Friday, November 8, 2024

What Next?

Howard Zinn: 

An optimist isn't necessarily a blithe, slightly sappy whistler in the dark of our time. To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. 

If we remember those times and places - and there are so many - where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory. 

While I do not agree with Howard Zinn on everything, I agree with him on the above. And while we are angry (and I do understand the anger), I think we should save it. Mete it out carefully. We may need that energy for the future. Right now, we must be true to ourselves and our beliefs. We should not back away from them. In fact, we should "hold these truths to be self evident". But now is not the time for our emotions to bubble over. Keep a lid on it. 

I sent yesterday's column from Heather Cox Richardson to another blogger friend, one who I know has grave reservations about what is going on. Like me, he harbors a fear that our democracy will not survive what is coming. It all looks so bleak, doesn't it? 

He responded this morning with a link of his own:

I read the articles contained in the link. These articles are from moderate republicans who are no less horrified at what they see than democrats.  These articles acknowledge that the plans are already being put in place to institute Project 2025, which has been renamed "America First". These articles acknowledge the dangerous place that our voters have put us in. 

So, it is happening, a call for bipartisan, organized pushback against what is happening. States themselves are rallying to protect themselves from governmental intrusion and over reach. 

We can take heart in that, I think. It's early days, people, but folks do rightfully see this presidency as an actual threat. Not just the rank and file folk like me and you, but the government too, republican and democrat alike. (I commented to my friend: 'Would it not be ironic if tRUMP was the thing that united this country?' - because it really could happen...some of the poorest counties are his strongest supporters. They will be the first to feel the effects of Elon Musk's plans.)

So what will happen? I really can't say. But neither can you. We need to watch what is happening carefully, and with a clear assessing eye and firm intentions.  Avoid willy-nilly fear and hopelessness. Avoid rage and threats. Avoid paranoia. I remind you, we are NOT them. 

For instance, someone recommended that it was no longer safe to talk on facebook, that there is a 'safe' channel we all need to subscribe to so that we can plan our plots and vent our spleens. Respectfully, that is bullshit, friends. Tell that to the intercepted terrorist communications. Tell that to the Russian communications. Local militia groups. There are no 'safe' internet 'channels'. Allowing ourselves to be whipped into a paranoid fervor makes us no less foolish than the right wing republicans who believe every single conspiracy theories that every wingnut comes up with. Nope. I will say what I have to say and I will say it without hiding. I don't give a rat's butt who's listening and taking notes. And for the record, I don't believe that it is happening.

Let's all take a deep breath. No matter what the news is, let's tuck our children into bed and leave the room, calling out 'sweet dreams' as we shut the door behind us. They don't need to be anxious. Not yet.


I suggest that we all live mindfully and carefully, tending to the important stuff of life. Our children, our relationships, our communities, the work that we need to be doing. 

I think that if we can all keep our wits about us and take care of each other during the next four years, we have a chance at getting through this.  

If it comes down to it, we may have to fight. Literally. But not just yet. In the link above, one of the articles begins with a quote from Abraham Lincoln: "If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do and how to do it."

That sounds reasonable to me.




26 comments:

  1. The line by Lincoln is very apt.

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    1. We need to watch closely, and not back down from our own convictions. The following is already happening, Andrew.

      https://newrepublic.com/post/188159/donald-trump-maga-attacks-women

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  2. It will be a long four years to be underground, but we can do it.

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    1. Do you think we will go underground? I am hopeful that won't happen. I have no intentions of that.

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  3. This post has given me some hope. I like your practical common sense.

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    1. I think it is always best to know what you are dealing with before you formulate your defense.

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  4. You've commented on some things that might work and some things that would make the situation worse. They have some policies that could make things worse for themselves such as tariffs.

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    1. There will be huge repercussions to what they state they are going to do. Some of the things simply cannot be done. They can't. They're impossible. Other things can be done, and they will negatively impact great swaths of people. That's where we come in. We need to focus on helping those folks. One can only hope that somewhere along the line, all these plans begin to negatively impact their own lives, because in the end, sadly, people don't care about anything unless it affects them, personally.

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  5. That is my approach. I am not one to wring my hands or spew anger. I will wait and see and take action if needed. For now, I am just sitting tight. I will not stress over maybe and what ifs.

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    1. Exactly. The worries of the day are sufficient.

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  6. After 2016, I told my wife that there are checks and balances in the States, but as far as I could see, there was almost complete capitulation. So, while I hope that there are good Republicans, I am not sure who they are, or if they will stand up and be counted.

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    1. That was the thing that shocked me the most, I think, that so many of those 'checks and balances' simply caved and became sycophants, evidently deciding that their careers and grasp on power were more important that the people that they were serving.

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  7. The HCR post is a good one, one of my neighbors sent it to me. We've been traveling to our winter house in Tucson so have been a bit out of touch. Hard to say what is going to happen in the next few years, but one thing is for damn sure, it's gonna be turbulent. We will need each other to get through this shitshow, but I will be here, I'm not going anywhere!!

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    1. And somehow, Jim, I knew that you and Allison would be. Thanks for that!

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  8. I am wondering how much power can be wielded to make drastic changes and what the consequences could be if total power, without checks and balances, is achieved. .

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    1. That is the scariest part to me. He already is immune from being prosecuted for his actions as president, thanks to the supreme court. The checks and balances were being removed even before he "won".

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  9. This was a well-thought post, Debby. Keep your powder dry.

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  10. Yes. Keep on keeping on. The pendulum will swing, but let us hope that it does not go too extreme in any direction

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    1. It's going to swing farther than most of us want to see, I'm afraid, but I hope it doesn't swing to the extreme that many fear it will. It might. I'm not a fool. But I do believe that we need to hold our fear in check until we see what is actually going to happen.

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  11. I will carry on but it will be difficult to "keep calm"!

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    1. We can all help each other with that, Ellen!

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  12. In all the trump media onslaught your fronting up to your council has been overshadowed. How did you and Tim get on at that meeting? Margaret from NZ

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    1. I believe that to be resolved. We will know for sure on the 16th.

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  13. Everything changes all the time; in fact, as "they" say, change is the only constant. So I agree with you -- we have to live our lives and live out our values, and realize that whatever's going on here will not last forever.

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  14. A very refreshing post for the most part in a world filled with vitriol and pointing fingers right now.

    I see a lot of hysteria about Project 2025 out there and a lot of flat out lies about it from politicians that make them just as bad as Trump's lying. Few people realize that the Heritage Foundation has been creating a similar manual for the last 43 years since Reagan was first elected. I'm not privy to all 43 years worth of they Project XXXX manuals, but I would guess the vast majority of what is in them hasn't been implemented, like any wish list and perhaps like the Democrat version that I'm sure exists among their rank and file.

    But then, I'm an optimist.

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I'm glad you're here!

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