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Dignity

Posted on December 30, 2024 | Leave a comment

It can’t be bought, or legislated. If you’re luckier, you know it when you see it. Better yet, you might actually have it! It’s not something easily put on, but it is incredibly easy to lose with even one misstep.

I can name one person today who had it, for one hundred years. Jimmy Carter. Our lives will be poorer for our loss, but richer for having “known” him. Yes, many of us who grew up with him feel like we knew him even though we never met the man. Oh, the Camp David Accord, that was him? Yep. Also the Iranian POW debacle where Iran released the prisoners under brand new president Reagan just to snub the former president. I remember that. I also remember odd and even days to buy gasoline, living just outside the Beltway, even though it would be years until I would be old enough to drive.

In Carter’s “retirement” he accomplished more than most people do in their entire career. He nearly eradicated Guinea Worm, an amazing and little-known fact. Helped spread democracy and fair elections, and hammered more nails for Habitat for Humanity than most grade schoolers could even count.

Yesterday was a sad day, the end of an era. But I literally broke down in tears when I saw the Mike Luckovich cartoon entitled “Eternal Reunion,” where, at the pearly gates, Rosalynn Carter rushes out calling “Jimmy!” to her long-time love, her husband for over 77 years as he rushed into her waiting arms.

Theirs was (is?) a partnership for the ages, based on love, trust, faith and, yes, dignity. I didn’t know until today that Jimmy Carter met his wife literally on the day she was born. If Hallmark is looking for a love-at-first-sight premise that spans a century, here ’tis. Don’t thank me, the info has been sitting out there for decades.

Clara Jeffery wrote an incredible piece in Mother Jones yesterday entitled “Of Misogyny, Musk, and Men” in which she states that women are not fine with the recent presidential election, “we’re furious.” I believe I know why.

By overturning Roe, Trump and SCOTUS not only removed a constitutional right from women, the entire MAGA playbook is centered on removing womens’ dignity. These MAGA voters and those who went along for the Trump II roller coaster ride pride themselves on putting women back “in their place.” Your body. My choice. Forever. Really? In 2024?

I’m a college-educated, white woman in my 60’s who got her first period the same year Roe was decided in 1973. When I was in charge of talent transport for a major cultural entity, I sentenced my misogynistic cousin to a two-hour airport ride with one of my drivers and guest lecturer Betty Friedan. I wish I was a fly on the wall for that conversation.

I simply cannot understand how women can vote to remove rights from other women, and there’s more to come, including a war on mifepristone, contraception and no-fault divorce. Do women really want to see other women die in hospital parking lots? Abandon Texas babies in dumpsters because of the $10,000 bounty law? Be beaten to death by husbands they’re not allowed to divorce?

As a woman of a certain age, I am childless not by choice but circumstance. That said, I do not see the only path for grandmothers as being permanent free childcare for their children’s offspring. Having grandma around is not an excuse for lack of available/affordable child care, child tax credits, free school lunches, equal pay for equal work and other government laws and applicable safety nets. All so that billionaires can get richer off our labor.

Women are not empty vessels, and empty-headed ones at that, whose only role in life is carrying babies and feeding husbands. I’m in a partnership, nearly 25 years now (22 married) where we both bring talents to the table. He’s tall, he reaches the high shelves, I get the low ones. We both write, the other edits. A partnership based on trust, love, faith and dignity.

You can’t take away my rights without a fight. And whatever you say or do, you will not take away my dignity. Generations of women fought for our freedoms. We cannot afford to let them slip away. If I have the hammer, my husband will hand me the nails, same as Rosalynn and Jimmy. Not nearly the same, but they have certainly been an inspiration. Rest in peace, and thank you for sharing your lives with the nation. Yours in dignity, Dee

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The Sky is Falling?

Posted on December 21, 2024 | Leave a comment

Imagine a hungry person steals a loaf of bread. Then someone who has no interest in the store, the bread or the thief demands immediate death by firing squad otherwise the town’s entire police department will be sacked. That’s what Elon Musk just did to the U.S. House of Representatives and its leader, Speaker Mike Johnson. Donald Trump isn’t even president yet, and Elon Musk is throwing his weight around, publicly calling out fellow Republican members and saying he’ll pay for primary challenges against anyone who doesn’t do his bidding.

Elon Musk didn’t get a single vote for president this year. He cannot, because he is South African. But he of billions of U.S. government contracts and companies regulated by the federal government, is dictating to Congress how to vote and whom to hire in the Trump administration. And Trump is letting him get away with it.

The federal workers who create cancer cures, predict the weather, or protect regular folks from financial scams are now the “deep state” but Donald Trump wants U.S. policy to be set by unelected billionaires who wouldn’t know how to find their way around a grocery store or how to put that nozzle in the gas tank of one of their luxury vehicles they’ve never driven because they have drivers and chefs for those menial tasks that are a part of our everyday lives.

President-elect Trump is using private emails (remember when he tried to put Hillary in jail for that?) and not allowing FBI background checks, so that prior to taking office, he is negotiating with foreign leaders on non-secure phones with potential staff who we don’t even know will pass necessary security clearances.

There is only one president at a time, and for the next several weeks that is Joe Biden. But Elon Musk has just endorsed a pro-Nazi political group in Germany, and wants to put as much as $100 million into an extreme right wing party in the UK to control the politics over there as well. Is this official U.S. policy? Is it Trump’s policy? Or is Elon just throwing his weight around because he can.

Like the supposed, alleged bread thief, the shop owner might have seen the criminal and describe the theft to the police. Or the police might have witnesses and begin an investigation, that may result in an indictment, hiring of counsel, a trial and potential conviction. People don’t just get the firing squad in the parking lot, with or without the evidence, the aforementioned loaf of bread.

If Elon Musk starts threatening to fund primaries with the first piece of legislation that comes up, before Trump is even president, what’s he going to threaten next? Sounds a lot like the sky is falling. There’s strength in numbers, Congresspeople. You have a job to do for your constituents. If you do it to their satisfaction, they might vote you back in no matter how much money Elon Musk throws at your opponent. Show some backbone. You get paid to fix your constituents’ problems. Do it. You’ve been able to just say no to Democrats for years. That’s easy. Governing is hard.

Step back and think. Does the average Trump voter have any idea yet that he’s going to strip us of our Social Security and Medicare, Medicaid, the VA, reignite inflation and cost us enough in lost benefits and higher prices that will make the Biden years look positively Edenic.

The news will settle in slowly, but it might actually “take” this time, because these tariffs and tax cuts for the ultra-rich will impact all of us 99% in different ways. In rural areas where Trump support runs strong, cuts to health care and public education, combined with repercussions of trade wars, will hit especially hard. As an added bonus, the deficit will grow by trillions leaving our kids with the burden and a federal government staffed by Boss Tweed’s toadies will have to be remedied by a future administration, if there ever is one.

The best places for apolitical professionals are our military, our professional administrative agency staff, and most importantly our judges. After all, these mistakes have been made before, and historically things do not end well when democracies turn into broligarchies. And if you think Elon Musk incapable of the duties of POTUS, as a neophyte who doesn’t even know how a bill becomes a law, try adding the UK and Germany concurrently to his dictatorships and see what happens. Ah, isn’t politics fun? Dee

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Positive Solutions

Posted on November 16, 2024 | Leave a comment

The time for crying and blame are over. It’s time to plan for the future and save our precious democracy. We have a major birthday (250) coming up and don’t want to let down our founders.

Much will change in our country due to the perceived economic circumstances that re-elected Donald Trump. When all the votes are counted, he will not win the popular vote by more than 2% so this is NOT any type of mandate.

I’m going to use my age and wisdom garnered over a lifetime of work and living to think positive thoughts and solve problems with pro-active solutions. Here are two thoughts.

To the United States Senate:

Do your job. Read your oath of office. Honor it. The founders made you alone responsible for advice and consent to the president’s cabinet and other picks. Use it. Do not let Donald Trump skip background checks and public hearings for these critical staff positions.

Why would I, a longtime Democrat, tell you this? It looks like Trump will make good on his worst campaign promises. As a woman, that really bothers me. As a woman with a brain who was as good or better than any man I ever worked alongside, the incoming president’s plans to blow up our government from the inside and make us vulnerable to attacks from foreign enemies and even our own military, there is much about which to be fearful.

Trump was elected to bring down the price of eggs (and bacon), keep the border safe and to make white men feel better about themselves not being “replaced.” When his voters realize, very soon, that tax cuts are only going to the rich, and none of us will have health insurance, vaccines, and that inflation will go through the roof, they’re not gonna be happy with the bait and switch we dems warned them about.

If you, Senators, allow these ludicrous picks for AG, DOD. HHS and National Security go through without vetting or public scrutiny of any kind, you will bear the brunt of that anger and will not be re-elected. Advise and consent was a good idea for 250 years, as was FBI background checks. If these folks can’t get a job at a local McDonalds, they shouldn’t be in charge of nearly three million soldiers, for example.

Just do your job and let the chips fall where they may. Some may pass public scrutiny, others may not. Let the people know what you’re doing and don’t skip town and call it recess. Same with the House. Let the Ethics Committee’s report out, and don’t help Trump engineer a recess so he can dupe the American people yet again. You have to run every two years and midterms have already started.

To Disillusioned Young Men:

I’m an older woman who was in my teens and twenties from 1975 to 1985. It was a chaotic time but I grew up OK and don’t remember any horrific things that scarred me for life. That said, I do not know the realities you are facing in today’s world with omnipresent social media and anonymous judgements that can hurt young hearts and souls.

I would ask you to look to your own father, perhaps grandfather or uncle, for inspiration as to what kind of man you’d like to be. If those are not inspiring choices, look to a teacher, coach or religious leader as a mentor. Often a busy person will make time to help mold a young mind and help you get started on your life’s journey. If you’re concerned about your life’s work, the library is a great choice. Reading helped me understand a lot about the world and my place in it.

That said, I’ve always abided by the golden rule of doing unto others. Be interested in the world around you. Put down your phone and smell the roses. If you have dangerous thoughts, talk to an adult and get help. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.

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Positive thoughts. We must try to hold on to our rights with tenacity, vigor, steadfastness and belief that we’re doing what we need to do to save our nation. That means also being there for disillusioned Trump voters who will soon realize that he only wanted the job for power, to stay out of prison and to reward his rich friends and punish his enemies. There is no thought given to seniors on Social Security and Medicare, the poor on Medicaid and food stamps, or especially women who miscarry and are blithely left to die in hospital parking lots. There’s a lot to do and moping and finger-pointing are useless at this point. We all need to work together and be useful to get out of this mess. Cheers! Dee

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Legacy or Malevolence?

Posted on November 7, 2024 | Leave a comment

‘Tis a sad week for backers of the U.S. Constition and rule of law. Depending on the House results Trump may be blessed with a trifecta plus SCOTUS, all of whom clearly care more for Dear Leader than their oaths or constituency. SCOTUS no longer opines for the ages, but for one man. All I can say is, it’s our own da** fault, voters. Apparently, this is what the American people want. At least until the spotlight turns its evil eye upon them, which it certainly will. Beware what you signed up for, Elon Musk.

As Kamala Harris said, there remain stars in our upcoming dark world. Let me share a few of them.

First of all, Donald Trump is swayed by attention (good or bad, apparently) and popularity (crowd size, anyone?) He’s already about to get the biggest gift of his presidency, a get-out-of-jail-free card. Phew. He could possibly be convinced that burning down the house may not be best for his precious legacy. Of course he’ll still deport a slew of immigrants (but not nearly as many as he promised, remember the wall?) and treat all women like second-class citizens. But he may be dissuaded from following his evangelical base to the nth degree on reproductive rights. Why? Because he can’t run again, and if he wants to build a legacy he can’t have half the nation marching against him every week of his presidency.

Then I could be wrong. I certainly was wrong to even dare to bask in the brief glimmer of hope brought to us by Joe Biden for over three years and Kamala Harris for 107 days.

Even if the House and Senate go Republican, these folks still have to run for re-election and can’t afford to indulge the most evil of Trump’s whims. As soon as he publicly tries to disenfranchise half the population because we have wombs, or tanks the economy through his precious and scattershot tariffs, he could be held in check by realists on both sides of the aisle. Why do you think Congress never bit the third rail for fifty years and enshrined abortion rights into law? We wouldn’t be in this mess today if, in the 1970’s, Congress did one brave act that was made “OK” by prior SCOTUS intervention. Then again, Congress never adopts a budget either, waiting for the last minute to stave off catastrophe again again as in the Perils of Pauline.

Those of us with grand thoughts about protecting our nation through its Constitution and rule of law, we have a lot to do over the next two years to turn Congress and State houses. Let’s not let malaise set in, and instead roll up our sleeves, corral our neighbors and friends and get to work.

All I can say for now is let’s hope Trump lives another four years, more if it’s possible for him to actually pay for some of the myriad crimes he’s committed. Why? Trump’s merely a useful idiot, a dim bulb with motivation only to enrich himself. J.D. Vance, on the other hand, is smart and has drunk a ton of Theocracy Tea. Add to that, he truly despises women (wonder what Usha thinks of that, or is she really a Stepford Wife?) and then we’d be even worse off.

Keep your spirits up, once more into the breach, ladies! Cheers, Dee

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Dear Billionaires

Posted on October 31, 2024 | Leave a comment

To the newspaper owners who chickened out of endorsements in the 2024 Presidential election:

No, I’m not one of you. I am a customer who reads your content or buys whatever you sell. I’ve been an Amazon Prime member for ages. I’m also a taxpayer who pays for the government contracts you’re afraid of losing if Donald Trump wins the presidency.

If yours was a reasoned decision arrived at a year ago, that’s one thing. But waiting until a week before the election and weaseling out is so incredibly cowardly and it defies any other description.

I think of Shay Moss and Ruby Freeman who have feared for their lives for the past four years since Donald Trump singled them out for simply doing their election jobs in Georgia. They had guts and a heck of a lot to lose.

With such a cruel and ephemeral temper as has one Donald Trump, even sucking up to him now doesn’t guarantee for one minute that you won’t be next on his hit list. At least you have excess material wealth to fall back on. Most of the rest of us don’t.

Just because Kamala Harris will uphold the Constitution and rule of law, doesn’t mean that this doesn’t sting. No, she won’t shut down the free press or single you out for retribution, but that’s no reason to be an ultimate weenie. I might go to prison for all the reasoned, anti-Trump posts I’ve penned but I still write of the wrongs Mr. Trump has done and the more he can inflict from the Oval Office toward women, immigrants and other enemies from within.

I stand behind the red, white and blue. Your flag seems only to be green. Given a choice between 250 years of democracy or a new autocracy led by a cruel, inhumane idiot surrounded by sycophants I’ll choose democracy every day and twice on Sunday.

The economy will burst under the grand tariff plan and Trump’s daily mood swings will lead to the polar opposite of economic stability. Thanks for that. Staying on the fence gets awfully uncomfortable. Enjoy it. I voted for democracy and hope others will as well. Dee

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Sedition, Misogyny

Posted on October 25, 2024 | Leave a comment

and now … child abuse? Tucker Carlson’s intro for “Daddy” Donald Trump was beyond creepy. Big Daddy is gonna give America a big spanking for being a “bad girl?”

On second thought, I’m going to the City Clerk and demanding my ballot back. This is the platform I want. Let’s toss the Constitution, deport half of the population (80 million Harris voters, 2 Million federal workers, 25 million undesirable immigrants and perhaps half the military, staff of every university, college, high school and grade school plus anyone else on the Trump Enemies List) and take away the rest of the women’s right to vote so that Daddy can control everything they do without them ever having to think about anything serious ever again. And if so, we don’t have to listen to a word they say.

As “Daddy” would say, “boom boom done.” All Dear Daddy Leader has to do now is have his face carved on Mt. Rushmore for posterity. I think it sounds perfect, but then I’m a woman. And, wait, I have a BRAIN! Let’s see how I can use it to defeat the nation’s wannabe daddy once and for all and put him in prison where he belongs for his myriad crimes against American citizens for attempting to overthrow the 2020 election, for stealing secret documents and keeping them in a public bathroom, and for assaulting dozens of women over his lifetime.

My mother tried the “wait until your father gets home” ploy, once. Dad arrived home, tired, and Mom sent me into his home office. He asked me why I called my little sister an idiot. I didn’t have a good explanation and he asked me if she was an idiot. No. Then don’t call her one again. OK. “Now, what do you want to talk about, we have to spend at least five minutes in here before dinner. What did you learn in school today?” After that, Mom put a Chock-full-o-Nuts can on the kitchen table with a slot in the lid and we had to pay a whole nickel (that was a lot on a fifty cent per week allowance) every time we called each other dumb or something similar. Problem solved.

I’m 65 years old and Dad died December 1, 2016. I miss him every day and always tell stories and am still thinking of questions only he could answer. Dang! I don’t need a Daddy to spank me when I’m bad. Dad never spanked me once. I certainly don’t need a president to take the role of mean daddy and spank little girls for transgressions.

We can’t let Donald Trump ever have the nuclear codes again. Please. Everyone’s family is a little different, that’s what makes us special. But Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson need to be sent away somewhere they can commiserate but not ever hurt a living thing again, ever. Please vote! Dee

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A Few Things…

Posted on October 21, 2024 | Leave a comment

that have been on my mind of late. I’ve been quite busy, moving from a tower in a bustling northern city (swing state) placing our lives in storage, and driving south to a small (slightly under 1,000 acres) cattle ranch in Trump Country.

It’s temporary, and quite an ordeal to find out that my drivers license expires on my birthday next month and the state of Texas requires everyone to prove they’re a US citizen for everything, presumably so that all those millions of “illegal” rapists and murderers can’t vote for Kamala Harris. They did it backwards, though. In order to get a drivers license for a new resident one needs to register their car in the state and in order to get proof of address in a hurry, one must have something like… a voter registration card (!!!) to prove it. So yes, I’m registered to vote here and early voting started today. No, I didn’t have to get a certified copy of my birth certificate because a US Passport is sufficient but most of the folks here don’t have passports and are mighty upset that they have to go back to vital records in the town where they were born for a certified copy. Especially older folks, and especially since many of these elderly courthouses have burned over the years and lost many records.

I read that the The Heritage Foundation (one and the same as Project 2025) did a study over several years of over a billion voters and found that fewer than ONE HUNDRED had voted as an unregistered immigrant, and most of those were accidental. So red states are going nuts about immigration and murderers and insane people descending on communities, taking their jobs and eating their pets…for nothing.

A Criminal Oligarchy

If Trump wins, we’ll definitely have the first but in my mind, not the last part of that description. Why? An emboldened Trump will try to break all the rules, including the Constitution. And he will grift every day in office like he’s doing now and did throughout his first term. Jared and Ivanka will be in charge of foreign grift (laundering money for favors, see how much he’s returned to his $2 billion investors, ZERO), and Eric and Junior domestic through crypto and other schemes. Elon will be cast aside after his $75 million is spent, because Trump is notoriously transactional and has no friends to prove it. And Elon gets as much press as Donald. Donald won’t share power, or limelight, with anyone. But the White House will definitely be for sale, look for high prices on Lincoln Bedroom stays and signed photos of Breakfast with Barron.

The Politics of Less

All my life I’ve strived to be more, more than others expect and more than I expect for myself. I joined public service to actually serve the public, and non-profits because I believed in their missions and wanted to help them grow to better serve their niche whether it be education for the poor, theatre, and other worthy causes even spaying/neutering of feral cats.

Donald Trump works on the philosophy of less. Fewer voters, only appeal to the base, deny emergency funding to states that didn’t vote for him. Deny the oath of office and stay past his welcome using every ruse possible, including the violence of January 6.

A few weeks ago I read that one voter is casting his vote for Trump because “he hates all the right people.” Funny (not), politicians are supposed to add to their voter base, identify and pose solutions to the problems of everyday Americans. Running on proud hatred of women, Jews, Muslims, immigrants (legal as well), African-Americans, Latinos and anyone who’s not at least a millionaire. Not to mention that Democrats and anyone Republican or Independent who doesn’t vote for Trump are now the “enemy within” and may be thrown in the gulag with no legal rights or hope of reprieve.

Perhaps I’m just naive. But I never wanted to join a club whose motto is “hating all the right people.” I don’t like book banners or people who patronize women posing as “protectors” while they take away our Constitutional rights.

Another Person’s Shoes

Have I led a charmed life? Maybe. I grew up in an upwardly mobile, middle class family and always knew I’d go to college. I had good jobs, not the best paying but post-college they were challenging and interesting. Now we’re living temporarily in a town of about 5,000 people, many quite poor. It’s a shock to go to the grocery store, which is nothing like my local Whole Foods Market.

It’s an historic town, that manufacturing left perhaps fifty years ago, so it’s an older community. Very conservative and religious. My husband was born and raised in Texas and retains a hint of the regional accent but I’m definitely a Yank and a Democrat to boot. It’s temporary, so I’ll vote but not make a stink about it.

I’ve always thought it would be advantageous for every American to go to a foreign country and meet the people and see that even if we dress a bit differently, worship a different faith and speak a language we may not understand in the end everything is familiar. We all have family, friends, like to eat good food so there’s always something to talk about. Same with Americans meeting Americans from different regions and socio-economic realms. Republicans still try to make rural folk hate city folk. There’s no difference except there’s a heck of a lot more space out here and in this particular place there may actually be more cows than people. It’s a taste of another world, one which I truly appreciate while I might not choose it for myself on a full-time basis.

Do unto others. It’s always been my philosophy. Political leaders, especially presidents, must serve all the people, lifting them up instead of beating them down. We have a choice before us that will determine the future of our nation, our 250-year experiment in democracy. Vote wisely. Our lives literally depend upon it. Cheers! Dee

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We Won’t Go Back

Posted on July 27, 2024 | Leave a comment

My mother won a prize as a new high school grad in the mid-fifties. She was tied for best grades in the entire city of Montreal, Canada. Her reward was not college but a couple of years as a secretary before marrying my father and moving to the U.S. She kept her Green Card for over fifty years, never becoming a U.S. citizen.

At first, she told me that I could hopefully expect to end up as well as she did, married and with a family to raise. Then in the seventies she read Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem and went to community college to study to become a paralegal. My sister and I, in high school, took turns making dinner after school so Mom could go to class and study.

In contrast, Dad always went after what he wanted. He was the first in his family to attend college and was adamant that all four of his children would go to good colleges and graduate, which we did. Mom started her four-year higher education when I did, she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in accounting and aced her CPA exam first time out. I graduated deans’ list. Late bloomer?

Work seemed daunting at first but I was smart and could do it easily. It just required much time and effort and a lot of thinking outside the box to problem-solve thorny legal issues. The toughest thing for me was looking young, being a single female and being taken seriously in terms of subject matter, pay and figuring out how not to be hit on by wayward legislators every day.

Friends married, had kids. I was happy to be in the thick of policy/politics and still learning new things every day. So I kept it up, not seeing myself like the wives of my male colleagues, with whom I had less and less in common. We were good friends, but in a fashion limited by their routines.

So when did I become a dreaded childless cat lady? Or did I? Yes, I’m married nearly 22 years, childless at 65, and have had only two cats in my life, now passed. I was fighting for the rights of voters, gays and lesbians, and crime victims. I was making things better for all people of my state.

I had, and have, something to offer and I care about my country and its people of all colors, gender affiliations and faiths. I have a stake in the world around me and no-one can tell me otherwise. Not JD Vance, not anybody.

The next few months, after the Kamala honeymoon, will be brutal, and when she wins, it won’t be over. Trump is telling people they don’t need to vote (!) and that they can vote this time but in four years there will no longer be a need for Americans to vote because he will have taken care of things. That is hellishly frightening. Voter suppression will be rampant, along with chicanery, law-breaking, inane legal battles and perhaps even political violence.

Those of us who want to retain/return to the rights we fought for and deserve need to be in it for the long haul, because if the executive and SCOTUS have their way, there will be no Constitution, no United States of America as we know it. I PREFER FREEDOM!!! Dee

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A Great Leader

Posted on July 21, 2024 | Leave a comment

I made the mistake, once, of counting out Joe Biden. It was 1988 and he had a brain aneurysm that nearly killed him. I recall thinking, this guy could be a great President.

Finally, he got the chance to do so. Today, he gave up that chance for the good of the nation, its people, and his party. And he was a great President, up there with the best, especially as he was given an impossible task of getting us out of a worldwide pandemic, stopping the economy from spiraling into a depression (instead making it the envy of the world) and being sworn in just two weeks after his predecessor instigated an insurrection to remain in office despite a free and fair election.

I know that I couldn’t have done all those things in one term, not to even think of re-upping for another four years! But to Joe Biden’s credit, he did. For us. All of us.

There is no way that Donald Trump can ever hold a candle to the man Joe Biden is and has been for his Senate constituents then the nation for the past fifty years. I thank Jill and his family for allowing us to borrow him for most of his life and wish them a long and happy post-presidency.

It took several hours after the announcement for me to shed tears for what we’ve had and what we’re about to lose. Let’s hope Joe Biden’s selfless move will jump-start the Democrats into fighting for our lives to save our democracy, because it is the fight of our lives. It matters, it’s our future.

Joe Biden is a leader, a statesman, a true patriot with integrity, and an all-around stand-up guy who has been in it for us all along. He deserves our best as we voters strive to keep our democracy from the grimy hands of Donald Trump, the Heritage Foundation, Federalist Society and people who have in common a deep hatred of the USA and its people.

Donald Trump hates America and Americans. All he wants is power, money and revenge and there’s nothing in any of that for we, the people. Losing our Constitution for a felonious carnival barker, scammer, rapist, hater and even golf cheat is a choice I could never comprehend. Trump can just as easily turn on his wealthy benefactors as his avowed enemies as the list grows and grows.

Remember, a minimum 20 million immigrants will be deported, but who will populate the new military-run camps once they’re gone? Us. Think Nazis. He may not be after you today, but can change his mind in a heartbeat and our military will show up at your door and take you to the camps. Teachers, librarians, judges, doctors and nurses, attorneys general, prosecutors, members of the media. Women who cross state lines to get an abortion. Married couples who use IVF to have a baby or contraception to prevent it. That’s who the camps are for. We, the people.

Joe Biden was the right President for the right time. We needed steady, even boring at the helm. He didn’t need air time every day, or to take credit for everything. He works things out with all the parties quietly and only announces the result and takes credit with all participants and “the team.”

Joe Biden employs the best at what they do and expects results, not bootlicking and unnecessary toadying. He listens to expert government medical researchers for cancer cures and meteorologists for climate change. He cares about the poor and middle class, and doesn’t just reward rich individuals and corporations. He cares about regular folks having health insurance despite pre-existing conditions. He cares about voting rights and how they’re being destroyed by election deniers and the Supreme Court.

As Joe Biden says, and I paraphrase, we’re Americans, and there’s nothing we can’t do if we work together. Historians will judge him kindly. The Republican nominee and all those seduced by Trumpism, less so. I know that because I’ve been around a while and know a bit about the American people. Time to get on the Freedom Train, America. Let’s double down on democracy to save ourselves before we lose our freedoms. Dee

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Listen To Grandpa Joe

Posted on July 21, 2024 | Leave a comment

Dear Democrats,

Our President has just made the greatest sacrifice he could for the sake of our country. Listen to Joe Biden.

For the past few weeks, Democratic leadership and politicians have treated our President with a profound lack of respect, with many being solely concerned with themselves and their individual races, and oblivious to the 14 million Democrats who voted to renominate Joe Biden for the presidency. Shame on you.

Joe Biden is a statesman, a patriot, and has been exactly what the doctor ordered to cure us of Trump in 2020. He is still all of these things and will be so as our President until January 20, 2025.

Democrats have one chance to get this right and beat Donald Trump in 2024. Listen to Grandpa Joe and coalesce around Kamala Harris and her pick for VP. Do not fall all over yourselves at the convention trying to give freshman House members their 15 minutes of fame.

Unity (and not the Republican kind of cult membership for Trump’s “in” crowd) for our nation, our Constitution and representative democracy must rule the day. Get your act together, bring in Independents and Never Trumpers, all while treating your VOTERS with due respect. We all need to be rowing the boat in the same direction if we are to win this election.

I want voters and women to gain back the ground we’ve lost, and that includes reforming an overtly political Supreme Court and federal judges as well. We can’t afford to have posse comitatus overturned so the military has to remain on tap for world affairs, not peaceful locel demonstrations or Operation Wetback II. The Justice Department must be quasi-independent and not be weaponized against Trump’s enemies.

Abortion, gay marriage and contraception must be enshrined in law, along with the right of women to interstate travel, no-fault divorce and privacy of woment’s menstrual cycles . We need transparency of big (now dark) political money via the John Lewis Act. We must make sure the Federal Election Commission acts and has teeth, and is non-political. Perhaps another run at the ERA would be practicable, along with more political parties and perhaps states choosing ranked choice voting to open things up to communication and collaboration.

All the holes punched in norms must be plugged, like potholes. No president should use the White House for a political convention, as Trump did. PAC’s should not be allowed to pay for candidate legal bills save for necessary recounts and actual fraud. The emoluments clause must be enforced, as well as time limits before top presidential aides can start raking in the bucks by lobbying or representing foreign entities after leaving office.

We must speak with one voice and defeat Trumpism as a danger to our freedoms and our national security. There is no alternative come November. Get your act together, Congress. We’re counting on you more than ever. Sincerely, a longtime voter, Dee

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