy, and I've done them all in the past...twice for Obama and again for The Shrill (I've been Ridin' with Biden for a decade now...can you tell?). But all those actions may not be enough. Perhaps they are all just a waste of time and energy. Are there really many fence-sitters left, after almost a decade of Orange Hell?
Not really. Most, if not all, have made up their minds already. It's like trying to convert someone to Christianity, and save them from their sins. Who in America hasn't yet heard about the Jeeze Man? And who hasn't yet decided on either fascism or democracy?
I take that back. All that frantic activity really IS needed, and for just one simple reason...to get the Good Guy team off their collective asses...and into the polls on Nov. 5th.
But...and it's a BIG but...regardless of who wins, the battle for America's future is eventually going to end up in the streets. I dislike repeating that yet again, but I still believe it. Now more than ever. I fear that the wheels are going to come off, and that there's no way to avoid the inevitable train wreck.
No problem at all for me...if I were 21 and filled with fiery zeal and recklessness and foolhardy bravado. But I'm not 21 anymore...I'll turn 77 pretty soon, just eleven weeks before election day. Bluntly put...again...I'm too old to shoulder a musket. And that's what it may come down to. What do my wife and I do when the poop hits the propeller? How and where do we stand...and maybe even fight...at our advanced age?
Or do we just flee the insanity that will inevitably follow this election cycle, especially if our side loses? Do we actually become homeless and stateless Blue refugees? Canada is just a boat ride away. But even if we could swing it, all that travail would just put us into a camp, and then onto a sealed bus...which would dump us right back in Occupied France. And to who knows what fate?
Nope. The most likely outcome might just be awaiting the boots on the porch and the knock on the door. And then not going quietly. So long...it's been good to know ya.
Enough. I'm positive that you folks have heard all this crapola from The Grizz before. But it's what 's been banging around inside my cabeza for a long time now. Early...and late...and all too often. Every goddamn day.
Thanks for writing on your vacation. You have a point about why bother to vote. Well, that's Iowa but still unbelievable. Let's hope there's better news in New Hamp.
ReplyDeleteOnly 15% of eligible voter votes in Iowa and Trump only got 51% of those. This is far from a landslide. The media needs to report these numbers. ABC had
ReplyDeleteNice
DeleteThere are several possibilities for why 2/3 say they "believe" the election was stolen, as you note. My guess is that it's like having a password at the Raccoon Lodge. They know that's what they're *supposed* to say to remain in good standing in the Traitor's Club, having been instructed by the Biggest Loser for over 3 years. So they say it.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I'm more concerned with the "liberal" New York Times and the way they trumpeted the Iowa results as their main front-page story yesterday, across the whole top of the page.
Yesterday's “The Morning” email I get from the NYT, written by Nate Cohn, “Chief political analyst,” was practically gushing in its description of the outcome in Iowa. The subject line was “Trump’s big win in Iowa,” followed by terminology like “sweeping victory,” “landslide,” and “excelled.”
It linked to an article titled “The Most Durable Force in American Politics: Trump’s Ties to His Voters.”
Over 8 years into this dystopian political nightmare, and it’s still being covered like your average horse race.
The rather wordy analysis I’d prefer to have seen in an alternate, less disturbing universe: “A small subset of disgruntled Iowans, unbelievably remaining in thrall to the 2020 loser who has never conceded that election and who fostered a blatantly illegal, failed putsch attempt on 1/6/21 and has been indicted 4 times since, put the misogynistic orange carnival barker atop several other fascists in Republican caucuses in their benighted state.”
Calling the NY Times liberal is crazy.
DeleteIt was the NYT that torpedoed Al Gore's election in 2000, by burying Junior Bush's drunk driving arrests & conviction on page A 26. Managing editor Howell Raines flat out hated Gore & tilted his paper's reporting to Bush. The same in 2004, when the paper again tilted to Bush over Kerry.
And again in 2026, when they went nuts on Hillary's emails & ignored T****'s criminal behavior, which they also ignored previously in the 1980s, 1990s & 2000s!
Thanks for clearing that up, Clark St. 🙄
DeletePlease note that I put liberal in quotation marks, because whatever you think of it, it is commonly assumed by many that it tends toward a liberal view on most issues. In general and with good reasons. You can call what I wrote crazy, (I'm pretty sure you've done that before!), but the last Republican the NYT endorsed for president was Eisenhower.
I think you have a good idea for an ad to sell to the Democratic Party. "Republicans shouldn't waste their time voting. The Democrats will just steal the election again."
ReplyDeleteMy brother sent me this, I'm not sure if he found it somewhere or authored it. But it speaks volumes:
ReplyDeleteRural Iowa republicans, "...supposedly salt-of-the-earth, just nominated a sexual predator, bigoted fascist, business fraud, Russian assist and Criminal sociopath." Go figure.
I realize I'm late to this conversation, but please allow my perspective as a lifelong Iowan.
ReplyDeleteThe state of Iowa has the same population as the city of Chicago.
One hundred thousand republicans caucused, and 56,000 went with trump.
I consider myself active in politics (not that side), yet I have NEVER attended the caucuses.
These are hardcore supporters. That being said, it's no wonder they question the 2020 election. The same results would have occurred if you had asked them about Pizzagate or if the Earth was flat.
Two million registered voters in Iowa. Five percent caucused. Two and one half of Iowa registered voters chose Drumpf. What a waste of time and thousands of pundits' wasted words for such a monumental example of apathy.
DeleteLove your piece today and many of the comments give me hope. Thanks to all who took the time to comment.
ReplyDeleteMoving the first Democratic primary seems like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteWe'll never understand some people, why they would support a man who committed treason, in the open, for all to see. And they call themselves patriots. They ignore the lies and verbal abuse directed at any of his perceived enemies, many gleefully joining in. And they call themselves Christians. We probably all know someone who believes in an afterlife, that they will see their deceased love ones in heaven, yet they transgress in ways that would make their sweet and kindly grandmothers want to slap them. And still I am trying to hold on to Neil's tempered optimism, that it will end well after all.
ReplyDeleteI moved to Iowa from Chicago, temporarily. 30 years ago. And I have grown to love this place, thinking of Des Moines as Chicago-nice. (You tube reference)
ReplyDeleteSadly, fear of so many things, with an emphasis on change, is such a huge motivator here. These folks aren't really privileged as such (I realize that's relative.) But it is always safer and easier to point a finger than lift one.
Having acknowledged that , I also need to point out the numbers of good people, willing to change and willing to help others, that I have not given up hope.