This Carbon Based Life

By David Glenn Cox

The question is a simple one. If Donald Trump had done poorly in the debate (worse than usual) would the Republicans whisper, “He should drop out.” Trump did what he always does, mugged for the camera  and made faces like an imbecile and lied his ass off. Suddenly everyone is frightened. Oh, woe is me!

I found the debate painful from both sides of the stage. “We had the greatest economy ever! Everything cost a nickel, and everyone was a millionaire! Yes, I ended Roe, but I’m not against the abortion drug! See? I’m on both sides of the street…at once! I believe in exceptions for rape and incest. I’m a sport!

Personally, I refuse to be afraid of Donald Trump. I have faith in the American people. And if, in their wisdom they choose to burn the deck under their own feet. Well, I guess we get what we deserve. It’s not like we have to join the army and live in the mud for a year or two. All we have to do is vote, and Trump is toast.

Seriously, I wonder why this is suddenly the “Big, Big story!” Is this an organic movement or media newsroom baiting? The media loves to set up imaginary turf fights. “And there’s a left to the jaw and a right to the body. How long can this go on ladies and gentlemen? This must be the greatest political fight ever! But first, this message from Mountain Dew the Laxative. The laxative that really tastes good!

The same people wondered if Harry Truman shouldn’t drop out of the race. After all, Mr. Dewey is so far ahead. I’d hate to see ole Harry get embarrassed like that.

Now, if you were one to wager money. What would you guess are the chances that Donald Trump says or does something ignorant in the next four months? What are the chances the legal rulings will go against him? What are the chances justice will be denied, ala Eileen Cannon or the extreme court? Every time the extreme court rules, the needle moves in our direction. Kites rise against the wind not with it.

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

FDR warned greed isn’t just bad behavior but also bad economics. The business lobby should meditate on that verse. For all that glitters is not gold. Sure, Trump might cut your taxes, but he also might cut your profits.

“All of you, I am sure, have heard many cries about Government interference with business and about “creeping socialism.” I should like to remind the gentlemen who make these complaints that if events had been allowed to continue as they were going prior to March 4, 1933, most of them would have no businesses left for the Government or for anyone else to interfere with — and almost surely, we would have socialism in this country, real socialism.” ― Harry S. Truman

The goal is to frighten you and to make you despondent and give up. Oh, we will never win now.

“Mister Editor,” Churchill replied to the first point. “I fight for my corner. And to the second point: Mister Editor, I leave when the Pub closes.”

Nothing has changed in the grand scheme of things. Donald Trump is still a madman and the day after the election. Donald Trump will either become the President or a has been. A crumpled heap without any plans for the future. This is it for Donald Trump, there isn’t any tomorrow or plan B. Win or fade away.

“Another lesson I think we may take, just throwing our minds back to our meeting here ten months ago and now, is that appearances are often very deceptive, and as Kipling well says, we must “…meet with Triumph and Disaster. And treat those two impostors just the same.”

You cannot tell from appearances how things will go. Sometimes imagination makes things out far worse than they are; yet without imagination not much can be done. Those people who are imaginative see many more dangers than perhaps exist; certainly many more than will happen; but then they must also pray to be given that extra courage to carry this far-reaching imagination. But for everyone, surely, what we have gone through in this period — I am addressing myself to the School — surely from this period of ten months this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our School history, this part of the history of this country, were gone and finished and liquidated.

Very different is the mood today. Britain, other nations thought, had drawn a sponge across her slate. But instead our country stood in the gap. There was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to conquer.”  – Winston Churchill