Election 2020 – Page 4

Oh Race, when will we cast you from our minds, when will we be free?

There are vast amounts of human energy trapped in dysfunctional relationships. Energies that can be put to good use and so ease the burden of pain we live with. Energies which can be channeled constructively to improve our lot and pave the way for those who come after us.

In the mind of the racist lives the desire to seek advantage. To get ahead. Just as it lives in the minds of those who are not racist. We need such impetus to move forward, to battle whatever our circumstances and push ahead.

It is tempting to wish to narrow the field we compete against by devaluing others.

Say that, since times past, people with the color Orange had been assigned a certain minus (-) value, for whatever reason.

When we inherit that notion, and choose not to challenge it, then it is easy to attempt to exclude Orange people from our interactions.

This exclusion, however, carries consequences. The implicit devaluing means we will not benefit from whatever gifts nature has given them.

I use Orange to designate anyone – non white – now comprising nearly 90% of people on earth.

Our history offers some telling examples of how devaluing people suppresses energies.

At the outset of the Civil War there were clear differences in the strengths of the economies of the North and the South, the economy of the North being the stronger. Racism lived in both the North and the South but in the South it was overwhelming. African Americans escaped from the South to the North, not the other way around. In other words, the relative freedom of African Americans in the North contributed to the greater wealth of that section of the country.

In time, their power and strength would be marshaled into the Army and they would go on to play a decisive role in the victory over the South. Without them, victory would not have been possible.

Sadly, after the war, in one of the most shameful periods in our history, prejudice prevailed, and the country would go on to endure racial repression in forms overt and covert until this day.

Now think of how much farther ahead we would be today as a nation if we had confronted our prejudices?

In today’s world, it is Asian families that are the richest (2018 figures). Do we take on that challenge? Do we set out to release the energies trapped in our dysfunctional race relations?

We are proud to say that we live in a country where the rule of law and self determination prevail but, in fact, they are constantly undermined. The already advantaged continue to find ways to persuade others to give them even more advantages and so, with growing inequality of opportunity, the differences in wealth, level of education and health keep increasing.

The population of our prisons is a stark reminder of all that we have been doing wrong. Step into one and you see masses of African Americans and Latinos – whites being the minority.

What happened? Why are African Americans and Latinos so disproportionately represented in our prisons?

Why did they so disproportionately violate the law?

The answer is so clear that it is hard to accept.

Had they had the same opportunities you and I had they wouldn’t be there.

But clear as the answer is, we struggle to embrace it.

Every race has the same potential for development as any other race. That one group gained an initial advantage, was an accident of history.

When we take in that notion, then we open our minds to allowing for the development of others, even as we strive to maximize our own.

We will see the other who is troubled as someone who needs help to connect with their strengths and build on them.

Look a little closer still and we see something surprising. We see ourselves in them.

We do because they are us.

Us without the benefit of the advantage.

Us without the benefit of affordable housing.

Us but for the burden of poverty.

Us but for the drag of inferior schooling.

Us except for police brutality.

Us except for the chance to develop what abilities we have.

Yes. All of that.

Lots of work has been done to close the gap between the development of white and Black people in America, but we must speed up the pace.

To do that we have to stay open.

To stay open we have to talk.

Talk without blaming,

Talk without hating,

Seeking to understand,

And using our imagination,

To accept and forgive,

Forgive ourselves,

Perchance even to embrace the Orange people,

The Orange people that is us.

Oscar Valdes is the author of Psychiatrist for A Nation. Available on Amazon.

Oscarvaldes.net.

Trump and the Power of Pardons

Trump is in the Oval Office at the White House. He’s sitting alone behind his desk… feeling sad and lonely.

He clasps his hands and pushes back in his chair. This is not a good spot he is in. Joe Biden is ahead in the polls. The number of Coronavirus infections has kept going up. The death toll is mounting.

True, the economy’s charge back is a bright spot… but will people forget the death count? Will they forget the pain?

China had not been fully transparent at the outset of the epidemic but still there had been time to take better precautions, and if he had acted promptly the numbers would not be so horrible.

He rubbed his face, looked down at the ground.

He had made a note to himself to call up Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, to thank him for the extraordinary foresight and energy he and his team had shown injecting massive funds into the economy to ensure liquidity, but he hadn’t got around to it. Would he?

It was hard for Trump to acknowledge Powell’s grand moment.

Hard for him to acknowledge that it had not been his press conferences or his refusal to wear a mask that had boosted the spirits of the nation. No. It had been the feisty governors, mostly democratic, and yes, through it all, Jerome Powel and the Federal Reserve. The bankers, with their commitment to their work, had seized the spotlight and taken it from him.

Congress had acted, too, and passed very important relief bills – but the spotlight was Powell’s.

Trump crossed his legs, brought his palms together beneath his chin and looked up at the ceiling. He felt his eyes grow misty… he felt so alone.

A lump of emotion formed in his throat and he took a deep breath.

If he had been a songwriter… he would have started to write the words for a song… ‘Don’t cry for me, USA, don’t cry for me…’

He shook his head disconsolately.

There were still three and a half months to election day but he already felt defeated.

Beaten down.

Then, abruptly, he clenched his fists. ‘What am I doing?’

He sat up and sprang to his feet, crossing to the window where he threw open the curtains.

Ah, yes… there was the city in its full splendor. Yes. And he felt a rush of relief. All was not lost. Not at all.

It wasn’t Biden that was defeating him, it was the Corona virus. All the mistakes he’d made, the talk of Russian interference, the bruising of long held alliances, the Ukrainian imbroglio, nothing of that had stopped the economy from rising steadily… until the virus hit.

Yes, Biden and the democrats had the virus to thank. If it weren’t for it, Biden and his lot of socialists would be well behind in the polls.

But the virus had happened.

Maybe it was divine intervention. No. Not that. God was on his side. It was more like a test.

Trump looked out and smiled. He loved the sight of the city from his window. And he loathed the idea that he might have to surrender it to a democrat.

He would’ve been glad to surrender it to Pence, instead, after serving a second term.

But no, he would not go down easily. If he had to sign bill after bill of relief funds, he would. And he would because his supporters were counting on him and he would not disappoint them.

He was an embattled president, wasn’t he? Yes, he was. He loved a good fight. And yes, he was going to do everything he could to beat back the socialists and fascists who wanted to tear up the very heart of America.

He would not let down the great nation, like he would not let down his friends.

Just the day before he had signed a pardon for his old time ally, Roger Stone, as he was about to start serving a three year sentence. No, he would not allow Roger to suffer that indignity.

Trump kept looking out the window and crossed his arms. He was feeling better now. A little better. He had friends, yes, people who counted on him. But he knew, too, that he was running out of time. So he needed to face the facts. He had dealt with many painful situations in his life, having had to declare bankruptcy many times, and if he hadn’t acted decisively then the Trump brand would not have existed and he would not be standing in the Oval office.

He smiled to himself.

So, no, he was not going down without a fight… and even if he went down, bloodied and bruised, there would still be life after the White House. ‘Let’s face it,’ he said aloud, ‘I’m a historical figure, a turning point in the history of America. From here on out there will be two eras, the B.T., Before Trump, and the A.T., After Trump. Now, that was power. Great power.’

And yes, he would have to live with the regret that there would be no Nobel Prize for him, like there had been for his predecessor, the African born president passing himself as Hawaiian.

He chuckled. It was not deserved anyway, he consoled himself. The Swedes and Norwegians gave the prize to Obama at the start of his presidency before he had done anything, which was just as well because he didn’t do anything. In effect, Obama had got a Nobel Prize for being Black.

‘But don’t cry for me, USA!’ Trump exclaimed defiantly, surprised that he had shouted the words.

He nodded thoughtfully, closed his eyes and rubbed his chin.

Yes, he was a businessman at the core… and he had to protect the downside. He must, because there was the possibility that this time the polls were right, and Biden would beat him.

Never mind the debates, where he was sure to trounce Biden (surely Biden had something to say about that). He would have no mercy for Joe, Trump continued, because he didn’t deserve any.

Trump checked his watch. It was 4:58 pm. He had asked Pence to meet him at the office at 5.

He stayed looking out the window and two minutes later, exactly on time, there was a knock at the door.

‘Come on in!’ he cried.

And Pence stepped in. He went over to where Trump stood and they shook hands. Trump signaled for Pence to take a seat opposite him at his desk.

Quiet followed.

Then Trump began. ‘Mike… there is the possibility that, this time, the polls are right.’

‘What?’ Pence shook his head vigorously. ‘I don’t believe them. Not one of them. It’s all fake news.’

‘Thank you, Mike, you have been so loyal. To the point that you chose not to wear a mask when you visited Mayo Clinic. You went into the hospital wards where all the doctors were wearing them and you, alone, stood out for not having one on. That took guts.’

‘Thank you,’ said Pence, though it occurred to him that he had acted like an idiot, ‘I’d do it again, too,’ he added.

‘That’s precisely the kind of spirit we need when the chips are down. Now Mike… the reason I’ve asked you in… is that I need your help.’

‘Anything… you know that,’ said Pence.

They paused for an instant.

‘I had a dream last night,’ resumed Trump, ‘where I was standing on top of the staircase to Air Force One, ready to board, and I waved back. I had lost the election.’

‘No way,’ said Pence emphatically. ‘It won’t happen, the economy is bouncing back, before long it will be reaching record highs, and there will be major breakthroughs in getting the vaccine. People will be back to work and the unemployment rate will be close to where it was before Corona.’

Trump smiled wistfully. And he wanted to believe his loyal friend but he needed to cover his downside. He was, after all, a practical man.

‘Mike… if I lose…’

‘Don’t think that way,’ interrupted Pence, leaning forward, ‘You’re a winner, you’re what America needs.’

Trump nodded slowly, then, ‘Mike… if I lose… I need you to pardon me.’

Pence stared back at Trump, startled, then sat back in his chair and looked down at the desk in front of him.

‘Pardon you for what? You haven’t done anything wrong.’

‘I know, but you don’t know what these democrats will come up with, anything to drive me down into the muck… when all my work has been to elevate America.’

Pence nodded thoughtfully.

‘But how could I do that, I’d have to be president to pardon you?’

‘True… so I would make you president.’

‘What?’

‘If I lose… which I don’t think I will, but if I lose… I’d resign before the end of my term so you would become president… and then, after a week or so in office, you would turn around and pardon me.’

Pence raised his eyebrows. ‘You would be willing to do that?’

‘Yes.’

‘When would you resign?’

‘Right after New Year’s Day… which would leave you about 3 weeks in office. Enough time to handle one crisis or another, and then you would become former president Pence, and that would make you the leading candidate against Biden in 2024.’

Pence nodded approvingly, the possibilities dawning on him. ‘I would be the leader of the Republican party, with plenty of time to raise money to beat Biden or whoever became the democratic candidate.’

‘That’s the idea. Of course, if you want, I’d be glad to campaign for you,’ said Trump, ‘if you want.’

There was quiet again.

Then Pence smiled a big smile, his eyes sparkling, and extended his hand to Trump.

‘Deal,’ Pence said, gushing. And Trump’s sagging spirits were suddenly lifted.

‘You made my day, Mike,’ said Trump.

‘Now let’s get on with it and win this next election,’ said Pence, effusively.

And the two men rose, walked toward each other and embraced.

Oscar Valdes is the author of Psychiatrist for A Nation. Available on Amazon.

Oscarvaldes.net

Joe and Jill go Up the Hill

The big question to answer is, should Biden select an African American woman for the vice presidential spot?

To try and find out I transformed myself into a fly and flew into the Bidens’ living quarters. Becoming a fly allowed me to pass through the many secret service checks. A few times they swatted at me and even sprayed some nasty mist in my direction but I managed to dodge till, finally, was able to find a spot up on the ceiling of their living room. I anchored myself in such fashion that I could hear all they said, without seeing any of what they did. Respecting their privacy is important to me.

They had just stepped in from their bedroom when I first heard them. They sat down.

Joe – That is the question. Will African Americans feel disappointed and cool on me if I don’t choose one of them?

Jill – It’s a lot of pressure you’re under.

Joe – I wouldn’t be where I am if it hadn’t been for their showing up in great numbers in the South Carolina primary.

Jill – But still you worry about it, don’t you?

Joe – I do.

Jill – Why?

Joe – My main task is to win and remove Trump. The nation cannot endure four more years of this man. The African American vote alone won’t get us there. We need votes from every sector, from the Right to the Left, the poor to the rich and from all minorities. Whites are a majority in this country. I have to appeal to those who voted for Trump and are disappointed with his performance. Race played a big part in Trump’s victory. So I have to reach out to those voters and say to them, ‘look at me, brothers and sisters, I am a white man. Throughout all my political career I have defended the rights of African Americans, and guess what? Doing so has not diminished me but, instead, made me a better person and a better politician for all Americans. Had I not made the choices I made, Obama would not have chosen me as his running mate, and I would not have been able to serve the nation as I did.

Jill – I like that, Joe.

Joe – Thanks, baby.

Jill – It speaks to the need for continued integration, and that new strengths will arise from our coming together… not pulling apart.

Joe – Yes.

Jill – I worry, though, that the various camps… Warren’s, Harris’, Klobuchar’s… and the women governors who believe they might be picked… all keep striving to find favor with you… the people they represent thinking that what they stand for should be put up front on the national agenda, that their views should have a stronger voice, and their candidate being selected would make that more likely.

Joe – I understand. My task, though, is to convey to the nation, that I will be a President for everyone. I will be a president for the Trump supporter who will vote against me, and I will be a president for him because I will listen to what he has to say. I will also be a president to those who have given up on going to the polls, because they no longer believe their plight will ever be heard. Having been a life long supporter of African American causes, has helped me acquire the strength required.

Jill – You don’t feel you have to prove it by choosing an African American…

Joe – Right. Color alone will not sway me. Character will. How can we forget the good Reverend?

Jill – Indeed.

Joe – When you go to the polls and vote for me, you will be voting for what I stand, and my pledge to devote the rest of my life to making this country all it can be. And I will show you my taxes, too.

Jill laughs.

Jill – Joe… have you made up your mind, already?

Joe – I have.

Jill – I had a sense.

Joe – It wasn’t a difficult decision, once I thought about it in detail.

Jill – You feel good about it?

Joe – Very good.

Jill – Any hint?

Joe – I’ll give you one… it is one of the women who ran for president.

Jill – Why?

Joe – Because they put themselves out… they went for it with all they had. I value that.

Jill – That narrows it down quite a bit.

Joe – Yes. Who was your favorite?

Jill – I don’t want to tell you, it might influence you.

Joe – I’ve made up my mind.

Jill – I’ll wait till you announce. When will you?

Joe – At the convention. Keeping to tradition.

Jill – Something to look forward to.

Joe – Yes.

They are quiet for a moment.

Jill – Here’s another question for you… don’t answer if you don’t want. In multiracial America, is there room for an all white presidential ticket?

Joe – You’re nipping close, aren’t you?

Jill – You don’t have to answer.

Joe – Yes, there is. There’s room for an all white ticket.

Jill leans back in her seat and as she does she looks up and notices the fly on the ceiling.

Jill – There’s a fly up there. Wonder how it got in. Joe… Trump will not go down quietly.

Joe – I know. And neither will the voices that preach disunion, privilege and enmity. Look… this race is mine to lose… only I offer the hope for a government that is open to all… and to which I will bring the best and brightest to the White House… from the Right, the Left and the Center, and steer a path to reconciliation and healing.

Jill – And I will be there at your side.

Joe – Ah… what else can a man ask for? Come over here, baby.

At which point, thinking the rest was none of my business, I flew away so I could record what you have just read.

Oscar Valdes is the author of ‘Psychiatrist for a Nation’, available on Amazon and Oscarvaldes.net.

Warren Will Endorse Biden. Obama, When Will You?

In the next day or two, Warren will make her announcement. The choice is clear. She’s a talented intellectual with a political future. There is no future in endorsing Sanders.

Warren miscalculated when she took a center left position that made her seem too close to Sanders, and she’s paid the price in the polls.

But she has a political future. I think she should campaign for Biden all the way through November and thus add weight to the Biden movement.

And she would make a fine secretary of state in a Biden administration.

With the show of strength in Super Tuesday, Biden’s campaign should steadily add to the lead in delegates and so go into Milwaukee with the sufficient number.

Which brings me to the matter of vice presidential choice.

It should be a woman.

As things stand now, Amy Klobuchar is in the lead among potential candidates.

Biden will be tempted to consider Harris for the position but I think it will be a mistake.

He already has the black vote. He doesn’t need to offer the position as a gift for their support.

What he needs to do, once he’s elected, is deliver on the promises he’s made.

And now to Obama’s endorsement.

I see the merits of his having abstained from endorsing Biden to let things play out.

But they have already played out. And it is clear that Biden’s solid performance on Super Tuesday will continue to be replicated in other states.

Endorsing Biden now may seem like the kiss of death to the Sanders’ campaign but the party needs to solidify behind Biden and the quicker it is done, the more productive the outcome.

Sanders’ supporters need to feel represented in Biden’s campaign.

And so should every American, including those who now support Donald Trump.

The message will need to be refined. The less strife leading up to the convention, the more time to clarify the positions and broaden the appeal.

Biden Deals a Blow to the Coronavirus.

This morning, the house of representatives agreed on a bill that will provide 8.3 billion to fight the coronavirus.

It is no coincidence that this move comes right after Biden’s big win in last night’s primaries which vault him to the top in the delegate count.

‘We have to do something, quick, hurry up,’ said the Republican legislators eager to cooperate on the new bill, ‘Joe Biden is coming!’

A campaign that just before South Carolina’s primary last Saturday, seemed badly bruised and cornered, has charged back valiantly and landed a heck of a punch.

Biden’s gain has acted to restore hope that there is sanity in the nation, that diverse communities will have a say in the conduct of our affairs, that kindness is part of who we are, that no one is to be excluded, that we can improve on what we have already built and don’t need a revolution as Mr Sanders has touted.

Joe Biden’s victory last night means that a huge segment of this country, has entrusted him with the task of taking on Donald Trump in the debates to come, confident that Joe will go full out in the fight to dethrone the president.

Joe Biden now symbolizes America’s repudiation of this administration’s ill conceived measures such as our pulling out of the Paris accord on climate change, a reckless trade war with China which has damaged our economy, the passing of a tax cut that disproportionately benefits the well off, excessive deregulation which damages the environment, an overly partisan approach in selecting people to positions of leadership which has resulted in the exclusion of the best and brightest the nation has to offer.

And it will be up to Joe Biden also, to select a woman as the vice presidential nominee.

Distinguished women fought hard to become the democratic selection for president. Voters are choosing him instead, but he can take it upon himself to ease the path for a woman becoming president by selecting one now as his running mate.

Joe is not only beating the coronavirus, he will defeat Trump too, and by selecting a woman vice president, will open a new chapter in the history of our nation.

Thank You, South Carolina. And When Should Obama and Bloomberg Endorse?

The spirited give and take of last night’s debate helped clarify my positions.

My support for Biden has strengthened, my hopes for Bloomberg died.

While there is no outstanding candidate among the contenders, Joe Biden brings a vast trove of experience along with a warm and accessible personality. It matters.

Bloomberg managed successfully the affairs of New York city, but Biden has been in the thick of many critical national situations and earned the praise of president Obama for his performance as vice president.

I am thankful for all the philanthropy that Bloomberg has supported and for his willingness to back many people running for office. But I do not think that he, himself, has the personality traits that can motivate voters. I thought he might, but his debate performances have shown me otherwise. Debates are important.

My hope is that Bloomberg will continue to play a most important role in this election, providing needed funds to counter Trump’s large reserves, which grow steadily while democrats spend in the primaries.

Bloomberg would do well to step down now and save his money. The democratic cause, to which he has pledged his allegiance, will need it. He ought to do so quickly, preferably before the big contest on March 3^rd, but vanity is a powerful force. The expectation that he’ll have delegate votes to shuffle around at a democratic convention with no clear winner may help fuel the vanity, but not the cause.

I heard Biden say that, after March 3^rd, there will be only two candidates standing, Sanders and him. I think he’s right.

Buttigieg has had his moment in the sun and so has Warren, but they will fight on, regardless, just in case an unexpected event changes the possibilities. Both front runners are older men.

Tom Steyer would do well to give it up now, save his money or give to a charity, and endorse one of the other candidates.

Amy Klobuchar has not risen sufficiently in the standings, but I have been impressed by her character, her pluck, her consistency and equanimity. I think she would make a fine vice president. So I think she should continue to campaign as long as her funds allow.

Should Obama step in at this stage and endorse a candidate?

I think he should.

He should because it ought to be clear, that Sanders has no chance to beat Trump. No matter how many polls the Vermont senator cites as evidence that he can beat Trump. He will not.

Obama’s endorsement of Biden, before Big Tuesday (March 3^rd), will likely push Biden ahead of Sanders and put him in the lead of delegates, which will increase the likelihood of a clear winner going into the convention.

If Sanders has such a strong base as he boasts he has, then it won’t matter that Obama endorses Biden.

As to vice presidential choices, Biden should pick a woman. Should she be white or black?

Biden may be tempted to go with Kamala Harris but I don’t think that is a good idea.

He already has the black vote in a contest against Trump. Why ignore someone with the substance and tenacity that Amy Klobuchar has shown?

Kamala Harris dropped out. Klobuchar has fought on and will continue to do so until she’s flat out of cash. She’s got scrappy written all over her. That feistiness and commitment needs to be rewarded. Not doing so sends the wrong signal to voters.

Can Biden beat Trump?

I don’t know.

Trump is strong, younger, charismatic, pugnacious, will do or say whatever he must to get his votes, has been campaigning non stop, holding rally after rally during his entire presidency, eager as he is to redeem himself for not having won the popular vote and to erase the haunting suspicion that Russian interference elected him. He is hungry for the attention and power and has loyal supporters. His is a train running full speed ahead.

So I don’t know if Biden can beat Trump. But he will put up a hell of a fight. Biden will do that.

Those forthcoming presidential debates between Trump and Biden will be memorable because both men will be swinging at each other from the get go. Both men aiming for a knock out, both fighting desperately for their political lives.

So, Obama and Bloomberg, are you hearing? Be bold and endorse Biden now.

The Las Vegas Debate Last Night

Much anticipated and much revealing, it was a fiery, gloves off contest, where everyone got to have a moment in the sun.

Barring a major embarrassment, however, we have seen enough to begin to firm up our opinions. The traded punches have begun to seem familiar.

Was there a surprise?

Yes, and it was Bloomberg.

The expectation, going in, was that he would be trounced, ripped apart, by the rest of the field. He was not. Instead, he took it on the chin and came right back. He was the newcomer with a chance to shoot right up to the top and he was given that importance. He wore it well.

He was steady throughout, acknowledging his mistakes but pressing on. He was unapologetic about his wealth. And he now is giving it away, he said. Mind you, he has a long record of philanthropic efforts so this is not something that started last month.

Is the man politically correct? No. Is the man charismatic? Not either. Is the man flawed? Yes. But can the man learn? Yes. Can he lead? Yes.

Bloomberg doesn’t make you move to the edge of your seat when he speaks, he doesn’t dance with flowery statements, but he clearly conveys a sense that he can steer a ship to safe harbor. ‘We need a manager in the White House,’ I recall him saying, and we don’t have one.

Sanders was reveling in his front runner status. It won’t last. And even if it does, it will be for naught. He cannot beat Trump.

Is Bloomberg buying the election? Of course not.

He’s not buying my vote, he is earning it.

But many will continue to accuse him of doing so.

A candidacy like Bloomberg’s is unprecedented.

Can we have enough sense to see it for what it is?

No one on that stage, other than him, has a chance to beat Trump. No one on that stage has a chance of persuading ambivalent Trump supporters, dissatisfied with the president’s performance, to come over to the democratic side. No one on that stage has the ability to outspend Trump.

That Bloomberg was once a republican becomes a plus. He has been on the other side.

That Bloomberg brings a combination of strong commitment to social causes along with excellence in business is a huge asset.

We can choose to ignore this and keep believing the rant that he’s buying the election, but we would be passing up on a unique opportunity.

There’s that old saying that nations deserve the leaders they get.

There’ much truth to it.

If the many mistakes leading up to Trump’s elections hadn’t been made, he would not have become president. So, yes, we deserve Trump. But can we learn from it?

In Bloomberg we have a candidate who, while not perfect, represents an opportunity for the nation to right its present course.

We can, however, in the face of the evidence, stop our ears, close our eyes, stomp our feet in desperation while believing Sanders when he says that billionaires should not exist, implying that, instead of making his money, Bloomberg should have been doing missionary work to save the poor in our land.

If we don’t wake up we’re going to miss this unique chance. Let us not do that.

One last thought. Amy Klobuchar performed very well. She has been consistent throughout and is good at defending herself with restraint and substance.

She would make a terrific vice presidential choice, and a good president soon.

So here’s my choice for the democratic ticket. Bloomberg – Klobuchar.

I may have a bumper sticker printed out.

One final thought. Dearest America, think, please, think.

Trump vs Sanders. Let Us Not Demonize. The Importance of Explaining Trump.

So far, on the road to election day in November, Sanders is heading the democratic pack. He is, of course, a devout believer in government intervention. Trump, on the other hand, is a strong advocate of deregulation. Deregulating everything. Even morals.

Sanders tells us that he will pass Medicare for All, the undocumented included and, please, no billionaires. They should be outlawed. So let us be pious and self sacrificing, says the good man, give me the sick from all over the world and we will cover you.

Trump shouts proudly to his followers, ‘I am a billionaire! Be like me!’ Of course, the fantasy will be out of reach for the vast majority of his fans but something about the possibility of achieving it makes it hard to give up.

Who do you think will win in November? Not Sanders.

No matter how rough the road to riches, no matter how filled with obstacles, we want to make sure it is still there. And if we choose not to go down that path, or if it is not for us, then do allow someone else to go for it, someone with the imagination, tenacity and daring.

Sanders’ overemphasis on government intervention will block that road.

Is Trump a problem? Yes.

How are we going to defeat him?

We must explain him. Not demonize him.

What did Trump do to gain the loyalty of his followers in 2016?

He said to his audience, ‘never mind piety, you have for too long been shackled by it. Had you not been so pious you would have complained loudly about globalization taking away your jobs, had you not been so pious you would’ve marched on your state capitals and demanded action. And so I say to you, cast aside your piety and follow me. I will show you the way. I will sin for you and spare you such burden so you may be all you can be. In return, I only ask that you pledge your complete devotion to me, and with the power of your wind beneath my wings we will soar as high as you wish (just keep blowing hard). Make America Great Again. Be not afraid for together we shall not fail’. And, entranced by his grand incantation, they gave their devotion to him. Him, who, in spite of his riches (we haven’t seen the tax returns), had no track record whatsoever of ever helping anybody but himself.

What else did Trump do to gain his loyal following in 2016?

He appropriated immigration. Made it his own. Mounted on his big white horse, clad in his gilded armor, his hair nicely in place, the great man said to his audience, ‘How dare these different colored people come to our land and prosper when you have been left behind? We must not allow it. If we do, one day soon they will become our masters. Would you like that?’ And the enchanted crowd sprang to its feet, pumping their fists high in the air, ‘No, we will not!’ They cried in fury, surprised that they had so much of it in them. And Trump, himself, struck by the fervor he had ignited, thought to himself, ‘dammit, I have them in the palm of my hand, don’t I? I had no idea I was this good. I’m no longer the sorcerer’s apprentice, I have become the sorcerer himself.’

And returning to his crowd, which stood agape, hungering for his wisdom and guidance, he said, ‘No, we will not allow it. So let us ban these different colored people who have invaded us with the blessing of the traitorous democrats, let us ban them and build a wall to keep them out forever. And yes, I will sin if I must, and in return, I only ask that you pledge to me your complete devotion’. And they roared their approval.

With their devotion, Trump now could do as he wished. And he did.

After all that hoopla, however, has Trump really empowered his supporters? No. He has started to build a wall and wages have gone up a little with improvements in the economy for which Obama had laid the groundwork. (the massive benefit from the tax cuts Trump passed in 2018 went to the wealthy and have yet to trickle down to the lower classes. Don’t hold your breath)

True empowerment comes from lasting changes but Trump is a man for the moment, not a man for the future. He is not a man who sows the land but a man who harvests what is already there. In fact, he wouldn’t know what to plant, for planting in people’s souls is no easy task.

If he knew how to do it, he would’ve said to his followers, ‘you have made some mistakes, my fellow Americans, and I will help you overcome them. I will work to make you stronger, better educated, better advocates for yourselves, so you can get what you need in an increasingly complex world, where the power of knowledge and creativity is what allows us to compete effectively and succeed. I have faith in you and will work with you. There is no need to pick a quarrel with the rest of America or with foreigners, no need to claim a monopoly on virtue. Only hard work will set us free’.

Trump wished he could have said that. But it was beyond his grasp. He saw the world in a narrower way. ‘I’m 70ish and running out of time’ he said to himself, ‘I want to get on top while I can and will do what I must’.

But let us not demonize.

Regardless of his coarseness, his bullying and narrow mindedness, Trump has stirred up energies in his supporters that democrats should be careful not to brand as merely racist and white supremacist.

There are layers of that present, indeed, but there is something more that Trump is awakening. When he says to his supporters, ‘let’s have it all, right now, let us make America great again, let us be all we can be and the hell with everybody else!’ he is firing up the driving force of self interest.

There’s something very strong about that position. It is devoid of suffocating restraints and hindrances. It is not pious.

We do need rules, mind you, fair rules and decency, so we can live together in peace, just not as many as Sanders want us to have.

We do need to be respectful to others so they will be respectful to us in turn, but we do not need to be as pious as Sanders wants us to be.

Trump has strengths and they have to be acknowledged.

Demonizing him will not do.

Explaining Trump, on the other hand, will help us see how he went about exploiting human frailty and how he keeps doing it.

The good news is that there is still time.

One final note on immigration.

Immigration is too powerful a cultural and economic force to be appropriated by one man. No one leader or group should claim the power to decide its future. Instead, the issue needs to be addressed by the entire nation. Holding a National Referendum on Immigration Reform will be one way to empower all Americans on the matter. Each citizen, one vote. Let us not be afraid of it.

Bloomberg Rising

It certainly looks like it.

When I first heard that he had made up his mind to jump in, I thought it was too late. But no longer. Instead, he appears very well organized (see MikeBloomberg2020) and his plans of action are likely to appeal to the mainstream of the electorate. As such, he will likely draw from ambivalent Trump supporters, particularly those who do not want to see the recent gains in the economy jeopardized by a radical democratic candidate.

Bloomberg brings to the table considerable experience as a three term mayor of New York. New York, mind you, not South Bend, Indiana.

Bloomberg also has a record of extensive commitment and support to liberal causes, not like Mr. Trump whose foundations had questionable finances and whose Trump University had to close under a cloud.

What scandal has been ascribed to Bloomberg? None that I know. Compare Trump.

Experience matters. Character matters.

A man gifted with exceptional business savvy coupled with a commitment to public service is a rare find, indeed. Why waste it?

Is Bloomberg coming forward to enrich himself some more? Absolutely not.

He is coming forward at a very important juncture in our history because he genuinely feels he can make an important contribution. One that is sorely needed at a time when our relations with longtime allies are being frayed, a time when immigration is under attack not only here in the US but in the world at large, a time when climate changes are being ignored by Mr. Trump.

At this crucial moment, Bloomberg is putting himself on the line and saying, ‘I am willing to serve the nation whose institutions and opportunities made possible my success’.

Men or women who have had the chance of savoring success because of their own efforts, are men and women who are generous. And because they are it is then reflected in their broad-minded ideas. Compare the stinginess and narrow mindedness of Mr. Trump.

Is Bloomberg buying the election?

Nonsense. People who say so are not thinking.

Bloomberg is saying that he can finance his campaign, that he does not need any contributions because he can afford it. That does not mean he can buy my vote. Or anyone’s vote.

In the court of public opinion, Bloomberg has to make his case for public support and compete with every candidate in the race.

I, for one, will not hold his wealth against him. That would be silly.

Why rebuff a highly capable and intelligent man because of his billions?

Which brings me to this next point. I have no doubt, that Bloomberg will not hesitate to show his tax returns. Compare Trump. So tell me, who would you then deem to be more trustworthy?

Remember the saying ‘don’t look a gift horse in the mouth?’

That’s where we are, folks.

We have a gift horse in the race and we ought not look him in the mouth.

Let us examine his plans, let us subject him to the greatest scrutiny, please. But let us not rule him out because he has been enormously successful.

Will he be able to go up against Trump? I think so.

Am I ready to vote for him? No.

I need to first see him in a debate. I need to see him under fire. But from what I’ve seen so far, I like Mike.

One final point. Bloomberg has good ideas on immigration. Still, I favor my proposal that we have a National Referendum on Immigration Reform. The issue is complex and should be decided by all Americans. Let us not be afraid of looking at who we are on the subject. We need Borders not Walls. With a National Referendum we will have Borders we will stand by United.

Disclosure: I do not know Bloomberg nor anyone in his circles.

We Need Borders Not Walls.

A Call for a National Referendum on Immigration Reform.

(this article was submitted to the OpEd section of the NYTimes on 1/22/20 but rejected. Then submitted to the Washington Post on 1/27/20 and withdrawn from consideration on 1/30/20)

There is the strong possibility that Trump might get reelected, regardless of the damage the impeachment process may cause.

In 2016, Trump took the immigration issue and whipped his supporters into a frenzy. He painted a picture that immigrants where the reason neglected Americans had not fared better economically. Or socially.

It was the immigrants’ fault. And he would clean house, build a wall, put in restrictions, stir as much hatred as possible so his loyal supporters could march to the polls and put in that ballot for him.

But immigration is not Trump’s issue. It is the nation’s issue. All of us should have a say in the matter.

We need borders not walls.

Borders that are held firm by the consensus of all Americans.

A caravan of would be immigrants forms in Central America and heads for our southern border.

Why should that be unsettling to us if we, as a nation, have taken a position and made it into law? It shouldn’t.

The reason it is unsettling is because we have not had the discussion. We have not had the open discussion of the pros and cons of immigration. We have not put all cards on the table and had a healthy debate on how much change to allow and so we do not stand firm on our beliefs.

Do some Americans feel guilty at the sight of impoverished would be immigrants seeking refuge in our land? Yes. But do we need limits? Yes we do.

Do we leave it to businesses to decide who comes in and when? No. But we should hear what they have to say.

Do immigrants lower wages? Yes they do. Do immigrants take jobs that other Americans don’t want? Yes they do. Are immigrants taken advantage of by businesses? Yes they are.

Should Americans fight to preserve what they have built? Yes we should.

And all the while we have to accept that change enriches us. The lack of it impoverishes us.

Immigration has helped us become the strong nation that we are but the rate at which we allow immigrants has to be managed.

It should be up to all Americans to decide on the numbers to admit.

It should not be up to Trump or his supporters for they do not, let me stress that, they do not represent the will of this nation.

Didn’t Trump lose the popular vote by 2.9 million votes?

Wasn’t his election marred by Russian interference as documented by the Mueller report?

We do need new legislation on immigration for we must be in control of our borders but such control should be based on a consensus reached by all Americans.

Which is why I am proposing that we hold a National Referendum on Immigration.

How many immigrants should be allowed in, with what skills, from which countries, for how long a period? (set periods would allow for revisions)

After discussion on the pros and cons, then all Americans would vote on what to do about it. Then it would go to congress to be made into law.

But the discussion has to be national, not left up to our elected representatives, which is why I am proposing the national referendum where all citizens would vote.

Our democratic presidential candidates have not taken this matter seriously.

Immigration deserves to be front and center in this political campaign, with a sound plan to address it, otherwise Trump will do the same that he did in 2016 and stir more hatred of immigrants in his supporters.

Hatred divides us. Discussion helps us build bridges. And borders we will stand by united.