The Professor Watchlist, the Election and "Rounding the Corner"

The Watchlist

Surfing around the Internet, I’ve come across a site entitled “Professor Watchlist” where academics with liberal ideas are listed.  (Heather Cox Richardson, whose daily postings, Letters from an American, I follow faithfully was included on the list.) 

 And this is not a light-hearted list as is sung about in Gilbert and Sullivan's"Mikado" ... 'I've got a little list ... they never will be missed.') 

Mikado's "List"

In Nazi Germany, such lists, although not online, preceded arrests and sometimes worse.  The implications of such a list in the United States of America, regardless of the results of the 2020 election, are frightening.  The First Amendment, allowing such lists to exist, weakens protection of those on the list from those who disagree with them, in or out of government.  Some have received death threats.  On the other extreme, some have taken being included on the list as a ‘badge of honor.”

 

The Election and What Comes Afterwards

I hope that all reading this have voted already at early voting sites or by mail or will on Election Day.  Real results won’t be available for a while after Election Day and until they are final, there will be litigation, conceivably reaching the politicized Supreme Court.  I hope not, remembering the Court’s approval of the stealing of the 2000 election by the Republicans.  If not finalized by the time the Electors are supposedly supposed to vote in December, the decision goes to Congress, where each State gets one vote, which will depend on what the majority of its Representatives decide.  This, in effect, disenfranchises the voters of large populous States.  Let’s hope the period following Election Day is not a violent one. 

Here is something  based on an item which appeared on this blog on Sept. 8.  Except for a change in Nevada's position, I still think it is accurate.

It is the law in sixteen States (including D.C.) that “vote by mail” ballots postmarked up to Election Day but received after Election Day can be counted toward the State’s final totals.  State laws govern how long this might be and under what circumstances they can be counted.  Of these sixteen States (and D.C.), it is doubtful than these late-tabulated votes will change the election’s outcome in twelve of them:  Alaska, California, D.C., Illinois, Kanas, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Utah, Washington and West Virginia. 

But they can change the results in closer States such as North Carolina (3), Texas (5), Virginia (3) and Nevada (7 or 3).  In parentheses, the number of days after Election Day that these votes will be accepted is shown if postmarked before Election Day according to that State’s laws.  These four are the States to watch.

Litigation can extend this period much further as can potential violence.  In my opinion, both litigation and violence will play roles and in all likelihood, the final decision will be made long after Election Day by the Supreme Court on one selected case involving the electoral votes of one State which will make the difference in the election's result.    During that period, until the Supreme Court acts, there may be a role for the military in preserving the Constitution, which they are sworn to do.

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I have voted for Joe Biden and I hope you have as well. He needs at least 270 Electoral votes to win.  The President’s incompetence in dealing with the Covid19 pandemic, ignoring any other of his shortcomings, is enough to warrant his defeat.  Only those ignorant of the facts and supremely gullible support President Trump, but that includes millions of Americans, probably about 45% of those who will have voted, enough to win the Electoral votes of a significant number of States, which I hope will be less than the 270 needed to win re-election to the White House.  

After Losing the Election, Will Trump Go Away? Far Away, We Pray

George Will recently recalled a story of which Winston Churchill was fond, about the man who received a telegram reporting the death of his mother-in-law and asking for instructions.  The man telegraphed back: Embalm, cremate, bury at sea. Take no chances.”   Figuratively, not literally, this is the hope of many Americans in regard to President Trump.

Rounding the Corner to Death 

The President claims that in regard to the Covid19 pandemic, we are “rounding the corner.” He lies.  And these lies of his are killing Americans.  All those infected with the virus do not die, but many do.  And considering the number infected, that is a big number. Find out the truth by CLICKING HERE or pasting this on your browser line:

 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/30/us/us-covid-case-record.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20201101&instance_id=23694&nl=the-morning&regi_id=78918068&segment_id=43075&te=1&user_id=02fa158150d34dc186b01b1b8ec7a224