Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, October 5, 2020

People need to see their leader. It’s a national security issue. Is the one in charge alive and well? Rumors about Kim Jong-Un’s health often send tremors of doubt through and around North Korea. We don’t want the same doubt in America. Doctor’s, however, have a narrower and more specific perspective.

Presidents get sick. This is something that happens to almost every president sooner or later. Not if, but when it happens, gossip columns circle questions about transitions of power, mostly to capitalize on curiosity from the country.

President Trump’s diagnosis with the pneumoniavirus will lionize him in the minds of the electorate. Now, he is more involved and affected by the virus and is no longer an outsider. He is the victim of China and champion of the people. That’s the political script playing out. It can’t hurt him in the election, only boost his numbers—because of how he responds.

He learns. He stays strong. He takes precautions. He hates the unpopular masks. He defies doctors’ orders—something most Americans love doing. He quarantines himself—something most Americans identify with. He keeps working—because we’re all depending on him. Without this response, he would have hurt his own numbers. He chose to respond with “involved strength”. Everything is okay if we make it okay, and that’s what the president did.

As for the Senate, they found their excuse to step up the suspense and delay of confirming Amy Coney Barrett. Isn’t that a politically miraculous coincidence!

Equally coincidental are China and Biden. Neither can say bad things about a man who is sick in the hospital. That’d be like punching a man with glasses. China has to roll back its aggression in the South and East seas or else be seen as an even greater aggressor by the rest of the West.

It’s funny how things always seem to work out. None of this was planned, not in the least. It was all a miraculous, convenient coincidence. Nothing more.

Encore of Revival: America, September 28, 2020

It took one week, but we finally have a SCOTUS nominee—the long time nominee apparent, Amy Coney Barrett. The Senate will begin confirmation hearings after waiting another two weeks. Then, hope to vote another two weeks after that on October 26. That will leave the perfect amount of time for Republican voters to get nervous, Democratic voters to worry themselves out, and a few days for all voters to learn that Senate Republicans did what Republican voters wanted. Yes, the Senate dragged its feet and showed its power by delaying power. SCOTUS will be full with 5-3 Conservative justices just before the election, rather than just after. If the Senate was in a hurry, McConnell would crawl over broken glass to begin hearings immediately.

This opens up a myriad of suspicions. If the election is challenged, the court will have six Republican-appointed “original intent” -minded justices, including the notorious swing vote, Chief Justice John Roberts. All six justices vote according to process and intent, usually with Republicans, but not always.

The three remaining Liberal judges, all of them appointed by Democratic presidents, always vote against Republicans and in favor of Democratic-Liberal ideals, regardless of “original intent”. They believe this is honest and ethical. But, they won’t be deciding any election disputes, the six rule-stickler justices will.

A Left-leaning professor this week observed that Trump acts much tougher than he actually is—and that Democratic voters should stop going for his bait. They might not be able to not go for the bait. But, knowing that the election won’t change the Supreme Court balance this time around, plus considering how boring Biden is, Democratic voters might not have the energy to show up to vote, not even with the October surprise about Trump’s taxes, which won’t change anyone’s mind anyway.