Spoiler Alert: They Are Going To Try Again

It's time to Break It Down!

 

I dare say, most Americans who were of voting age in 2020 remember where they were, and what they were doing January 6, 2021. I was chilling in a lounge chair in front of the TV, watching what devolved into an attack on the U.S. Capitol and then further morphed into an attempted coup. If you’ve never seen what an attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power looks like, in the world’s preeminent democracy, trust and believe, it’s not a pretty sight. From gallows staged for the hanging of the Vice President, to watching men in tactical gear scaling walls, and breaking windows, to seeing Confederate Flag-waving criminals running amok through the venerable halls of Congress, to watching the video replay of members of Congress, literally running for their lives, it was a scene fit for a Marvel Movie.

 

And yet, as apocalyptic as those scenes were, they may not have been the most nefarious machinations that ensued during Election 2020. That honor, I posit, goes to the schemes in several battleground states to install fake electors, intended to replace the legitimate electors with electors who would vote for Donald Trump, instead of Joe Biden, who won in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Three of those states, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, filed charges against “fake electors.” Attorneys General in Arizona and New Mexico are also investigating the role of “fake electors” in their states.

 

In December, electors meet in their respective States and vote for and certify President and Vice President on separate ballots. This is scheduled to take place on December 17, 2024. Certification battles for this year’s elections are already gathering momentum. For example, in Georgia, conservative Julie Adams spread conspiracies about election workers, concocted a baseless story about ballot couriers drinking beer and doing drugs while hoarding ballots, and boasted of her contentious relationship with local election officials.

 

In February, Ms. Adams was sworn in as a member of the Fulton County Board Registration and Elections. She immediately sued all the other board members and the elections director, claiming she should not be forced to certify election results “without access to all elements of the election materials.”

 

This is just an example of the election certification mischief already brewing. You can bet your bottom dollar, there will be more Tomfoolery in 2024. In 2020, the series of illicit plots, designs, and tactics were put down due to the systems and the people charged with maintaining and operating them having done their jobs and effectively discharging their duties. Alas, GOP legislatures across the country have enacted new laws, and replaced many of the appointed officials who served as the last defensive barrier against the real effort to steal the 2020 Election. Absent those democracy-saving statutes and appointees, a hyper-enthused voting effort will be more important than ever. Even with that, it will be necessary to keep a watchful eye on a party that has shown, if they cannot win at the polls and the electoral college, they are prepared to resort to other measures.

 

There is a lot of newly activated Democratic enthusiasm and engagement, due to President Biden stepping aside and endorsing Kamala Harris. It’s important to recognize, however, despite the newly found energy, Vice President Harris is still the underdog, and the onslaught of negative ads and campaigning has not yet emerged in earnest. Republicans have spent most of the past week regaining their footing after the change in opponents, and in mopping up on aisle 3, after the ham-handed rollout of their own candidate for Vice President. Rest assured, there will be shenanigans. To that end, keep your head on a swivel, and know, while the principal battle is at the polls, where it’s essential to have a massive get-out-the-vote effort, the behind-the-scenes administrative minutia will also be critical in determining the result.“Spoiler Alert: They Are Going To Try Again.”

 

I’m done; holla back!

 

Read my blog anytime by clicking the links: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com or /http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.

 

A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/politics/certification-fights-battle-ground-states/index.html

 

https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/key-dates

http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2024/07/spoiler-alert-they-are-going-to-try.html

Hard Reset: FORWARD!

It's time to Break It Down!

 

Sunday afternoon at 1:46 p.m., Joe Biden withdrew from the race to win the presidency in the upcoming November Election. As an incumbent, he did something few sitting American Presidents have done. In ending his run, he opted out of the quest to continue being President. Lyndon Johnson was the last to forego the effort to repeat. That was 56 years ago, in 1968, a year marked by the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, Sr., and Martin Luther King, Jr. As in 1968, The Democratic National Convention will convene in Chicago. Prognosticators have forecast the prospect of a long, hot summer, complete with the Democrat’s political convention being marred by violence.

 

It would be editorial malpractice to write about President Biden’s choice to withdraw without mentioning the drumbeat that grew to a crescendo of revolt against the man, who until Sunday had been the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party. Like Johnson, Theodore Rosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Harry Truman also opted out. However, all four had served more than four years. Each had assumed the office upon the death of the incumbent, and then went on to win a term of their own. They all faced their own exigent circumstances, such as wars, or the economy.

 

President Biden faced the demon of natural causes. And yes, aging is a natural phenomenon. Joe Biden is simply further along in the annual anniversary cycle than any previous presidential candidate…or President, for that matter. Suffice it to say, Father Time is undefeated, and it did a victory dance on Mr. Biden during his recent debate with Mr. Trump. I have surmised, “The Debate,” as it will forever be known, will go down as one of, if not the most pivotal face-off in the history of political debates.

 

Yes, there were rumblings from various party voices before the debate, suggesting Biden get out of the race. But let’s be real, the debate was the equivalent of the World Series, the World Cup, and Walt Disney World, all rolled up into one. What had been a series of spring showers evolved immediately into a torrential rain, then quickly escalated into violent thunderstorms, then ultimately morphed into a flat-out relentless tsunami. It all culminated Sunday in Biden leaving the race, and subsequently, very quickly endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. 

 

If the first couple of days are any indication, the change has energized the Democratic Party, infusing it in ways that were unimaginable a mere week ago. On successive days, tens of thousands of African American women, and African American men, respectively, coalesced on separate group calls to discuss the issues, and the new candidate, and to donate over a million dollars each. Undoubtedly, there will be many other groups taking similar measures. On the political side, in two days, Vice President Harris has garnered the number of delegates necessary to secure the nomination at the Convention next month.

 

The early response has been quite impressive. About that, there is no debate. However, the reality is, by all appearances, America is evenly divided on the issues that raise our political hackles. VP Harris is the shiny new thing. She has understandably attracted a lot of attention. The GOP, for its part, is being forced to pivot, and adapt. But that’s how politics works. They will zero in and use the hundreds of millions they collect in both huge dark money and in small dollar donations, to attack Harris. Surely, they will come up with something better than DEI hire, for a woman who was elected as the San Francisco District Attorney, California Attorney General, US Senator from California, and Vice President of the United States. Compared to GOP Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance, a first term Senator from Ohio, she’s a seasoned political savant. But I digress. This election is, and was always going to be a hard fought, hotly contested battle. They will, however, not have “old” Joe to kick around anymore. In fact, we have Old Donny.

 

There’s a new sheriff…I mean prosecutor, in town. We now have a “Hard Reset: Forward!”

 

I’m done; holla back!

 

Read my blog anytime by clicking the links: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com or /http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.

 

A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2024/07/hard-reset-forward.html

The Republican National Convention is Up; The Democratic National Convention is on Deck

It's time to Break It Down!

The Republican National Convention is Up; the Democratic National Convention is on Deck

 

The Republican National Convention owns TV this week. I suppose that might make for an interesting topic du jour. Then again, the week was preceded by what appeared to have been an assassination attempt on Donald Trump’s life. To be sure, that will be a recurring theme during the Convention in Milwaukee. 

Undoubtedly, that could be considered a compelling theme by some. In fact, the serendipitous nexus between the two events might be an even more interesting topic, based upon the way many people view the two events. Without question, that is a cynical outlook. Indeed, I usually endeavor to disabuse my friends and associates from co-signing conspiracy theories. In this case, I’m only going to say, occasionally, things don’t add up, and when they don’t, there’s usually a reason. You saw it; draw your own inferences.

 

Were it not for all the furor surrounding the events above, the angst associated with Joe Biden’s pending nomination and acceptance at next month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago would be every news outlet’s lead story. As someone who leans Blue, I’m delighted to see the onslaught against Biden’s mental acuity cede the spotlight, even if only temporarily, to the GOP’s policy differences with President Biden. I know the siege will resume next week, but I’ll take the week off.

 

I readily stipulate, I’m not a fan of the modern GOP (and make no mistake, the contemporary Republican Party is not the same as the party of Lincoln). I have not been watching the cavalcade of conservative Cognoscenti working feverishly to maximize their 3 to 4 minutes of airtime, lauding their Chosen One. I’m good with the CliffsNotes served up by the news & social media outlets, capturing and communicating all the reasons they favor their preferred old guy to the old guy that heads the Democratic Party, even if he hasn’t met the appropriately high standards of many Democrats.

 

Occasionally, I like to make it clear that I can find plenty of fault with both of our two major political parties. It is, however, important to set out from the start, that good, bad, or indifferent, we have, as a nation, created a two-party system. To wit, at the end of the day, we are faced with a binary choice. As such, despite a variety of third and other minor parties and candidates, in this and other presidential elections, the prevailing candidate will be either a Democrat or a Republican. Individuals certainly have the right to make other choices, but let’s be blunt. Voting for someone other than the Democrat or the Republican means one of several different things: 

The candidate for whom you vote will not be the winner; that’s a given. You may not like the idea of supporting a candidate you consider the lesser of evils, however, by doing otherwise, you chance propelling the greater of evils to victory. 

 

There are 111 days until Election Day; fewer, if you vote early. I urge you to register to vote, if you haven’t already done so…and of course, to exercise your duly earned right. Remember, in most states, you will need to present your valid Voter ID to vote. “The Republican National Convention is Up; the Democratic National Convention is on Deck!”

 

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the links: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com or /http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.

 

A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2024/07/point-counterpoint-should-he-stay-or.html

Point - Counterpoint: Should He Stay, or Should He Go?

It's time to Break It Down!

 

First of all, the question is moot, because only President Biden can decide. But let’s be real, it is the ponderous quandary bedeviling Democrats from sea to shing sea, not to mention a good many independents. Since the debate, nearly a couple of weeks ago, which I’ve already deemed an epic failure, the Democratic Party has been aflutter about how to proceed. Except for Joe, and Jill (…and Hunter, who let’s face it, shouldn’t be anywhere near this pending decision), most people who consider themselves Democrats in general, or Biden supporters in particular, have at least considered the possibility that Mr. Biden may not be amply suited to lead the battle that lies ahead for the presidency.

 

The Bidens have pretty much from the first moments after the debacle that was the debate, signaled their intention to stay the course. Since that fateful evening, a plethora of reports have surfaced suggesting that the President’s handlers have misled the public, and of course, the MAGA Camp has led the assertions the mainstream media, aka, MSM, conspired to downplay the extent to which Biden is physically compromised.

 

Presidential Election Years are major productions. In addition to municipal, county, and state legislature elections, all 435 House Members, and one-third of U.S. Senators are up for election. In other words, the balance of power in our federal government is up for grabs.

 

With that reality, it is not surprising that Democrats are fully engaged in a discourse that they see as impinging upon their future ability to maintain or regain the levers of power in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, in addition to holding on to the presidency. Already this week, the Congressional Black Caucus, the House Democrats, and the Senate Democrats have met with the President to do their group assessments of how to proceed. Just keep in mind the two points I raised in the first two paragraphs. First, Only President Biden can decide. Second, He has stated, loudly, forcefully, and consistently, he is staying in the race.

 

The campaign to advance past the debate has been painful to watch, if you’re a Democratic partisan, and a gleeful spectacle if you lean right, or are a straight up MAGA man or woman. The phrase I’ve become most fond of, as it relates to the conversation is, “You cannot unsee that debate.” And, if you watched it, I don’t believe you can.

 

Admittedly, I am someone who has questioned the rationality and critical thinking of the MAGAs. After all, to be MAGA means you have synthesized and accepted a great deal of information about Trump, and you still support him, including:

 

-       Called Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers (without noting there are exceptions)

-       Insisted John McCain was not a hero

-       Said he could shoot someone on 5^th Ave and not lose any votes

-       Popularized the Birther movement

-       Boasted of grabbing women by the vagina (though that’s not the term he used)

-       Said of a female journalist, that she had blood coming out of her eyes

-       Mocked a disabled journalist

-       Had a $25 million settlement adjudged against for students at Trump University

-       Said he trusted Putin over U.S. Intelligence agencies

-       Attempted to interrupt the peaceful transition of power after the last Presidential Election

-       Convicted of sexual assault

-       Convicted of 34 felony counts in the State of New York

-       Facing more than 50 other felony charges 

 

That’s quite the Baker’s dirty dozen…and there are too many other items to proffer an exhaustive list. Just know that all those begin with the day of the escalator ride, and don’t include such mind benders as reaching a settlement with the Justice Department in a Housing Discrimination case alleging his apartments didn’t rent to Black tenants, or of purchasing full-page ads calling for bringing back the Death Penalty for the Central Park 5. Ironically, not only did the defendants have their convictions overturned due to DNA evidence, but someone else actually admitted committing the crime. Fortunately, Trump’s calls went unheeded. Not surprisingly, he has declined to apologize. 

 

That’s correlative of the MAGA mentality. Faced with clear and present evidence, and proceeding onward, as though it either doesn’t exist, or it just doesn’t matter. It is in that light that I liken those who refuse to even consider calling upon Biden to step aside, as MAGA-like. If you don’t even think the conversation warrants being had…that’s stone-cold blind!

 

Let me be clear, I’m not anti-Biden. In fact, when I consider the alternatives, if it comes down to those two, because not voting, or voting for a 3^rd Party candidate are not options for me, Biden will get my vote. He not only doesn’t have the litany of anti-social behaviors that Trump does, but he’s also a decent citizen, trying to make the world, and our country a better place. 

 

None of that means his staying in the race isn’t a risky strategy. Current polling favors Trump. But ditching Biden, means starting over. Even an abbreviated system for selecting a replacement will be hampered by dysfunction. The machismo and ego stake would never accommodate elevating the Vice President, without some kind of outsized reaction from those opposed to her. Moreover, if she were leapt over, or sidelined, chaos would almost certainly ensue. 

 

When Team Biden insisted on having an early debate, this was not what they anticipated. But it’s what they got. Now, we are all left to pick up the pieces, and keep it moving. “Point - Counter Point: Should He Stay, or Should He Go?”

 

I’m done; holla back!

 

Read my blog anytime by clicking the links: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com or /http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.

 

A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2024/07/point-counterpoint-should-he-stay-or.html

The Debate was an Epic Fail; Now What?

It's time to Break It Down!

 

There’s not much left to say. President Biden had one job. Get through the debate without imploding. Test failed. His opponent was putrid, in his own right. Fact checkers, a term Republicans have come to hate, ostensibly, because they refuse to be constrained by facts, determined that in the 90-minute contest, Mr. Trump told more than 30 lies, or at a rate greater than one every 3 minutes.

 

It didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because Mr. Biden was unable to effectively prosecute the case of his serial falsifying co-debater. In stark terms, that’s political malpractice.

 

If the abysmal debate were not enough to put Democrats on their heels, The Supreme Court (SCOTUS), in its final read out of case findings issued a determination that Presidents (in a ruling narrowly crafted to protect Donald Trump) have immunity for some conduct as president, and that Trump is covered by this immunity for part of his conduct in his federal election interference case, but possibly not for other actions.

 

The justices voted 6-3, along ideological lines, to reject Trump’s broad claim of total immunity, but did not dismiss the case, because they held, some actions closely related to his core duties as president, and as such, are off limits to prosecutors. Chief Justice Roberts, who wrote the opinion for the majority, said the case would be sent back to lower courts to determine what conduct Trump can be prosecuted for. Last week in this space, I wrote about SCOTUS running out the clock. It’s clearer than ever, the clock is ticking.

 

While Team Biden would ideally be focused on what the SCOTUS ruling means, both to the country, and to their re-election efforts, they have much more pressing concerns. In the near term, they must decide whether Mr. Biden will endeavor to ride out the storm of controversy generated by his lackluster debate performance, or to accede to the calls of an increasing number of Democratic partisans and donors, and from most Americans to step aside. So far, less than a handful of Democratic members of Congress have directly called for Biden to relinquish his hold on the nomination. This doesn’t mean the conversation has been avoided, or even muted. Party mavens have largely insisted, the decision is Biden’s to make.

 

However, the tough decisions for Biden and the Party don’t end there. In fact, while conquering his Irish stubbornness represents a major challenge, determining who would ascend to the position of presumptive nominee is certain to be at least as difficult to tie down. Based on Monday’s SCOTUS decision, one thing he shouldn’t have to worry about is being prosecuted by a new Trump administration; something Trump intimated he had every right to do.

 

In a perfect world, Vice President Harris would likely be slotted as next in line. That is literally one of the implicit roles of the Veep. Of course, no one ever seriously suggested that politics makes for the stuff of perfect worlds. In fact, the notion of Kamala Harris as President is a polarizing subject. On September 27, 2023, I wrote what may have been my shortest blog post ever. It was so short I’ll place it here in its entirety:

 

“Political Jeopardy: Kamala Harris for $1000 Alex

What is the real reason so many people are concerned about Joe Biden’s age? Fear of a second Black/First Female President; yeah, I said it! “Political Jeopardy: Kamala Harris for $1,000, Alex!””

 

Suffice it to say, Trump and the GOP are reveling at their own streak of good fortune, and the Dem’s concurrent turmoil. Who could blame them.

 

For now, President Biden is battling to maintain his placement at the top of the proverbial food chain. He has made several low-key appearances, has spoken with donors and advisors, and he has a TV interview scheduled for Sunday. Will it be enough? 

 

Time will tell…but not too much time. “The Debate was an Epic Fail; Now What?”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the links: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com or /http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com.

A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the link below:

http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-debate-was-epic-fail-now-what.html