The day to officially vote has arrived in America. Will America take a step back from its democracy or will it say to some belligerent autocratic thinkers enough is enough? Here are a few thoughts, again from an independent and former member of both parties. I mention this often as I want people to know I have some conservative bents around financial stewardship and progressive bents around civil rights and opportunities.
Please vote, if you have not doneso already. If you have, well done.
If you care about our planet and battling climate change even more, please vote.
If you care about the civil rights of all people on our shores, please vote.
If you care about the right for a woman to choose what to do with her own body, please vote.
If you care about healthcare access for all Americans, please vote.
If you care about financial programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, please vote.
If you care about requiring more truthfulness and civility in politics, please vote.
If you want to people to address real issues rather than contrived ones, please vote.
To be frank, the halls of legislature no longer are filled entirely with people with good morals, ethics and sense. We have some folks who are not only less than competent, they are more than mean-spirited. Sadly, we have hundreds more just like this lot who are running for office today.
This last statement is unnerving is as Bill Maher put it so well, this is how autocracies start, by electing the people who have sown seeds of doubt. As Maher said the other night, Hitler and Mussolini were elected into office and brought along like-minded folks.
If anyone touts the former US president’s bogus and unproven claims of election fraud in this election, they should not be voted for. Full stop. They are purposefully gaslighting you to get elected, just as the former president has done all of his adult life. He did not just wake up, run for office and start deceiving people. That has long been his modus operandi. This is why I did not vote for him in 2016 or 2020. I want my president to be more truthful than not.
We have one Senatorial candidate who is against abortion, unless it is his baby and he needs to pay to get rid of it. We have one Senatorial candidate who as a doctor on a TV show was hauled in front of Congress for peddling snake oil miracle cures that were untested and harmful to people when taken with other drugs. We have another Senatorial candidate who owns a gun shop, presenting a fairly significant conflict of interest, but also has posed a even tighter nationwide abortion ban.
People need to look at the candidates and vote. Even if you don’t agree with me on all issues, please vote. The problem with elections in America is not fraud, it is not enough people voting. That has always been the case. One party does not think that.
musingsofanoldfart 
May the Americans vote wisely.
Thanks Erika. It is a nice hope. Reality is uglier.
I think so, unfortunately. I don’t follow the news very dedicated lately, so I only get the basic information… and already that is ugly enough!
Erika, I look back to the 1980s, when we had more than a few elected officials who actually studied up on issues. Now, too many base decisions off campaign rhetoric and some even base decisions off lies, which is about as low as you can go. Keith
Well said Keith! I leave to vote soon. Have a good day and may we wake up with good election results!
Joy, I hope so. Dems need to vote. Too many work hard to get these folks not to vote. Keith
Keeping my fingers crossed that there enough sensible people over there! 🤞
Thanks Clive. You may need to dig out some sad songs for us, if not enough Democrats vote. Keith
If it goes the wrong way I think ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley might be in order.
Clive, that would be a good one. I was thinking of Elton John’s “It’s sad, so sad, it’s a sad, sad situation…” Keith
Actual title is Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. True of many politicians 🤣
Clive, politicians don’t seem to be too forthcoming on apologies. Of course, biographers of the former president have noted Roy Cohn taught Trump to “never apologize and sue everyone.” With that kind of role model, it does not inspire humility. Keith
Words well spoken, my friend. Let’s hope they are also well heeded and that sanity is out in force today.
Jill, I sure hope so. Yet, if we are naive enough to elect folks like Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar, Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, et al we are naive enough to elect more even people like them. Keith
Having been glued to my election app for about 8 hours now, I can honestly say that I have a bit of hope for the future of democracy in the U.S. after all. Yes, Greene won her seat again, as did DeSantis, but the touted ‘red wave’ has failed to materialize. Fetterman is skunking Oz, Hobbs is beating Lake, Shapiro trashed Mastriano, Hochul held her governorship … there is lots of good news. Sadly, Vance won his bid for a senate seat. Looks like Georgia will go to a runoff next month, which I believe Warnock can win. Overall, I think the Republicans are a disappointed bunch at about 2:15 this morning! Conspiracy theories, however, are already floating around, as we both knew they would, and one of my own readers is engaging in such nonsense. Sigh.
Jill, the news seems good this morning, or at least better than it could have been. I am glad to see Fetterman beat Oz given Oz’ endangering people on his show with miracle cure pitches, so much that he was called before Congress. I am disappointed that a very poor candidate in Ted Budd won the Nc Senate seat. Richard Burr, who is retiring, is a reasonable Republican, while Budd would never be described as such. His opponent was painted awfully, but she is actually an excellent candidate. It is our loss.
Voting for Marjorie Taylor Greene again is a lot like voting for Trump again. Why in the heck would you after watching the mean-spirited, untruthful behavior. As for Walker, his football popularity and prowess carried a very inferior candidate much further than should have happened, in my view. Keith
PS – I was also disappointed Senator Ron Johnson was re-elected as I feel he goes out of his way to lie on behalf of the deceitful former president. He was so extreme as a committee chair, Republicans on the same committee would not echo some of his pronouncements.
Well done, Keith! I remain hopeful…
Thanks Annie. I hope you are right.
Note to Readers: If the Republicans do take the House, we will be seeing a lot of activity to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rep. Liz Cheney and Hunter Biden. The Fauci take down is designed to erase any blame on Donald Trump for his poor handling of the pandemic. Cheney must be destroyed as she had the temerity to seek the truth about Donald Trump’s seditious actions, and Biden must have all of his warts exposed to discredit the president. It reminds me of why Kevin McCarthy was deferred as Speaker of the House when John Boehner retired. McCarthy was heard on an interview saying the endless Benghazi hearings were designed to discredit Hillary Clinton, not get at the truth. Embarrassed Republicans chose Paul Ryan instead. If the GOP wins, this will have the same kind of purpose.
PS – On the flip side, Trump-like Republicans are prepared to cry foul if they lose an election. To this independent voter, it reveals how far my old party has fallen. Following Trump’s lead is a fool’s errand, in my view.
Voted. praying beyond prayer Keith! 💞
I hope your prayers are answered.
Both of ours.. xo💗