October 19, 2020
*ENDORSEMENT*
It’s hard to overstate what a radical change in the tenor and texture of American life Trump‘s 2016 election has wrought. Starting with the undisguised racism in his campaign announcement (‘and some, I assume, are good people’), continuing with his ‘heads I win, tails you lose’ formulation on accepting a ‘rigged’ election’s outcome, and recalling his ‘locker room talk’ boast that took place nowhere near any locker room, that he just grabs women by the pussy – ie commits the crime of sexual assault – he has shat upon the very notion of decency.
Just this week, for example, he led a Michigan campaign rally in a chant of “Lock her Up!” the hate filled refrain of his last campaign. This time however, it wasn’t directed at Hillary Clinton. In the four years since his election no charges have been brought against Clinton and she hasn’t been locked up, obviously. Nor have funds been received from Mexico to pay for his imaginary ‘big, beautiful wall.’ And only a relative handful of Trump’s alleged ‘millions’ of people casting fake votes in 2016 have been charged, much less convicted. In other words, it was all complete and utter horseshit.
But in inciting this hate rally, Trump was aiming his cult’s wrath at another strong woman, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Just days ago the FBI broke up a plot to kidnap her and put her on trial for tyranny. Heavily armed men felt so tyrannized by her attempts to minimize COVID-19 deaths in her state that they were going to kidnap her.
Any President with a shred of decency as a human being, an iota of respect for a democratically elected state executive, or genuine concern for Law and Order would flatly condemn the very notion of such anarchic violence. But not Trump. The fat, humorless ass clown President we are stuck with for a few more weeks recast the incident with his own deplorable self as the victim:
“I guess they said she was threatened, right? And she blamed me. She blamed me, and our people were the ones that worked with her people, so let’s see what happens. Let’s see what happens.” ~Trump
“This is exactly the rhetoric that has put me, my family, and other government officials’ lives in danger while we try to save the lives of our fellow Americans. It needs to stop.”~Whitmer
There are a million reasons Trump ought not be President and by the time anybody catalogued them all there’d be a million more. With that in mind, the Gazette throws its endorsement to the not Trump in this election: Joe Biden. Joe is a go along, get along, old school politician who’s greatest claim to fame is he was on the ticket when Obama became the first Black President. Joe’s sure to disappoint those who want Medicare for All, Statehood and Senators for Puerto Rico and D.C., and an expanded Judiciary even though they would all be totally doable given a Democrat led Senate. It doesn’t matter. He’s the only other horse in this race that can evict Trump from the People’s House on Pennsylvania Avenue. He’s good enough: he seems sane, has a good understanding of how government should work, and most of all, he isn’t a wannabe authoritarian like Trump is.
Swearing on a Bible in January 2017 Trump said, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Even a nincompoop like Trump can’t cite his inability to excuse making repeated ‘jokes’ about staying in office beyond the Constitution’s 2 term limit. People have been arrested for ‘joking’ about what they’d like to do to this, or any, President. It doesn’t work as a ‘joke’ because it’s against the Law and even threats supposedly made in jest may be taken as real threats. If you don’t believe us, try making a bomb joke next time you go through airport security and note the reaction it provokes.
Trump has also lately ‘joked’ about having to leave the country if he loses to Biden, prompting lots of teeth gnashing among those hollering for him to face Justice. For our part it doesn’t matter where he goes as long as it’s out of the White House. If he winds up in Dubai or Saint Petersburg we’ll say good for him. Or rather, good riddance for him. Just get him tfo of the White House.
Vote!