Category: Politics

  • Early Voting

    Today is my day. I got all my information, and I know where the polling place is. Just down the block from our building. it is a cold and overcast day, sporadic rain. There will be a line, but my guess is that it won’t be that bad.

    I say that because my wife voted last night. Our original plan had been to go as a family so our daughter could see democracy in action. But this time around democracy in action meant just about everyone was taking action, and the wait time over the weekend was close to two hours. That’s just too long for a five year old to spend in a line with nothing to do. When the wife went yesterday, the line took forty minutes to get through.

    Last time we voted in the neighborhood was back on election day 2016, and at 8am, there was no wait time, not even a line. We got in and out easily, maybe spending 15 minutes in the polling location.

    I’m excited about early voting today. I’m even excited about standing in line. I’m excited to take action and be a part of the process. I’m trying to stay positive today. Good things happen when people are involved.

  • Tipping Point on My Objectivity

    The election is dominating just about all of my thoughts. And as each day that passes, I have started to feel less and less confidant that the outcome I am hoping for will come to pass. This is the Hilary Hangover, and it refuses to let me get exciting about a positive outcome.

    Jesus himself could come down and tell me that Trump will lose the election, and the first thing I would say back is, “But is Trump going to leave office quietly?”

    I have even started watching “The West Wing” to make myself feel better. I want to believe that people in government are trying to do the right thing.

    And I am out the point to where I am thinking that I am no longer being objective to issues. Like the courts.

    A month ago, I would be one of the first people to say no to adding seats to the Supreme Court. I would prefer term limits, or expanding the lower courts, or making Election Day a national holiday, or mandatory registration at the age of 18. Steps that wouldn’t involve changing the Constitution.

    But with everything going on, I am finding a tinge in me that wants retrebution. I want to swith the rukes, like the rules were switched on me.

    I don’t think that this out look is helping anyone…

  • Stop Checking the Polls

    That isn’t directed to you. That’s for me.

    I can’t stop checking Five Thirty-eight every hour to see if things have been settled, or if I can gain some new insight that will help calm me down.

    As of writing this, I haven’t found anything, and my anxiety is through the roof.

    This is 100% due to my over confidence that Clint would win in 2016. And I would like to point out that she did win the popular vote by 3 million.

    But today, I trust nothing. I want to believe that everything will work out the way it needs to. I need everything to work out. I need to know that it will work out.

    Hence, why I keep checking

  • The Debate Happened: Yet Another Take

    I was all amped up for a dumpster fire of a shit show last night, but what I got was Trump trying to act like a grown up, and it was boring. Sure there were a few weird moments, espically the “I’m the least racist person you will ever meet,” moment. Like I joked last night, whenever a person uses that phrase, they are actually the most racist person you will ever meet.

    As is the game the next morning, we all ask, who won the debate?

    Well, I have to go with Biden, and to be honest, Biden wasn’t that good. He was playing not to lose, instead of trying to get a win. I can’t blame the guy, I would do the same thing if I was in his shoes.

    As for Trump, his “Bull in a China Shop” schtick from last time caused him to be pinned in and constrained due to the rule change. Hopefully this will be the last debate with the Trump Rule will be used; the mute button. Trump was forced to behave, which gave Biden the advantage because it turned into a real debate, or at least a half-assed policy discussion. In that situation, Trump is pretty boring.

    In the end, each camp will claim their guy won, so no real surprise at reading the news today.

    Will this debate cause people to change their minds? I doubt it. Most people are already locked in to who they support. I just hope people vote.

    What I would really like to see is a 64% voter turn out for this election. That would be the highest turn out in 100 years. That to me would say people are taking this serious.

  • What Have I Learned This Week?

    This has been a very political week for me, blog wise. I woke up this morning with the intention of not writing about anything political, and then I saw that Trump and the First Lady have tested positive for Covid.

    Proving that 2020 is the year when anything and everything will happen.

    But as it is Friday, maybe some self-reflection is needed.

    What have I learned this week?

    First, school teachers do not get the credit and pay that they deserve. I have said that many times before, but two weeks of home school/video chat has proved that to me, in a very crystal clear manner. I will commit now, and for the rest of my life, to ensure that teachers get the respect, pay and resources they need and deserve to do their jobs.

    Second, if doing the home school thing is my lot for the next eight months, then I have to come to terms that I will only have about an hour a day to write during the school week. And if I want more time, that will have to occur on nights and weekend. Just a fact.

    Third, as we enter October, I also have to come to terms that I will not being able to relax until the year 2020 is over. I thought 2016 was bad (except for the Cubs winning the World Series) and 2018 wasn’t a good year either. But, 2020 just won’t let up. The anxiety I have every day is relentless, and I don’t think I will be able to relax until the election is over, and a vaccine is out. I know there are a million other issues that 2020 has brought us, but I need those two things to happen.

    Here is to trying to have a good weekend…