Traditionally in American politics the party not in the White House makes significant gains in the Senate and House in the midterm elections. Some say this is because the political party out of power always has a bigger turnout of voters who are determined to reign in the current President's agenda. Others blame it on a general apathy among all voters who are simply unenthused about an election without the presidency on the line. Whatever the case the mid-terms come and go and the country rolls on. It is, in most minds, nothing more than an adjustment in the ever shifting American political landscape.
Then along came Donald John Trump and his cult of lunatics, street thugs, criminal minds, and autocrat wannabes. Their devotion to the orange leader is matched only by their utter disdain for American democracy and the rule of law.
This isn't just liberal alarmism. Hundreds of these awful cranks are on tomorrow's ballots across the nation from top to bottom. They are exemplified perfectly by Jim Marchant, the guy running for the Nevada Secretary of State job.
This campaign season, Mr. Marchant has been telling the good people of Nevada, "Your vote hasn't counted for decades. You haven't elected anybody. The people that are in office have been selected." Not only does he claim Donald Trump won Nevada in 2020, but that democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Adam Schiff are all the beneficiaries of stolen elections.
In fact it would seem in Marchant's eyes the only legal election outcomes are when republicans win. He isn't alone. According to him there is a coalition of republican candidates who are running for secretary of state in their respective locales who believe exactly as he does. He claims they are dedicated to an, "America First," agenda. What he means is they are really dedicated to Donald Trump and their party rather than the United States.
If elected, Jim Marchant says he will eliminate early voting, all mail in voting, and electronic voting machines. He also believes the Nevada Secretary of State has the power to not certify any election results he, or she doesn't like, including those in presidential elections. In other words, if any election outcome is not to his liking, he will nullify it, then send the matter to the GOP controlled legislature for resolution.
Political and social gadfly, Bill Maher, for one believes if yahoos like Marchant win tomorrow we can kiss democracy goodbye. His reasoning being once these killer clowns assure Trump's election in 2024--and unless a miracle happens tomorrow he will be running again--he will simply refuse to leave office...ever.
Maher doesn't believe such a miracle will happen. He has already predicted the end of democracy in America. He cites the national tradition of opposition party gains in the mid-terms for one. For another he believes the American public is so ignorant of our system of government they simply don't see the impending danger, or care.
He may have a point. When Hitler's political party made sizable gains, although not a majority, he was named Chancellor of Germany to quiet the bellicose Nazi mobs in the streets. Later, when he suspended elections, his buddy, Joe Goebbels took to the airwaves to remind everyone, "We have never said we are in favor of free elections."
In short, hey, you knew we were a snake.
The mid-term elections tomorrow might be the most important in the history of the republic. If the republicans sweep both houses of congress things are going to turn ugly at the beginning of January next year. The purge, as they say, will be upon us.
The feeling here is we're fucked. Not necessarily because of tradition and ignorance, although they will both play a part, but because these days too many of us are fine with the notion of an autocrat in charge forever--and--in the final analysis, the short term economy wins out over the long term ideal of freedom.
soc vita est
11-7-22
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