The Show Has Arrived

After several reincarnations and numerous comeback attempts at new days of glory, a renovated classic has risen up before us.  In this instance, we don’t even need to change the name; all we have to do is change the characters.  Not the character of the characters, just the characters themselves.  And in celebration of our wokeness, we will take the bold step of replacing one of the primary male characters with a female.   Welcome, my friends, to the new and progressive version of The Three Stooges, starring Chuck, Nancy, and Joe.

It is not yet certain which new character will assume which previous actor’s role; time will reveal the answer to that question.  It might even prove to be the case that the new actors, being the multi-talented individuals that they are, will be so adept at the capacity and breadth of their predecessors that they will each be capable of illustrating the abilities of all three.  The hilarious possibilities are endless; but sadly, so is the potential for tragedy.  It was always the case in the original versions that even though mayhem and injuries were plentiful; no one ever seemed to incur permanent damage.  This time around, I fear the consequences of the inane actions will be far more serious.

So as we wait in anticipation for the pratfalls, the comedy of misdirection, the famous slaps upon the head, and all the collateral dysfunction that their misadventures will produce; we can only speculate about whether or not this reinvention of an old storyline will be gloriously successful…or fade away into oblivion like most that have preceded it.  You know…it is so difficult to top the original when following legends.  But with this bunch of ambitious and unintended comedians, the sky may truly be the limit.  Enjoy the show.

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The bald-faced hypocrisy of both national political parties in our nation is nothing short of breath-taking; always has been and always will be.  The excesses of the one followed by the same excesses of the other always creates the conundrum of criticizing the very same behavior that you yourself have been guilty of.  Our political class depends on the chronically-short memory of American citizenry and really do not lose much sleep over the thought that their past sins will come back to haunt them.  And when that actually happens?  Well, in that case you simply throw the sacrificial victim under the old Party bus and keep on rolling.

The liberal contingent that has so recently vanquished the conservative corps from WDC thrones of power is pushing this dependence on lost recollections to the very limit.  Their calls for unity, after four plus years of exquisite disunity from their very hands, must be met with reactions of extreme incredulity from any reasonable person.  And their attempts at historical revision and past event airbrushing?  Well, let us consider how well these efforts might withstand the miracle of modern technology…

https://nypost.com/2021/01/07/liberal-amnesia-about-last-summers-riots/

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/01/enough-with-the-outrage.php

https://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/our-history-then-and-now

Of course, we are nothing if we are not capable of laughing at…perhaps not ourselves, but at our fearless and so very hypocritical leaders: https://babylonbee.com/news/to-protest-siege-on-capitol-kamala-harris-helps-blm-burn-down-a-target

How many times have we seen a U.S. Senator of either party appear before the media bright lights as a hero who has gone against the overwhelming pressure of his or her own party to vote with the opposing party…..but only after they knew that their vote would be of no consequence to the eventual outcome?  It is so amusing to watch a Senate roll call vote when they pass over a certain Senator’s vote, pushing it to the very end of the roll call so that this certain Senator will know whether or not they can get by with being a champion of conscience, a voice of reason, a true representative of the people.  The truth is that they are simply too chickenshit scared to buck their party unless they know their vote won’t matter.

It is sad to see how our departing President has employed this same practice during his final days in office.  Here is his national address following Congressional action to certify Joe Biden’s election victory: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/01/donald-trump-statesman.php

He is saying all the right things and using all the right tones and addressing all the proper concerns.  The problem is that he is doing it all after he knew that his vote would not matter.  This is the message that should have been delivered after it had become apparent to any sane person that his efforts to overturn the election results were doomed to failure.  I do not fault him or his advocates for contesting the election results in the valid avenues provided by the Constitution.  And to go one step further, I certainly believe that sufficient evidence of election shenanigans exists to warrant some type of formal examination to determine exactly what transpired in the 2020 presidential election and how those events should influence future reforms to better insure the integrity of the process. 

But by delaying his statesmanship as he did, waiting until after the post-election turmoil had wrought its damage and it had become obvious he had no realistic recourse, he too took the chickenshit way out.  So once again, we see the consummate politician banking on the average American to hear only the words they speak today…and forget all about what they may have said yesterday.  Donald Trump was dealt a bad hand and he oftentimes played it quite poorly.  And he was certainly playing the game with some sharks that knew the game better than him and jimmied the rules to take the pot.  But when the time came to fold his hand and walk away from the table with some dignity, he instead chose to keep bluffing and raising the stakes until…there was no way to leave the game gracefully.  It is sad to witness.

 

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There is a wind of uncertainty in the air today.  Over the last several months, conservative advocates have openly speculated about how a liberal takeover of our government might usher in an unbridled wave of censorship; perhaps even a state of socialism-lite.  This loss of liberty, they warned, would begin with Congress passing new administrative rules that would silence the minority voice in our legislative process.  That is happening today.  Simultaneously, this purge would emanate from liberal high tech company chiefs who have been granted legal protection by Congress, which they have chosen to abuse through the use of partisan bias.  That is happening today:  https://www.dailywire.com/news/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-blasts-twitter-for-censoring-trump  And finally, this not so subtle silencing of moderate and conservative voices that disagree with liberal dogma would be expanded and executed by the liberal elite in our country who control, through their wealth and power, tremendous influence over our lives.  That has been happening for some time now.

Were these warnings cries in the dark that became hysteria in the daylight or is there truth in their prophecies?  The liberal community in America has held practical control of our K-through-12 education establishment for years through their involvement with teachers’ unions.  Education’s administrators come from the ranks of teachers.  Liberals have long dominated the voice and actions of the higher education academia community.  The mainstream media in our country has become an unapologetic voice of the Democratic Party and the liberal element; openly supporting their causes and attacking any opposing opinion.  Given the economic success of President Trump’s economic policies, I am still confused as to the apparent and solid support of liberal philosophies by the Wall Street groups. 

All of these powerful and influential people and entities worked diligently to defeat President Donald Trump.  Having accomplished that goal, you would think they would now turn their ambitions towards the future and work out the plans for implementing their liberal agenda.  Instead, we see them continuing their obsession with the total destruction of Donald Trump and the obvious priority of silencing any voice above a whisper that does not align perfectly with their ideals.  Their behavior begs the question: Are they fighting for ideals and policies or are they fighting for personal empowerment and control?

The American liberal intelligentsia lives and works in a bubble; it exists in a universe of sameness.  They are mainly surrounded by people that are homogenous in thought and opinion.  If you are of a different bent and are beautiful, or rich, or powerful…then you might be allowed inside the bubble if you willing to behave like one of them.  Otherwise, you really do not count.  You are irrelevant.  Your life and your opinions are inconsequential.  Even the mere thought that might be sparked in your pitiful mind telling you that you are worthy of any consideration whatsoever is foolish beyond contemplation.  Any voice of dissension is ostracized.  The certitude of their beliefs is continually confirmed by those they surround themselves with.

This liberal segment of our populace is now emboldened beyond their wildest dreams.  Complete control of Congress and the White House is in their grasp.  They are fully unleashed.  Even though they continue to beat on the near-death political carcass of Donald Trump, they must surely realize they have already sufficiently diminished whatever power and influence he might have carried into the foreseeable future.  This governmental control that they have achieved, along with the institutional influence mentioned earlier, has obviously pushed them to a drunken state of euphoria.  Consider this: https://www.spiked-online.com/2021/01/09/the-woke-purge/ and this https://www.newsmax.com/headline/forbes-targets-trump-staffers/2021/01/10/id/1004991/

To the victor go the spoils and our democracy demands that those victors have the opportunity to put their ideals into practice.  But the victor had best be wary of treading on the fundamental liberties of those he has defeated.  Domination in battle earns a certain tolerance and subjugation by those defeated; it does not require complete surrender of personal beliefs and principles.  Those gifts are guaranteed to each and every American by our Constitution; regardless of your status as victor or vanquished.  The liberal hive that has swarmed across our country needs to be very careful as to how far and how hard it pushes its pursuit of an agenda that many, many Americans simply do not embrace or even agree with.  Given sufficient rope, even a wise man will eventually hang himself.

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Our political system is in a terrible state.  The reckless rhetoric and bluster of one side has led to treachery and obstinance from the other.  That treachery and obstinance has then been met with more careless rhetoric and bluster, which in turn has driven the other to new and higher levels of lunacy.  It is depressing to watch the alarming spiraling of this syndrome play out in our nation’s government and spread throughout our very communities.  It is a shameful stain on all of those who participate in it and gain from it.  It is a terrible dishonor to our founding fathers.  We have taken a glorious ideal and perverted it severely.

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Bonus: Scott Johnson at the Powerline blog does a marvelous job of finding musical gems to post on a fairly regular basis.  His discoveries are reliably interesting and whether they are your particular genre or not…they are always enjoyable.  If you like music, you will like Scott’s posts.  This week he featured a new Nashville project from Barry Gibb; the sole surviving member of the Bee Gees.  I graduated high school in 1971 and followed the Bee Gees all the way through their careers.  Their music is a large part of my life’s soundtrack.  Johnson refers to the HBO documentary about the band and I urge you to check it out.  It is a great story about human perseverance and the music industry.  This Nashville project has produced some truly beautiful music; my favorite is Barry’s duet with Alison Krauss on Too Much Heaven.  The Run to Me number with Brandi Carlile is a close second.  Do yourself a favor…watch the documentary and listen to these tracks: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/01/sunday-morning-coming-down-111.php

 

The Final Act

I am writing this post a few days after the United States Congress has confirmed Joe Biden as our next President.  Like many Americans today, I have conflicting emotions coursing through my mind. 

I was a frequent critic of Donald Trump’s behavior during his presidency, both personal and professional.  And like anyone else who may choose to criticize aspects of his term, I readily admit that I am wholly unqualified to judge a man who endured, simultaneously, such honor and abuse, such power and paralysis, such esteem and disdain, such credit and blame, such betrayal and support, and such adoration and hate.  He was an authentically-polarizing individual.  And even though I continue to believe that many, in fact most, of his policies were correct, I was never able to reach a point where I truly respected the man.

One’s possession of my respect is no great prize in this land or world.  Perhaps other than to a small handful of people, it is something that is simply irrelevant and inconsequential.  But the incredible thing about respect is that one does not have to be worthy of it in order to bestow it judiciously.  It is certainly true that to most people, the respect of a respected person is worth more than the respect of a jerk.  However, the hard truth is that respect, regardless of the giver, is an object that must be earned.  Donald Trump was never interested in earning it.

I oftentimes enjoyed his irreverent recognition of social hypocrisy in our culture.  I appreciated his unorthodox approach to many policy questions involving our citizenry.  There were a few times when his rhetoric, particularly about the police and the military, brought me close to viewing him as sincere and empathetic.  Occasionally, he would take a position or make a decision that certainly seemed to require a good deal of bravery and independence.  And there were even moments when his mere presence and stature, cast against the right background, created an impression of the proud leader of a glorious nation.  But in each instance, most times revealed in the moments shortly thereafter, it became clear that all of these episodes were motivated by his personal self-interest and ambition.  He did a fantastic job of continuing the tradition of exceptional narcissism so expertly established by his predecessor, the One.

And even as the 2020 presidential campaign entered into its latter stages and the consequences of its potential outcomes were being thoughtfully discussed, President Trump never once considered that the intrinsic value of his administration’s policies were far more precious than the worth of his reputation as a leader.  Repeatedly ignoring the opportunity to have those policies continue beyond his first term, he refused to subjugate himself to a level of political decorum that might possibly have led his candidacy to a successful conclusion.  To the very and bitter end, Donald Trump was “The Donald” and he went out the very same way he came in; making it all about himself, being loud, and being totally self-unaware.

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My fears of a Democratic takeover of our government grew as the campaign progressed.  I became more and more apprehensive.  I had a terrible sense of dread when I considered the increasingly likely possibility of a liberal sweep in Congress and the White House.  Recalling my intense funk when Obama was elected to a second term, I was troubled by the catastrophic emotional upheaval that would accompany a Biden and Schumer victory.  But strangely, even with the full and terrible understanding of the damage that complete Democratic leadership in our nation’s capitol might entail, I have not personally realized any sense of loss in Donald Trump’s defeat.

Don’t get me wrong; I truly hated to see Joe Biden win.  The thought of placing a walking cadaver in the presidency, along with Chuck and Nancy running the Congressional circus, is enough to keep me awake at night worrying about the futures of my children and grandchildren.  But cry over Donald Trump losing an election?  Not so much.  I do not celebrate his loss; I just feel the silver lining warmth of his personal absence. 

The Donald Trump presidency was a grand experiment in placing a true political outsider in charge of our government.  It is possible that had roles been reversed and the Donald was a Dem, the Republicans might well have marshaled a similar resistance to his efforts.  That premise will no doubt be debated for some time to come; but there is absolutely no debate about what we have returned to.  As if the false promises and delusional aspirations of Hope and Change were not sufficient to jerk our nation back to reality; brace yourselves for the rude awakenings that lay in store when we begin to live the effects of the Past and Pathetic.  Make no mistake about it; the wages of our political negligence at America’s polls will come due and the process of payment will be painful.

The soul and fiber of our country is going to be sorely tried over the coming months.  When surveying the current landscape, it is difficult to imagine any semblance of statesmanship, civility, or bipartisanship in our government or society.  The wounds that have been gouged and raked during the Obama and Trump years are not going to heal quietly.  They will continue to fester, spreading corruption and fever throughout the civic body of our nation.  We have made a hard bargain with the devil in deciding the past election as we did.  Yes, we did rid ourselves of an arrogant and pretentiously-sophisticated lout that somehow seemed to bring out the worst in both his supporters and opponents.  But in doing so, we have allowed…yea, we have invited… into our homes the insidious, sometimes immoral, oftentimes hateful, and always hypocritical essence of the extreme liberal consciousness. 

So while the joy-filled Democrats, along with their Never-Trumper Republican allies and short-sighted Independent friends, celebrate their hard-earned (or smartly-stolen?) election victories; we should all pause for a few moments and consider battening down our familial hatches, padding our savings accounts, tightening up our purse strings, and reflecting on our own personal principles because ready or not, the true test of American constitutional democracy is about to begin. 

It is a sad and tragic thing that we have done to ourselves.  We’ve taken noble ideals of honor and sacrifice and turned them into spitefulness and hate.  The potential of common dreams has morphed into a ménage of terrible nightmares and self-absorption.  The pure and innocent beauty of ambition and achievement has been buried beneath ashen piles of isolation and dependence.  And the twisted, tortured, and mean culture that we so often encounter in our daily lives has numbed the better parts of our soul and diminished our quality as humans.  If we do not somehow find a way to heal ourselves and bridge the ever-widening gaps between poverty and wealth, pure evil and sincere compassion, unvarnished greed and unselfish goodness, and simple, decent respect for each other….then the true test is not just for our democracy.  It is for us as a nation.  May God be with us.

 

A Look to the Future

As we put 2020 behind us, along with a poisonous presidential election and all the upheaval visited upon us by social unrest and the coronavirus pandemic, we turn our sights towards tomorrow.  Our world, our nation, and our new President face many uncertainties.  The President in particular will be confronted with foreign and domestic policy challenges that will test his metal both in the scope of his political skill and the strength of his character.  There will be times when the wind is at our back.  Occasionally the wind will be in our face.  And almost constantly, there will be crosswinds blowing in unpredictable fashion.  Below are some good links to avail when considering what lies ahead in our future.

First let’s take at look at the condition of our nation as it relates to FOREIGN POLICY.  For our American government, it has historically been the case that the politics of foreign policy stop at this nation’s border.  That is not true anymore.  It is difficult these days to tell exactly who is an ally and who is an adversary; both in country and out of country.  That will not get any easier in the days to come; and the critical nature of foreign policy decisions will only escalate.

China cursed our planet with the cornonavirus plague.  It makes sweetheart deals with multi-national corporations while enslaving its own population and placing its political dissidents in labor camps.  It blatantly and shamelessly steals America’s innovative ideas while commandeering any foreign investment on its mainland.  China's espionage adventurism in America makes it a deadly enemy both now and well into the future.  It sees itself not as our equal on the international stage; but as the preeminent power in the world.  How will our new President deal with China? https://nypost.com/2020/12/31/will-joe-biden-take-on-our-alarming-china-problem/

The Middle East cauldron continues to boil and is always threatening to erupt into a raging volcano of death and destruction.  How will Iran be treated by our new President…and how will it treat him?  Will he build upon and honor the peace treaties delivered to him by his predecessor?  How will the relationship between the US and Israel fare under a Biden Administration?  Here is a good article that sets the stage for that dynamic: https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/us-israel-iran-revenge/

The European factor will continue to hover in the background of the Middle East, China, and Russia concerns; but its critical importance to the global stability of democracy will remain a top consideration for our new President.  What is the future for NATO?  Germany remains an enigmatic ally that is not only very unpredictable, but is also sometimes extremely problematic.  Dealing with the most powerful economy in Europe will be quite the challenge.  Consider some of its past behavior: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16907/germany-un-security-council

Our oldest and hopefully most loyal ally remains England.  But with Boris Johnson at the helm and that nation heading off into the post-Brexit territory, our good friends across the pond are going to be quite consumed with their own problems and may be needing us more than we will be needing them: https://www.jns.org/opinion/lessons-from-britains-brexit-breakthrough/

Climate change will no doubt take center stage in the Biden Administration’s execution of foreign policy.  And with John Kerrey in charge of that operation, the realm of unpredictability (and ridiculousness) is limitless: https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2020/12/30/john_kerry_false_prophet_of_the_climate_apocalypse_654911.html

The Coronavirus pandemic stands astride both foreign policy and domestic policy.  As a transition from one to the other and for a thoughtful look at some of the lessons we might glean from its wreckage, here is a very interesting perspective: https://amgreatness.com/2020/12/29/the-virus-is-not-invincible-but-its-exposing-whos-irreplaceable-2/

Staying with the coronavirus impact a bit longer, here is a good article on how America’s small business community has been disproportionately hammered by the pandemic.  For those of us who live in rural America, we have seen firsthand the tragic results of this calamity unfold as the many draconian shutdown policies have been mandated and administered:  https://justthenews.com/nation/economy/amazon-walmart-saw-profits-surge-2020-small-businesses-saw-plummeting-revenue

Life after the pandemic will no doubt feature many of the changes that were implemented because of the plague, but will likely remain after the plague is extinguished.  Some will remain because they were already in motion and the pandemic simply accelerated that motion; and some will remain simply because we found out that we liked them and want to keep them around.  One of these is the emergence of “working from home”.  Almost everyone has either been personally impacted by this phenomenon or know someone who has.  Of all the lasting effects of the coronavirus episode, this one might be the most significant in a cultural sense.  This new trend in working arrangements will no doubt have ripple effects throughout our working lives, society, and economy.

When we turn our focus to DOMESTIC POLICY, we find many important issues swirling.  It is difficult to disassociate any of them from politics; which seems to have infected every aspect of our lives.  But that is the reality of today and we as a nation must deal with these issues if we are going to survive.  There is little doubt that the Biden Administration will be born out of conflict and dissension. There are truly rough seas ahead on the home front.

As we look towards Congress and the working relationship it might have with our new President, we are waiting for the resolution of two very important events.  One will be the special Senatorial elections coming up in Georgia.  Senate Republicans currently have 50 seats in the Senate, while the Democrats hold 48 seats.  The Democrats will continue to maintain a slim majority in the House.  Put in its simplest terms, if the Democrats win both races, they will then have a Senate majority with the vote of Vice-President Harris.  If the Republicans can win either one or both of the races, they will maintain majority control of the Senate.  It goes without saying that moving forward with a Democrat President, a Democrat House, and a Republican Senate is a recipe for legislative gridlock and rancor.  The political war would begin early on with the confirmation battles involving the new Administration’s appointees.  From there, the potential for conflicts is endless regarding judicial nominations, limitless hearings and investigations, and budget battles.

On the other hand, full Democrat control of all three elements would usher in opportunities for dramatic changes that heretofore have only been dreamed of.  These changes will either be progressive-minded adjustments to our Constitutional interpretations that result in a more evolved government or, depending on your perspective, create an unnatural deviation from the Constitutional design that founded and frames our government.  When I say that these changes have only been dreamed of, the point I make is this:  One party has controlled the House, Senate, and Executive branch before; that is nothing new.  The difference this time around will be the emboldened aspect of using that control as a political bludgeon to achieve a partisan agenda.  There will be little if any semblance of shame or bipartisan consideration in the manner that these changes will be achieved and implemented.  It will be raw and brutal political power.

The other critical Congressional element that we are anxiously awaiting is the selection of the House Speaker position.  Next to a Democrat President and when the House is controlled by his Party, this position is historically occupied by the second most powerful Democrat in America.  We know that Speaker will be a Democrat and it will likely be current Speaker Nancy Pelosi.   Through her no holds barred/bare knuckles engagements with President Trump, Pelosi has managed to heave severe political damage upon the President.  She no doubt has been in high spirits since the November election thinking that her battle is won and her war is over.  But her political tactics and maneuvers have also resulted in some adverse public opinion of the Democratic Party.  It no doubt contributed to both the failure (thus far) of the Democrats to take control of the Senate and their absorption of significant seat losses in the House.  Pelosi must now deal with the consequences of her actions and quell what appears to be an insurrection in her own Party: https://www.newsmax.com/politics/house-pelosi-speaker-republicans/2020/12/31/id/1003835/

It would not be wise to bet against Pelosi.  She has faced opposition before and has come out on top every time.  There is no reason to think that this time will turn out any differently.  However, a Democratic House ruled by a Speaker other than Pelosi would certainly put a different dynamic into play regarding future legislative activities.  This would be true even if the Democrats gain Senate control via the Georgia races; but would be especially significant if the Republicans retain majority control of the Senate.  In that case, who might McConnell’s dance partner be?

To help illustrate the obvious fact that Americans, specifically those elected to public office, have the shortest memories on the planet; pay attention to how the upcoming Congressional Electoral College Vote plays out in the next few days.  The full view of the scenery changes rather dramatically depending on your seat in the theatre, does it not? https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/01/accepting-the-electoral-college-vote-or-not.php

There is a ticking time bomb in America that I have addressed on many previous occasions.  It is the federal budget deficit and ballooning federal debt.  It is the result of our Congress and Presidents habitually, irresponsibly, and increasingly spending more money than they have coming in.  What is the current federal deficit?  Let’s take a look: https://www.thebalance.com/current-u-s-federal-budget-deficit-3305783 

No doubt, there are appropriate times when federal expenditures might need to exceed our tax revenues.  There are economic slowdowns that require stimulus.  There have been times of war when money had to be spent on defense.  And as we have just witnessed, there are natural disasters such as the pandemic that wreak havoc on our budget dynamics and must be dealt with monetarily.  The problem is that our government has adopted the attitude that the fiscal restraint concessions that can reasonably be made in these times of national emergencies can just as easily apply anytime.  And that is how they have unashamedly operated since the late-1990’s; at which time this government actually achieved a balanced federal budget.  Unfortunately, both national political parties have dropped any pretense of doing any serious work towards federal fiscal responsibility.  That is evidenced by my previous post regarding the latest stimulus legislation.

Should we be concerned about the federal deficit and debt?  I think so; others not so much.  Here is an interesting point of view: https://fee.org/articles/5-reasons-to-worry-about-soaring-federal-debt/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8Mq08bH77QIVwbiGCh2NswfmEAAYAiAAEgIlbvD_BwE

 

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If you have become disillusioned and frustrated with our American elections and adopted the belief that "your vote doesn't count"...you are mistaken.  Read this article and always remember that the next time around, this situation might be in your county, state, or nation: https://www.dailywire.com/news/pelosi-to-seat-gop-congresswoman-elect-who-won-by-six-votes-on-provisional-basis-says-spokesperson 

There is a final item to consider on the domestic policy front that will no doubt be a topic of much discussion in the foreseeable future.  It is the subject of election reform.  I happen to believe that there is no problem with the American concept of federal elections as set forth in the Constitution.  I embrace the federalist aspect of having 50 states conduct their own elections and then conflating them all, through the Electoral College, to achieve a final result.  One good thing about that system is that it is nearly impossible to manipulate the entire election; one can only affect a few states.  It also insures that every state, both rural and urban areas, has some significant input in the final determination.  The bad news is that messing with a few states is sometimes sufficient to change the entire outcome.  The problem as I see it is not with the overall plan; the devil is in the details.

If we accept (and not everyone does) the wisdom of the Electoral College, then we must come to grips with the fact that it is a chain only as strong as its weakest link.  True and effective election reform must take place at the state level, in state legislatures, and under the supervision of state government officials.  In some fashion, we must find a balance between federal minimum integrity standards that might apply to each state and the flexibility for each state to conduct elections as they see fit.  Let us delve into that deep, dark realm that is election reform.  Please note that I have linked liberal, conservative, and centerline opinions regarding reforms.

Lest we fall under the false illusion that the integrity, transparency, and fairness of the federal election process is a serious matter of high priority for our elected officials, please consider this news item from June of 2001 regarding the 2000 Presidential election fiasco: https://www.brookings.edu/research/an-agenda-for-election-reform/

Let us continue with a current clarion call for reform: https://priorities.aei.org/make-the-2020s-a-decade-of-reform/

Here is a good perspective on that state-by-state reform effort mentioned earlier: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/2020/12/02/opinion-battleground-states-should-model-election-reforms-after-ohio/6476326002/

There is a lot of reform talk going on around the country.  But will anything come of it? https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/529570-legislatures-across-country-plan-sweeping-election-reform-push

The Electoral College has proven to be a hard nut to crack.  Here are some more ideas about how to reform it.  You can dig as deep as you like: https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL30804.html

Maybe if we can’t abolish the Electoral College, we could just tweak it a bit: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/05/04/electoral-college-reform-2020-226792

Or perhaps we could simply get down to the process of collecting and counting the votes in a responsible and transparent method: https://www.heritage.org/election-integrity/commentary/ensuring-the-integrity-our-election-system

And just to insure some balance, here is a Democrat Senator and a liberal politico who have all the answers: https://time.com/5925180/election-reform-2021/

Do you ever wonder if it is even conceivable that our nation could slip into anarchy?  When you view the recent violence experienced in the American Northwest and Great Lakes areas; the routine weekend massacres that we are witnessing in Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago; and the rampant calls for disrespecting and defunding police departments across our country…the impossible is certainly seeming a bit more possible.  Reflect on this:  https://jonathanturley.org/2020/12/31/nypd-search-for-teens-responsible-for-attack-on-car-on-fifth-avenue/

If you have read this far I will leave you with some humor, which is the best medicine of all to ease your political discomfort…whatever that might be.  Here is a bit of satire from the Babylon Bee.

Political correctness has reached new and stratospheric levels of absurdity.  Brand names from table syrup to professional athletic teams have been changed for specious reasons.  Consider this: https://babylonbee.com/news/cracker-jacks-changes-name-to-more-politically-correct-caucasian-jacks

Another aspect relating to our hyper-ventilating condition of excessive behavioral judgment is the politically correct policepersons (i.e. Karens) that live among us.  They and their super-sensitivity to anything they perceive as objective are…well, they are simply hard to put up with.  For example: https://babylonbee.com/news/man-in-critical-condition-after-hearing-slightly-differing-viewpoint

And finally, there is the old Second Amendment debate that comes and goes; but never quite goes away.  Anyone who has been within earshot of a gun store knows that nothing spurs gun and ammunition sales like a pending presidential election.  Needless to say, the fact that Joe Biden will soon be our President has not made it any easier to find the gun you want or the ammunition you need to fire it.  Combine this with the ongoing circus of stimulus legislation and this is what you get: https://babylonbee.com/news/gun-stores-overwhelmed-by-people-returning-600-guns-for-2000-guns