I don’t know what to say today.
We mowed yesterday morning and by the time we finished, the news had broken that Trump knew – knew how horrific the coronavirus was and deliberately kept that information from the American people. It’s on tape. As this unfolded, I was glued to Twitter, then Nicole Wallace and then, later in the evening, we watched Rachel.
And no matter what Trump pathetically offers as an excuse, he did it because he didn’t want the markets to fail, nor did he want it impacting his reelection campaign. I cannot contain my anger, though I’m going to try to keep it tamped down for the sake of a coherent post.
How many lives would have been saved had he shared this information?
It’s really simple. If he had told the American people what he told Bob Woodward, we would be looking at a very different death toll. That is most important. But we would also be looking at a very different landscape concerning jobs, the economy, the toll on health care workers – the list is endless.
He is vile.
He is worse than vile, but try as I might, I can’t come up with a better word. Feel free to contribute.
We have fires consuming much of the western part of our country. It’s a nightmare of epic proportions. Orange skies, fires everywhere, loss of life and property and vegetation.
We have tropical storms that might turn into hurricanes.
We have Barr using the DOJ to take over the defense of OM on a rape charge, using our taxpayer dollars to defend a serial sexual predator.
We have a whistleblower complaint by a senior DHS official stating that he was told to stop providing intelligence analysis on the threat of Russian interference in the 2020 election because it made the Orange Man look bad. He was told, as well, to modify intelligence on the threat of white supremacists so that it fell into line with OM’s statements.
And on and on it goes. But the one I can’t get out of my mind is the first.
He wasn’t too dumb to understand the ramifications of this plague, like some of us (including me) thought. He understood all too well.
And he kept it from the very people he is supposed to protect.
My friends, as always, feel free to vent and discuss.
Stay safe.
Happy Thursday.
Hi,
He is vile and yet republicans are defending him. I find that to be reprehensible and evil. Words escape me at this moment . Despicable.
Take Care,
Kaye
Park City, UT
He is despicable! That’s the best word I’ve got.
As if the pandemic isn’t enough, I’m very worried about the election as well. I fear he will win again. I see many Trump signs and very few Biden signs in my area.
If he does lose he won’t go easily. I am afraid it could get violent with armed Trump supporters in the streets.
I’m going to try to watch very little news today for my sanity. Take care.
I noticed that too in my small town has lots of Trump signs. Too many idiots live here. I’m going to the Democratic office in my town and get some signs to put up. They won’t last long but at least I tried.
To answer your question, news today is saying 100,000 American lives would have been saved had he shared the information. I live in Saskatchewan and as a point of comparison, our neighbour to the south North Dakota has 39 times more cases than we do while having a population 36% lower than Saskatchewan’s. Let’s just say we are very pleased that our joint border is closed.
It IS overwhelming, the demise of our republic and the collapse of the economy and the destruction of our climate. I thought he was stupid, too, but clearly he’s much smarter than I gave him credit for, in a creepy, awful way. A Yale physician told the woman who draws my blood at the lab that they’ve had many many more suicides of people from all ages and background than Covid deaths. Trump could have prevented those deaths as well, but they won’t count against him in the body count. As we know, the numbers of deaths by Covid are vastly underreported and those who die at home are not even counted at all. The scale of his homicide is incalculable. But still, around 40% of Americans say they will vote for him. If only they were the ones suffering. Claudia, I so wish I had magic words. While there is a lot of talk of people coming together, at this point it’s pretty clear it’s every person for herself or himself. This lifeboat is sinking. Often I wonder why I keep hanging on to the edge. You’re in my prayers to the universe.
And, of course, the additional time would have been helpful in improving positions in the old stock portfolio…
Stay safe!
Sandy in Montana
There really are no words. How ironic that the excuse he has come up with is “I didn’t want to create a panic”, when that is the only thing we have felt continually the past 3 1/2 years. It has been one crisis after another. I agree this is the worst revelation yet. So many lives lost and families that will never be the same. People homeless and hungry without the dignity of a job to give them hope. All I can say is VOTE this disgusting thing out of office. We are better than this!!! Thanks for all you share and stay safe.
There are no words
He has caused sooooooooo much pain!
Good morning. My husband awoke in the middle of the night from a nightmare OM won. It took a long time to get his heartbeat down. I’m never amazed one person can be this evil. They are scattered throughout history. I am always most amazed by the people claiming to be human that will follow the evil at all cost…even to themselves and the ones they love. I will always wonder how the republican senators lived with themselves for 4 years and never stopped this evil . Let’s hope this man takes himself down without the rest of us.
Oh my gosh! You put my thoughts into words. I couldn’t get it out. Thank you.
Oh Verna, your poor hubby. After the election, my husband lost 25 pounds! He was so sickened, he couldn’t eat. Then he had a stroke. I KNOW it was caused by the Orange Monster. (I refuse to call him a man!) If he wins again, I just don’t know how we’re going to cope. The OM lawn signs, flags, banners and bumper stickers far outnumber the Biden signs in my area. It’s absolutely appalling!
I began having heart issues after he was “elected” also. It has been a horrific 3.5 years.
Woodward angers me that he didn’t report this sooner, but HE is not an elected official nor a member of the military. THOSE people are infuriating. How can they stand by and not say something. He called them P—–s for godsake. He calls our soldiers suckers and losers and there are crickets from the military and all the elected Republicans. (When Michelle Obama wore capris on a vacation trip on Air Force One, the Repubs almost lost their fricking minds over it. For this, they don’t care.) This morning on MSNBC one of the reporters was in Beaver Co, Pennsylvania and had interviewed people. Most did not even know what she was talking about. Too many people are so totally uninformed. They are like the people who go camping in a wildfire explosion…”I didn’t know”. Do they just stumble through life and miraculously make it from Point A to Point B not having a clue how they did it? He is about to hold a press conference in a few minutes to “explain it all” and by tonight, it will just be another day in the life and all will be forgotten ~ and forgiven by his loyal cult happily skipping behind him.
After the election of 2016 we were all in tears. My 20 year old daughter was at the coast at a marine lab where she was studying as part of her degree in environmental science. They all held each other and cried. Then I went to work. I was a teacher. One of my fellow teachers (and a friend at the time) complained about a celebrity who cried after the election saying that it was just ridiculous. Everybody in the room froze with mouths open and I quietly remarked that my family was extremely upset as well. I don’t know what will happen this year if the unthinkable happens. It will be a tragedy that I am not sure this country will recover from.
I agree …this is the worst. Shame on his enablers. Now is the time for Kelly and all the other generals to speak out…on FOX. Cowards. The fools that vote for this degenerate don’t even know or care . Deplorables. I will never understand it….nor accept it. I just ordered my Biden/Harris lawn sign. I would wear my anti trump t shirt but I never go anywhere except an occasional early morning trip to the supermarket during seniors only time. I have friends that are starting to get too relaxed about this pandemic. They are going to get hair and nails done, going to aqua fit classes in the gym, out to lunch . I remain one of the hold outs. Talk about peer pressure… My husband and I have not seen our children or grandchildren since February. We both are in our 70s with health issues. According to trump…we are expendable. This has to stop.
He is Evil. Notice I capitalized that. It is beyond horrifying. Who is the person that is our President? He has been stepping over bodies and telling us that it is all fake news. We were right. I knew it and so did millions of others. So far beyond horrifying that it is horrifying.
Excellent post. Words fail, but I have been using “abomination” for years.
Oh yes! I think that says it best!
He is morally bankrupt. It is heartbreaking. What I have also found astonishing are certain former friends that will STILL vote for this man. When I ask why, they say it’s because of the money. They obviously need to educate themselves. Among all the devious and purely evil things this man has done, he’s managed to cause such division that families and friends have shattered relationships. He is a traitor and a mass murderer.
Vile works for me. Anything more would not be printable in a nice blog like this one. And (as we all knew) stupid. Honestly, why would anyone talk to Woodward when they already are a person of controversy? You just don’t mess with one of the more pre-eminent political journalists. He was very good, too, at coaxing things out of him, too, from what I heard. We watched all the same shows.
I do wish Woodward might have shared some of this a little earlier. I understand the fact and source checking but for those who lost their lives, I wonder what might have been saved? Or would it be the same old thing and no one would believe it then. I think more will now.
On a totally unrelated note, today (Wednesday, 9/10) at 4:50 on WE network, Don Sparks is in L&O: Criminal Intent (as the air traffic controller). In case you want a break from Nicolle!
Is Woodward also guilty by not reporting this and instead saving it soon he could sell more books!
Barbara, I think if the info came out sooner, the WH just would have had longer to run their spin on it! I felt the same way about John Bolton’s book, and as much as it infuriates me, I don’t think it would have changed anything back then. Very, very, very, sad state of affairs in this country!
me too, I agree with you. He should have said it back in March! Or released his recording of OM saying that. It could have helped save lives.
I’ve been reading your blog for a few years but have never commented before. I am just broken by this news. So many people are dead, are dying, and will continue to die so unnecessarily because of this reprehensible, evil man. I retired in January and have now spent two-thirds of my retirement stuck at home, not seeing friends and family, not doing any of the activities I imagined enjoying when excitedly anticipating my retirement. I am broken by the numbers of people who’ve lost their livelihoods, their homes, who haven’t been able to experience the ordinary and extraordinary events that make up a life. And for what? So this clown could skate to re-election? It was one thing when I thought he was just too stupid and uncaring to act, but knowing now that he knew and still did nothing – I don’t have the words.
the republicans for quite a while now have believed they should be the only party to have power in the US. Look how they screw it up when they do. Every time a recession. I believe OM believed that mostly black people would be the ones who died and that would be a good way to get rid of them. Even More Evil, if you ask me. And he doesn’t have to be really smart or really stupid to mess up our country the way he has. Just Evil and Narcissistic.
I don’t know one single person in the Westeuropean region who don’t ask: Why is He getting through with this mess!!!
And then again take a look right here: At the beginning of this Pandemie and still some months later the Ministers of health in Germany and France pretents that there is no use in wearing masks, until it comes out that they simply had not enough masks. They were fearing the people would buy them all away and the health section had none.
Then very soon the people sat on their sewing machines and made masks for themselves. And suddenly it was more and more ok and very healthful to wear a mask (after months!). Today we have maskduty on many places. The french people were very very angry about this fake. Today nobody speaks about it anymore. If the people were told the truth earlier, they would have helped themselves earlier.
Then again, we have demonstrations against wearing masks and things getting weird more and more.
The politicians are taking the people for idiots. Some people are idiots. Some politicians are idiots. And the right-minded people can’t or won’t do anything against it, because they are lone-fighters!
We’re in very very crazy times!
We have upcoming elections here in Germany too, this year and in 2021, lets see what happens.
Stay save, Claudia
forgot to say that he wants to get rid of the Post Office, medicare and Social Security. That will result in more deaths.
I had put a post on FB last night asking Trump supporters what they think of their guy now??? I also stated that anyone who would support him now after these revelations have lost any respect I may have had for them. I feel quite strongly that anyone who would vote for him now, has blood on their hands, just as surely as he and his administration does. To call his Generals ‘F…ng P……s’! As a military spouse of a career officer, everything he has said and done, or more specifically not done, makes my blood boil! On top of everything else, he has set us on the path for more nuclear danger by disclosing top secret info to a journalist! I truly don’t understand how he is not being led out of the WH in cuffs today! That of course is because William Barr is as corrupt as he is! They all need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!
Your list is comprehensive and perfectly expressed. And then there is his stripping any progress we have made to address climate change. Fire is raging in the West. My home state of California is facing unfathomable consequences. We live in the Cascade Range foothills in Oregon have evaluated our home. We are safe and economically able to sustain whatever comes our way. But people are dying in these fires and losing everything they own. As usual the poorest amongst us. Washington State is also on fire. All of this during an unnecessary pandemic situation because of a flawed person who is living on us in the White House. How can any one with a moral compass support this person. We need to vote every Republican we can out of office and support those who WILL do better.
Lani
You have said it well,Claudia. I want to recommend an on-line newsletter written daily by Heather Cox Richardson .Let us all stayhealthy and sane!xo
He is on the same level as those who were tried at Nuremberg.
Oh, I have a lot of words to refer to him. Just none I can share with all the nice people here ;-) One of my favorites that isn’t a variation of the “F” word is one my brother always uses when he texts about him. He calls Trump “The Pant Load.” It always makes me giggle uncontrollably for some reason, who knows.
Nothing this guy does/has done surprises me anymore. What does infuriate me more every day are the crickets coming from all the Republican politicians about this and the military insults. All Mitch is busy with these days is more judges. That party of enablers needs to be ground into the dust on Nov. 3.
Deep breath…
Take care.
Kay
If I wrote down what I was hoping and praying for, his henchmen would be coming to lock me up.
So, I’m concentrating now on my morning glory buds…& buds and buds and buds, oh my.
What I find most disturbing about yesterday’s revelations is that, to cynical me at least, they weren’t revelatory but what I’d assumed was the case all along. I do wonder why he would speak so candidly to Woodward, someone who must scare the pants off him. As to what I call him, at least in polite company, Pete Souza’s “Minus “ adjusted downward to my own descriptor of “minuscule.”
He is morally bankrupt, and a most despicable waste of flesh. And that’s the nicest thing I can say about him. I am sick to my stomach, of the death and heartbreak, he has unleashed on the people of this country by his flippancy!!
I always figured he was just too unintelligent to understand Covid-19. That he couldn’t fathom what the intelligence briefings were telling him. BUT….to learn that he made a CONSCIOUS decision to WITHHOLD valuable information about Coronavirus from the American people…is SO despicable, and SO vile, that he is beyond forgiveness.
He should RESIGN immediately. And, any republican that defends his behavior, is just as vile and despicable as he is!! We must VOTE THEM OUT!!
WE HAVE TO STAY STRONG AND DETERMINED AND VOTE HIM OUT OF OFFICE!
I have never written all in caps before, but this situation calls for it.
was not going to say anything b/c might sound like a raving lunatic–What total DISGRACE for our people/country. vividly remember Nixon-era years as he tried to defend his unlawful ways. At least, he had decency enough to resign. tRump has no decency, morals or respect for anyone but himself. still have friends(??) who believe whatever he says–we(Hubby/me) don’t get it at all. we were so surprised tRump allowed his comments to be recorded. I did not need a recording to know he was lying re:covid 19–what a DISGRACE. Need I mention his racism?????
Claudia:
3 WORDS: LOCK. HIM. UP.
Your friend,
Chris
Imagine the misery of living with a Trump supporter. It’s actually not healthy for me but at 68 I have no choice.
My heart goes out to you, Suezk. My situation is similar. It breaks my heart.
Thank you Ingrid. Big hugs to you.
Yep, what they said! I have nothing to add. So sorry of the state we are in.
Take Care,
Kelly
Vapid…
All I can say Claudia, is that you’re preaching to the choir. It’s all just worse than bad anymore…
My granddaughter and I-wearing masks and distancing-are finally working on school together. I took her to pick up some food—-we couldn’t believe the Trump signs. Brenda b
anyone can pull the fire alarm if they see smoke or fire … so i am angry that woodward didn’t release that recording (of pino describing the severity of the coronavirus and admittedly misleading and downplaying it to all of us). there are many other people deserving of much more anger, though … members of their staff and the elected “representatives” who stalled, denied, voted the party line and not for what’s truly best, who didn’t blow the whistle … who deserve to be and must be voted out of office and in particular pino.
still, woodward got those horrible statements on tape so there can be no denial (only lots of spin) and it’s coming out before the election. i pray this leads to many changes for the better in our country.
thanks, claudia, for providing us with such a warm, sensible, kind and safe place to gather. and for that photo. the flowers are so pretty … and that light? perfect.
stay safe!
and do something relaxing!
kathy in iowa
Than you all for expressing yourselves and Claudia thank you for inviting us. I am comforted to know that I’m not the only one who sees the situation as catastrophic. My family and friends are always telling me to calm down, let it go, take a trip, go for a walk, get some mental health care. I have to laugh about that last one: I have a therapist AND a med nurse. I don’t think my insurance would pay for any more (and I’m lucky that they pay for this). Today I felt like I was getting help from a support group. My heart goes out to all of you suffering in many ways from this destructive administration. May we all find peace. Than you again Claudia.
My tension has gone to a bad place. I’ve tried not to talk so much about politics lately here on the blog, but it’s been consuming me for weeks, with my anger level at Trump increasing to the point to where every time his ugly mug comes on TV, I childishly give him the finger. I despise him. And we won’t talk about my vocalizations.
I’m not sleeping well, worried about getting out to multiple medical appointments this month after we fully know that many Covid cases will arise out of a Labor Day Weekend here in SoCalif which drew throngs of people out of their homes and into the public places due to record-breaking heat (the climate change Trump arrogantly refuses to acknowledge). Every day now, we don’t see the sun and have dropped 40 degrees on the thermometer; encased in smoky-gray (with a hint of red to it) … a gloom to where it’s oppressively worrisome and eerie outside and forbidding, as the Pacific West is cloaked in wildfire smoke which now penetrates the atmosphere for so many hundreds and hundreds of miles.
I’ve started clenching in sleep at night to where I have TMJ symptoms and have had to go back to sleeping with a splint in my mouth; I’m in pain to the point of having to take prescription ibuprofen for it, which I don’t prefer to use, but even my ear is hurting, not to mention my teeth and jaw and neck. There is too much to worry about, even if you pull out all the stops on how to handle stress and crisis; it’s just too much negative emotion.
But this. THIS. I figured Bob Woodward’s book could be explosive. He’s very thorough. The master at investigative journalism. I’ve read several of his books. (Wiki: ‘In 2014, Robert Gates former director of the CIA and Secretary of Defense, said that he wished he’d recruited Woodward into the CIA, saying, “He has an extraordinary ability to get otherwise responsible adults to spill [their] guts to him…his ability to get people to talk about stuff they shouldn’t be talking about is just extraordinary and may be unique.”‘)
So many ruined lives. All these people dead when it could have been prevented; when we could have gotten a jump on it earlier in the year. And here we face this potentially disastrous Fall/Winter with still no ‘plan’ for the virus, so even more people will die.
Trump’s horrible messaging which left us with fellow citizens refusing to mask up; refusing to distance. Too many people out of work. My BFF’s niece is having to go to bed in the middle of the day with debilitating migraine headaches because her special-needs teen, who suffers from autism, refuses to accept virtual teaching, so she doesn’t know what to do about his schooling and feels the weight of the responsibility so heavily.
And wasn’t it indeed Nicolle Wallace who said yesterday after the audio tapes were released from Woodward, something to the effect of, gee thanks Trump, for just disclosing to the world about a new weapons cache and escalating the nuclear arms race. He just continues to put us in so much danger; his is a dangerous stupidity.
Even those of us who, back in 2015 or thereabout, raised alarm at any remote chance of Trump actually winning his bid for the presidency, we could never have anticipated THE DEGREE of criminality and TOTAL lack of leadership. And the scary thing (among too many scary things) is that a lot of experts say that even with these recordings and Bob Woodward’s book, with the courageous press trying to keep us informed and aware, and of course more than one Trump insider stepping away and trying to alert the public of what’s actually going on in the oval office, NOTHING will deter Trump’s base. It might be shrinking, but not enough. He constantly keeps it fed.
Everything’s on the line; our health, our government, our democracy, our security in the larger world; NEVER have I felt more unsafe. And I resent it. I resent HIM. And all who enable him. I’m doing my best to not lose my life with Covid; which, for me, isn’t melodramatic in nature; I have too many health issues going up against any exposure. I’ve had to completely change how I live to keep myself protected, although there are no guarantees. But even if I somehow survive, and I feel lucky if I can be vaccinated til probably deep into 2021 if not the end of 2021, so it’s a long way to go yet, what world will I be living in because as another expert was quoted as saying, with the DOJ also compromised with Barr, if Trump wins a second term (the unthinkable) he will have amassed enough powers equal to the king he thinks he is and wants to continue to be, such that I fear we’ll be like these dictatorships where at some point he’ll have to be overthrown; scenarios that no one wants to consider or project, but it could be our reality as too much seems to be slipping away from us.
Didn’t Hitler get in when Germany was already so pulled down? (Unemployment, inflation, economic depression. I’m no great student of WWII history but I did read this from the Nat’l WWII Museum’s site, “Upon achieving power, Hitler smashed the nation’s democratic institutions and transformed Germany into a war state intent on conquering Europe for the benefit of the so-called Aryan race.” Chilling. For us, right now, prophetic.)
I cannot imagine how people feel who are suffering lingering effects of Covid after getting the virus; who have lost family members and friends and co-workers to the virus. It’s personal. How can people not feel horrified, hurt, grief-stricken, bewildered and unsure; angry beyond measure, when they hear Trump’s words, his very voice, in these Woodward recordings. At the very least, I am resentful of the stress Trump has brought to my life over the past five or more years, which has affected my physical and mental health, which spills over into my marriage, other relationships and how I’m supposed to live my life in my remaining years when every single year of retirement needed to count; when there’s no time to waste.
I didn’t beat deadly cancer to live how I’m living in 2020, having to retreat indoors and not be out there with a normal life for the time I have left. Every day is precious. The oncologist told me that just having my cancer shaved five years off my life; it’s simply statistics. Then I lost another year trying to fight the battle. Now, one day blends into the other, with no good memories being made. Just treading water; going nowhere. So much lost time when it could have been very different, had Trump just done his job to protect the U.S. from the enemy virus.
But it’s so much bigger than ‘me’. Trump wants to take us down so that he can control us because he feeds on power. And this is power in the worst hands (you know, those hands with blood on them). I hope we can vote him out because God help us if we can’t.
Here’s to what lengths we’re going to for November: They need poll workers. My husband has decided to do it; but, no matter what safety protocols/mitigation is put into place for a poll worker, when in larger poll venues now will mean thousands of people with whom he’ll have contact, we know he’s taking a big chance, for himself but especially for the more Covid-vulnerable Vicki. So, even though we cannot afford it, our plan is to have my husband quarantine from me for 14 days after he’s been a dozen-plus hours at the polling place. We will rent a motor home which has a toilet/shower in it; park it on our driveway. My husband will stay in it while I stay in the house, and he won’t be able to come in the house for those two weeks. He’ll still have access to the garage, our front and rear yards; his car. And he’ll have the dog with him for companionship.
It’s radical and will be expensive, but I can’t keep him from what he thinks so seriously is his patriotic duty, when he feels so strongly about the election. I’m proud of him, yet it adds to my worry for his safety. But he’s the same guy who said he’d walk on coals to vote in person IF it did come to pass that the post office really starts suffering worse than it is. (I thought my p.o. was okay but I’ve already had two recent problems, one of which is a new book I’m now missing, put in a parcel locker which wasn’t mine, so it’s now ‘lost’ before I ever saw it; I’m sure it’s a case of them being more shorthanded and/or trying to do the job on less hours with no overtime; too harried and hurried. But maybe it’s just a fluke; I hope so. I feel so sorry for them; I know these people and they’re hard workers at the post office.)
Can I just say, too, that I don’t know what on earth I’d do if my husband and I were on opposite sides. A couple of readers here just mentioned this; that they’re in marriages with a Trump supporter. Day in, day out; in that kind of environment? Cannot imagine…
This is so dangerous! We can not understand how anyone in the United States can support him. You said what I can not put in words cos of my anger. Thank you.
I have just read your courageous post and every comment.
I remember ‘discovering’ Nazi Germany when we had it in our world history class.
for years and years I never could understand how Hitler was able to come into such power.
we had to watch some of the real footage our teacher showed of his rallies. or whatever they called them then. hoards of them. my little teenage mind couldn’t comprehend how people fell for that wildly evil man!
and now I’m wondering the same thing. how so many in this country worship at Trump’s feet?
the lies. the lies that continue when it’s his own voice that’s recorded and saying the lies!
yes. HE is frightening.
but what is even MORE frightening to me… the people I live with in this TOTALLY red state.
so red that they barely mention us in any news. as if it’s a mere given how the vote will go.
to live where your vote has NO meaning. but you vote anyway. to vote where BOTH senators don’t even care what you feel or want to say. I gave up writing to them. they WORSHIP him.
THAT is the most frightening thing of all to me. not just the insane leader. but all the supposedly sane people in this state that hang and dote on his every word.
and to add to the insanity… we have license to openly carry.
that means they can be armed to the teeth and shoot you. and they’re afraid Biden will “take their guns.” OMG. has it come to this? it makes me wonder who I’ve lived among for years.
he seemed to weirdly get elected and it’s as if they were all just WAITING for a leader (?) who thinks just like they do.
I’m beginning to see how Hitler took over Germany.
so… yes.
that’s what frightened means.
and I’m 74 years old. a widow with COPD and congestive heart failure and AFIB and one LAD stent. simply moving somewhere else is not an option for me.
so I read amazing and courageous posts like yours and your followers and think in my mind… YOU GO GIRL!
I know! How can Biden take their guns when you’re in an open carry state that is definitely lax on gun ownership.
Yes, it’s frightening and all those who said, “It could never happen here” need to reconsider that statement.
Stay safe and stay strong, Tammy!!
tammy j, I was just re-reading over all of the comments in Claudia’s last blog posts (because I learn a lot and it keeps me secure on the ‘cliff’ to think other people have my similar emotions and fears and that I’m not going bonkers over what we’re hearing in the news all the time from some very credible experts) and I had tears spring when I read your reply, ” I’m 74 years old. a widow with COPD and congestive heart failure and AFIB and one LAD stent. simply moving somewhere else is not an option for me.”
I cry because I can relate. My health issues aren’t small either, I’m older now; I have certain financial scenarios I can’t change. I want to move … I dunno; almost anywhere right now … yet I love my country and it seems wrong to jump ship. But I think of indeed the unthinkable, if Trump gets a second term, and I worry what it will mean for my life and safety. So many Jews were able to get out of Germany in time; others in occupied countries managed to escape. Tremendous courage. For their lives. I’m not even remotely comparing the two scenarios although I can see similarities; how do I escape Trump for MY life and security if he gets four more years, because the damage would be irreparable to the U.S.
I have limitations which would probably even prevent me from trying to go over to Canada, once they ever reopen the border again post-Covid. These kinds of major life alterations … a relocation (a major move) … are harder on us at this age unless you have a lot of help; easier to do when younger, healthier, still able to work a job (although I thought the last time I did this, moving cross-country, to and fro in a relatively short period, it would kill me; mega life disruption and expensive; hard on me even in my 40s; can’t just do it willy-nilly.
Anyway, you hang in there, tammy j; there are like minds and similar age group reading Claudia’s excellent and stress-relieving blog; we have to keep shoring up each other and sharing info for our sanity. I don’t know if generous Claudia knows how much she is helping (you are, Claudia!). Let’s stay safe and sane together here on MHC. I just wanted to let you know I’m thinking of you and what you said, tammy j; you hang in there, too (and I’ll try to do the same!).
thank you for your words Vicki.
I’m not a religious person in the way the evangelicals talk.
but I’ve studied the old Asian philosophies for years.
when asked what his religion is the Dalai Lama replied…
“my religion is kindness.”
so I have decided to take one less hatred from the world.
I am going to go back to not listening to all the news. it’s the same.
and to unite my THOUGHTS and my heart with love.
Eckhart Tolle helps me too. he’s good. very calming.
I get myself all worked up. it only shortens my life. I don’t need that.
it’s going to play out. and we will stand it. people like your husband are admirable!
but as an individual… you take care of YOU.
I have decided to be happy. this is a personal decision I just made yesterday.
and to do whatever and watch whatever makes me happy.
I’m not a young enough or big enough person to worry about all this anymore.
I will let the young folks do that. I will hopefully just set an example for them
by living with dignity. and kindness. and manners. and an open mind for them.
frankly… it takes simple courage every single day just to live with the pain we endure!
LOLOL! the back… the hips… the ankles. aaagggh! an old ballerina’s lament!
and you’re right. about the community here. it’s strong. and good.
Claudia and Don fulfill their own mission. such beautifully creative people!
and they SHARE that creativity. I on the other hand am a hermit monk! LOL.
but that’s what makes me happy.
just keep believing in your OWN happiness. it’s YOURS. and nobody else’s!
sending you love and strength for one more moment at a time!
XO