Our electoral disaster (part 1)

Most of the US press has been concentrating on finding the reasons why Harris lost to Trump. A majority of pundits have been focusing on demographics (see picture), media use and the money spent. 

What wasn't talked about was Trump’s enormous motivation not to go to prison and win, as well as his determination to use the experience of his first term and his second lost election to beef up his chances of winning, a crucial factor that was swept under the rug by the folks running the Democratic National Committee (DNC). 

To avoid prison, Trump would have to be formidable, but the DNC acquiesced to having a frail, 80 years old, run against a monster stopping at nothing. 

Trump’s tax cut and Covid support programs under both administrations also had a deleterious effect by tremendously increasing the money supply, which meant that they would fuel a severe inflation down the road. 

There was a precedent, runaway inflation had killed Carter’s chances of reelection in 1980, so one would have thought that the DNC and Biden, during his first mandate, would have “prepared the patient” by warning the American public that there would be, down the road, hell to pay for these largess. 

He forgot or was incompetent to do so, letting Trump jump on it and in fact with the election with it. Then, Trump went hell bent on insulting Biden first, and then Harris. I even suggested that Kamala present Trump with a bar of soap when the debated together, so he could wash his mouth! 

Both were nice with the convicted felon and turned the other cheek to receive more insult. Hard to believe! What was remarkable with Harris, as she took the mantle after Biden quit, Trump and Vance accused her of having run the administration on her own for 4 years, but she never bother to clarify that a Vice-President position isn’t to run the country, but more to shut up and assume the passive role of a “spare wheel” as everyone knows. 

The accusations leveled against Harris were totally uncalled for, but she didn’t object. As of yesterday, Harris only got 47.8% of the popular vote (70,258.814), vs. 50.5% (74,173,512) for Trump, a severe defeat, in spite of spending nearly 50% more than Trump on political ads, ($1.4 million vs. almost $1 million for Trump!) 

I compare this to the conclusion of a car race in which the experts claim that the losing automobile didn’t win because the mechanics were too slow to change the wheels in the pit, the public didn’t cheer loud enough, and the choice of fuel quality was suspect. 

The problem was that the winning car, was an old but still running Ferrari (Trump) facing a Citroën 2cv (Biden, then Harris). Only the product (candidate), not the program, the amount of money poured into the race, or any other excuse made the difference. 

We’ll explore this tomorrow (to be continued...)

Why should Trump wash his mouth with soap…

In English speaking countries, washing out one’s mouth with soap is a time-tested physical punishment that consists of wedging a bar soap into a person's mouth so that, Donald Trump, in that instance, will bite it, taste it and ingest it in a one-of-a-kind effort to change his communication style. 

It would be a symbolic "cleansing" following each one of his infractions and as well as a deterrent, due to the foul aftertaste. When corporal punishment was still permissible, it was commonly used as a means to enforce child discipline at home or at school, and was more frequently employed by mothers than fathers. Since it leaves a disgusting and lasting taste in one’s mouth, this punishment still has advocates today. 

This form of punishment was especially common in the United States and United Kingdom from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century. It was often used as a response to profanity, lying, biting, tobacco use, or verbal disrespect. It diminished considerably in recent years, in favor of discipline methods sometimes even more violent or humiliating. 

For sure, a quality politician is first and foremost an excellent sales person, a skill that Trump sorely lacks.

In the unlikely event that Harris and Trump ever debate, she should offer that soapy therapy to the aging candidate, not to mention the unique picture of the ex-president foaming at the mouth, by making certain an 18 wheeler following the campaign and loaded with bars of soap, keeps up with the impressive volume of foul names, lies, and other expletives uttered by the old man.