We're Fucked

 And by "we," I don't mean just Democrats.  I mean Democracy.

This morning I saw this headline:

Tonight, I saw this one:

Shit.

Whether crude face-saving ploy or cosmic irony, this election's over.

Shit.

Frail old grandpa or death-defying superhero, whodyathink is gonna win?

Shit.

The clock's running down and we got no team, no replacement.

Shit.  Shit.  Goddamn fucking shit.

What else is there to say?

Update, 7/18/24, 11 a.m.:

Well, I was pretty upset and frustrated yesterday, fellas.  I still am; but please don't despair.  Bad things happen, and we've seen a string of them in the last few weeks.  But good things happen, too. 

Perseverance through adversity is what makes a man a man:  what has made many men worthy of our respect and admiration down through the ages.  Even a girly boy like me can be a real man by that measure.

I really don't know if it's better for Biden to stay or go, or what the future holds for us and our country.  But we can face it together if we hang tough, buddies.  A good time may come yet.  Keep a smile on your face and peace in your heart.  

Cowboy up!  The rodeo ain't over yet.

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Biden Joins UAW Picket Line

This is so wrong.  Just as wrong as Trump plugging businesses and products he liked while he was in office.  Both are forms of demagoguery - taking sides, appealing to one segment of the population instead of another.

Other Democratic presidents from FDR on down have voiced support for worker's causes - but this is going much, much too far.  It's not leadership - it's electioneering.

 

Biden has done good things too, but he should be called out on this egregious mistake.

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Zelensky Visits Washington

 

During a lightning ten-hour visit to Washington, D. C., yesterday, embattled Ukrainian President Zelensky - the Winston Churchill of our time - met with President Biden at the White House and also gave an address to a joint session of Congress.  The gallant wartime leader appeared haggard and hoarse, quite understandably, but remained resolute and defiant, as the Associated Press reports:

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy told cheering U.S. legislators during a defiant wartime visit to the nation’s capital on Wednesday that against all odds his country still stands, thanking Americans for helping to fund the war effort with money that is “not charity,” but an “investment” in global security and democracy.

The whirlwind stop in Washington — his first known trip outside his country since Russia invaded in February — was aimed at reinvigorating support for his country in the U.S. and around the world at a time when there is concern that allies are growing weary of the costly war and its disruption to global food and energy supplies.

Zelenskyy called the tens of billions of dollars in U.S. military and economic assistance provided over the past year vital to Ukraine’s efforts to beat back Russia and appealed for even more in the future.

“Your money is not charity,” he sought to reassure both those in the room and those watching at home. “It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”

I continue to pray for Ukraine's deliverance and peace.  I don't see how this stupid war can end unless we bomb the hell out of Russia, or Putin croaks, whichever comes first.  But we can't just abandon the Ukrainians to a grisly fate, either.  All of this gives me a new and deeper perspective on the fears and feelings people must have had in the lead-up to World War II, when the outlook was dim and the outcome was as yet uncertain.  Please God, there will not a third world war.  

Here in Texas, the arctic blast has arrived, and temperatures are steadily falling - it's 16 degrees as I write, with a wind chill of -5.  Brrr!  We won't be above freezing again until Christmas Day.  In our happy but drafty old bungalow, it's already quite cool, despite the gas furnace and the electric fireplace running continuously.  My thoughts and sympathies are with the poor Ukrainian people who now have no lights, heat, water, or in many cases, any kind of home to hunker down in.  All because of one wicked old man's twisted lust for power.

There has been talk in scientific circles of late about sending manned missions to the Moon again, or maybe even to Mars.  If it comes to pass, I've already got a short list of prime candidates to be given free one-way tickets aboard the first rocket going.

I've got a little list, I've got a little list,

Of societal offenders who never would be missed --

Who never would be missed!

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Biden Signs Respect for Marriage Act

Biden signs same-sex marriage protections into law

In a ceremony at the south front of the White House, President Biden today signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law, thereby extending the protections of federal law to millions of gay, lesbian, and interracial couples nationwide.  A landmark piece of legislation that wipes DOMA off the books.

And I have lived to see this day.

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Sunday Drive: This Land Is Your Land/America

As performed by Jennifer Lopez at the inauguration of President Biden last year.

 

By the way, M.P. and I early-voted last week, and I'm happy to report that where we live, the elections office is really on the ball.  Voting was quick and easy, and all the ladies minding the place were super helpful and friendly.  With no lines or crowds, we were in and out in less than 10 minutes.  I'm totally sold on this early vote thing.

If you haven't already voted, please plan to vote on Tuesday. 

The country you save may be your own.

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Biden Warns: The Fate of the Nation Is in Your Hands

Speaking at the Columbus Club in Union Station in Washington today, President Biden gave a stern warning of the grave and imminent threat to democratic government in this election:

Excerpt:

I believe the voices excusing or calling for violence and intimidation are a distinct minority in America. But they’re loud and they are determined. We have to be more determined. All of us who reject political violence and voter intimidation, and I believe that’s the overwhelming majority of the American people, all of us must unite to make it absolutely clear that violence and intimidation have no place in America.

[We] believe in democracy. That’s who we are as Americans. I know it isn’t easy. Democracy’s imperfect. It always has been. But you’re all called to defend it now. History and common sense tell us that liberty, opportunity, and justice thrive in a democracy, not in an autocracy.

At our best, America’s not a zero-sum society – or for you to succeed, someone else has to fail. A promise in America is big enough, for everyone to succeed. Every generation, opening the door of opportunity just a little bit wider. Every generation, including those who’ve been excluded before. We believe we should leave no one behind, because each one of us is a child of god, and every person, every person is sacred. If that’s true, then every person’s rights must be sacred as well. Individual dignity, individual worth, individual determination. That’s America, that’s democracy, and that’s what we have to defend. . . .

Too many people have sacrificed too much for too many years for us to walk away from the American project and democracy. Because we’ve endured our freedoms for so long, it’s easy to think they’ll always be with us no matter what. But that isn’t true today. In our bones, we know democracy is at risk. But we also know this: it’s within our power, each and every one of us, to preserve our democracy. And I believe we will. I think I know this country. I know we will.

You have the power, it’s your choice, it’s your decision, the fate of the nation, the fate of the soul of America lies where it always does – with the people, in your hands, in your heart, in your ballot. My fellow Americans, we’ll meet this moment. We just need to remember who we are. We are the United States of America. There’s nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.

Read the full text of the President's remarks here. 

My truckbuddy Frank has other pertinent thoughts on the election over at Reluctant Rebel.

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Russia Invades Ukraine

From Wikipedia:  Map of the first day's attacks on Ukraine - click for larger map.

What Biden has prophesied for weeks - and Putin has steadily denied - came to pass last night when Putin launched the Russian military on a multi-pronged attack against Ukraine.  This blow came while the United Nations Security Council was formulating an urgent plea for Putin not to make war on his neighbor - which goes to show Putin's contempt for the United Nations and all democracies.

There is no longer any doubt about it:  Putin is the new Hitler.  And sadly, Ukraine is shaping up to be the new Czechoslovakia, though its people and president have shown plenty of balls, defiantly insisting that they are not afraid and will defeat the overwhelming Russian forces bearing down upon them.

I hope they will - but I believe they hope in vain if they think any Western nations are going to put boots on the ground in Ukraine.  For one thing, Ukraine is not a member of NATO, and thus not entitled to that kind of aid.  For another, to put American troops on the front line against Russians would probably mean the start of World War III.  Putin threatened as much, in a veiled way, in his broadcast overnight.

God forbid.

And I very much doubt that economic sanctions will have any effect on Putin's plans, any more than they had on Hitler's.  The Bear is hungry, and will gobble up all he wants, regardless of consequences.  His recent statements suggest he will not be satisfied with devouring Ukraine only.  And he is sitting on some nasty weapons of his own - at least Hitler didn't have nukes or ICBM's.  But President Biden has said we will defend "every inch" of NATO territory, no matter what.  The what might come at any time.

So if careful steps are not taken, we could soon be facing the nightmare that has haunted the world for seventy years.  Nobody has said this out loud yet on TV, but I'm saying it.  As many commentators have noted.

I see no easy way out of this crisis.  As a truckbuddy said to me, after many subtle moves here and there, the scheming grandmaster Putin has put us in check, if not checkmate.  He has been playing to win, while we have been playing with ourselves, it seems like.  We should all be praying for our president and for all those working for the common good, that they may see clearly and act wisely.

I won't rehash here all the details of the Ukrainian struggle, but for whatever help it may be to my truckbuddies, here are some useful links to related information that you might want to bookmark.

News sources:

American TV network news websites are clogged with stupid advertisements that make it hard to get to the videos of what you want to see.   Here are three European broadcasters with 24/7 live coverage in English always available on YouTube - sometimes they provide a perspective on issues different from what is provided on American news shows.

Sky News (United Kingdom)

France24 (France)

DW News (Germany)

And the Guardian, which favors the views of the Labour Party, is one of the few British newspapers not hidden behind a paywall; in times of crisis, the website usually carries a live blog of events and commentary.

Wikipedia:

Wikipedia is to a large extent a leisure site for lonely, nerdy guys to write on, and get into bitch fights over political correctness, so what you read there should always be taken with a grain of salt unless supported by other, more reliable sources.  Nevertheless, it is usually a good source for quick facts about countries and notable people.  Here are a few topics you might want to refresh your memory of.

NATO and the European Union - they are not the same thing.

Ukraine - did you know it's nearly as big as Texas?

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine - yes, there's already a wikiarticle on it.

Russia - nearly twice as big as the United States, but less than half the population.

Other reading:

Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration - "Eight Sobering Realities about Putin's Invasion of Ukraine," 2/24/22

Editorial in The Guardian (U.K.) - "Putin's War in Ukraine:  A Bleak New Beginning." 2/24/22

The past is never dead - it's not even past.

--William Faulkner

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Rumors of War

Map of Ukraine.
Click to enlarge.

Yesterday, Putin sent troops into the breakaway territories of eastern Ukraine and proclaimed them independent states.   The Secretary-General of the United Nations says Putin has violated international law.  President Biden and other Western leaders have announced stiff financial sanctions against Russian money and elites.  And suddenly, this faraway pot on the back burner of the world seems to be boiling over, and may set the whole place on fire.

The parallels with the Nazi threat to the peace of Europe in 1938-39 are striking, though not exact.  If you care to read up on the period, I recommend Churchill's The Gathering Storm, the first volume of his World War II memoirs, as an excellent, incisive introduction.

Your Head Trucker is not a pacifist per se, but neither is he a warmonger.  To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose . . . .  But what time is it now?  And whose turn is it to die?  The obvious answer is not always the best answer.  I offer these few newsbites as food for thought, and leave you to draw your own conclusions.

1.  A voice from the grave:  the late Senator John McCain interviewed in 2014, after Russia annexed parts of Ukraine.

 

2. Ukrainian foreign minister Kuleba, quoted on the BBC News website today: 

Click to enlarge.

 3. Political analyst Fareed Zakaria on the Russian-Chinese bruderbund:

 

4. Guess who thinks Putin is the greatest?

 

 5. President Biden announces sanctions against Russia:

 

Give us peace in our time, O Lord.

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Fact or Fantasy?

 

When asked in a press conference at the White House if climate change caused the devastating outbreak of tornadoes in Kentucky and other states last week, President Biden declined to give an affirmative answer.  However, some pundits on the right and on the left are vigorously asserting or denying the proposition; and it seems to me that a great many ordinary people "just know" that climate change was - or was not - the direct and immediate cause.  But then again, many people have short memories.

I have no expertise in this field, so I cannot say for certain one way or the other; but I do clearly remember other such horrific outbreaks in my own lifetime, in Texas and elsewhere.  For anyone interested in the subject, I recommend taking a thoughtful look at this long Wikipedia List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks, dating back as far as 1657.  Many have indeed happened in December, and at least one on New Year's Day.

My point being, it's always a good idea to get all the facts before you make up your mind about weather or climate change or anything else.  Otherwise, it's just a species of fantasy, isn't it?

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Horsefeathers

Just want to say I think this uproar over the mounted Border Patrol in South Texas is a whole lot of hooey - a mindless, kneejerk reaction by a lot of la-de-da city types who wouldn't know which end of a horse to talk to.  I've looked at the video of the alleged "horrific" incident and I don't see anybody being whipped or "run over" or injured.  One guy fell back in the river when a horse bumped him, but the water was only knee deep - he wasn't hurt.  And if anybody was popped - this point is not certain - with the end of a pair of reins, that might sting a little bit, but that's not at all the same as being whipped.  

(To break it down for the horseless:  reins are attached to the horse; there's only a foot or two of loose rein to twirl; you can't get enough swing or leverage to really whip some one that way - it's geometry.)

In other words, this is fake news, in my opinion.  Here's a report from a fact-checking team at WJXT in Jacksonville, Florida, that shows and tells what really happened:

   

Mounted police, by whatever name they may be called, are nothing new - they have been and are regularly used for crowd control not only in the wide-open spaces of Texas, but also in most big cities - like New York and Washington, to name but two. Horses can go, and go quickly, where bicycles, motorcycles, and automobiles cannot go, especially on uneven terrain. Seems to me what the Border Patrol was doing was a very reasonable and, yes, humane method of coping with a difficult situation.  It's nothing new, and nothing horrific, people. Grow up. 

Mention should be made that the Border Patrol are federal, not state employees, enforcing the law of the land.  Now whether it is morally right or wrong to expel those particular illegal immigrants, most of them homeless families in desperate need, is a different question, and worthy of humanitarian concern - which should have already been carefully considered by the powers that be in Washington before this crisis arose.  Though really, it's a moot point, now that the encampment has been cleared.

But I will say I am very, very disappointed in President Biden's ranting response to a misleading line of uproar in the press. "They will pay for this!" he says - who will pay?  For what, exactly?  How?  Sounds a lot like the mindless, emotional stuff we used to hear from his predecessor. Seems to me Old Joe doesn't quite have a grip on the facts of the matter, which are perfectly obvious to me and probably to most other Texans, and to most everybody who's ever ridden a horse, for that matter.  

But now the President has taken away the Border Patrol's horses.  That is just a damn dumb thing to do.  They need those horses down there for all sorts of reasons.  I wouldn't be surprised if all the BP agents quit.

Don't let me down, Joe. I voted for a smart President, or at least smarter than the last. Be one, please. 

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The End of an Era

A U. S. Marine grieves at the memorial of a comrade killed in Afghanistan, 2012

Ben Rhodes, an American political commentator and former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Obama, writes in the Guardian:

Most importantly, the abandonment of Afghans to the Taliban, and Biden’s occasionally callous rhetoric laying the blame on Afghan security forces, who had fought on the frontlines for years, evoked a sense of national shame – even if that emotion should apply to the entirety of the war, and not simply its end. Indeed, in the chaotic days of withdrawal, the predominant concerns in US politics often had little to do with Afghans. The evacuation of Americans, the danger of Islamic State Khorasan Province, and the loss of US service members eclipsed the gargantuan Afghan suffering. Overwhelming public support for Biden’s decision, though undercut by dissatisfaction with the process of withdrawal, confirmed Biden’s core instinct: the thing most Americans agree upon is that we went to Afghanistan to take out the people who did 9/11 and prevent further attacks, and it was past time to abandon the broader aims of post-9/11 foreign policy, no matter the subsequent humanitarian cost.

In short, Biden’s decision exposed the cavernous gap between the national security establishment and the public, and forced a recognition that there is going to be no victory in a “war on terror” too infused with the trauma and triumphalism of the immediate post-9/11 moment. Like many Americans, I found myself simultaneously supporting the core decision to withdraw and shuddering at its execution and consequences. As someone who worked in national security, I have to recognise the limits of how the US can shape other countries through military intervention. As someone who has participated in American politics, I have to acknowledge that a country confronting virulent ethno-nationalism at home is ill-suited to build nations abroad. But as a human being, I have to confront how we let the Afghan people down, and how allies like Britain, who stood by us after 9/11, must feel in seeing how it all ended.

It is a cruel irony that this is the second time the US has lost interest in Afghanistan. The first time was in the 1990s, after much of the mujahideen we supported to defeat the Soviets evolved into dangerous extremists, plunged the country into civil war, and led to Taliban rule.

The final verdict on Biden’s decision will depend on whether the US can truly end the era that began with 9/11 – including the mindset that measures our credibility through the use of military force and pursues security through partnerships with autocrats. Can we learn from our history and forge a new approach to the rest of the world – one that is sustainable, consistent, and responsive to the people we set out to help; that prioritises existential issues like the fight against the climate crisis and genuine advocacy for the universal values America claims to support?

What I Say:  The twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, following close on the heels of the Afghanistan withdrawal, certainly does mark the end of an era - a nice, neat convenience for future history teachers - and the way forward is not at all clear.  The political divisions in this country have reached a horrendous frenzy now, exacerbated by the covid pandemic, that will not easily be tamped down.  There is a level of savagery and hysteria, not to mention widespread ignorance, arrogance, and sheer gullible superstition, on the tribal extremes of both the left and the right.

Before you start to contradict that last statement - was the anarchy at the Capitol on January 6th any more brutal than the nationwide anarchy that occurred last summer?  If you condemn the one, you must condemn the other.  In my view, both are equally nauseating and frightening, symptomatic of a dangerous, possibly fatal illness in the American body politic.  As Mr. Lincoln said - A house divided against itself cannot stand.  We have been warned.

As to foreign affairs, I hope all my truckbuddies will recall that the whole Afghan mess was the creation of the Bush-Cheney administration - and that Democrats criticized it from the very start, along with the shameful, senseless, needless war in Iraq that was based on Bush-Cheney's lies about non-existent "weapons of mass destruction."  It was necessary, and right by all standards of earthly justice, to hit back against the evil men who attacked our cities and mercilessly killed three thousand of our citizens on 9/11.  But it was not at all necessary to destroy two governments and colonize a Little America in the most inaccessible, inhospitable region on the other side of the world, at the cost of so many lives, so many dollars, and the respect and goodwill of nearly all the world.

Biden is responsible, as he himself has said repeatedly, for last month's frantic, shameful evacuation from Kabul - but we must remember that it was Bush-Cheney who dug us into that hole in the first place, against all reason and history and common sense, with glib Madison Avenue phrases like "regime change" and "nation building" - which are simply code for invasion, occupation, and control by a puppet government.  This has always been clear to those of us who had eyes to see it for what it was - Vietnam 2.0.  It was never about giving the Afghans what they wanted - it was all about giving them what we wanted for them.  And a cash cow beyond the wildest dreams of the military-industrial complex.

Continued after the jump . . .

History Repeats Itself

Is it just me, or does anyone else think the chaotic fall of Kabul is a monumental fuck-up?

And the blame for whatever is happening there right now is squarely on Biden's shoulders.  Though the last three presidents also bear responsibility for this long, ghastly misadventure on the other side of the world.

I am proud of our troops, who by all accounts have done an excellent job in a bad situation - but I am deeply ashamed of the waste of lives and money and goodwill in Afghanistan these twenty years.

I remember the pictures of the fall of Saigon, and today's events seem to be a rerun of that debacle.

Not that I ever wanted us to be in Vietnam OR in Afghanistan; but there's a good way to leave and a bad way.  Again we see the same lies, the same denials, the same "alternate facts" that clearly are at odds with the images on the TV screen.

I remember very clearly sending off a hot email to George Bush when he sent the troops to Afghanistan, reminding him that the Russians had tried for twenty years to pacify those people without a shred of success, ditto the British before them, and what made him think we could do any better?

Alas, my words, like many others', fell on deaf ears, apparently.  Now, for all we expended in that far-off wasteland, there is only blood and sorrow and shame to show for it.

I am completely disgusted.  Nauseated.  Mortified.  What a black day for America.  Again.

When will they ever learn? 

Update, 8/16/21:  President Biden spoke from the White House this afternoon on the situation in Afghanistan, putting the best face possible on a colossal 20-year mistake. He states plainly that it is hopeless to pour men, machines, and money into a faraway country whose own government is corrupt, divided, and unwilling to defend its own people in a civil war that the United States has no business meddling in. These are the glaringly obvious truths it took American leaders 20 long years to admit in the Vietnam debacle. 

 

At least Biden is stating them plainly here and now, saying at the 4:45 mark, "I stand squarely behind my decision." And at 6:30, "We gave [the Afghans] every opportunity to fight for their future. We could not give them the the will to fight for that future."  No, of course not - it wasn't their dream of the future, only an outsider's idea.  You simply can't live someone else's life for him - whether speaking of individuals or nations.  It goes deeply against the grain of human nature to be reduced to a mere puppet, even if it is for his own good.  That 's not liberty, is it?

Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam! If I foresaw this, living in obscurity far out on the Texas prairie twenty years ago, why did no one in Washington?  What the hell is wrong with people?

When will they ever learn?

Update, 8/17/21:  Jonathan Steele has written a fine opinion piece in the Guardian on the lessons of history in Afghanistan that is worth reading.

Also noteworthy:  The Guardian's editorial on the manifest unfitness of Boris Johnson for his office:  "When events demand stature, Mr Johnson always shrinks to the occasion, and the vacuum where leadership should be diminishes Britain in the eyes of the world."  Quite.

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Pelosi and Schumer Call for Trump's Removal

Whoa.  Senate Majority Leader Schumer just called on Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.  Pelosi did the same in a simultaneous news conference in the House.  Things are moving at warp speed in Congress - your Head Trucker applauds this development.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls on @VP Mike Pence and Trump’s cabinet “to remove this president by immediately invoking the 25th amendment.” If they do not act, Congress may be prepared to impeach him.pic.twitter.com/lcUjGlZpPV

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) January 7, 2021

Meanwhile, CNN's Van Jones makes a razor-sharp point about race in America, as demonstrated by the outrageous failure to stop or even arrest the invaders of the Capitol yesterday - all or most of whom were white:

  

President-Elect Joe Biden also noted and condemned the racial disparity:

Biden: "No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesting yesterday, they wouldn't have been treated very, very differently than the mob of thugs that stormed the Capitol. We all know that's true, and it is unacceptable. Totally unacceptable." pic.twitter.com/TfWa25VzEt

— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 7, 2021

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Buttigieg Accepts Cabinet Nomination

Mayor Pete speaks after President-elect Biden announces his nomination as the next Secretary of Transportation.  His appointment must be confirmed by the Senate following the inauguration of Biden as the 46th President next month.

 

A gay man nominated for a job in the Cabinet, my stars.  Unthinkable forty years ago when I came out.  But I have lived to see this day. 

Wow.

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No Doubt About It: Biden Wins the Presidency

[We have] faced difficult times before in our history. I know we’ll get through this one, but together. That’s how we get through it, together. So as we start the hard work to be done, may this moment give us a strength to rebuild this house of ours upon a rock that can never be washed away. As in the Prayer of St. Francis, for where there is discord, union, where there is doubt, faith, where there is darkness, light. This is who we are as a nation. This is the America we love and that is the America we’re going to be. So thank you all and may God bless you. And may God protect our troops and all of those who stand watch over our democracy.

And God bless the Electoral College!  Meeting in their respective state capitals today, the electors ratified the election of Joe Biden as the next President according to the Constitution, 306-232.  And for once, there was not a single faithless elector among them.  So my hat is off to them; the election system may need changes in future, but for now the good old Electoral College has preserved democracy and guaranteed Uncle Sam a new lease on life.  Well done!

My longtime truckbuddies will have noticed I haven't blogged very much since the election.  It's partly because the colder weather has put me in something of a hibernating mood; and also I simply haven't thought it worth disrupting my peace of mind to rant about the blatant lies and seditious attempts at subverting our democracy - even overthrowing the lawful government of this republic - that have the support of far too many would-be fascists in high places and among the citizenry.  I have instead tried to stay calm and do my part in keeping our little home running smoothly and happily, turning all the other stuff over to the Lord to handle - and He does seem to be doing a good job with it.

I also pray daily for Joe and Kamala to find the strength and wisdom to lead this sadly divided nation back to the path of justice, unity, and peace.  There is much that needs mending and fixing in this old house; but now we can breathe again, and begin again to build that more perfect union - which is always a work in progress.

Here are Joe's thoughts on that subject, in a speech given today after the Electoral College finished voting - a real "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" speech that warmed your Head Trucker's heart:

Lift up your hearts:  the dark night is ending, a brighter day is coming.  You take care fellas, and stay safe.

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Sunday Drive: On Eagle's Wings

This is the lovely hymn by Fr. Michael Joncas that President-elect Biden quoted in his victory speech last night. 

 

The President-elect also quoted part of this famous passage from the Old Testament:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

--Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

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Democratic Convention Highlights, Day 4

Joe John Wayne Biden Accepts the Nomination:

Well, bless my soul. That's the best damn speech I ever heard in my life. What a MAN. Just what we needed to see. BALLS!

You nailed it, Joe. Proud of you. I'm behind you all the way. So is every decent man and woman in this country.

Now come on, boys - let's saddle up and go take our country back!

Yeeeeeeehaw!

~~  ~~  ~~  ~~  ~~  ~~  ~~

Transcript excerpt::

You know, American history tells us that it’s been in our darkest moments that we’ve made our greatest progress, that we’ve found the light.

In this dark moment, I believe we’re poised to make great progress again, that we can find the light once more. You know, many people have heard me say this, but I’ve always believed you can define America in one word: possibilities. The defining feature of America, everything is possible.

That in America, everyone, and I mean everyone, should be given an opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them. We can never lose that.

In times as challenging as these, I believe there’s only one way forward: as a united America. United in our pursuit of a more perfect union. United in our dreams of a better future for us and for our children. United in our determination to make the coming years bright.

Are you ready? I believe we are. This is a great nation. We’re a good and decent people. For Lord’s sake, this is the United States of America. There’s never been anything we’ve been unable to accomplish when we’ve done it together.

The Irish poet Seamus Heaney once wrote,

History says, Don't hope
On this side of the grave,
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up
And hope and history rhyme.

This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme with passion and purpose. Let us begin. You and I together. One nation. Under God. United in our love for America. United in our love for each other.

For love is more powerful than hate. Hope is more powerful than fear. And light is more powerful than dark. This is our moment. This is our mission. May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here, tonight, as love and hope and light join in the battle for the soul of the nation.

And this is a battle we will win and we will do it together. I promise you.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

For the record, a few more notable videos from last night's convention, selected by your Head Trucker.  And for the benefit of my overseas truckbuddies, let me point out that these particular speakers reflect, as does the Democratic Party in general, a broad spectrum of backgrounds and viewpoints, united in working for a more perfect union of these United States, with liberty and justice for all, not merely the favored few.

Representative Deb Haaland of New Mexico:




Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey:




Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin:




Former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg of Indiana:




Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a wounded veteran, calls Trump the "Coward-in-Chief":




And Governor Gavin Newsom phones it in from an evacuation center in wildfire-stricken California:

Obama Awards Biden the Medal of Freedom

A bromance for the ages. In a surprise ceremony in the White House today, President Obama awarded Vice President Joe Biden the nation's highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom with Distinction, for his long career of service to the nation. This ABC news clip captures the moment:




You can watch the entirety of the President's remarks and Biden's reply here.

Today's Chuckle

If you don't get the joke, see the story of Pence's visit to Broadway last night, and the aftermath.

Today's Chuckle

"Just one booby trap." LMAO.

Apparently these prankster-Biden quips are a thing now - see more at The Guardian.