The brighter side of America.

We’ve been rightly horrified by the apex (judging from his post event conciliatory tone, I think it was the apex) of Trump’s scandalous destruction of his, the GOP’s, and now America’s, global reputation.

I, for one, hope Trump’s reign ends in some form of history defining legislation: Impeachment? 25th Amendment? Jail?

But let’s put to that side for a moment.

For, in the midst of it all, we almost overlooked Trump’s greatest failure. His high point in ineptitude.

The loss of the Presidency, the inability to recapture the House and now the unthinkable loss of the Senate.

When Trump came to power in 2017 The Senate majority for the Republicans was 52 :45 with an unfilled seat (and 2 independents).

At his mid term elections the gap closed to 51:46.

As of today it’s 50:50 with a de facto majority because the VP has the casting vote.

You have to go back to 2011 to find a blue senate.

But what makes this most extraordinary is that “Down the Ballot” in November, where House and Senate, as well as Presidential, votes are cast, the Republicans didn’t do as badly as expected.

There was what’s known as ‘split ticket voting’ where, essentially, people voted in larger numbers for a Democratic President (Biden) but in their local ‘constituency’ they reverted to their true party of choice, Republican.

Indeed, even in Georgia David Perdue, the sitting Republican senator, was a gnat’s hair away from regaining his seat when the vote was ‘down the ticket’.

He needed a clear 50% to win the post but reached only 49.73%, which triggered a run off.

In the other Georgian run off seat Raphael Warnock topped a long list of 21 candidates polling 32% against runner up, with incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler on 26%. Loeffler was expected to win the run off.

But what happened next was that Georgia went from being a Senate “down the ticket” parochial matter into a national matter that bore the names of Trump and Biden, every bit as much as Ossof, Loeffler, Warnock and Perdue.

No longer “down the ticket” the Democratic machine enticed many, many black voters to register for the first time and the result, on Tuesday night, was a further popular rebuttal of Trumpism as much as an endorsement of Biden.

As soon as Trump was the main attraction he let his party down, yet again, and now we see an historic outcome.

A black Pastor and a Jewish Man elected to the US Senate – from the Deep South of America.

It’s a remarkable outcome and it means Trump has given the Democrats the much sought Trifecta of House, Senate and Presidency. Not total power, because the senate is a difficult beast to influence. Some bills need 60% approval and that means non partizan voting, plus the left wing of the Democratic party will be empowered by this and could ‘ransom’ Biden and Harris on some issues.

But, and it’s a big but, it gives Biden total freedom with his cabinet, it means he can pass a much stronger financial bill to aid America out of the Covid crisis that Trump caused (and refused to financially aid) and it gives him unrestricted power to appoint judges.

Its a great outcome for democracy, particularly in a Southern state where a disciple of Martin Luther King now sits in the US senate and a Jewish man makes history in a state that would not be top of the expected list to have achieved this.

Let’s pause and tip our hats to democratic America. Where, in the midst of mayhem, it’s clear that insanity is not entirely the norm.

96 days until Trump’s fascist kakocracy is served its just desserts.

Isn’t that a great word?

Kakocracy.

It’s Greek-derived and means a rule or government by the worst of people.

I assume its etymology is closely related to Caca (The Spanish word for shite): a shitocracy.

If Trump (a shite) is running (I use the word loosely) a government that is a kacocracy then he is running a government of shites.

And he is.

And they are.

America’s privileged elite: that want to reduce Unemployment Insurance Benefit from the current $400 a week to $200 a month. Saying, why should taxpayers carry the burden?

Well, because it’s taxpayers that need the support I’d say.

Anyway back to Trump’s kakocracy.

I’ve been listening to the highly entertaining Pod Save America for weeks now and it’s clear that they are part of the Democrats’ election machine, but the presenters wear their hearts on their sleeves so openly that it validates the appalling bias of their twice-weekly in-depth analysis of all things political in the USA.

It was here that I stumbled upon this wonderful word. A word that must have been created with Trump’s administration in mind because usually the denigration of governments stems from autocracy or even dictatorship.

But here we have a government fairly and democratically elected, now in a state of delusion, disarray and frankly, evil.

The USA does not deserve or need this shitshow, this freak show, this carnage.

So come 3rd November if the polls are reliable (Biden 8 points up) the kakocracy will be consigned to the cesspit of history.

A history lesson that will endure the ages, that will draw the question, “Mummy, Daddy what did you do during the war on decency?”

History teachers will have to reframe lessons, will need to pre-warn their students that this four-year period of American disintegration, when it became the laughing stock of the world, was for real, not a comedy interlude, a Shakesperean musical in the woods, a play within a play.

No. It was for real.

Yes, before he went to prison as an enemy of the state Mr Donald (person, woman, man, camera, TV) Trump was for actual real.

A barefaced, lying fascist scumbag who abused his citizens on the world stage, with only Altzheimers as his defence, while a sociopathic kacokracy looked on with daggers behind their backs waiting to absolve themselves from blame because they were only following the fuhrer’s orders.

That’s what a kakocracy is.

And it comes to an end in 96 days.

Breathe.

It would be heartbreaking if it wasn’t so funny. Obama slow Jams the news.

The Western world has never had it so good having an American President as dedicated, in touch and committed to US economic recovery, healthcare and international relations.  God knows what faces us but Hilary is surely the lesser of two evils.

In this news slow jam on the peerless Jimmy Fallon show he underlines his achievements but, importantly, cites his party colleagues as brothers in arms.  Let’s hope they keep that work up under Hilary.

But this 7 minute sequence takes it all to a new level.  A hilarious blaxpoitation of his two terms in office.

Can you see Donald Trump doing this.

Can you fuck.

Can you see Hilary doing this?

Nope.

Could you have seen the Bush’s?

No siree.

Jimmy Carter possibly.  Reagan at a push but not with an ounce of this utter coolness.

He even raps.  (Badly).

And the killer gag.  Orange is NOT the new Black.

Justice is done

You may recall I blogged this image by Obey, a few weeks ago.

Well, a nice twist came out today.

Sorry the quality’s so poor, but that’s the credit crunch for ya.

If you want to enjoy the original’s quality click on the link.

Wassup 2008.

Thanks to Will Atkinson for providing me with this gem.

Not only is this very funny and a genius pastiche but it is a very true take on our current zeitgeist (yeah I know but it’s the right word.)

For those of you who don’t remember the vernacular hogging original it was truly the talk of the water cooler in 2000.

Colin Powell Backs Barrack Obama

Is this the end in sight for McCain?

For one of the Republicans’ most respected figures to publicly put his faith in the opposition raises a great deal of doubt about the credibility of McCain’s challenge and the fact that he says it’s because McCain chose Palin as his running mate says it all.

What’s more he feels Obama could be a transformational world figure.

Ouch.

The McCain-Obama Post-Debate “Handshake”

More disrespect from McCain to Obama.  He’s doing nothing to win over undecided voters with shit like this.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “The McCain-Obama Post-Debate “Handshake”“, posted with vodpod

“That One”

Ouch. McCain is disrespectful in the extreme to Obama in this week’s debate..

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about ““That One”“, posted with vodpod

Sarah palin’s Facebook page.

Some interesting insights.  Click through for a clearer view.  Thanks to Jon for this.

un-limbo’d

So, US congress reluctantly votes to bail out the world economy by getting tax payers to pay for Wall Street’s greed.

Meanwhile in the UK, the Labour party nationalises Bradford and Bingley witn taxpayers’ money.

Any thoughts on who lost out in all this greed?

Here’s a clue. It wasn’t anyone in the City or on Wall Street because lost jobs or otherwise, they’re all right Jack.

Sarah palin’s conference speech.

Wow.

This woman knows how to work an audience.

It’s three minutes in before she actually speaks.

A mix of schmaltz, warmongering bollocks and good old US of A.

She’s a star but one’s flesh creeps.

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It’s too early to call this given she’s in her (and her daughter’s impending) honeymoon period.  But the Republican conservatism and right wing cack is clearly a fully integrated part of her dogma.

It’s a sideshow I feel.

game on

Just when we all thought Obama had nailed it (short of assasination) McCain pulls a rabbit out of the hat.

Now, this is an interesting development.

Sarah Palin has a CV to die for.

She’s a much lauded Alaskan Governor.  Check.

She’s a Christian.  Check.

She’s an ex beauty queen.  Check.

Obviously she’s a woman.  Check.

She’s sporty.  Check.

She’s in a steady and long term relationship.  Check.

She’s a mother of five.  Check.

One of her kids is going to Iraq in a few months.  Check.

One of them is disabled.  Check.

However the whole thing is all a bit random.  McCain has only met her once so one could hardly describe this as a meeting of minds.  She makes Obama look blessed with foreign affairs acumen and she’s called her kids Track, Piper, Bristol, Willow and Trig. (!)

I’m looking forward to this…

The tingle

You live through the last ten years of lying politics and suddenly things go a bit tingly.

Barak Obama is undoubtedly the most exciting introduction to the Western political world since Clinton (Mr , not Mrs) and some.

And in Scotland we are graced by Alex Salmond.

In between times Bush bombs; yes, I know, it’s a pun.

Brown just goes pear-shaped – but what can you expect when his boss/predecessor was an inveterate liar?

So.  Bring it on.  The Presidential election I mean.  Because, although I am massively predisposed to Obama, I think we all need to see the debate unfold.

Obama

You wonder whether the fight to beat Clinton has taken too much out of him.  OK, America probably wants a break from conservatism, and McCain is about as enticing as Hilda Ogden in a rainstorm but it’s still a big ask.

And, oh it’s been a right riveting nomination campaign.

But let’s not forget he is black and there is a mountain of opposition to that.

However, I think it is a rather exciting political development and that he is, potentially, the man.

Bring it on.

(This is clearly the sort of post that one might look back on in years to come as supremely visionary or supremely foolish.  Pray God it is the former.)