When I was a little kid growing up in Providence RI, I would walk about seven blocks to the grocery store where I would buy bubble gum. It’s hard to remember but I think each piece of bubble gum was about a penny. The gum came in little pink rectangles and was wrapped in wax paper labeled “Bazooka Joe”. Inside the wrapper was a comic strip. Back then my eyes were sharp and I would read the comic strip carefully while I chewed the gum with my hard new molars. I had a difficult time understanding what was funny. I had a difficult time blowing bubbles.
Now, as a spry older gentleman, my eyes are ‘softer’ and I don’t think I could read the comic strip at all. My teeth are still as hard as ever, so I can chew. The gum is much more expensive, but I am sure it is affordable, but probably is out of stock. I think I would find it much easier to understand what was funny. I still have a difficult time blowing bubbles.
Why am I talking about a kid chewing bubble gum? Because this is the level of discourse for most of the political pundits twisting the US Constitution. Their arguments aren’t based on principle or belief — although they wrap themselves in the flag. It is all about expediency. How can I get from A to B by lying and twisting and confusing the American people.
A good concrete example of getting from A to B is Donald Trump ranting and raving about how the election was rigged and stolen. Of course he was spending millions of dollars before the election confident of winning. How many times did he fly Air Force One to rallies across the country confident that he would win the election. Suddenly, on Election Night came the realization that maybe it was a bad idea to trust the American election process. When he realized that he had lost, suddenly it was time to say the game was rigged. Plan A did not work, time to float Plan B.
He probably genuinely believed that we was winning. After all, all these die hard supporters would come to his rallies. But he never realized that there were a lot more people not going to the rallies, just staying home. And they simple mailed in their ballots.
And now the expendiency continues. He is telling everyone to vote in the Georgia runoff down ballot elections. And at the same time, he has ordered over two recounts of the Presidential Georgia vote. With 1000 people hand counting in a room for over a week. Now these votes are from a fatally flawed and rigged election.
Wouldn’t it be reasonable to ask about the integrity of the down ballot runoff? It is the same Georgians, same voting machines, same mail in ballots. Or is he just going to wait to cry foul after his candidates lose the runoff?
I am seeing a side of this man that I didn’t know existed. It’s quite unflattering. It’s a side that I wish he could have kept hidden. But, it is out in the open now. Clear as day. And I see this same side in the media pundits who are strangling in their leashes. They just can’t get away. And I see this in the die hard supporters who are suddenly stony and silent — the lively discussions are over because there really is not much to say.
How can I trust these Georgia runoff elections when the leader of the free world, President of the US has suddenly taken an interest in the elections, and shown that he no scruples when it comes to winning. Can I be sure that he will ensure election integrity? Can I be sure that he won’t be calling his Proud Boys off of standby to aid in voter suppression? What kind of dirty tricks can he buy?
It is tough to be credible when you slander everyone around you. Like painting yourself in a corner. Who can I trust when he has said that all the elections are rigged? What happened when Ted Cruz won the Iowa primary? Donald Trump calls Foul 2016
Definitely the world seemed a lot simpler when I was a little boy chewing pink bubble gum. Nixon had resigned and we had lost Vietnam. And I felt safe walking home from the grocery store.
