Numbers

 

Partisan turnout numbers, statewide North Carolina, 2024 (Oct. 29):

Partisan turnout numbers, Watauga County, 2024 (Oct. 29)

Dark Matter

 

"...the dark energy animating the MAGA movement"

--NYTimes

The above characterization of MAGA world appeared in an article about the remarkable hatefest staged by Trump at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

We're very aware of that "energy." It hates us, it stalks us, for we are part of "the enemy within." Crouching, always crouching. The fanatics infested with that dark energy fantasize about the novel ways to catch and torture us. Being fingered by the Big Man is all it takes -- appear as a problem to him and his plans. Progressives, liberals, lib-tards, Demon-rats, especially the ones who share their opinions publicly -- you think we don't feel those bloody eyes? And see the mojo behind it quite clearly in plain sight in foamy comments on websites and social media and on our own blog and on every blog in the universe? That energy hates with burning intensity, and it loves to brag about what it'll do to the enemy within when Trump's back in power, and there are no limits, no consequences, because the Supreme Court granted him immunity from prosecution for "his official acts." (It was in all the papers.)

Trump himself has made sure the energy he inspires is aimed and super-hot. He wants retribution, and he's honed his followers to a spearpoint. Trump is practically demanding violence should he lose the vote. He's demonized the press so that none of his ardent fans will believe its "lies" about him, and he's already declared there's great fraud being engineered against him for the counting of votes, so a loss will always be labeled a criminal fraud perpetrated on a God-blessed victim of the Deep State, a clear miscarriage of honesty and justice. If he sat munching fries, watching the January 6th riot and marveling at the passions expressed for hisownself -- why, it was "a day of love!" -- think how flattered he'll be by riots and attacks on voting administrators on November 6th.

So, yes, the atmosphere going into E-Day is menacing. Apparently menacing for both sides. The MAGA cult justifies its belief that Trump's enemies are just evil, simply evil, bringing some terrifying hellscape of forced atheism and abortion. Them what love Jesus got to gird themselves for holy battle. The rest of us prepare to flinch. What Trump can accomplish in a second term is truly unnerving. 

Cowering isn't the answer. Dogged survival is the only path. The readiness is all.

Monday Headspace

 

Wrath of Khan: Are Jeff Bezos and That Other Billionaire Really Afraid?

 

"Oligarchs controlling the newsroom to curry favor with a fascist"

--@NickyFrank30 

That comment was made on Twitter after the owners of the WashPost and the L.A. Times (Jeff Bezos and Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong) refused the recommendations of their editors to endorse Kamala Harris for president. For practically zillions of observers it looks like cowardice in the face of a feared dictator. If Trump wins.

I've been under some pressure to cancel my own subscription to the WashPost, like apparently a bunch of others have done, but I'm not going to cancel my subscription. I get solid, verified news about politics and politicians from the WashPost. I can ignore the editorials, harden my heart to a rightward tilt, if the news remains the news. Besides, hurting the billionaire owner of a news org only hurts his underpaid and harassed journalists and support staff, if he decides to lay people off because the backlash against him has cut into profits.

Kowtowing to a fascist by the owners of the news is the story here, and the reason to worry.

When Terror Inspires Action

 

The Stress in America poll, conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), found that 77% of adults are stressed about the future of the nation, and 69% are worried about the upcoming election.

--Health News, 10/23/24

You don't say.

Additional intel: About 72% said they are worried the election results could lead to violence. More than half (56%) believe the election could be the end of democracy in the United States.

Them stakes high enough for you? The loss of hope hangs in the balance. But this poll found the upside:

Most Americans aren't giving into their despair, however. More than three-quarters (77%) intend to vote in the presidential election, and half (51%) said they feel compelled to volunteer or support causes they value.

That's been the good thing, the utter blessing, of this campaign year. The level and dedication of volunteerism. 

The Madam Disposes

 

Late on Wednesday afternoon, this post came across my Facebook feed, and I knew instantly that it was about Congresswoman Virginia Foxx:

so here’s a funny sort of story…yesterday while holding my nose to vote, i was so intent on casting my vote for the WOMEN on the ballot…that i circled the evil narcissist who at present is refusing a family to cross her land for access to their vehicles & property when their driveway was totally blown out in the storm…you know who!

How did I know who?

Week or more ago -- Oct. 11th, to be precise -- I got my hands on a message to the Watauga County Democratic Party that had been posted on its website. I've masked the names and personal info:

Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx

Message: I would like you to know how the current Congresswoman Virginia Foxx is treating her neighbors in Banner Elk. Please Read!!!

I am Xxxx Xxxxxxx wife of Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, a N&O sportswriter for over 45 years and I am a former high school teacher for 40 years. I want to let you know what is happening to my sister and her family who live in Banner Elk and on the same mountain as the Foxxes.

My sister and family and also the Foxx residence did not have power, water, or access to the highway for 10 days after the hurricane. Their access road to highway105 was washed away. They can walk out, but not drive out. They have to walk out on a treacherous, skinny piece of pavement left by the washout that is barely supported by any earth. Late Monday afternoon the power company was able to clear a road behind the Foxx property and were able to restore power to the homes on Rime Frost Road. This also opened up a way to drive out for the first time.

The Foxxes drove out Wednesday, did not tell my sister's family, locked all gates and then blocked the road with heavy machinery so that my sister, brother-in-law, their son, his wife, and three little girls could not get out.

Somebody needs to tell the truth about how the Foxxes have treated their neighbors after this horrendous disaster. This was done purposefully to block access.

On Thursday the power company came back to do some work and needed to get through the locked access. Congresswoman Foxx's daughter, Teresa Foxx, accompanied by two Watauga Sheriff's Deputies, let the power company in, then locked the gates back and put the tractor on the road. The Deputies told my brother-in--law that they could not let the family out because it was private Foxx property. It is very ironic that the Congresswoman can use the neighbor's property on the other side for her personal access to the highway, but my family. which is on the same mountain as the Foxxes, cannot access the neighbor's property which is no more than 50 feet across Foxx property.

I cannot believe a member of the Congress of the United States can purposefully treat anyone this way, especially after such a federal disaster. I can only imagine one of my great nieces, ages 2 to 7, or any member of my family, getting hurt having to constantly walk on a very dangerous strip of pavement at the washout to go to get food. This should be illegal and is most certainly inhumane. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx and husband Tom Foxx are unbelievably hateful people to say the least.

Being an accomplished opportunist, I immediately wrote the author of this complaint against Foxx (there was an email address), and I asked permission to reprint the comment on WataugaWatch. I never heard a word back. So the moment passed. Until Wednesday afternoon -- yesterday -- when I saw that post on Facebook. And then I found this separate posting and discovered I've been waaay behind on this story. Everyone's been talking about it.

Today, Sunday October 13th is the end of a really stressful week for us. However, with that being said, there are so many people with far worse problems than us. I am so thankful for all the support that people have given us, as well as all the people who have helped their neighbors and complete strangers, as it is the human thing to do. 

My family still does not have access to get our cars out, as our neighbors, Tom and Rep. Virginia Foxx and their daughter will not allow us to go across their property to get our two cars out and to the top of our road. It is beyond me as to how they can do this to us when we have three young children now living with us, ages 2 to 7. Why would they feel good about this decision, when we have 4 adults and 3 children in our home without our own cars at the top of the road. I ask what would happen if there were an emergency at our home with any of us, our horses, our dogs and we needed immediate care by 911. Would the Foxx's let the emergency people through their property to come care for us? Or, do they not care at all?? I honestly do not understand how anyone can be so heartless! I am praying that maybe this week will be different.

So since it's massively public now, WatWatch joins the exposition. Virginia Foxx and Tom Foxx are dicks.

P.S. The saga of accidentally voting for Foxx had a denouement: "at least if you mess up, you can ask for another ballot!!"

"Keep Clear of People Like That"

 

Video produced by Evangelicals for Harris. Not all evangelical Christians have been fooled and corrupted.

Foxx Voted Recently for FEMA Funding; People Need More

 

[Avery countian Paul] Laws said he can’t understand why North Carolina’s members of Congress aren’t rushing to increase funding for FEMA, which has provided $129 million in assistance to North Carolinians as of Monday. He reached out to Rep. Virginia Foxx, who grew up in Avery County and lives in Banner Elk, more than a week ago, he said, but never heard back. “I don’t understand it, and why our representatives and legislators haven’t said a word about more FEMA funding is beyond me,” he said.

--Lexi Solomon, NandO, 21 Oct. 2024

Foxx did recently vote for the FEMA stopgap funding bill after spending years playing miser with most strands of the social safety net. In her heart, she is not charitable. Rather, she is judgmental about others, sharply acquisitive for herself. 

So it's no particular surprise that she declared in 2005 that all the proposed Katrina money that was wanted for mainly Black New Orleans was a colossal waste and she wouldn't vote for it. But on the recent FEMA funding bill, which passed before Helene arrived, all North Carolina Republicans voted yea except for that carbuncle on the ass Dan Bishop. And Sen. Ted Budd. He also voted nay.

Thom Tillis Opposes Mike Lee's Plans for Senate "Power-Sharing"

What follows is so inside-DeeCee that it will likely be excruciating. So you're forewarned.

Fox News
Sen. Mike Lee on left, Thom Tillis, right

Mitch McConnell, Republican Majority Leader for eons in the U.S. Senate, and now Minority Leader, is retiring in the nick of time. He won't have to deal with poor blood flow or President Donald J. Trump (again) -- should he squeak in -- or the Freedom Caucus (if Trump goes down like a fizzled Roman candle, because the purity-of-MAGA caucus will still exist in Congress). 

So goodbye, Mitch McConnell! Republican senators in a few scant months will be picking (they hope) their next Majority Leader. Three gentlemen think they deserve it: Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. Scott seems most likely to draw the Freedom Caucus vote, but getting a majority? Not likely. Scott's a long shot (even if he survives his current reelection challenge from Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell). So some of the ultra conservative senators, led by Mike Lee of Utah, want to pass new rules for their majority, a sort of anticipatory "democratizing" of the conference so that a handful of hard-liners can stop dead any new leader’s authority in backing “Democrat priorities.” Like Mitch McConnell very occasionally did. McConnell to Mike Lee had shown signs of a dangerous moderation. In a second Trump presidency, Lee warned in a public letter a few days ago, the McConnell old establishment type Republican (of which John Thune is a prime example) “will be tempted to join Democrats to pass funding bills that tie Trump’s hands.” 

Lee and his conservative allies therefore and thereby want power sharing to make sure a moderate majority, led by a Leader willing to cut deals with Chuck Shumer, will never sell out conservatives' wildest dreams.

Thom Tillis Speaks Up

In opposition to Sen. Lee's push to "democratize" Senate leadership, arose this past week Sen. Thom Tillis of NC, who wrote his own public letter taking apart with astrounding logic the Mike Lee argument. Why make a future Leader deliberately and unnecessarily weak? Tillis wanted to know. In a war of ideas, strong, no backbiting, united action is required. Sniping from within the tribe looks weak. Is weak:

“The debate among members really boils down to whether you favor a weak or strong leader model. Mike has laid out proposals that would substantially weaken the Republican leader and further empower Schumer, and I believe it would be unwise to go down that path,” Tillis wrote.

“I suspect many Americans would be shocked to know that any one member can [bring action to a grinding halt] while attempting to advance an amendment that a supermajority of our conference is against.”

These appearances of Contrary Thom are becoming more frequent. They're fascinating grist for any mill processing his future in a Party defined by obeisance to a dictator. And I see the irony of praising Tillis for standing up to Mike Lee's brand of rump tyranny, whilst simultanously advocating for Leadership tyranny. One man's tyrant is another man's bunkmate.