Monday, November 4, 2024

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

 

The good:

... I want to be extremely careful with what I am about to say next. There do appear to be signs in this last weekend of the campaign that a majority of Americans are in the process of rejecting Republicans’ dark, retrograde vision for the country. None is more dramatic than Saturday night’s report from the nation’s most highly regarded and historically most accurate pollster, Iowa’s J. Ann Selzer, that Democrat Kamala Harris has surged to a 3-point lead (47-44%) in the Hawkeye State, which Trump won so decisively in 2016 and 2020 that neither candidate has campaigned there.

The Iowa Poll dovetailed with weaker-than-expected polls for Trump in heartland states like Ohio, with internal surveys showing last-minute undecideds breaking for Harris, with the Democrats’ seeming strength this cycle with older women furious about the Roe reversal, which has been reflected in early voting here in Pennsylvania, and in polls showing rage among voters of Puerto Rican heritage after the MSG debacle. As Republicans increasingly reveal who they really are, many voters are apparently electing to believe them the first time.

But the most important thing that voters can do with this last-minute flood of information is to completely ignore it. The only things that matter between now and 8 p.m. Tuesday are casting a ballot, and talking to family and friends or even knocking on some doors to make sure as many as possible do the same. Vote as if your life depends on it. Because if you finally have health insurance, if you believe in clean drinking water, if you or a loved one plan on having a child or want control over your own body, or if you live in an immigrant community, your life does depend on it.  (our emphasis)

We trust the internals of the Selzer Iowa poll showing Vice President Harris getting Independents/ undecideds/ older women breaking strongly for her.  We don't believe this is a uniquely Iowan phenomenon, given the ugly, misogynist, hateful, fascistic campaign run by the Malignant Loser and his minions.  People have been seeing that, and they're realizing their life depends on tomorrow's outcome. If you haven't already, please VOTE!

The bad:

Donald Trump gave a profane and conspiracy-laden speech two days before the presidential election, talking about reporters being shot and suggesting he “shouldn’t have left” the White House after his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

In remarks Sunday that bore no resemblance to his standard speech in the campaign’s closing stretch, the former president repeatedly cast doubt on the integrity of the vote and resurrected old grievances about being prosecuted after trying to overturn his defeat four years ago. Trump intensified his verbal attacks against a “grossly incompetent” national leadership and the American media, steering his Pennsylvania rally at one point on to the topic of violence against members of the press.

The GOP nominee for the White House noted the ballistic glass placed in front of him at events after a gunman’s assassination attempt in July at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and Trump talked about places where he saw openings in that protection.

“I have this piece of glass here,” he said. “But all we have really over here is the fake news. And to get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news. And I don’t mind that so much.”  [snip]

With less than 48 hours before Election Day, Trump continues to promote falsehoods about elections and argue that he can only lose to Democrat Kamala Harris if he is cheated, even though polls suggest a tight race...  (our emphasis)

The unraveling of the already unhinged Malignant Loser continues as he sees the election slipping away from him, and his legal perils looming.  Gen. Milley called him "a fascist to the core" and the most dangerous person in America.  We're seeing that play out in his violent language in the final, desperate days before the election. 

The ugly:

Former president Donald Trump expressed willingness to follow through with an anti-fluoridation proposal put forward by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., despite the universal recognition by health groups of the safety and benefits of adding fluoride to drinking water.

In a social media post Saturday, Kennedy, widely known for his anti-vaccination views and his now-defunct White House run, said a new Trump administration would push to ban the practice by cities quickly.

“On Jan. 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water,” Kennedy said, before asserting, without evidence, it caused various ailments.

NBC News on Sunday reported that Trump, who has said Kennedy would play a big role in health care policy if he wins the presidential election, appeared to have no qualms with Kennedy’s post.

“Well, I haven’t talked to him about it yet, but it sounds OK to me,” Trump said when asked about that plan. “You know, it’s possible.”

Fluoridation has been shown to help prevent tooth disease. The American Dental Association calls fluoridationa safe and effective way to prevent tooth decay and has played a major role in in [sic] improving the public’s dental health for more than 70 years.

Other health care groups supporting fluoridation include the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization and the Centers on Disease Control, which called it one of the major achievements in public health in the 20th century.

Trump also told NBC he was open to banning some vaccines, a stance long taken by Kennedy, who has blamed them for rising autism, a linkage dismissed by medical community.

“Well I’m going to talk to [Kennedy] and talk to other people, and I’ll make a decision, but he’s a very talented guy and has strong views,” Trump said.  (our emphasis)

Sub-moron fascist endorses brain worm guy's "OK" ideas.   What could possibly go wrong?  (Public health crises, pandemics, mortality rate...)

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