We all make mistakes.
We are, after all, "only human".
That's a generous, compassionate and, frankly, convenient "out" when mistakes are made and liability, accountability and/or responsibility suddenly seek assignment.
What that Hallmark Card-esque bromide fails to factor in, meanwhile....
...is one often ignored but critically important irrefutable in the societal scheme of things.
There are mistakes we can make.
And mistakes we simply cannot.
We can accidentally pour salt into our iced tea or sprinkle sugar on our scrambled eggs.
We cannot accidentally sprinkle rat poison into the kid's Cheerios.
We can forget to bring baby's pacifier along when we head out to the grocery store.
We cannot forget and leave baby in the back seat after parking the car and walking away on a blistering hot day.
We can carelessly let ourselves be distracted and point our weapon and fire at another's target at the range.
We cannot carelessly let ourselves be distracted and allow another living soul between our gun...and our target.
There are, simply, mistakes that we cannot make.
The people interviewed above, as well as millions of others, are making a mistake.
And it's not the conclusion to which you're likely already jumping.
First, let's narrow the focus a bit by thinning the video herd.
Let's eliminate the young blond giggling that she has "no idea" and her sidekick who is down with Donald "all the way". It's a reasonably safe bet that while both of them could instantly recite all the lyrics to any and all Taylor Swift songs, their political "insights" are mostly likely them parroting what they hear Ma and Pa offering up at the dinner table, Fox News on the flatscreen in the background.
Scratch, as well, the couple who follow the teens in the video...for two reasons. One...it's beyond debate that everyone sees a particular president's policies in a "fer" or "aginst" context. That's to be expected when dealing with muggles (humans) who can't agree on where to have lunch let alone find common ground on the critical issues of life. But the gentleman invalidates his cred when he shows his "savvy" by firing off the old and tired "we already have a dictator" shtick. Common sense (both in short supply and no longer either common nor sensible) dictates that if there were actually a dictator in the White House, Mr. and Mrs. "real 'Muricans" here wouldn't dare be calling the dictator a dictator. At least not while being videoed and recorded on a public street. Of course, one must always take into account the "X" factor spelled "I.Q."....
Reason number two? The woman is wearing a 2020 Donald cap. True members of the Kool Aid Korps wouldn't be caught dead out of fashion.
And let's go ahead and take a soft pass on the guy who "likes" the dictator thing and advocates for the elimination of the 'Roosevelt law' that prevents his hero from being President for the rest of his (the hero's) life.
By the way, the 'Roosevelt law' he refers to is actually the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1951. Six years after FDR died in office.
It's kind of surprising that this guy wouldn't know that. After all, any TrumpMAGA member lights up like a kid on Christmas morning at any mention of the "2nd Amendment".....
Even if there's a "Twenty" in front of it.
That leaves the couple kicking off this "on the street" presentation. And a few moments of comments by a gentleman who doesn't seem to fit "the profile" at all.
He is, obviously, wearing the obligatory Red Cap. One of this whole historical sagas most "amusing, if not hilarious, because of its screaming irony" moments btw, showing the passionate support for making "America great" (again...and, if they get their wish...again) by sporting the campaign apparel most likely manufactured...in China. (Yes, of course, the "candidate" denies that 'bigly', but telling the truth...about anything..doesn't really make much of a showing on his CV and everyone..and that means e v e r y o n e ...damn well knows it)
He is also clearly educated, articulate, even thoughtful in his responses. ("Thoughtful" not as in he remembers loved ones' birthdays but as in 'he pauses for a moment after each question which means he's actually listening to the question and considering his reply...a rare quality in pretty much anyone these days...and that means a n y o n e')
And, on first listen, his comments seem measured, considered, hell, even reasonable.
Beginning with a far too lenient consideration of which Trump has long been a beneficiary.
The ol' "you may not like what he says or how he says it.....BUT...."
In this case...."you don't have to like the words that come out of the man's mouth (WAIT FOR IT)....but....sometimes in life, we all need a good paddling from the principal to...set our life on the right ...track".
It's worth noting here...and I give the man credit...that he ends that sentence with an upward swing, "to set our life....on...the right track?"
"...on..the right track?" as if he were either looking for some kind of validation of what he was saying...or...he was doing what he could to insure that the questioner understood that his answer had been pondered and considered and not just fired off as is standard operating procedure in what is sardonically referred to as "discussion and debate" at this place on the mankind timeline.
Again, I give the guy credit...and choose to believe that his intention is the latter.
He continues..."and this country does need a little paddling..." to which he adds that his youth benefited from "leadership" (that) "set me straight".
Wow. Just when you think that you can rely on MAGA minions to babble mindlessly, lip sync shit they heard on Hannity and/or come off so moronically that only a fellow moron would give them a second thought, let alone possibly see their point of view....
...along comes a voice of reason.
This guy's demeanor and observations impressed me sufficiently to motivate me to cut him some (slight) slack as he then starts to wander down "Stolen Election" Street. Something that seems to be required recitation on the part of Trumpsters when appearing and commenting in public.
In my humble o, the whole 'election steal' nonsense is silly. Not to mention bullshit. And the only reason I didn't lead with that is that 'silly' is an 'okay for family viewing' way of saying 'bullshit'.
And it's 'silly' (wink wink) because of my (spoiler alert...it gets both amusing and ironic here) absolute faith in both 'government'...and my fellow muggles (humans).
Something as complex as the "stealing" of a general presidential election involving fifty states and nearly one hundred and sixty million votes is, to put it in as simple a metaphor as I can muster, not like hot wiring a Corolla off the lot in the dark of night.
When's the last time the 'government' did anything...that didn't make you think "can they do anything without fucking it up?"
Exactly.
As to my fellow muggles (humans)?
Let's just sum up their collective skills at intricate, delicate, complicated task accomplishment in two words.
Traffic.
Circle.
"....you gonna go....I'm gonna go...oh...you are gonna....no? okay...well, then, I'm gonna....:"
Exactly.
But changing the outcome of an election involving fifty states and nearly one hundred and sixty million votes?
Piece of cake.
Candy from a baby.
Sweet Jesus, already.
All of this (that) said, here comes a dramatic twist in the plot.
(cue 'dramatic twist in the plot' music)
Where you think I'm headed here is not where I'm headed here.
Not by a long shot.
Or even nearly one hundred and sixty million long shots.
For here is where I'm headed.
I'm going to concede pretty much everything our articulate friend who had his life set straight has to say.
Yes, the country needs a "paddlin'. Yes, leadership can make a significant, if not a critically essential, difference in the life of someone...even the lives..of millions.
No, you get no concession on the election steal 'silliness' (wink wink).
Don't get me started on the traffic circle rant again.
And, articulate, insightful and reasonable man wearing the red cap of conviction (the 'strong belief' conviction...not the conviction(s) theoretically coming up next on "The Adventures of Covfefe"), I'm going to go you one better.
I'm going to concede that a lot of what Trump "accomplished" during his last play date with democracy resulted in positive results and/or outcomes.
You'll need to spot me a healthy dollop of "even a broken clock" here, but you catch my drift.
My problem with what you have articulated, the support you and millions of other continue to offer and with the entire sordid saga that is Donald Trump is that it's all built on a faulty premise.
And, at this point, to save us both time and energy in digesting any more minutiae in my mentions here, I'm gonna skip the line item box checking and sum it up simply and specifically.
If a lot of the policies that were put into place....if a lot of the attitude of 'straight shooting, no bullshit'...if even the sometimes seemingly illiterate, uneducated, crude, rude, by any measure embarrassing spew coming out of a mouth......were put, expressed, spewed by anyone...a n y o n e....but Donald Trump....I'd very likely be standing, if not right beside you, then just a few steps away, nodding in unconditional agreement.
Hell, I might even put on the ol' red capster, from time to time.
But it's not coming from anyone but Donald Trump.
It's coming from Donald Trump.
Whose entire life....e n t i r e l i f e....right up to, and including this moment, has been a textbook case of clinical narcissism with, at the very least, a sassy sprinkling of sociopathy.
And not....n o t....because I say so.
Because he is.
And you damn well know that.
You watched and heard him act like a spoiled two year old throughout the 2016 "campaign".
You watched him openly mock a disabled reporter in front of a large public "rally" and broadcast all over the world.
You heard him give childish, bullying nicknames to his political rivals.
High road?
High roads are for pussies.
Speaking of pussies....how 'bout he grabs your lovely wife by the crotch while we're having an amiable chat about 'what this country needs is a little paddlin'...."?
You're seen the videos, you've seen the speeches, you've seen and heard the "Inaugural" 'address'.
You watched him stir up an obviously angry mass of 'worshipers' and send them up the street in full lynch mob mode....to crash through, tear down, burn down.....
...even hang the freely elected Vice President of the United States.
His.
Own.
Fucking.
Vice President
You've seen it all.
You've heard it all.
I know you have.
Because I've watched and listened to you. And I see you as an articulate, thoughtful, intelligent guy.
So, the question practically asks itself.
How in the name of any God you choose, can you justify your support of him?
If the answer is, and I not only suspect, but assume that the answer actually is, that you sincerely, even confidently, believe that he shows by his bluntness, his "no bullshit" approach....his wrapped in red, white and blue, take no crap or prisoners supposed grasp on the wheel of the ship of state, ready, willing and determined to navigate that ship to authentic greatness...with liberty and justice...for all.....a l l......
...you're making a mistake.
A grievous, catastrophic, extinction level event mistake.
At least an extinction of the democratic process.
Because Donald Trump doesn't give a single, miniscule, micro-millimeter...fuck....about anything...or anyone....
...a n y t h i n g....or a n y o n e....
...but himself.
He has demonstrated that, exhibited that, shown that, spoken that....p r o v e n....that.
Time and again...and again....and again....
...as in "Make America Great .....a g a i n..."
I know.
That you know.
Don't you.
Of course you do.
And I know.
That you are making the mistake of all mistakes.
"A beaut"....as offered by New York City's legendary, once upon a time mayor, Fiorello LaGuardia.
There are mistakes we can make.
There are mistakes we cannot make.
The continued survival of "the land of the free, the home of the brave"...
...absolutely depends on recognizing the difference.
And acting accordingly.
Most especially....
Most essentially...
...on Election Day.
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