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Posted by on Oct 22, 2020 in Blog, Essays, Politics, What's Left | 0 comments

Sick of Politics? Yeah, Me Too

 

 

Everywhere you look on social media — everyone and everything is political.

Trump tweets. Pro-Trump posts. Conspiracy theories. Mindless memes. Vicious attacks on Trump. Links to politically-charged news articles. YouTube clips. Graphs with stats on everything from the economy to COVID. The common thread on most of what’s happening is unmistakable. It’s Trump. It’s all Trump, all the time.

Then, there are discussions and debates — screaming matches, actually. Acquaintances, friends, and even family members have yelled ourselves hoarse at each other in comments and replies, especially here on Facebook. Civil exchanges gradually break down. We get frustrated. Unable to take it anymore, we lash out. We post mean things, even vulgarities. And so, many lifelong relationships have been severed. Friendships have ended. Even parents and children and brothers and sisters stop talking in some cases. Lots of cases. Probably millions of cases.

This isn’t normal.

If you somehow remain undecided about this election and don’t know much about the issues, are confused by the major parties, and perhaps don’t like either of the candidates atop the ticket, let me try and make a very simple appeal to you that hopefully, you might understand. My appeal is as follows:

We can’t take four…..more…..years…..of THIS. We just can’t. So, let’s end it. Let’s end it on Nov. 3rd. Vote to end it.

You say that you’re sick of the political discussions and the arguing and the yelling and the tiresome rants and fog of partisan disinformation. Psst — let me tell you a little secret. Listen carefully….

So are we.

We’re sick of it. We’re sick of it all.

We’re especially exhausted by the petty theatrics, almost entirely created by one hopelessly insecure man craving constant attention.  Such theatrics have become, in a word, tiresome.

Instead, we want to wake up on a beautiful morning and not have to worry about the next big scandal that will dominate the news cycle. We want to watch the news and not hear “President Trump” in every sentence. We long for the time when our lives were filled with discussions and social media exchanges about food and music and shows and sporting events and cats and kids and vacations and all the things we love to exchange and share with family, friends, and strangers. We want to slam the OFF button on politics, at least for a time, and get back to the things that make our lives worth living, and that’s not Russian collusion or Hunter’s laptop or Trump’s latest Tweet target.

Let’s end this and end it now!

When I vote Joe Biden, it’s not because I think he can or will save the country. The problems, the divisions, the ignorance, the corruption, and greed, the selfishness, the deception…..it’s all so overwhelming that one man, one party, one election can’t possibly mop up the mess. The floor isn’t just dirty. The house is on fire. It will take more than Joe Biden or Kamala Harris or a Democratic Senate to fix our aches and pains and illnesses.

But I do know Biden will restore some sense of *normality* in daily life. We will be able to go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning without worrying about what absurdity gets tweeted from the White House toilet at 5 am. Rather, we will get a breath of fresh air, a reprieve from the madness, a sliver of order from the disorder, and an opportunity to get back to those things we enjoy.

You are sick of politics? Yeah, me too.

Voting for Donald Trump in 2020 GUARANTEES that the political wars will continue. And, they may even escalate into ugliness we’ve rarely seen in this country. Voting for Donald Trump in 2020 means social media becomes even more toxic. Our public space won’t merely be crowded out by politics and arguments. It will be a monsoon. A flood.

Voting for Joe Biden in 2020 does not mean politics ends. But the volume will return to a normal decibel level. It means some measure of sanity and compromise. With Joe Biden, we won’t have to worry about raw dogging porn stars and payoffs, the president’s golf addiction, daily insults of world leaders, obsession with ratings and polls, and faux patriotism and faith wrapped in the flag and the Bible. Some people might call this “boring.” I call it normal.

Let’s vote for normal in 2020. Let’s save the country. Let’s save our sanity. Let’s save our friendships.  Let’s save our families.  Let’s save ourselves.

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Posted by on Oct 19, 2020 in Blog, Essays, Music and Concert Reviews, Personal, Politics, Video 1 | 0 comments

My New Song, “Trump People” [Video]

 

Nolan Dalla Song "Trump People"

 

I took Randy Newman’s wonderfully catchy “Short People” off his 1977 album ‘Little Criminals’ and had some fun adding my own lyrics. Recorded as a rough cut with no rehearsal on Oct. 19, 2020.

 

 

“TRUMP PEOPLE”

Trump people got….no reason
Trump people got….no reason
Trump people got….no reason ……….or rhyme.

They got little brains
Tiny little minds
They walk around tellin’ great big lies.
They wave big blue flags
They’re off-a their meds
and red MAGA hats atop their deplorable little heads.

Well, I ….. don’t want no Trump people, no….
Don’t want no Trump people, no, no….
Don’t want no Trump people ‘…..round here!

(I had a dream)
Trump people are just the same — as you and I
(That’s what they say)
We’re all brothers and sisters until we die
(Yeah, but we’ll lead the way)

Trump people got……no vision
Trump people have…no wisdom
Trump people, lookin’ for someone to blame.

They post Russian memes
They hit so low
They think Hunter’s sinkin’
Corn pop Joe.

American government….its “deep state, deep”
Everyone a-around, it’s… “sheep! sheep! sheep!”
Obama’s a Commie
and masks are dumb
They blame ANTIFA
so gonna grab their guns.

Well, I …. don’t want no short-minded people!
Don’t want no Trump people!
Don’t want no Trump people ’round here!

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Posted by on Oct 7, 2020 in Blog, Essays, Politics, What's Left | 0 comments

The Last Helicopter Off the Roof (A Final Plea to My Trump-Supporting Friends)

 

 

A desperate plea to the last of the die-hard Trump supporters — this is your final chance to get aboard.

 

I know a little something about helicopters and the final moments of dictators.

In 1989, I was 800 feet away from the helicopter that swooped Nicolae Ceausescu off the roof in Bucharest, while thousands broke down the doors and swarmed over and ransacked the Romanian Communist Party Central Committee Building.

Years before that, I sat next to a former Marine in a political science class and was fortunate to talk with him.  His stories from Vietnam were mesmerizing.  He’d once been assigned to one of the final helicopters to depart from the American Embassy which was evacuating everyone who could fit onto the aircraft.

Who else remembers watching those grainy newsreels from Saigon, and who can ever forget those still-haunting images of that one last helicopter departing from the rooftop, leaving hundreds and perhaps thousands of desperate and screaming Vietnamese people behind?

Now, in 202o America, we have reached our own helicopter moment.

Right now, this moment in time is the last Huey lifting off as a lifeline.  Soon, this final opportunity will rise slowly from the roof, then gradually become a fading speck in the sky, and finally, it shall be gone — forever.  It shall disappear.  There is no going back.  There are no more flights after this.  There will be no — more — helicopters.

This is your final chance.

—– We don’t care that you supported him in the past.

—– We don’t care that you still agree with many of his policies.

—– We don’t care that you’ve said and written things that made your allegiance to your party and devotion to conservative principles seem unwavering.

None of that matters now.

This is not a time nor a place for finger-pointing, nor accusation.

Rather, this is the time to recognize a dire situation for what it is and climb onto the helicopter.  We are extending our arms and hands and reaching towards you.  We welcome the opportunity to embrace you, even after the fights and the pain.  We want you with us.  We are pleading with you one last time — save yourself.  Please.

If my voice doesn’t persuade you, perhaps General Hayden’s will.  Please take just two minutes to watch this important video:

 

Get on board.

If you do not — I can only speak for myself, here — but you will have diminished yourself, perhaps beyond repair.  It’s your reputation and character and future credibility which are at stake in your decision.  Given the overwhelming amount of damning evidence which, perhaps secretly, you know to be true, should you still chose to ignore it all and cling to your selfish pride, well then that is something we shall not forget.  That is something most of us cannot forgive.

Mark my words — — days, weeks, months, and even years from now — we will remember who was there when it counted and who made the wise choice and who made the wrong choice.  And if you make the wrong choice, it means you are no better than him.  It means — YOU ARE HIM.

 

Now, today, at this minute, all that matters is you get onboard with sanity and leave the madness behind.  The engine is running.  The blades are spinning.  Lift-off is now.

There are no more chances.  The decision is yours.

 

 

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Posted by on Oct 2, 2020 in Blog, Essays, Politics, What's Left | 0 comments

So, You’re Upset With the Left’s Response to Trump’s COVID Diagnosis?

 

 

UPON REFLECTION, A SIMPLE MESSAGE TO MY READERS

Several readers were offended by my Facebook and Twitter posts last night, which sought to highlight the dangerous consequences of Trump’s repeated lies and grotesque negligence.

I always appreciate honest and constructive feedback — and I do wish to now set the record straight. So, please allow me this opportunity to clarify my previous remarks and rephrase an opinion on the Trump First Family’s unfortunate infliction with the virus referred to repeatedly by supporters and the President alike as “a hoax.”

A few questions:

— When Trump assured us the virus is nothing to worry about, that it’s fully contained, were you offended? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump was revealed to have covered-up the dangers of COVID in the Bob Woodward interviews, that he 100 percent knew all along this was a catastrophic virus almost certain to kill tens of thousands of Americans, but then still went out in front of the American people and lied over and over again, were you offended? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump promised the pandemic would magically disappear “by Easter,” then “when it gets warmer,” then “by the fall,” then “by the election,” were you offended? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump ignored, contradicted, and even sometimes mocked scientists and medical experts, were you offended by that? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump gave himself a grade of “A+” and stated “I handled it perfectly” — MANY, MANY TIMES — were you offended? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump assured us that various cures were on the horizon — hydroxychloroquine, bleach, whatever — that a vaccine was “just around the corner,” were you offended? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump openly ridiculed those who wear masks dozens of times in his campaign rallies, were you offended by that? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump stated three nights ago that no one at his campaign rallies was susceptible to risk and no one caught the virus (forgetting about poor Herman Cain, R.I.P.), were you offended by that? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump mocked his election opponent Joe Biden in the debate three days ago for wearing a mask, were you offended? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump and his cult lied and said “it’s just like the flu,” were you offended by that? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

— When Trump’s loyal supporters by the thousands flung millions of incendiary posts and false memes and fake videos on Facebook alleging COVID was “a giant hoax” and “a conspiracy” and “a plot by Democrats,” were you offended by that? Did you speak up? Did you post anything raising an objection?

Let me help you, Trumpsters.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, and no.

Well, at least you’re consistent.

But NOW…..suddenly the time comes when you are OFFENDED. Now, you SPEAK UP. Now, you raise an OBJECTION.

You object to Facebook posts. And Tweets. THOSE offend you.

Uhh, huh.

Well, let me just share a simple thought with you. Here, lean in a little closer. Listen and read carefully.

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FUCK YOUR FEELINGS !!!!!

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#wordsandactionshaveconsequences

__________

 

 

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Posted by on Sep 29, 2020 in Blog, Essays, Politics, What's Left | 0 comments

My Post-Debate Analysis (Biden-Trump #1)

 

DEBATE #1:  MY POST-GAME ANALYSIS

 

1.  The first thing I wrote in my “Debate Advice for Joe Biden” article posted a few days ago was to absolutely nsist the mics be turned off when it’s not the candidate’s turn to speak. Trump was appalling tonight with his rudeness and repeated interruptions. Biden committed his share of interruptions also. But Trump trampled over the debate rules and destroyed the civility of the exchange. His backers loved it, but the bluster lost him support with independents and undecideds. Biden appeared shaken a few times but also reacted to the constant interruptions much better than expected.

 

2.  Biden started off slow. In fact, he looked alarmingly lost in the first 10-12 minutes. However, as the exchanges heated up, Biden got stronger. Most viewers, even supporters, were shocked by this. Biden performed better than we expected. He also buried the concerns about his mental capacity. We did see Biden stutter repeatedly, an affliction since childhood, but there was no indication this was a sign of any mental lapse. This issue will linger a bit longer, but it’s no longer the predominant concern on the Biden candidacy.

 

3.  How the fuck is the President of the United States and White Supremacist groups still a thing? Really? In 2020? Four years into Trump’s presidency? We all saw it. We all heard it. Trump was given the softball opportunity to reject hate groups and far-Right nutjobs. Instead, his blundering and frankly jaw-dropping response was to — “stand by.” The toy cunts who called themselves the “Proud Boys” took the declaration as an open endorsement and social media supporters went wild. I cannot fucking believe there are people out there who won’t acknowledge this is yet another disgraceful episode that SHOULD call Trump’s capacity to hold public office into question.

 

4.  The Trump campaign bragged before the debate that the president didn’t prepare himself — and it certainly showed. They spent all of Tuesday waving flags about hearing aids and hidden microphones, and questions “leaked” to Biden in advance, even though the moderator was from FOX News. It was clear Trump didn’t study, research, rehearse, or strategize. He’s so self-absorbed in his narcissistic behavior patterns, there’s no deviating from his alternative universe of reality.

 

5. Since 1976, presidential debates typically produce perfectly-timed, advance-scripted moments that are the fatal wounds of candidates…..from “there you go again,” to “you’re no (John F.) Kennedy.” Trump apparently doesn’t use or listen to experts in this field. While his unwashed simpletons might love the “spontaneity,” trouble is — that flim-flam carnival barking doesn’t work at this level. Trump clearly had no zingers, mistakenly under the spell that his bullying would be enough to shake Biden and create the knockout. Trump miscalculated and lost, largely in part because of his own arrogance.

 

6.  This will not be a popular opinion, but I thought moderator Chris Wallace did about as good a job as was possible under the circumstances. He had no OFF switch. He repeatedly browbeat Trump for the interruptions and tried to give both candidates equal time. Wallace was also slightly more skewed to Biden, when he shouldn’t have been. However, given that Trump was the violator of the rules in the vast majority of transgressions, and the president’s record is what’s at issue, for the most part, Wallace handled himself well. I don’t know any moderator who could have controlled a spoiled 5-year-old on the plane constantly kicked the back of the seat. This is what Trump is.

 

7.  It’s very clear, all the guardrails in the White House have been flattened. Nobody is left to corral the out of control elephant. All the experts who might have given Trump guidance, are gone now. Resigned. Run off. Indicted. Fired. They’re all gone. Even Scarramucci and Bannon, who might have given Trump some savvy political expertise, are long gone (it shows how deranged this Administration is, when Scarramucci and Bannon are the voices of reason). What remains are toadies and sycophants. Yes-men. Social climbers. Bimbos. Mostly young inexperienced nobodies with zippo on their resume telling Trump every hour he’s the greatest. That’s the White House staff. That’s the campaign staff, oh, except for the former campaign manager who had a gun to his head a few days ago and was dragged from his home off to the psych ward. Gee, maybe this is a problem for the Trump White House, all the military people and academics, and experts being gone, and kids and ass kissers left to stroke the king.

 

8.  Biden ran to the center, but this is because Biden has always been a centrist. Trump desperately wants to paint him with the Bernie Sanders and AOC brush. but the color won’t stick. Each time Trump tried to insist Biden is a “radical leftist,” he looked like someone facing his world possible opponent — someone who is likable, experienced, sane, and compassionate. Now, we see why Trump didn’t want to run against Biden. Progressives (like myself) don’t like Biden’s centrist views. He rejected the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and BLM grievances tonight, which really is firing up the far-Left (that’s me). But pragmatically, we see this is who Biden is, and we will support him, because the alternative is 4 more years of a horror movie.

 

9.  Biden’s best moments were when he cut off Trump and told the American voter, “this isn’t about my family or Trump’s family….it’s about YOUR family.” Given my political background, I suspect that line was scripted for Biden to use when the inevitable attacks came on Biden’s children. This was terrific. It kneecapped Trump completely. Oh, and Trump going after Biden’s son Hunter while Biden was in the midst of sharing his story about Beau’s service in the military (interrupting Biden) was a FUCKING DISGRACE. If I would have been on that stage when the Draft Dodger leveled those remarks, the orange cunt would have needed a new set of teeth. Biden was far stronger than I could have ever been. One more thing: Biden’s best line: When Trump was talking about “Biden will destroy the suburbs,” Biden shot back, “you wouldn’t know where the suburbs are unless you made a wrong turn.” Bam!

 

10.  It’s hard to think of a good moment for Trump, but a winning strategy for him is bringing up the law enforcement endorsements, then asking which ones endorse Biden. That caught Biden off-guard. He better be ready for things like that next time. Trump can embrace law enforcement and win some votes, but it’s also hard to land a punch on Biden when he’s also speaking out against violence.

 

11.  Biden blew a golden opportunity to destroy Trump in two words tonight. While Trump was boasting about his “incredible record” on his handling of COVID and bragging about his campaign rallies, when he stated “no one has had a problem from attending the rallies,” Biden’s response should have been: HERMAN CAIN. I was screaming at the TV and twitted this out, which got picked up on social media. That was such an easy softball, but Biden missed it.

12.  Finally, DO NOT debate again until the mics are turned off for the candidate not supposed to speak. Period. End of discussion. Stand firm. Make this about Trump’s inability to control himself. Would you want this idiot negotiating with North Korea?

Oh, and one more thing: Undecided voters are fucking morons.

 

My tweets tonight in real-time:

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