ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE LARGE STEP FOR MANKIND!

Thanks, Liz!

... OR IN THE WORDS OF A FAMOUS TV HOST: YOU'RE FIRED!

Thanks, Carol!

IS HE GONE YET?

 

Thanks, Liz!  

TIME MAGAZINE'S SPECIAL "VOTE" COVER

For the first time in the nearly hundred-year history of this magazine, TIME's cover did not include the word "TIME" but instead, the word "VOTE."  

The date for this cover was given in the article below as November 2, 2020, and it was entitled "Vote 2020."  Election Day this year falls on November 3. 

https://time.com/5902712/time-replaced-logo-cover-voting/

A BIBLICAL TALE WITH LESSONS FOR OUR TIME!

As the sitting President expresses his view -- implicitly and even explicitly -- that he will not accept the results of an election that does not keep him in office, and will, in fact, do anything to remain in office, a Biblical tale comes to mind. 

You can find it in the First Book of Kings, 3:16-28.

Briefly, two women in the same household have babies a few days apart.  One is healthy but the other one dies.   There is some confusion as to which baby belongs to which mother.  So the women go before wise King Solomon to resolve the dispute.

King Solomon instructs the mothers to cut the living baby in half and divide it between them.  One mother remains silent but the other mother cries out: "NO!  Do not kill the baby!  Give it to the other woman!" 

King Solomon immediately orders the baby to be given, alive, to the woman who protested the killing, saying that this woman, who would rather lose her baby than see it be slain, had to be the real mother.   

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This story comes to mind as I watch the two candidates for the Presidency of the United States approach this highly contested election!   

FLIP-FLOP

Flip: 2015 -- Senator Lindsay Graham (R) Chair of Senate Committee on the Judiciary, speaking immediately after the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on February 13, 2015 (when the President was Barack Obama) said this seat should be held open so that the "next president" could make the nomination for a replacement.  Judge Neil Gorsuch was eventually appointed by President Donald Trump  and confirmed in April 2017

Flop: 2020 -- Senator Lindsay Graham (R), Chair of Senate Committee on the Judiciary, speaking immediately after the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg September 19, 2020 (when the President was Donald J. Trump), said this vacancy should be filled immediately and not wait for the upcoming November Presidential election.

                                         

  

THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF REVIEWS HIS TROOPS

Please Mister Postman!

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”

But one person can indeed stay these couriers, threatening a formerly reliable and COVID19-safe voting method which is also the way that many Americans now receive prescription drugs during this age of COVID19.

So how can I resist this limerick opportunity?

There once was a lad named DeJoy*,

Who was proud to become Trump's kept boy,

He said "I'll stop the mails, 

With the pills for what ails! 

And all they can do is cry OY"  

*Louis DeJoy, the 75th U.S. Postmaster General

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TRUMP'S SECRET STATE POLICE

Trump Unleashes His Secret Police in Portland

In a dangerous authoritarian move, federal agents in camouflage and without badges are rounding up American citizens.

By Jeet Heer

JULY 17, 2020

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/trump-secret-police-portland/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

American Secret Police'? Trump Deployment of Unidentified Law Enforcement Officials Across DC Sparks Alarm

"The United States would normally condemn this tactic if used by dictators of other countries, and its use here directly threatens our democracy."

Jake Johnson, staff writer

Published on Saturday, June 06, 2020

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/06/06/american-secret-police-trump-deployment-unidentified-law-enforcement-officials

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Quick Language Lesson:

If you wanted to describe these Trump goon swarms to someone whose language was German, you might use the following words to describe these secret, state-sanctioned “police:”  

1. geheime (secret),  (rhymes with the-TIME-eh)

2. staats (state)

3. polizei (police).   

And if you followed a common style of abbreviation, combining first syllables, guess what?  

You’d get ge-sta-po, or GESTAPO!  

           See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestapo

Welcome to Trump's New Amerika!

###  

THEN THEY CAME FOR ME!

FROM THE  UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MUSEUM  https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/martin-niemoeller-first-they-came-for-the-socialists

-- First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. 

-- Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.

-- Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

-- Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemoeller

...And words for today: 

MASKS AND TYRANNY

From New Yorker Daily Humor e-mailed July 21, 2020 
newyorker@newsletter.newyorker.com

If you can't read the text, it's:
1. Masks are tyranny!
2. Sir, do you mind? We're just trying to do our jobs.
3. It's hard enough disappearing lawful protesters into unmarked vehicles without you yelling at us. 
4. Just don't force them to wear masks.

Here's the original.  Click to make it larger and click again to return to this page.  (If anyone can get this cartoon up to legible size in the text without doing this please let me know!) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE? NOT EXACTLY!

In a bold gesture yesterday, President Donald J. Trump pulled an innovative take on a classic bank robber theme by threatening to cut off funds to schools which did not reopen during the COVID-19 crisis. 

https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2020-07-08/trump-threatens-to-cut-funding-to-schools-that-dont-reopen-in-fall

Has the White House been showing too many old time movies where the bank robber announces "Your money or your life?"  

Could it be that DJT just got this mixed up to come up with a gambit like: "Your kids' lives or their school's money?"

That Election Day getaway car can't come soon enough!  

###

PRESIDENT RESPONDS TO INVITATIONS TO SPEAK AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION -- A LIMERICK

A President planning to speak, 
To conventioneers packed cheek to cheek,
Said "SIGN HERE" if you will, 
So if you fall ill, 
You'll spare me your stupid critique!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources: 
President Donald Trump called North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper Friday, asking him to allow the GOP convention to go on as planned in Charlotte with no social distancing and no masks.

Read more here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/rnc-2020/article243084126.html#storylink=cpy

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/rnc-2020/article243084126.html

And 
Tickets for Trump campaign rally include liability disclaimer about possible exposure to coronavirus

WASHINGTON – Want tickets to President Donald Trump’s campaign rally next week in Oklahoma? Then you’ve got to agree you won't sue him if you contract coronavirus.

The sign-up page for free tickets on the Trump campaign website comes with a liability waiver that says the campaign or other parties associated with the event next Friday at the BOK Center in Tulsa cannot be held liable for exposure to coronavirus.

“By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present,” the waiver says.

“By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; BOK Center; ASM Global; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/11/coronavirus-tickets-donald-trump-rally-include-liability-waiver/5334885002/

But: 
(Reuters) - The attempt by U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign to shield itself from lawsuits by people who become infected with the coronavirus at his first political rally in months is unlikely to hold up in court, legal experts said.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-waiver-idUSKBN23J2Z5

PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE? A LIMERICK

Whilst looters ran riot in the streets,
Amongst citizens marching in peace,
Some cops found a slouch,
On a Congressman's couch,
Was preferred to patrolling their beats.

https://heavy.com.ng/news/watch-police-lounge-in-bobby-rushs-office-during-looting/

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/11/police-officers-lounged-in-rushs-office-while-rioters-pillaged-on-chicagos-south-side-313797

I CAN'T BREATHE!

(I wish I had composed this picture, but I didn't.  Someone sent it to me and I share it here because it expresses my views so precisely.)  

A PAIR OF PHOTOS NEEDING NO CAPTIONS

TEE UP. MR. PRESIDENT!

The golf links lie so near the mill, 

That almost every day,

The laboring children can look out,

And see the men at play!*

CRISIS?  WHAT CRISIS?
COVID-19? WHO CARES?

FORGET COVID-19
THIS IS THE REAL CRISIS

* by Sarah Norcliffe Cleghorn, 1876-1959.  

Here is an interesting student paper about this poem and it's author, a peace, suffrage and labor activist.  http://cwcs.ysu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Golf-Links.pdf
Her style reminds me of the work of William Blake.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake

HOW ANOTHER PRESIDENT MANAGED A SERIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAK

ROOSEVELT AND POLIO: CLICK THE LINK FOR THIS ACCOUNT AND COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH TODAY!

This link is well worth reading!
http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/174983

YOU THINK YOU'VE SEEN HORSE RACES?

You think you've seen horse races?
A COVID-19 race like you've never seen (or actually heard) before!  CLICK ON THIS LINK TO SEE THE EXCITING RACE!
https://joanscovid19blog.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-horse-race-like-you-havent-seen-before.html

DJT WELCOMES A GUEST

Come in, COVID-19! Make yourself at home
while I look for my big boy pants!