ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.
“Nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care.” — George Carlin
“I’m mad as Hell, and I’m not going to take it any more.” — Howard Beale in the movie “Network.”
“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for all good men to do nothing.” — John F. Kennedy quoting Sir Edmund Burke, though it’s not clear he actually said it.
We as a country are pretty good at doing nothing while our house figuratively is on fire. We have a history of sitting on our hands and permitting foul deeds to be committed in our midst.
The most recent and closest incident that comes to my mind is when members of the Wayland City Planning Commission sat passively and observed like deer in the headlights while the chairman of the commission was removed. None of the commissioners said they were displeased with the chairman, they just let it happen.
All it took for such an indignity to occur was the audacity of someone to propose it.
Further from home, to this day, I am astonished that so many Americans lack outrage over the realizations we were all lied to about the pretense for attacking and invading Iraq, costing the lives of more than 4,500 of our young people and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who did nothing to deserve their violent deaths.
I remain alarmed that so many Americans don’t have much to say about rich financial institutions getting bailed out after the Great Recession of 2008-09 came on the scene. It was so bad that after the Coronvirus crisis visited, we collectively have yawned after learning the richest among us have been taken care of during the economic crisis while the common, everyday working stiffs have been given just $1200 apiece. Furthermore, we’re being told to get back to work at the risk of dying.
Now comes the news that President Donald Trump and his new director of the postal service will deliberately slow down mail delivery, by his own admission, to discourage voting by mail.
To be sure, the Prez has insisted that mail-in voting is fraught with fraud, a contention that has been debunked thoroughly in the press and even by some Republicans. Indeed there is anecdotal evidence of such voter fraud, but the incidence reported in every study is very low, but not nonexistent.
This latest disturbing development is nothing short of an attempt to rig the election in Trump’s favor. And it flies in the face of people who don’t want to physically go to the polls because of very real fears of contracting a virus that has killed nearly 170,000 people in this country.
Protestations that we can stand in line at Wal-Mart or at grocery stores insult our intelligence. I won’t stand in line at Wal-Mart and at least the grocery store is open for business six or seven days a week about 12 hours each day. The election polls will be open only for 13 hours on one day only, Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Don’t pee on my shoes and tell me it’s raining.
The real question is reserved for us. It feels like Trump and his toadies are saying to us, “Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it?”
Will we stand up to this country’s most famous bully, and declare, “I’m mad as Hell, and I’m not going to take it any more?”
Suck it up buttercup and wear your mask and social distance. You’ll be fine… this too shall pass.
Since you’re voting Harris/Biden anyhow, missing a vote because of fear might be a good thing! 🙂
It’s amazing how fearful so many are when it comes to mail-in voting.
Are you afraid that more people will vote? Of course they will. Let’s face it, with more people voting just maybe a once popular candidate may get defeated.
The fear of buying your vote (ballot) can be argued it’s no different than what’s happening now. Candidates for public office or any elected office buy your support. Rare is the candidate without money supporting their election elected.
Not all supporters of mail-in voting are Democrats… there may be more Republicans than most realize. Everyone seems to focus on the election of the president, but the real power is in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Could the current or past presidents just be dictators. The correct answer is no. We may not like or agree on everything, but it’s a collective effort not a “one man show, ” even though many think so.
It has taken a pandemic (originated in a foreign country) nine months before our presidential election, to bring forth old wounds that were idled or slowly healing. The country is in turmoil. Once again we are faced with electing the lesser of two evils to be our president.
The fear we should have is, how did one of the greatest countries in the world become so embedded with hate that we are self destructing and will be easy prey for a more unified country to conquer us?
We worry about voting, but burning and disrespecting our flag and national anthem is OK. We condemn killing have riots and destruction, but are fine with abortion. We want to keep seasonal agriculture workers out of the country, but we will not do the jobs for the same wage.
We remove statues, emblems, mascot names because they are racist, but we do little to help those living in poverty, the mentally ill, the homeless, or our disabled, even our elderly are forsaken. The list goes on.
The the major fear is mail-in voting… the Devil with everything else. I don’t want my candidate to lose, and they surely will if mail-in voting is allowed.
Hey idiot….these mail in ballots (NOT ABSENTEE BALLOTS) are the Democrat ultimate cheating fantasy……you and your fellow leftists are just too transparent! I suppose the way we have been voting for over 200 years has always been unfair? We need to make Major changes for just this upcoming election because of Trump hatred syndrome……? And if it allows for millions of tainted and fraudulent ballots which allows Braindead Biden to somehow win the presidency then the means justifies the FRAUD! YOU LEFTISTS ARE PATHETIC! It will surely spark a civil war….and It won’t end well for the lefties….
Mr. Ed Potus: I don’t think you know Harry Smit.
Ed Potus
I’ll agree I may not always be the ” sharpest knife ” in the drawer. So please enlighten me..what is the difference between a mail in ballot or absentee ballot?
Do you honestly believe all previous elections have been fair. That big money never helped elect a President?
You mentioned transparency…isn’t that what both Parties are calling for….or are you saying the Republicans are always trying to hide thing?
Neither President Trump or his opponent Joe Biden could win a debate against a member of a high school debate team. This election will be won or lost based on the VP candidates not mail in voting.
Yes there is “Trump hatred syndrome “in this Country. It is used to deflect real issues that will cause that Civil War you speak of. Have you not become tolerant with the removal of history? Can anyone honestly say this tolerance of human life being lost thru drugs, alcohol, abortion, random killings, the list goes on. Will not lead to some conflict…of course, it will.
Sir, since you really don’t know me….the only I support when it comes to Left….is using my turn signal when turning in that direction.
Don’t get “hung up” on Right and Left. It’s those issues in the background proposed by both Parties that will effect the future. If they are tolerated and erode our current system you and I are to blame not the Right or Left
Putin worked very hard four years ago to tilt the election in favor of Trump, whom he termed “a useful idiot”. He’s working harder at this election, but Trump is concerned too many people are on to him, so he put LeJoy in as Postmaster General, to mess with mail in voting. It’s sad. There are so many reasons to vote against Trump, but his failed response to the virus is one that points to non-existent leadership at the federal level. Other countries, faced with the same virus, are doing far better.
Some updates on the moves made by the USPS to suppress votes by mail. In July 2020 letters sent to before the appointment of Postmaster General DeJoy warning 40 states that mail in ballots for the November General could be delayed. That effects up to 180 million voters.
The USPS is also removing 15%, over 600 automated mail sorting machines from regional mail facilities prior to the election. Many of the automated sorters being “decommissioned” are in “Battle Ground” states. The latest response was the USPS is going to be testing new, more efficient sorting equipment but the only updated sorters will be in testing phase in selected regional mail centers. Not enough to replace the automated machines they are removing from postal facilities.
There has also been a reported increase in the rate mailboxes being removed from public streets across the country
So to recap, USPS warned states about the ability of the USPS to insure ballots will arrive to voters on time or make sure the filled in ballots voters mail will arrive in time to be counted; USPS is removing automated sorting machines without having replacement sorting machines up and running; is removing mail boxes; has instituted a hiring freeze; is not allowing overtime
On the legal front, Trump 2020 is suing the state of Nevada. They are suing Pennsylvania Secretary of State and all 67 Election Boards in the state challenging “ballot security” including the use of ballot box drop off boxes that have been used for multiple elections. Trump2020 is also suing Johnson County and Linn County in Iowa challenging their handling of mail in ballots. Coincidently Johnson and Linn Counties have a long history of supporting Democrats in elections.
Here’s a list of current US and state elected officials. Some have used their support of President Trump in their campaign literature. I am contacting each of them Monday Aug 17 to ask their opinion of Trump 2020’s lawsuits and the President’s constant comments about widespread voter fraud. For my state legislators Representative Johnson and State Senator Nesbitt, I will be asking them on their position on funding the increase in postage from $0.20 per ballot to $0.55 the USPS is proposing to charge MI for mailing ballots.
I hope you do the same.
US Senator Debbie Stabenow
US Senator Gary Peters
US Senator Gary Peters280 E. Beltline Court NE
US Representative Fred Upton
350 E. Michigan Ave, Suite 130
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
T (269) 385-0039
F (269) 385-2888
State Aric Nesbitt (District 26)
P.O. Box 30036
Lansing, MI 48909-7536
By Phone: (517) 373-0793
By Fax: (517) 373-5607
(All of the above have email links at their respective websites)
Representative Steve Johnson (District 72)
Phone: (517) 373-0840
Email:StevenJohnson@house.mi.gov
Representative Mary Whiteford (District 80)
PHONE: 517-373-0836
EMAIL: MaryWhiteford@house.mi.gov
After responding to the post earlier, I read the newspaper and watched the Sunday talking heads about the Post Office conundrum. It seems as though the President has Pelosi’s neck in a proverbial noose the way Democrats usually treat Republicans in these situations. Only now the shoe is on the right foot instead of the wrong one.
Karma is a bitch.
It seems as though the Post Office needs more money to process mailing ballots and receiving ballots on time to count. The Democrats want a huge relief bill with Democrat goodies included. They also want mail-in voting, but they must be careful because the President hold the cards in approving a bill into law.
Guess maybe the Speaker needs to tone down the rhetoric and introduce a relief bill that the Republicans want minus the BS the Democrats want.
The “orange man” is a dealmaker after all!
He isn’t a politician out to screw the citizens like the Democrats. Get to the polls and vote.