Democracy

Daylight Savings Time

Who could predict

that the attempt

to redistrict

would be met

with contempt

and interest

in conflict?

Not Trump.

And whodda

thunk

that the shut down

funk

would flunk

the GOP 

in key

races?

Not Trump.

Would Trump’s

once foe,

Andrew Cuomo,

get a bump

from a 

complimentary

Trump?

A resounding NO!

And Zohran Mamdani

may just be

the guy 

in New York City

to respond

to Trump

most creatively

and effectively,

making

Not Trump

a possibility.

Big wins

in Virgin-

ia, and 

California

(for Prop 50),

NYC,

and New Jersey

gave a big

bump

to the 

Not Trump

sentiment

across the continent

and beyond

the pond.

From mourning in

America

to saving 

daylight

on Tuesday 

night,

the right

proved

to be

wrong

(which we’ve

known

all along),

as democracy

won 

too-

this time.

The Reckless will Reckon with the Wrecking Ball(room)

Why have elections,

if gerrymandered

sections

ensure protections 

from voting

rejections?

Abolishing everything

like demolishing

The East Wing

while insisting

upon citizens

paying,

is not really

playing well

with others.

He’s no king,

but a tyrant

who regards

our government

as his

own business,

and everyone

knows just

how that goes-

just look at his

casinos.

The East Wing’s  

now lost

and we’ll bear

the cost-

and not just

the bill

for 300 mill-

but for the 

recklessness

atop Capitol Hill.

We’re all

nervous wrecks

as he goes on

and wrecks

each aspect

of American life.

I think 

he’s having

a ball

with all

his destruction

pretending construction

of some home

improvement.

Our movement

away 

from democracy

each day

will bring

a reckoning,

I’m sure.

If not for 

him,

then for

each supporter

who 

knew better

than to gamble

with what followed

the preamble

and ambled

toward creating

the end.

But it’s not

over yet

so don’t forget

that there’s

more that we 

can all do.

You can help 

flip congress

from this

mess:

https://app.oath.vote/.

And Election Day

is not far away,

with propositions

and positions

of import.

Please support

our democracy

from the crazy

recklessness.

Happiness

and the pursuit

of justice

is not about

retribution.

Each individual

contribution

to building

a more perfect

union

may seem 

inadequate now.

But doing 

democracy 

is the way

that we

will ensure 

its longevity

and the brevity

of the recklessness.

Next Day Err

I noticed 

the reporting

was, in fact,

distorting.

Is journalism

comporting

to 

you know

who?

A day 

of demonstration

across 

the nation

in every location

with a 

fire station,

or at least

one 

not far away,

should demand

we pay

close attention.

With barely

a mention,

and an odd

contention

that participation

was in

the tens

of thousands,

not millions

as the math

bares out;

the clout

of the once

touted

journalistic

outlet

is about

to get

caught

in what 

ought

to be

simply

unthinkable.

Did pressure

mount

to distort

the count

or report

more generically?

Since when

have there been

approximately

2700 mass

demonstrations

across the nation

in a single day?

Meh?

And several 

tens of thousands

in several

cities and towns

means millions

(at least seven)

gathered

and together 

stood 

for democracy

which should

be covered

accurately

and emphatically.

It’s a serious 

story.

The NYT

and NPR

know when

numbers

are telling.

It’s smelling

fishy-

this wishy

washy

story of no

big deal.

The real

takeaway

from 

an incredibly

peaceful

and supportive

pro-democracy

day

that was,

in fact,

of history

is no mystery.

Crowd size 

matters.

And  the way

we tell it

will sell it

or not.

They may

downplay

this No Kings

day 

as a way

to keep 

the peace.

But we choose

the news

to peruse

assuming

abuse

is not

informing it.

Performing

it ,

with

a softer

version,

lacking immersion

in details,

further derails,

perhaps 

incrementally,

what is essentially

necessary

for democracy

to be

more than 

in name only.

Kirk’s Enterprise

Charlie Kirk’s 

horrific demise

as he pursued

his enterprise

as a conservative force

through

political discourse,

should be

our turning point,

USA.

This school shooting,

unlike the other,

was political;

an intentional

act of violence

to silence

debate-

the latest

in a spate

of hate

crimes

against

political

figures.

The triggers

may be

multiple

but when

the political

is emotional

and what 

seemed

impossible 

is no longer

notional,

anything

becomes

motivational

against

a perceived

enemy.

Because

the hate

is visceral

when our

discourse

is so 

uncivil,

we can’t be

casual

about this

hit,

especially when

it

took place

on a college

campus.

Now

most of us

can feel 

the real

pain and sorrow

for his widow

and his children.

But can we

mourn for 

a person

who sparked

attention

for opposition

that may 

have intended

to provoke

and offend

if not

upend,

the woke

when he spoke?

I am chilled

by the blood

that’s been

spilled,

and I feel

my own

turning point.

Our enterprise

can’t be

the demise

of opposing

another’s belief.

Let this 

monstrous

event

help us 

to reinvent

good grief.

I just realized

that today

is 9/11.

What

have we

become?

To boldly go

where no 

one

has gone

before

was the American

enterprise

(cleverly

stated in

the Star Trek

franchise),

at the birth

of our 

democratic

republic.

But we have

succumbed

to hate

and fear

that we’re

in our

final frontier.

Our reaction

to terror

is often

contraction,

while

heightening

security.

But political

(and social)

purity

is immaturity,

not worthy

of who we

need to be.

Right Guard

In that arid,

extra dry

city

of angels,

a legal

and  peaceful

demonstration

met recrimination

by  the criminal

White House.

Sure,

it’s no secret

that any rally

in blue Cali

makes Trump

go bat-bleep crazy.

He picks ICE
to make 

all immigrants

pay a price

which won’t

suffice.

Fake video

seems

to show

the protests

becoming

violent.

It’s the pretext

for

the pretend

savior

to call

the National

Guard.

The guy

who ignored

the pleas

for order

restored

at The Capitol

at the 1/6

insurrection,

has decided

that at 

his direction,

LA

needs

the National Guard

to prove

how right

he is.

But the right

guard

is not hard

to see

particularly

as the citizenry

is mobilized

to demonstrate

for democracy.

The whole 

immigration

situation

needs 

an overhaul.

But not at all

what we’ve 

seen thus far

by this 

White House

reality star.

What’s next?

Will the new

LA Law

be 

martial law

or some straw

man

argument

against

any immigrant

regardless

of how innocent?

There’s more

in store,

you can 

be sure.

It’s enough

to make

you sweat.

Our perspiration

is his

satiation,

and he’ll go

to the nth

degree

as he

disregards

constitutional 

rights,

much less, 

humanity.

Insurance Guise

A search 

is on

for 

the one

with a gun

who

in silence

killed

the insurance

head

of United

HealthCare.

A hit job

like the mob

might execute,

on a blue suited

CEO

feels so

unnerving.

But no more

so

than the swerving

headlines

from the front lines

in South Korea

and France,

where 

we look 

askance

at the dance

of power

grabbing

leaders

and the bottom

feeders

who enable.

Is Democracy

stable

or able

to withstand

such demand

as we see

globally?

There is

an odd

sense 

of masculinity

equated 

with brutality

that we see

clearly,

yet feels

unexpectedly

new.

Frustrated

and castrated,

the unsophisticated,

heavy handed,

strong man

brand

is in demand

(with support

of some

women)

and commanding

center stage.

It’s all the rage.

Literally.

This man’s

world

has unfurled

since the war

on terror,

now 

in the west,

where

the test

of autocracy

(and of course

hypocrisy)

in the guise

of democracy

is proving

all that was

projected.

Be wise

to the 

insurance

guise—

the faux

protector,

deflector,

projector,

denying

necessary

procedures.

The teachers

of history

are a mystery:

the anonymous

populous

who never

gave up

on the insistency

of true democracy.

Faux Finish

Forgive my French

terminology

while exploring

the psychology

of the art of

trompe l’oeil

(sounds like

Trump Ploy).

It’s a trick

of perception;

a bit

of deception

with the intention

of confusion.

The illusion

comes from

the tension

between 

what is real

and what isn’t,

always drawing

attention

to it’s own

chicanery.

Architecturally,

creating 3-D

interiorly,

painting

faux columns

or walls

may not be

exactly

high art.

But faux

finishes

are part

of the art

of deception,

challenging

perception.

Ah….

Voila!

The Trump Ploy

to destroy

includes

not just

enemies

within 

his mind,

but the behind

the scene

design

of a faux

finish.

It will likely

not end

in a couple

of weeks

as he seeks

to paint

objects

as real

and appeal

any objection.

As this election

is his deflection

from crimes

and accountability,

in addition

to voting,

join me

in promoting

democracydocket.com.

Voting rights

and election

litigation

shaping democratic

institutions

should not

be illusions.

Help defeat

the delusions

of the faux finish.

Trump’s Helene

The next Helene

won’t be seen

on doplar 

or radar,

though more

storms 

are in store

for sure.

Our climate

has changed

to an environment

estranged

from sustained

productivity

and health.

The VP

debate

will not 

indicate

much that

we don’t 

yet know.

Hungry

for power,

angry,

and dour,

Vance

will provide

snickers

for the other

boot lickers

as Walz’s

smile

that extends

a mile

will soften

his more

serious

side.

But don’t

be fooled

by the 

ghoulish

tool

who’s

willing to

stand 

in the eye

for the guy

who wants

to be

a Helene.

Flooding

with bluster,

creating

disaster,

devastating

what was

once

thought secure,

he’s sure

of his ability

to evade

responsibility

and focus

on a specific

path.

Disaster relief

will require

belief

that civic

action

matters.

Tonight’s

midwest 

contest

for best

vice

may entice

a few,

but the top

two

is only part

of the crew

to pay 

attention

to.

From school

boards

to courts

and of course

senate

races,

down ballot

places

are essential.

The potential

to mitigate

the next Helene

may not mean

eradicating

storms.

But new norms

and laws

that prevent

descent

into chaos

are up to us

to elect

those who

represent

the majority

whose 

priority

is democracy.

Liz and Dick

No, not those two

that you

may have thought

might still be

tabloid fodder.

Much odder,

it seems,

is the new

dream team

of Liz and Dick

Cheney.

Conservative pols

way down in the polls,

managed to get

people

to hate them.

He’s the

Daddy Darth Vader—

enhanced interrogator—

and she’s 

the daughter

who fought her 

way from

right wing Republican

to democratic citizen

first 

and foremost.

Each one

a hawk

now ready to talk

about voting

for Harris,

The Democrat!

The admission

is now a permission

for others

to vocalize

and mobilize

against Trump.

Say what you will,

it’s still

patriotic

against the despotic

and despicable

guy.

Liz and Dick,

I hope it

sticks,

and kicks

the pants

off MAGA.

Their name

synonymous

with the sonorous

and serious

hard right

might

bring

more of the once

right wing

to vote

for the only

thing that matters

now. 

Liz and Dick!

Whodda thunk it?

I’ll take it!

Marvel Us

As Comic Con 

descends upon

the city

I call home,

super heroes

will be 

in line

for days 

at a time

to get inside

the convention

center.

What a marvel

we get to 

see

as thousands

agree

with decency

and civility

to 

continue

the tradition

with whatever

addition

moves the

conversation

at the convention.

I think you get

where I’m going

here.

It’s clear

the marvel 

happened 

yesterday

when Biden

announced

he’s stepping

away,

so Harris

can earn 

your vote.

The Marvel

Universe

is always 

threatened

by destructive 

forces

and ego.

But the hero

and shero

know

they must go

forward

for

more

than their

own selves.

How marvelous

for us

to witness

what fitness

really means.

The courage

and strength

and great 

length

it took to be

our superhero

of democracy,

without

a stage lit

like a show,

showed

the world

our marvel.

I imagine

his grief

will not be

brief,

but his 

legacy

will be

an inspiration.

I’m so grateful

for this

moment,

and moved

by a torrent

of emotion.

Excitement,

relief,

new-found

belief

that good

could

still

win

over spin,

but also 

compassion

for what must

have been

excruciating

for Biden.

So now

the comical

Comic Con

that will soon

surround me,

will oddly

ground me

in knowing

that real

heros

and sheros

and so much

fantastic

is not made

of plastic

or on green

screen.

It’s democratic;

at times,

dramatic,

a universal

marvel

that is US.