Trump

Back from the Brink

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments

OK, I just watched Biden’s interview with George Stephanopoulos and I’m of two minds.

On the one hand, I’m worried that Biden thinks this whole thing is about him. If we lose to Trump, Joe will be just fine because ‘he tried his best.’ Yeah well, what about US?

On the other hand, he did remind me about his stature on the international stage. He held NATO together and even expanded it in defense of Ukraine. He’s accomplished many things — most importantly, he defeated Donald Trump.

So, here’s where I’m landing. If he doesn’t drop out and hand the Presidency and the nomination over to Harris soon, I want to see him involve her in everything. I want her prominently featured in the campaign. I want her leading the charge for women, and prosecuting the case against Trump (Kavanaugh hearings style) at every turn! I want to know that he’s truly mentoring her to takeover for him.

And yeah, he’s still old and mixes up shit, but it seemed more like normal old guy stuff, not like at the debate — where he seemed dementia-level confused.

My two cents.

The Future

~ MaryG ~ 18 Comments

What are you most worried about for the future?

I’m most worried about a second Trump term, which seems quite likely following last week’s debate in which Joe Biden’s advanced age and cognitive decline were on full display.

It is my hope that Biden comes to accept this and allows the Democratic Party to nominate someone younger—who can more vigorously rebut all of the convicted felon’s lies—in the coming weeks.

I believe that a second Trump term would mean the end of the United States as we’ve known it. Women’s rights, the Supreme Court, democracy, and the climate are my main concerns. I think I’ve actually given up on the United States ever controlling its gun violence problem.

On a much lighter note, I wore the pink side of my reversible skirt on Saturday. We had a joyous family celebration of my son’s college graduation and my granddaughter on the way. I cannot wait to meet her! 💗

Friends

~ MaryG ~ 9 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What quality do you value most in a friend?
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Now that I’m 55+ and have lost several friends my own age to cancer and addiction, I am not picky. I like all my old friends. If I’m in touch with them at all at this point in my life, it means there was/is a real connection there.

In making new friends, I gravitate to people who both listen and talk. And obviously, no MAGA. That’s a deal-breaker.

Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda in “Grace & Frankie” on Netflix. No surprise that I was a big fan of all seven seasons of this show.

Preaching to the choir

~ MaryG ~ 7 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What public figure do you disagree with the most?
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“Disagree” is not the right word (far too mild), but I feel I might be preaching to the choir here on WordPress. (As a longtime church choir member, I love that expression.)

Perhaps I’ll see what a (free) AI image generator can do with my intense feelings.

Ooooo…I like this one ^
Perps in Prison. Jerks in Jail. Dirty Old Men. Power Pervs. Catch & Chill (suggestions welcomed)

I vote so we can keep it

~ MaryG ~ 10 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Do you vote in political elections?
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National, statewide and local elections are all important. I always vote. I have a couple of friends who are very involved in town affairs. Sometimes I reach out to them before local elections. They advise me on who to vote for, when I’m unfamiliar with the candidates. There’s nothing wrong with that. If you have friends who share your values, you can ask them how to vote.

On the federal level in the United States, it’s all on the line in November. For those who missed the exceedingly well-researched TIME magazine cover story on how far Trump would go in a second term, here it is.

I hope voter turnout in November is huge and that people don’t waste their votes on third party candidates (or that creepy Kennedy who hates vaccines). Yes, Joe Biden is very old, but he’s the only candidate with a realistic chance of preventing an “imperial presidency that would reshape America and its role in the world.”

King Donald: This is not what the founders had in mind.

On September 17, 1787, at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin was 81 years old and in terrible pain from gout and kidney stones. After hashing it out for more than two weeks (seven hours per day), he finally convinced thirty-nine convention delegates to sign the Constitution of the United States, with just three delegates refusing. (It would still need to be ratified by the states.)

At the end of the day, they all went out to dinner at the City Tavern in Philly. Delegate McHenry (Maryland) wrote a diary entry describing a conversation between Franklin and Elizabeth Willing Powel who said, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Benjamin Franklin responded:

“A republic, if you can keep it.”

Source

The Room Where It Happened:
Independence Hall, Philadelphia, where both the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution of the United States (1787) were signed

Related post:

Nervous about November

Nonfiction

~ MaryG ~ 8 Comments
Daily writing prompt
When do you feel most productive?
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I feel productive when I finish a nonfiction book. Not a memoir mind you, but a real nonfiction book about history or ideas. I’m a fan of novels, so reading nonfiction feels a bit like school—a completed assignment.

Recently, I finished The Persuaders—a NYT bestseller by the American journalist Anand Giridharadas. It’s been on my list for a long time due to recommendations from friends who are more serious activists than me. I wouldn’t say I loved it, but it gave me some things to think about.

In 2022, I read a nonfiction book by the American journalist Mark Leibovich, who now writes for The Atlantic. Leibo is actually an old friend of mine from my post-college party years so I tend to read his stuff. I think he’s hysterical. I enjoyed every single word of his bestseller Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump’s Washington and the Price of Submission. Highly recommend. It was an amazing poolside read. Even better with wine.

Related post:

Novel Lessons

Zeitgeist

~ MaryG ~ 7 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What topics do you like to discuss?
View all responses

I like talking about the zeitgeist—current events and popular culture (especially movies and TV). I also love talking about books with my book group and music with my choir peeps. I enjoy hearing about people’s travels (to a point). I’m not a big sports fan, but if a Boston team is in the playoffs, I like to know what’s happening with that. Go Celtics ☘️! (and Bruins, I guess)

And as anyone who follows my blog knows, I despise Trump with a deep, burning, crimson hatred I’ve never felt for any other public figure in my lifetime, so I’m always up for any conversation which involves trashing him.

Am I the only one with a sign like this on display in my kitchen for the past 8 years?