A close friend just asked me that.
In an effort to be super-rational, I said, “I’m probably the wrong person to ask because I’m an optimist.”
She pointed out we’ve seen this before. I’m not sure we did — not to this extent and with this creature in the White House — but my experiential knowledge of ancient history, i.e., America in the 1970’s, is foggy.
However, that “vote” word I inserted into the title leads me to report and muse over changes.
First, I spent a lot of time earlier reading the New York Times. There’s a lot of fascinating news about changes, news that can’t make the front pages because it’s not so instantaneous. But it’s really significant for a bunch of reasons.
The Democrats in the House and Senate are preparing, under the leadership of Rep. Karen Bass, a multi-faceted federal law to change much of the way police departments around the country have functioned. As I read what our federal government can do, given that police departments around the country are governed by local authorities, I thought two things, more or less at the same time:
One, this is terrific and exactly what I believe is the purpose of federal governance. And two, I could feel masses of people reading over my shoulder and sneering, “This’ll come to nothing because of the GOP and McConnell.”
Which caused me, in having a lively discussion with those masses of people, to say: “Oh, yeah?” I continue the discussion…
There are hundreds of excellent bills written and passed by the House since January 2019. These bills, as we all know, are gathering dust in McConnell’s closet. This current legislative work might also go to the Senate and not get a floor debate or vote.
But but but. Remember what will happen if, in January 2021, the Senate majority — now 53 Republicans — and the White House become Democratic.
All of those terrific bills would then travel instantly to the desk of Chuck Schumer, ready to be debated and voted on, sent to the White House and signed into law.
Initiated by the For The People Act, they are terrific, culture and country-improving. If you don’t remember them, go to the House website and take a look.
And this is what we get if Sara Gideon retires Susan Collins, Cal Cunningham replaces Tom Tillis, John Hickenlooper takes out Cory Gardner, Mark Kelly removes Martha McSally, Steve Bullock over Steve Daines. (There are more; I’ve just given you the current polling leaders.)
That polling was done before George Floyd was murdered and an astonishing variety of heavily armed American uniforms — some in helicopters — threatened and assaulted unarmed protesters. And Trump’s insane “Domination!” speech copied directly from German Nazi archives.
Our votes in November 2020 have the power to change this country pretty radically, if you consider going from wanna-be fascism to liberal-social democracy in a couple of heartbeats pretty radical. And as a bonus we can save the Supreme Court. And we get to witness another funeral — the G.O.P.
So…vote.