I’ve started… and rejected… a dozen posts lately. I had to delete them. They were inadequate.
The election situation exceeds my grasp as a wordsmith. Meanings too deep, ramifications too numerous, it cannot be “wished away” with a silly joke. Nothing I can say in 1,500-ish words is sufficient to the task. So, I’ve limped along with posts about woodworking and (behind the scenes) gone about my personal life with as much inner peace as I can muster.
I’ve bided my time and discovered an interesting point, it’s not all bad news. I’ve been feeling pretty good about things. Resignation has not been the feel of the world. The press is screaming at me until every intellectual circuit is muttering “we’re doomed” but my soul senses otherwise. I know “doomed”. This ‘aint it. Doomed is a gutless leader facing a wise and implacable foe doing incremental measured misdeeds. We have a guy who’s never backed down from a fight facing a stupid, overconfident, and power drunk group that just plain isn’t up to the task of coup. Yeah, I said it. It’s a coup. They’re chumps for initiating it. Sloppy, uncontrolled, incapable of recognizing a time to retreat, domestic (and foreign?) enemies have acted like toddlers with a machine gun. Our would be oppressors are dangerous, but they’re losers and idiots.
Here’s how I know they’re idiots. They couldn’t win a free and fair election in the richest and most peaceful nation on earth, during the richest and most peaceful time in history. If you can’t gain power and prestige legally, in that fertile ground, despite wanting it real bad, you’re fundamentally flawed.
That’s why I’ve been guardedly optimistic. If this is the best they have to offer, they’re in over their head. They’re malevolent, they’re a hassle, they cause a lot of problems, but they’re hampered by their internal limitations.
They could have hunkered down and waited things out. “Orange man bad can get 10,000 people to show up with a day’s notice. He seems to enjoy fighting. Our guy can barely fill out a bowling league and looks like a strong wind will blow him over. Lets wait out the next four years and step in when the time is right.” That’s the wise move.
In their hubris, they overreached and made a mess. It’s so huge and ugly it can’t be ignored. Now the mess must be sorted out. It will get sorted out. Ideally it’ll be resolved by serious people in suits. I’d rather a Socratic Dialogue than the French Revolution. I
For a month, the opening moves have been played. A bitter yet careful defense against the coup has been in process; evidence has been analyzed; foundations have been laid; constructs have been tested. The press screamed like maniacs but they couldn’t distract all of the people. Many of them made their one decisions. A little under half the people think the game was rigged. That number is going to rise. It will not go down.
From a place I least expected it, Texas, came the first punch to connect. Simple logic: “We played by the rules. Every state that didn’t play by the rules has done us harm. There are remedies in the Constitution. Use them.” Quickly, they were joined by Louisiana. Then several others. A score of states with clean elections have squared off against four states that cheated too much.
It was time. Americans just stepped into the ring. They’re beckoning to the coup. “Get in here. Step out of the shadows. I’m going to sort this out right here in the spotlight and you’re going to be in the ring with me.” It feels good. Damn I love Texas today!
Do I seem naïve? Too bad. Cynicism is not meant to be a crutch. It could all be for naught. Lawyers and cretins will twist words; as they have been trained. Judges, will seek to avoid making judgements; as they have grown accustomed. Happy endings are only guaranteed in fiction.
The next step is a big one. Compared to this, the whole of 2020 was merely an opening gambit. The saga we’re going to witness is no longer about Trump. It’s about elections. If Trump gets sworn in this January, that’s the least important thing. I’d consider it a pleasant side effect of resolving a situation that was allowed to get out of hand. The important thing is to restore our elections. Six weeks ago the only “solution” to “margin of cheat” elections was a big fat landslide. The landslide happened and it was denied. That made a different remedy necessary. I’m glad it’s being contested (for now) in the realm of constitutional law.
Texas nudges us toward a solution that doesn’t involve guillotines or tanks on the streets. I didn’t expect yesterday’s news, but I expected something. This year is a trip we will long remember.
Because it matters right now and because you can’t stop the signal:
On July 4th 2013 I posted the text of the Constitution of the United States.
On July 4th 2014 I linked to the Constitution of the United States.
On July 4th, 2017 I posted the text of the Constitution of the United States.
On July 4, 2018 I posted the text of the Constitution of the United States.