This essay, the seventh in a series on the pandemic, includes, among other subjects, an analysis of the 2020 election and critique of the Trump Voter. It concludes with a William Stafford poem, "A Ritual to Read to Each Other."
Pandemic Mangle
Musings on Democracy
Introduction The right to vote is the basis and spiritual heart of democracy—precious, hard won, sacred. Yet, ninety million eligible voters didn’t vote in the presidential election of 2016. Sixty-six million people voted for Hillary Clinton and sixty three million for Donald J. Trump, who became President by garnering more than the requisite 270 votes... Continue Reading →
Trump, Women, and Assertive Men
Trump’s Women What do we know about Donald Trump’s attitudes and behavior toward women? We know he favors women's bodies over their minds. We know he objectifies women’s body parts. He has even discussed openly the high quality of his daughter’s body parts. We know he’s in the habit of rating women from 1-10. We know... Continue Reading →
Trumpster University Learning Lab 2
In Trumpster University Learning Lab 1, ten days ago, we found that no amount of disqualifications could be amassed sufficient to dissuade followers from voting for Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election. Today’s report on Trumpster University Lab 2 builds upon the first. It convened a select group of Trump voters dedicated to critical thinking... Continue Reading →
Trumpster University Learning Lab
When a List of Trump’s Disqualifications was published two weeks ago, six confidants, all male, three Trump voters and three Clinton voters of Bernie descent, cried foul—Stop! The election’s over! Get a life! Move on! —revealing by their unease not only the many demands on their time, but also, perhaps, an uncomfortable secret, something buried and... Continue Reading →
List of Trump’s Disqualifications
Introduction A list is presented of 63 incidents, quotes, and revelations that singly and collectively disqualify Donald J. Trump to be President of the United States of America. All of this was widely known on election day. The reader, for review purposes, may wish to check the ones he knew about, and star the ones judged most disqualifying... Continue Reading →
Random Notes on a Weird Election
What story in classic literature best describes Donald J. Trump? Narcissus kneeling at the still pool captivated by the beauty of his own reflected image is a good answer. But Mr. Trump is never still, and he kneels to no one. He flies around the country to address huge rallies. The crowd is a moving mirror,... Continue Reading →
History as Therapeutic Diversion
Check out an experience of mine and discover whether you too find it delightfully therapeutic. Sit in for an hour on a Civil War history class with Dr. David Blight of Yale University. It’s free. All twenty-seven lectures of a course Blight taught on The Civil War and Reconstruction in 2008 are available on the... Continue Reading →
Lincoln: Pretense to States Rights
This is the second of two blog entries on Abraham Lincoln’s Message to Congress in Special Session on July 4,1861. The first, Lincoln’s American People, appeared in this blog two weeks ago. This entry examines Lincoln’s choice and use of the word “pretense” in an important paragraph framing the central concerns of his speech. Both essays... Continue Reading →
Lincoln’s American People
“ . . .there are many single regiments whose members, one and another, possess full practical knowledge of all the arts, sciences, professions, and whatever else, whether useful or elegant, is known in the world; and there is scarcely one from which there could not be selected a President, a Cabinet, a Congress, and perhaps... Continue Reading →
profunditiesandabsurdities 