Random Political Musings

President Barack Obama came to visit Greensboro NC this past Tuesday. I am amazed at how his poll numbers keep going up as we start to deal with the fact that arguably the coolest President ever is going away in a few months. It’s particularly hard when you realize your choices are Drunk Uncle or Uncool Aunt. Obama has found a loose energy that I think would’ve served him well in the early going of his Presidency instead of trying to stay buttoned up. There is a difference between cool and cold. A President Obama who is on his way our the door is a fired up President and seems so much more formidable.

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North Carolina is getting a lot of attention from Clinton, Kaine, Trump, Pence and their various surrogates. While North Carolina has tended to vote Republican for President, the Tarheel State is currently in play with Hillary Clinton having a real shot at taking the state in November.

Besides the considerable unease with Trump at the top of the ticket, there’s not a lot of love lost for the state Republican leadership in the wake of the HB2 debacle that has cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars. There are enough hardline social conservatives to carry the day for the existing Republican power structure who are energized by efforts to restrict or roll back LGBT rights.

But there has also been a massive influx of young, college educated professionals into the state, particularly in Charlotte and the Research Triangle Park near Raleigh. These relative newcomers to the state also represent a board range of diversity involving race, religion and sexual orientation; this is a group that is directly opposed to the policies of the current governor and legislature. Neither side has a significant advantage so that makes North Carolina a definite battleground that can turn the state Republican red or Democrat blue.  

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One way to turn most of the entire country red is the repeal the 19^th amendment. Recent data has given Hillary Clinton the overall lead across the country but a lot of that is owing to her advantage with women voters, an edge that has only grown in the wake of recent revelations of Donald Trump’s boorish language and behavior towards women. If women voters were taken out of the equation, the whole country would virtually be red. That’s right, men favor Trump over Clinton. Well, who can deny the appeal of a little boy in a grown man’s body with a lot of money surrounded by hot women?

 

Anyway, a hash tag of #RepealThe19th started worming its way through Twitter and other social media. The 19^th amendment was the one that granted women the right to vote. And even those women who are still supporting Trump have gone on record to say that if getting Trump elected President meant giving up their right to vote, they would do it.

 

Now if the thought of repealing the 19^th amendment makes your skin crawl, don’t worry. It takes almost forever to launch a new amendment and just as long to stop one. There is no way the 19^th amendment will be reversed and absolutely impossible for it to happen before November 8^th. Still, how desperate are Trump’s followers to entertain the very concept of forgoing a person’s right to vote?

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Before I wrap up today’s post, a few things.

 

1. A lot of eastern North Carolina is still underwater in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Rivers and lakes are rising and cresting, sending floodwaters out to turn streets into rivers and front lawns into lakes. And a lot of people still don’t have power. It’s easy to get distracted by other crazier things but remember the people in North Carolina and other states coping with Matthew’s aftermath.
2. I mentioned a few weeks ago that my main computer at the Fortress of Ineptitude decided I shouldn’t go on the internet anymore. I assumed my WiFi adaptor had died so I bought a new one… which didn’t work either. Fearing the worst, I plugged my phone into the USB port and the computer didn’t register that my phone was connected. So it appears my USB ports (all of them?!) are dead. As I write this, I haven’t fixed it. As with all things computer, I fear taking it in to be fixed. The thin pale goateed wraiths that haunt my local computer repair and supply place frighten me. So I’m typing these posts when and where I can on other devices. Yes, that includes work although I do limit myself to writing only during lunch, breaks and especially long and boring conference calls. I stay on alert for my name and if I miss something, I’ll blame multi-tasking.
3. As I write this, I have not finished Sunday’s Doctor Who post. Two weeks ago, I started a new fan fiction script and tomorrow is supposed to be Episode Three of my new adventure with the 12^th Doctor (AND River!) called Cybermania. Maybe by the time Sunday rolls around, I will have that done. But just in case, there may be a change in plan.

 

So that is, as they say, that. Thanks for dropping by and until next time, remember to be good to one another.