Do Not Go Gentle...
INTERESTING STUFF – 8 August 2020

The Alex and Ronni Show. And Trump

[EDITORIAL NOTE: Sometimes when I sit down to write a story for TGB, I quite surprise myself with what's on my mind. That's what happened with this one. I intended only a short piece to lead into The Alex and Ronni Show and it turned into a screed. Or maybe it's a plea. I don't know.]

On Wednesday, my former husband and I recorded our bi-weekly Alex and Ronni Show. We spent a great deal of the time talking about Trump but I think what I said is small potatoes compared to what I have been thinking of late.

I have at last arrived at a place where I think I am done with him or, to be more specific, done with the pull to know every day what unspeakable thing he has done now.

Although he has made many catastrophic changes to our way of life, although he is deeply ignorant, ill educated, incurious, willfully stupid, mean, nasty and (among other ignoble traits) evil according to some, he is such a pathetic, little, blowhard of a man.

But that is not to say he is ineffective.

There are as many “expert” explanations for his abhorrent behavior as there are days in his tenure as president, none of them satisfying, and the worst part of his presidency is how many people he has harmed that, with almost any given normal person in his place, would not have happened.

The so-called experts who turn up in the news almost daily are no better at explaining the unmovable 40 percent of Americans who support Trump no matter what than they are at helping us understand the man himself.

But I no longer see that knowing how he got to be the monstrous person he is would help anything. Nor will any of our elected national lawmakers. They have had nearly four years to thwart his worst (and least) undertakings and have done nothing.

Now that Trump has stocked the leadership (and, often, the rank-and-file) of every federal agency with grifters, crooks, chiselers and dedicated sycophants, the election looks less likely to be fair with each passing day.

But maybe it doesn't matter. Today, I am reminded of this. It turned turned up and made the internet rounds in the spring:

WORLD: There’s no way we can shut everything down in order to lower emissions, slow climate change and protect the environment.

MOTHER NATURE: Here’s a virus. Practice.

To the degree necessary, we aren't doing anything right about the virus and that is discouraging not only in regard to the people who have and will die. It may lead to the disappearance of humankind from our planet.

So vote as if your life depends on it because it does. Maybe – and only maybe – a better person in the White House can change that.

Here's this week's Alex and Ronni Show.

You can check out Alex's online talk show here.

Comments

Wonderful smile Ronni!
Faith

For someone who is “dying” you look great. That smile is contagious and you glow. Please hang around for the election. During this pandemic I appreciate you now more than ever and look forward to reading the blog. Ronni you’re rock!

When the Black Death reached Europe in about 1348, over the next 4 years it killed up to half the population of Eurasia, and recurred less fatally as epidemics until the late 17th century. (After that a new strain appeared.) Even without modern medical knowledge or resources, bubonic plague did not wipe out humankind. So, I don't believe this coronavirus means the end for humankind, not that we won't do it some other way.

I took heart from a New Yorker article by Lawrence Wright, "How Pandemics Wreak Havoc—and Open Minds". (July 13, 2020.) The loss, chaos and changes have already lead many to question so many systems and assumptions, not just in the US.

You didn't mince words, and hit the target as I see it as well. Yes, your picture, looking good, much love to you, hope our kids can help change the government, and as you said the Virus, is just a prelude to Climate Change problems to solve.

I agree with you Ronni about Trump. He has become a comic character in a delusional play he orchestrates himself and that nobody cares about watching anymore. If his daily screw ups and tirades are not just ignored, he is laughed at and the butt of endless jokes. He is not taken seriously and his lies are ignored or laughed at. He is a total buffoon. I still think he is very dangerous, but one branch of government he has not completely compromised or destroyed is the military. If Trump orders a nuclear attack, I think the top military brass will not follow his orders. At least I hope not.

You look great and I love your smile. It is contagious. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do to help guide us through our elder years.

Beautiful Ronni, as someone mentioned, you glow ✨

As far as trump is concerned, am in same place. I don’t read much of it anymore, it’s too exhausting and I feel dirty after reading anything about this parasite.

I won’t quit staying abreast of what each day brings but I’m no longer interested in details, they’re the same day in, day out.

My disappointment in all but a few democrats is deep. I try to remember we’re in an evolutionary moment and what comes next is up to us. The young people especially. We recreate human society to include all, or, yes, humanity dies out.

And I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. As of today I see humanity as a failed experiment and Mother Nature might be cleaning up her mess...

Great piece here, and another good ‘Alex & Ronni Show’. I very much appreciated what you wrote as I’ve been having an increasingly difficult time watching the news (MSNBC) as I normally do. These daily reports of the asinine, lamebrain things Trump did or said today.... the talking heads on TV express shock & disbelief, I sit here and blow smoke out my ears, and it doesn’t change a thing.

When Alex asked if the press was Trump’s enablers... I've wondered that too. But on Wednesday when Sally Yates was in front of that Senate Judiciary Committee, calmly explaining her actions regarding that traitorous creep Michael Flynn, and was then accused of not being a Trumper from that asswipe Ted Cruz (UGH he turns my stomach) I thought “HERE is Trump’s enablers”.

I'm with you, Ronni. I'm worn out. I'm exhausted. Even when I avoid watching or reading the national news, the insanity gets through. I come across it while surfing the internet or watching local news (which, incidentally, is often as bad or worse than national news). I live for Nov. 3. I want to see Trump humiliated. Soundly, publicly defeated. And maybe, after that, some criminal charges will be waiting for him. Vindictive? Me? You'd better believe it!

I enjoy your posts tremendously. I am sad that during this time in your life there is a pandemic and a sociopath in charge. If there is one good thing about his presidency, it is your determination to see Cheeto defeated in the fall. If that is what keeps you fighting (and looking damn good in the process), I am thankful for that.

I love that quote! The virus may not end humankind but it shows how ill-equipped we are to deal with the greater issues of climate change and environmental degradation. I fear you may be right about the upcoming American election but I hope not. And you do look good.

Gotcha............enough, already! I never want to hear another supposedly amazing tale about what Trump has said or done now, enough! I worry that the press is doing the same as the first time around, giving him tons of attention for his bombastic horror show. We need to put all, and I mean all our energy into electing Biden, being rid of this scourge. Now, I'm not thrilled with Biden, but he's not crazy.

Think you covered it very well...I believe any thinking, caring person, would agree with you..this person (won't call him a "man" as that would give him too much credit), is and has taken steps to totally destroy our nation. I wanted to vote by mail, but it required too much personal information online (I don't give out my life story online...and filled out all of the form up until I got to the request for my Social Security Number. Here in Virginia, our driver's licences have numbers that are not our Social Security Number, for safety reasons, and I happily filled out my drivers licence number, and would have been happy to give them my "last four" of my social security number to confirm, but when they asked for the whole number I closed out the form uncompleted. I do not know who could have accessed the form online, or who was processing it in the office it was being processed in. Therefore, when election day comes, I will have to mask up and go vote in person, and hope not to get sick in the process. That said, I would happily vote for a mud clot before I would help our current mess get re-elected. Always happy you are still here Ronnie, have followed and loved your blog for a long time...for someone so ill, you are still so much more lucid and sensible than a huge part of this country, and for that I am grateful..your blog has always been a joy.

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Can appreciate your feelings. You might want to read Masha Gessen who told us four years ago what to expect and how to survive if you haven't previously noted the writings. Can help one retain sanity during this madness. I hold out hope we can begin to salvage our democracy with a new and different administration though repair will take time and likely not be finished in my lifetime. Out of this maybe Americans will confront some of our faults with potential gains toward real equality. Voting, as you say, is critical to clear out the current White House cess pool.

Like you I will vote as if my life depended on it. Time for a dramatic change! What the last few years has shown me is that to make a better world you have to act...not be complacent!

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