Isn't It A Pity [View all]

I'm not confident that what I have to say here today will be well received, but I think it is important. It is possible that one person might actually read the OP in its entirety, and think it raises a point which is potentially valid, and thus worthy of consideration. And quite a few of us are presented with time to ponder current events, and put them in a longer-term perspective.

This is something that I have been saying to friends, associates, and even people I don't much know on the internet. Events today suggest – at least to me – that the time to argue about the primaries have passed. In fact, they are long gone. This, however, does not translate into our having to agree on which of the two remaining candidates is better or worse. We are all entitled to our own opinions, and that is a good thing.

It does mean that we should all recognize what is unfolding since South Carolina. And that translates into avoiding insults directed at either Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders, and equally important, to avoid attacking either one's supporters – no matter how fun it may appear on the surface. Even when we hear or read someone saying stupid things. In fact, especially when we are confronted with such nonsense.

Both of them have strengths and flaws, both as politicians and human beings. Both are running because they truly believe it is the right thing to do. Joe is not running because he is a “corporate Democrat.” Bernie is not running because Putin wants him too. There are, of course, numerous examples of more ignorant, hateful, and histrionic things being said about who has to be picked for VP, who has to drop out immediately, and other such shit. Make a conscious effort to avoid stepping into such shit.

We are all entitled to our opinions, and subject to our biases, but absolutely no one here will have any say in what either Joe or Bernie does. We all think we are right, and if others would simply do exactly what we think they should, everything would be much better. That is human nature, despite the fact that it never has, is not now, and never will be the case. The prime example, as horrible a case as it is, would be Donald Trump's belief that he should dictate every thing to every one, even today as he is being exposed as not only having any self-control, but as being utterly out-of-control.

Now, let's consider for a moment what Trump's reaction will be, if the Democratic Party unites. Are there any indicators that we might identify? Here are two that I think are important. First, he has begun to self-identify as a “war president.” Thus, in some of his public utterances, we note he wants the public to view him in this same light. By itself, this could be taken for just more of his foolishness.

Thing two: Jared Kushner is running his own private “task force” regarding the corona virus crisis. It is composed of government officials and “business leaders.” What could possibly go wrong, you ask? The synergy of these two hints that this administration is moving rapidly to “Continuity of Government” plans. Let's look closer.

Many governments have (or had) continuity plans for times of national crisis. Generally, in these cases, the anticipated “crisis” would be war. This country has long had COG plans. They were upgraded during the Cold War, when Ike was president. They would be upgraded again in the Reagan years – by VP Bush and Ollie North.

The only time that COG plans were actually used was when Cheney determined they were needed on 9/11, The Cheney-Bush administration never informed the public of this. However, newspaper reports in March of 2002, and Senator Robert Byrd's 2004 book “Losing America: Confronting a Reckless and Arrogant President” (Norton; page 79) document this.

Since Bush and North's contributions to preserving democracy in the United States – if ot around the world – the COG is instituted by a “war president.” It puts only one branch of the federal government in full control, meaning an executive sans legislative or judicial branches. More, it elevates select corporate heads to “serve” as part of the executive branch, in ways that would be Trump's dampest of dreams.

It also allows for detention without any hearing or trial of those the executive branch believes to pose a potential threat. Indeed, what is fascinating to me – and proof that people can change – in 1968, Senator Byrd had argued on the Senate floor that Martin Luther King's proposed Poor People's Campaign” posed such a threat as to represent a national crisis. He demanded that the Johnson administration lock King up, beyond judicial reach.

Of course, one might think that such a plan was far fetched in today's context …..at least until they read about AG Barr's recent outreach to some congressional leaders. See:

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/doj-suspend-constitutional-rights-coronavirus-970935/?fbclid=IwAR2un-vN649cwbyXfhq4b2I6jP79FGx_xrhF4oNZ1gRbzU-67V3hXGpIruU

This could also lead – if Democrats and others unite – to the Trump administration attempting to postpone the November elections, We do not know how long the corona crisis will last. Trump says that it won't take long, experts say it could last up to 18 months. Who do you believe?

Polling places tend to be crowded, which isn't good for containing a virus. But perhaps we should begin to focus on the possible remedies, to be prepared for the time when the Democratic Convention is scheduled for. I do not know if having mail-in ballots is the answer, or at least part of it. But I do know it will take greater minds than my own, and that these types of issues are more important than much of what people are discussing today about the primary contest.

Peace,
H2O Man