Thursday, November 12, 2020

Supertankers of Guano, an Exploration of America

I teased this on Twitter yesterday, or at least the turn of phrase that ends the first graf. There's only one Gheorghie that writes like that, and when he's on a roll, best just to follow the advice Boone gave Otter. Kids, I give you our man in the OBX.

As we inch toward a Biden Administration, a handful of folks within the political gasbagerati make the point that one of the new president’s tasks must be to reach out and legitimize his election victory among all people. This idea is, not to put too fine a point on it, a supertanker of guano.

May or may not be guano aboard
There’s a lot of talk about healing and relief and recapturing the soul of America. But if the first three or six months of the next administration become a national couch session or campfire gathering, then Democrats are to politicking what the Washington Snydermen are to footballing. 

Joe Biden won the popular vote by more than five million, at last count. He carried Georgia, which last voted for a Democrat for president in 1992. He won in Arizona, which has voted for a Democrat only once since 1952. He flipped Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, all of which went Republican in 2016.

By the same token, the current President lost the popular vote by 2.9 million in 2016, yet spent exactly zero time reaching out to the majority and to those states that did not vote for him. Aided by a compliant Senate and, his first two years, a House majority, he spent four years golfing and grifting and embodying many of the worst qualities of human beings in general and Americans in particular. He is a transactional figure who believes that empathy and cooperation are for suckers. He bears responsibility for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of deaths in a pandemic. He denuded and belittled government agencies. He antagonized allies and rolled over for belly rubs from authoritarians.

This is a big fucking fe
Biden delivered hopeful remarks, about how he’ll work just as hard for those who didn’t vote for him as for those who did, that he’s the president of all Americans and not just those who supported him. To be sure, he’s wired differently than his predecessor and is a product of a more collegial era in national politics, when legislators argued over policy by day and then retired to the Occidental for T-bones and bourbon. His lengthy legislative record includes many cringe-worthy measures and moments, but he appears to be a fundamentally decent fellow who leans toward public service and inclusion.

For those hoping that the election would be a repudiation of Donald Trump, consider that he received almost nine million more votes and a higher percentage of the electorate than he did in 2016. After witnessing him and his policies for four years, almost 72 million people thought him the better choice this time. Granted, many of those voters were motivated by fear and the demonization of Democrats as godless, communist, gun-snatching, tax-raising tree huggers. Still, hard to see the result as total rejection.

Plenty of people look at the stain of systemic racism, the cruelty of immigrant kids in cages, the violent putdown of peaceful protesters and respond with: “That’s not who we are.” Biden himself has said it. He and everyone who say so are wrong. It’s a national bedtime story we tell ourselves, girded by the lofty language of the founders. It’s all precisely who we are. We’re big and complicated and diffuse. We’re generous and welcoming and selfish and mistrustful. We’re tolerant and bigoted and informed and ignorant. We’re ambitious and complacent and hopeful and corrupt. To believe otherwise limits our chance for growth.

Ain't nobody scares the GA GOP more than this lady
Those who have gone down the Fox News and QAnon rabbit holes will never be convinced that Biden and Kamala Harris were legitimately elected, never mind interested in their lives. Biden and Harris and their allies shouldn’t try to convince them. Simply do the work. Explain what they want to do and why. Pass legislation. Send it to the Senate. When Mitch McConnell leaves bills on the shelf to wilt like arugula, call him on it. Publicly. Repeatedly. When his reasoning is, we won’t pass it, then hang it around his neck. If he can be pressured into holding votes, and he and his colleagues reject legislation, hang it around their necks. For four years, we’ve heard from conservatives that “elections have consequences,” which is a nuanced version of, “we won, so suck it.” Works both ways.

And speaking of the Senate, Georgia’s upcoming runoff elections for both seats could tilt the Senate blue (side note: Thanks, Cal Cunningham, for putting libido over service). Democrats’ message to Georgians every day should be: You voted for change and an opportunity for better lives for all Georgians, in health care and pandemic relief and living wages and participation in democracy; Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff will give you those opportunities; David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler question the legitimacy of the election and will oppose such measures at every turn.

The election and accompanying optimism were nice moments, but they were only a start. Regardless of your political leanings, lotta work ahead. Giddyup.

43 comments:

Danimal said...

Well done, well said, obx dave. Trump doin trump, doing all he can at the expense of the nation to better position himself on his first day as a civilian - and he will benefit greatly I'm sure.

There's a golf geek podcast called No Laying Up - it's earned a notable following and is based right here in the 904. Wright Thompson was interviewed the other day, telling Augusta stories and promoting the new book. It's on my list.

TR-you have my endorsement for attending the gym.

OBX dave said...

In "turning the corner" news on the Outer Banks: four schools had to close after eight kids tested positive; following contact tracing, another 200 students and staff are in quarantine.

Ai yi yi.

Whitney said...

Rob, why are you still posting for OBX Dave? Take off the training wheels and let the man ride!

TR said...

NJ is right behind you, OBX Dave. The superintendent of the school system where Zman and I send our kids has been sending increasingly frequent "get ready in case we have to shut it down" emails. The one yesterday came after a one-day shutdown at our high school due to a case. It said "don't be alarmed, but we are starting to send students home with materials they can use if we go fully virtual."

In-person learning has gone extremely well in our town. Would hate for that to get shut down. If they do that, it's almost like they're daring me to rent a house in FL for two months.

Donna said...

OBX Dave, thanks for this terrific piece. I agree with you! We need to get on with governing and call the obstruction, when it happens, for what it is.
Re: COVID...our friends/former neighbors' dad (only about 60 y.o) is on day 23 in ICU on vent in Indiana. Family had very sobering report/consult with doc yesterday. Not good news. So difficult and sad and heartbreaking. Pastor colleague/friend's daughter has it. 15 y.o. Pretty bad but seems to have turned. Another pastor colleague/friend has it. Director of the preschool at the church I serve - her 5 y.o. grandchild exposed to person at her after-school care program who had it. So now, they're all in quarantine. Thankfully no one showing symptoms. A HS friend had it back in the spring and was in ICU for 16 days - almost died. But he came-through and has recovered. He's 50. So, OMDL!!!!!!
I'm guessing we all have reports like this - it's so awful. And these folks are all over country - Indiana, Oklahoma, Maryland, California, Virginia...
So - wear your masks, y'all! Don't eat at restaurants inside - unless you are the only customer perhaps. I'd say "no" to the gym - siding with your wife on this one, TR, but I'm a worrier and inside things just seem too risky right now. I appreciate they're probably really follow protocols well. Maybe if you go when it's the least crowded.
And Dan, hope you and all your family are okay.
Thinking of you all as you make decisions for the holidays - we're struggling on that, too. But here's to hoping we all stay safe and well!

rob said...

i'd read thompson write about a ham sandwich. can't wait for the book.

as for doctor fairbank's posting, he keeps skipping the training sessions teej set up for him, mumbling something about old dinosaurs and new tricks.

rob said...

and tr, i've never been much for going to the gym, so i'm not the best person to help. i will say that we got a peloton bike in august and it's getting a ton of use. between that and soccer, i'm getting more exercise now than pre-pandemic.

rootsminer said...

We should be grateful for Mr. Fairbank's content any way we can get it.

A few months ago I started going back to the gym for two quick sessions a week, because life without deadlifts is no damn good. I try go at non-busy times, keep my mask on, wipe the equipment down before and after I use it, sanitize my hands incessantly, and try to stay as far away from people as I can.

That plus 50-100 miles per week of cycling has kept me relatively fit, though my brother in law is pitching a family trip to run the Maui marathon in January 2022. I did it (with limited training) in 2001, but haven't really been a runner since. 46 is a bit older than 25, but I think I could get in the same headspace. I'd just need to actually train my body for it this time.

rob said...

look at nassim taleb over here

zman said...

Talib Kweli?

T.J. said...

Aqib Talib?

rootsminer said...

I'm dealing with a guy right now that I'd like to go Aqib Talib on, and rip off his chain.

He agonized over pricing of a mailer - 10M vs 12M pieces, and opted to go with 10K. Then he sends me a mail list with almost 26,000 records. And now he's trying to dictate over the phone what to excise from his list to get the count down. Uh, not sure I have time for this right now.

He apparently has a pretty successful business, but this dude is unfathomably dumb.

Whitney said...

Teej, gift

https://alwaysfits.com/collections/all-books/products/a-die-hard-christmas-book-the-illustrated-holiday-classic

T.J. said...

FUCK. YES.

Whitney said...

ORF Rock back on the air tonight after 2 years!

7pm start, I enter at 7:30.

wodustudios.com

also I believe YouTube WODU Live gets you a visual. But technical difficulties plagued us before, so we shall see...

OBX dave said...

I would post stuff myself -- or attempt to -- but the Maharajah of Transportation has yet to send a cheat sheet.

T.J. said...

*Teejarajah

And yes, I'm the worst.

TR said...

Israel legalizing and regulating recreational weed in 2021. Mazel Tov!

rob said...

ivy league cancels winter sports. here me now and believe me later, ain't gonna be a super bowl or fbs championship game this year.

rob said...

dear abby,

i'm increasingly apprehensive about my wife's whole family (parents, sister/brother-in law, three nephews, brother) coming to my house for thanksgiving, given the explosion of covid across the land. when i bring it up with her, she thinks my misgivings are because i don't like her family and digs in her heels. what's a boy to do?

signed,

masked, restless, and not all that ready

rootsminer said...

Good luck with that one rob.

I live four miles from my parents and we aren’t gathering around a common table because we don’t want to share anything with them unwittingly.

We’re working on a plan to have sufficient pre isolation before Christmas, but any thanksgiving meetup will be outside.

TR said...

The Fox prod’n team doing the NFL game still bringing the jam band goods. We’ve had First Tube and Stash from Phish and Ain’t Life Grand by Widespread Panic as outros.

Mark said...

Don’t get me started on Florida. While lot of acting like the Rona is a thing of the past round here.

TR said...

The Colts didn’t rally to win so much as Tennessee absolutely imploded. Awful second half on offense, defense, and special teams. And a couple shaky coaching calls to boot.

zman said...

According to WashPo, 130 Secret Service officers are infected and/or quarantining at least partially due to Trump's rallies. I present this without comment because the comments are obvious.

OBX dave said...

Former George W. speechwriter and conservative columnist Michael Gerson eviscerated national-level Republicans and White evangelicals, in particular. And it won't matter a lick.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/this-is-a-massive-failure-of-character-among-republicans--with-evangelicals-out-in-front/2020/11/12/c7a05396-251e-11eb-8672-c281c7a2c96e_story.html

rob said...

kim ng hired as the marlins' general manager. first woman gm in any of the major american professional men's sports leagues. pretty cool and she earned the shit out of it.

TR said...

Do Coast Guard memmbers know that folks look at them like they're the Ringo of the military?

T.J. said...

what does that make Space Force members?

rootsminer said...

Hey hey - my first ever concert was The Monkees, with Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and The Grassroots.

zman said...

Who are the Merchant Marines? Milli Vanilli?

rootsminer said...

My wife saw Milli Vanilli. I'm extra triggered.

Whitney said...

I saw the Monkees in 1985

Whitney said...

Wait, I saw that same tour that Rootsy saw. Herman’s Hernits also played.

Mark said...

I was recruited to play basketball at the Coast Guard Academy. I was interested. The prospect of Connecticut winters and spending my summers on a Coast Guard cutter ultimately ended that.

In other news, my oldest moved to NJ today. Wife flew up there with her. She’ll be back for stretches for Thanksgiving and Xmas so it doesn’t feel like too big a deal just yet but this house will be significantly more empty soon and that’ll be weird and a little sad.

rob said...

i love (present tense) the monkees

TR said...

A friend of mine is a very talented guitarist and does compositions/film scores. He had a gig as the musical producer for a Mickey Dolenz tour a few years ago. He also played lead guitar on the stage. Dolenz was the guy who always came off a bit douchey in interviews, but the guy said he was the best. He was apparently supercool and generous and loved scotch. Three great traits.

Danimal said...

Tr: "me.....me.......me!"

Mark said...

Took advantage of the trip to drop the wife and the oldest off at the Orlando airport today and made a day of it with the kid. Hit a dope taco spot in Winter Park- Hunger street. Check the menu if you’re bored. My kid LOVED it. She’s an eater. A damn good eater. Then we spent the afternoon at the Orlando Science Center. Finished the day with takeout wings and a Simpsons marathon. I’m doing alright with this parenting thing.

rootsminer said...

I may be acquiring my first ever pickup truck tomorrow. Just sent a pretty lowball offer to an acquaintance for his ‘99 Dodge Ram.

He basically offered it for nothing, and I offered him way more than that. I did offer an extra hundred if he had the original tape deck.

Mark said...

I had a rented F-150 extended cab for three weeks after a car accident once. I loved it. I don’t need a truck for anything in my everyday life. I’m jealous.

rob said...

i had a chevy s10 for a while. completely impractical, as pickups go. my girlfriend at the tine loved it irrationally, so i kept it for a lot longer than i should have. it was basically a roller skate.

Whitney said...

We always figured you bought the s10 so you’d never have to drive when we went out.