election 2020 | chestercountyramblings

Well here we are on Thursday, November 5th, 2020. In the year from hell. It feels we on the brink of hell given the anger and vitriol that is spewing continually from the White House. Oh no, all my Republican friends won’t like that comment but it is the truth. Trump wants a country filled with chaos and violence and anarchy NOT because there is actual widespread “corruption” on the part of the Democrats, but because if he loses his house of cards comes tumbling down, including on how he has profited from being President. The devoted are fools to think he does ANY of this for the American people or for the benefit of this great nation. Every thing he does is for his own personal gain. That has never changed about this man throughout time….which is why I have never liked him.

The more the results come in, the more wound up he gets and the more he tries to wind us all up. As Americans we have a choice and I think the choice should be everyone needs to take a damn breath. We are not red states or blue states, we are the United States of America. If you let anarchy and chaos win, we all lose.

Does anyone care how the world is perceiving us in this moment in our history? I daresay over the pond in the UK they are wondering what it was we fought for 200+ years ago (vis a vis the madness of King George vs. the current situation) given headlines like:

Intelligent women I know who are rooting for Trump are posting fake news that would take your breath away. And these are all intelligent women. Acting like Plastic Barbie Stepford Wives. I know some who even took place in those blockade “parades” that took place on the roads. Others now have to tell us about the firearms they own and I have to wonder if most of them could literally hit the broadside of the barn? And further and to the point, guns are a responsibility, not some damn party favor to be given out on social media. That’s just stupid. And no, I am not saying I don’t believe in the right to bear arms what I am saying is I don’t care for people who are stupid about it.

Someone said to me yesterday something about Democrats stealing the election with mail in ballots. So I asked them if as an active cancer patient who chose a mail in ballot because living an immunocompromised life that meant my vote should not count or be counted? My doctors said they could not keep me from voting in person, but said they recommended my staying away from crowds like at election polls. So I voted by mail. And my ballot was received and recorded. I got my confirmation email.

Another person was all about the whole conspiracy that campaigns tried to take advantage of their ailing parent. These are total strangers. They don’t live in your house or know your parent’s medical conditions. All they know is your parent is still registered to vote, not that they are incapacitated to the point that they cannot. That was YOUR job to tell them and you did. Matter closed.

Lots of people I know Republican and Democrat voted by mail. So should all those votes NOT count? Is that the message here? We don’t count as Americans because we chose to vote by mail in a year when COVID-19, a global pandemic is still surging, and surging to the point that several countries have gone, once again, into lock-down?

And the counting of the votes? It’s no conspiracy. It’s hard working individuals from BOTH parties working side by side to get the job done. They aren’t throwing ballots away or manufacturing additional ones. These are your neighbors, and even friends who take their civic duty seriously. So why are you creating a living hell by talking smack about them?

And the riots and protests. I am over all of them because NO ONE ON EITHER SIDE CAN DO IT PEACEFULLY. People from outside whatever area is protesting coming in and ramping up the protests and encouraging violence and looting are a threat to our democracy. And it’s getting old. It’s Wednesday, there must be protests. It’s Thursday, there must be protests. And I am counting the pro-Trump rallies in this equation. This is not just something we lay at the feet of one political persuasion or party.

And I am really tired of the whole Democrats = Socialism conversation. Especially given who is currently throwing an Executive Temper Tantrum is acting and has been acting like a dictator.

Everyone is so damn busy fighting everyone else. We need to get back to being a country. A friend of mine who is still a Republican wisely said yesterday:

“Potentially premature – but I am a realist. All legal and timely votes should of course be counted! I will root for our next President’s success. And root for our Country !! Elections have consequences. And our Nation has fully weighed in on this one ! Greatest number of Voters ever! Huzzah for that !! And I do cheer that fully. We have voted – in vast numbers – as a country! But those who expected a “Blue Wave” or a “Red Wave” should realize that is not where the country is…Divided Government will continue to be the norm.“

My friend is right. Come on people! At what point do we lay down the verbal pitchforks and come together? How many more United We Stand, Divided We Fall conversations do we have to have?

People voted in record numbers. That is a good thing. But the anger and vitriol and misinformation and political posturing is a bad thing.

We need to accept that no matter what the outcome, Trump will not be for peaceful anything. We need to tune that out. Those are his issues, and should not be ours. People we are Americans. In all our messy glory. And we have bigger fish to fry in this country than catering to the whims of any political candidates truth be told.

Folks, we need to chill. We are not some 3rd world nation where marauders stuff ballot boxes and steal elections. We are a democracy. We have a process. Turn off the news and the political rhetoric and remember even in the midst of strife and troubles we do have blessings. Please try.

One good thing. Just remember one good and non-political thing today. Please.

Praying for peace, thanks for stopping by.

I am sharing one of my favorite photos I ever took. And I had to have taken it 10 or 12 years ago at this point.

My message today is we need peace. I sound like a Hallmark card. I don’t want to sound like a Hallmark card. But it happens to be the truth.

Tomorrow is election day. We are a country steeped in anger and vitriol. I am so sick of it that I am writing about it…again.

I posted something today that had happened to a friend of mine. He is somebody who is a true patriot it has nothing to do with anything other than his personal belief system. And he’s a really good man. He drives a flag painted car. He has since 9/11.

Anyway last night he went to pick up his elderly parent dinner from a place called Giovanni’s in Elverson. When he was getting out of his car to get his order, this woman materialized seemingly out of nowhere and started yelling at him was he a “Trumpette”. OK mind you no Trump flag, no Trump sign, no Trump hat, no Trump shirt. My friends only crime was going to pick up his takeout order and he has a flag painted car.

I mean can we be real here? Donald Trump doesn’t have a trademark on the American flag, that’s OUR flag.

In any event, this woman was practically spitting, screaming angry. And my friend did nothing except he pulled up in his car to pick up a take-out food order. This woman actually shoved my friend more than once. I mean who does that? What have we devolved into when people think it’s OK to just shove perfect strangers on the street picking up takeout food?

And it also blows my mind for someone to do that in a time when people in the hospitality industry are closing businesses left and right. I mean just today we learned that one of my favorite places in Philadelphia is going dark. The City Tavern is closing it’s doors.

Quite predictably some flipped out at me for sharing this. Like it was designed to be “sprung” the day before Election Day. Umm no, it happened because people all over are acting every day like life is a giant reality TV show and are being asshats. And that’s not just some political problem, it is more like a stupid human tricks problem. And it doesn’t matter whose politics are what, a situation like this should not have happened. End of story. And think of that poor restaurant trying to stay in business having to deal with this right?

I am literally fearful of tomorrow which is Election Day. And why I am fearful is there are so many extremes in temperament out there. And sadly I think it’s on both sides.

I just want people to get out and vote and I want them to be able to do it peacefully. If someone tries to intimidate you or harass you or threaten you, tomorrow is the day you call the police.

But that being said, both political parties have a duty to the American people to just cut the crap so everybody gets through election day safely.

However, I still lay a lot of this anger and vitriol right at the feet of the Tweeter in Chief, President COVID.

We as Americans have the ability to stop this. United we stand, divided we fall. We have to stop. We deserve a country that is not full of anger and riots and racism and economically is on the precipice of disaster because Washington DC couldn’t get their act together and fight a global pandemic.

No matter what happens tomorrow, we need to come together as Americans. I’m tired of the crap of you can’t talk to them they are Democrats or you can’t talk to those people because they are Republicans. We are Americans.

As Americans we are a nation born of immigrants who fled hostile nations. Our founding fathers fought, bled, and died for our rights. And then it happened again to rid the country of things like slavery. But now we face harder times. And political extremism is polarizing and destroying this country every day. It needs to stop. We need moderation.

Change starts with us. The most powerful right you have as an American is the right to cast your vote. Cast your vote the way your conscience dictates. Not what anyone says to you. Don’t just vote one way or the other because someone else told you how to vote.

And above all else, pray for peace. And do your part for peace. We need peace. I feel we are on the brink of a modern Civil War, and we don’t want to go there.

Be safe out there and thanks for stopping by.