Donkeys vs Elephants or Jackasses vs Dumbos?

Would You Rather Be Kicked By A Horse Or A Cow?

Most people would try to answer "Neither". Both are going to hurt, injure, or probably kill. This election poses a similar dilemma only with a donkey and an elephant.

I have written a lot about Trump. This is simply because I have never experienced - even as a non-American - a less suitable or more despicable person occupying the White House. So I would prefer Biden by a long shot.

On election day however I have always felt that most people vote on emotion and the charisma of their chosen person. What they and their party have promised for months matters little. The accomplishments, errors, and controversies to date are forgotten overall. Sad but I believe it is true.

So ignoring the big and important items like the economy; foreign policy; readiness and willingness to protect the nation; taxation; employment; immigration; climate; and international standing to name a few, here are the items in my view which will determine the next President:

Trump's base will vote for him because:

1. He comes on like a tough guy who is capable of anything
2. He speaks at about their education level - high school at best
3. He hurls insults and mocks other people
4. He has no idea what established diplomatic behaviour is and does not care
5. He goes out of his way to thumb his nose at the establishment at home or abroad
6. He is at heart a white supremacist whether he denies it or not
7. He has zero respect for women in high places
8. He will never ever admit that he is wrong or that he made a mistake
9. He thinks he can rule like a dictator
10. He appeals to the more base instincts of human beings

Biden's supporters (not sure who his base is) will vote for him because: 

1. He has openly and publicly suffered great personal losses which makes him real
2. He has proven his empathy for other people because of 1.
3. He speaks like an educated man despite a personal stutter he had to overcome
4. He understands the COVID crisis and he will try to overcome it
5. He has a warm and sincere smile
6. He does know how to use diplomacy in all of its forms
7. He has a great relationship with his partner who is as much a people person and as hard a worker as he is
8. He listens and will continue to listen to others and take their advice frequently
9. He cares deeply about others - far more than himself
10. He appears and sounds like a person you can trust

Others will have their own lists or perhaps just one point on which they will decide.

Regardless of who wins, the other side will feel like they have been kicked and there will still be lots of Jackasses and Dumbos in power. If that looks like a zoo and sounds like a zoo, it is probably a zoo. Why aren't more of its inhabitants behind bars?

#thebrewsterblock

Is This The Straw That Breaks The GOP Elephant's Back?

Lie Your Way Out of THIS Donald

We keep getting lulled into thinking "Finally! Surely people will see the truth about him this time and withdraw their support?" Then it does not happen.

This time it is recorded for the entire world to hear - the voice of DJT talking to Bob Woodward back in February 2020. This is NOT fake news. He said then he knows this is a very serious virus; that it is transmitted by air without contact; that this one is very tricky; probably a lot of other things we have not yet heard.

A couple of the best are:

1) He informs Bob that normal flu kills over 25,000 Americans annually. Then months later you see a video of him at a meeting saying that he did not know that so many American lives are lost to flu each year!
2) You see Kayleigh McEnany telling her audience The President has NEVER played down the virus. Then you hear him months earlier stating himself that he deliberately plays it down - his words, not mine. I acknowledge that Kayleigh might not have heard those tapes when she spoke. If she had, she violated her "I will never lie to you" vow.

Trump knew. He tried to ignore it and wish it away. He misled all Americans.

Added to that are Generals who say he is actually totally disrespected by the military brass and that they hate the things he says about front line members of the armed forces.

We all suspect and some of us hope that there will be a lot more on the remaining Woodward tapes - more of what I and many others always said Trump would do - hang himself, shoot himself in the foot, or lie himself into a corner.

Mr. President - this man brought down Nixon during Watergate. Let me supply the logic: Nixon was smarter than you are; Woodward was smarter than Nixon was; that makes Woodward smarter then you. Ask one of your staff to explain it (then fire him/her I suppose.)

Oh yes - the final piece: Trump is smarter than his base and all the sycophant Republicans who are too gutless to speak out against him.

I am becoming increasingly convinced that some day soon whether he wins or loses the election the military brass will have to remove him forcefully. If that happens The American dream really will be a nightmare.

#thebrewsterblock

Melania Socks it to Donald

Class Act. So Why Donald?

Melania knocked it out of the park last night.

It was bad form using the White House. I had to shake my head when she praised her husband and addressed him as Donald. I had to pick myself up off the floor when she held his hand. Apparently she was also part of the Obama birth issue and yes, once in the past her speechwriter copied from Michelle Obama. She watches Donald late at night working so hard for the American people? Is that before the Tweets or after?

But she exuded more class from every part of her entire body as she walked to the microphone, than her husband has ever shown in his entire life. Contrived perhaps, but a great performance. She is a good speaker and it was appropriate that she discussed the loss of life in America from Covid-19  and a great touch thanking her parents for getting her here.

I could live my meagre lifestyle for weeks on what that suit must have cost. It was stunning and so was she.

The bottom line is that she had to live up to her First Lady role and support the President. However by saying little, saying it HER way, and speaking in such an intelligent fashion, she showed up Donald just by exuding class, subtly covering many topics, often in a heart-felt fashion.

I can understand any red blooded man falling for the woman we saw last night including DJT.

The only question left is, what on earth did she see in him? I have not checked but I wonder what bets are already in place with the British bookies and at what odds that she leaves him after he is out - now or four years from now?

If I were a betting man, I would say she will. Hillary stayed with Bill when she should have dumped him. Which result would show the stronger woman? 

#thebrewsterblock

Republican Convention

Who Let Her In?

The convention's first night was about what I expected. I think they borrowed a few techniques from the Dem's but so would the Donkey Party if they had been second. It's like golf when you putt second and can "go to school" on someone else's effort.

There were certainly several elephants in the room that nobody wanted to talk about. Not once did I hear mention of the poor 170,000 plus Americans who have lost their lives to the virus - over which The Donald has such great control. Nobody mentioned the hot spots in the country. Nobody brought up the debt or unemployment. Donald's sister escaped so far.

Some people are great speakers. Obama and Michelle are two. Biden was good. I hated what he said but even Donald Jr. spoke well and Senator Scott and Nikki Haley. Trump spoke very little - good plan - and only acted as a prompter to others who praised him. Some of the ordinary citizens were good.

Then there was Kimberly Guilfoyle. At first I thought it was Melania. Isn't that a bit of like father, like son! To give credit it must be very difficult to stand in front of an invisible audience of millions of people all over the world. I have not done so. I read that she has been a prosecuting attorney so she must be used to speaking on her feet. I also heard that her piece was pre-recorded. Really? How many takes were there? I thought it was the embarrassment of the night. She sounded like a teenager who failed to make cheerleader every year until her last when she got to stand in for someone. She couldn't dance or do the acrobatics so she just yelled louder than everyone else. I looked like she forgot and was waiting for an applause. Don't quit your day job.

Some editor needs his or her ass kicked. Maybe it was DJT himself. He already needs his ass kicked. Let's keep hoping.

#thebrewsterblock

There's a Funny Smell Coming From a U.S. Post Box Near You

Does This Pass the Smell Test?

I suspect there is waste in the US Post Office, just as there is in the same service in most countries, and in most government run agencies and departments. Many of my peers in retirement with friends who were civil servants are envious of their pensions and early retirement. I wish I had followed their lead.

Something smells however when the new Postmaster General decides to hurriedly implement some of these changes that entail removal of post boxes and sorters at this strategic time. It REALLY smells when POTUS himself said he would try to hold things up to disrupt mail-in votes and DeJoy supported Trump financially. Everybody seems to agree that many of those votes will favour the Democrats if they arrive in time.

If DeJoy wants to be credible he should not only hold off on changes until after the election, but restore any items he removed. What are a few more months in the grand scheme of things?

This is like politicians talking about deserving an increase in compensation for a long time and then pushing it through just before an election. It is hard to undo later. 

Tonight the Republican Convention begins - it will last four nights. That is very relevant since The Donald has slated himself in to speak all four nights and he only has two feet. He can put one foot in his mouth the first night; the other on the second; shoot himself in one foot the third night (hopefully after extracting both of them from his big mouth) and lastly shoot the other on the fourth.

It is a good thing there is no fifth night because he would be out of feet. Since his mouth would likely be sore from the feet or spewing too much BS, he would then have to talk out of another orifice.

Sorry for that image but you should be used to it by now.

#thebrewsterblock