how I felt when W and KkkRove and their cabal stole the election in 2004 by using an electronic election system that lacked an ability to audit and therefore was not transparent and therefore not democratic. I was devastated. I worked the polls that year and on election night I stayed up as late as I could watching the results but I was tired and dozed off around 1:30 AM and when I woke up around 3:30 or 4 all of the sudden W was the winner. I wailed like a weeping woman. I was terrified and furious. Somehow, no doubt by some Divine miracle, I managed not to resort to violence, or destruction of property, or to start a revolution.

I had to endure, as did many people who felt the same way I did, another 4 years of that horrid W and Darth Cheney and their cabal. And, unlike the 8 years of President Obama and VP Joe Biden, their was NO progress for America during the 8 years of Bush the lesser and there were plenty of scandals, plus an illegal war, and millions of missing (i.e. Intentionally Deleted) emails and dollars. My motto has always been, "Don't vote for the son of a Bush!" I know. I am from Texas and lived what W did to Texas before he was selected by the "Supreme" Court in 2000.

Can Americans put country before party? Will our deep divisions rip us apart? Are we a country of laws? Do we honor our American history and our traditions? Do we uphold our Democratic Process? How do we begin to mend the rended fabric of our Nation?

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/05/17/democrats-rid-mitch-mcconnell-john-mccain-poll-shows-big-trouble-gop.html

A few minutes ago I created a thread about the consequences of Republicans remaining silent and going along with Trump. I found this article about McCain and McConnell and how Democrats could remove them both this year if McCain loses the election and the Republicans lose the Senate majority. According to the article this is due to the fact that McConnell could not resist obstructing President Obama one last time regarding the Supreme Court nominee.

Oh please make it so Number 1

election result tactics. Specifically, his refusal to accept the outcome unless he wins combined with inciting violence in those people who choose to support him. One thread here this morning has an article where Ken Burns calls Trump's maneuvers "right out of the playbook of the National Socialist Party in Germany."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512535647

In another thread, Nancy Pelosi says "silence is complicity" describing Republican elected officials going along with what Trump is saying rather than condemning Trumps remarks outright and publicly.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512535460

Then, in the last couple of days I watched the Keith O. video where Keith makes an intelligent, passionate argument that the Republican Party is "compelled" to denounce Trump now or go down with him. One thing I got from this video is the question of what responsibility does the Republican Party have, and this especially includes Republican elected officials in the House and Senate as well as at other levels too, to the United States of America?

Or, to put it another way, what is the obligation of the Republican Party - and the people representing said Party especially those who hold a political office - to the Country? To our Democratic process? To our Constitution? Our historical traditions? To the American people? And, more importantly, if the Republican Party and these Republican officials remain silent now what consequences might there be for this inaction? And, just to add another layer here, what about the catch 22 place these Republican officials and leaders have put themselves in IF they do speak out? The personal political consequences for doing the right thing by the county and the people? Clearly they have put themselves in a bind here. And, what if, the shoe was on the other foot, and this was the Democrats and our Party (which thankfully is not the case)?

Link to Keith's video

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1017&pid=407135

my toenails a color called "Madam President" it is an OPI Fall 2016 color, a pretty pinky-rosey-red. Ladies I invite you to do the same. So, Putin was on the cover of Time magazine under my foot while I painted. It's silly but satisfying too.

Interesting article in said magazine about the Mercers money and super PACS and Donald as well as other Republican candidates and Citizens United. What an intricate web of people and a ghastly amount of money.

Carry on...

Hillary wins.

Actually, my husband was just talking about Donald saying he would only accept the results of the election IF he wins. And hubs response to that was, "can I decide my vote was only counted if Hillary wins?"

He is so quick witted.

It seems to me that this is the age old response that some men resort to when they encounter a smart, prepared, strong, assertive woman who refuses to be a doormat or dumb-down to make insecure men feel better. Like on the tip of his tongue was "bitch" but since he couldn't' say that he mutters "such a nasty woman" instead.


I am just thinking out loud here but no doubt this applies. And, what's more, I imagine that women who were part of the suffragette and suffragist movements were called names like this and worse.
It is the same chauvinistic and bullying attitude that women have dealt with throughout history. Not to mention Donald speaks with a forked tongue as he says, "nobody respects women more than me, nobody" while simultaneously insulting the woman standing on stage debating him.

As if it was not awful enough that, by some unknown miraculous revelation, the Billy Bush Bus tape led us in this election cycle to the issue of "grab them by the pussy" aka sexual assault which is appalling to the majority of women and triggering for many women who have been sexually assaulted throughout their lives. And, by the way, boys and men have also experienced sexual assault. There is more to delve into but I'll stop there due to time and space limitations.

use the term "rig" along with "rigged" and "rigging" so I thought to myself after hearing the term used over and over, self, maybe they have a different definition of the term rig. I went to Google and found this definition.


rig2
riɡ/
verb
verb: rig; 3rd person present: rigs; past tense: rigged; past participle: rigged; gerund or present participle: rigging
1.
manage or conduct (something) fraudulently so as to produce a result or situation that is advantageous to a particular person.
"the results of the elections had been rigged"
synonyms:manipulate, engineer, distort, misrepresent, pervert, tamper with, doctor; More
falsify, fake, trump up;
informal fix, fiddle with
"they rigged the election"
cause an artificial rise or fall in prices in (a market, especially the stock market) with a view to personal profit.
"he accused games manufacturers of rigging the market"
nounarchaic
noun: rig; plural noun: rigs
1.
a trick or way of swindling someone.

After reading this definition, it is apparent to me that not only does this term apply to Trump and his campaign - if you want to call it a campaign - but also that Trump and people who are parroting him using this term and its variations are projecting. For example, when one person in a partnership is cheating but constantly accuses their partner of cheating. Anyway, my mother has this saying, "the skunk always smells it first" although credit to the skunk it does not project things that are not there and do not exist.

Look, right there in black and white, it says "trump up" go figure eh

humble themselves shall be exalted." Matthew 23:12 NLT

https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Matthew%2023%3A12

I especially like the quote from the Phillips version below:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2023:11-13&version=PHILLIPS

For several weeks now, when thinking about this election cycle, this verse comes to my mind; especially considering how Donald exalts himself constantly. He even creates environments to live in that exhalt himself with all the pomp and circumstance and gaudy materials. I heard him say to an interviewer when asked if he ever asked God for forgiveness, "that's a good question...there is no reason to ask for forgiveness when you aren't making any mistakes" Trump replied.

For years I have said the American people should elect Ken and Barbie (the toy dolls) for President because there are no perfect people. There are only imperfect people that are humble and work hard to serve others, especially those who are less fortunate, or, put another way, to serve "the least among you" as the Christian doctrine states.

It seems to me that after decades of working for average Americans and all the while being attacked, and demonized, Hillary Clinton who has been humble and hardworking and loyal to her God, her Country, her family, and to her fellow Americans is being blessed, and hopefully, exalted for all the good she has done.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony never got to vote. Actually Susan B. Anthony voted illegally once. The womens' suffrage cause, particularly the American suffragists is on my mind a great deal now because of this historic opportunity to vote for a woman. In my heart I hope that millions of women in the United States will cast their votes for Hillary Clinton and by doing so may their actions honor the spirits and souls of the women who were never allowed to vote yet fought for our right to vote.

I completed my ballot and turned it in to the board of election staff yesterday. As I watched the lady - many women and a few men were working in the office- put my sealed ballot in the ballot box my mind was busy with many thoughts but among these thoughts was an awareness that women in this election have the power to refuse Donald entrance in the White House. More than that, because of his abhorrent behavior and vile words women have the power to voice a resounding emphatic "NO!" to this man who we have all encountered during our female lives; we can denounce this sexist, misogynistic perpetrator who lacks experience, character, accountability, responsibility, maturity, and temperament as well as required knowledge about our Constitution, American history, current world leaders and issues and more.

So, I thought I would take this opportunity to express gratitude for women I never knew who were born before me, who organized, and agitated, and educated, and marched, and kept this up for decades so that women today can cast their votes. Wherever you all are now, thank you and may you Rest In Peace and may at least some of our votes for the first women president of the United States of America be offered in memory of you all.

I am including a few links here about the history of womens' suffrage for anyone else who loves history.

http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-womens-suffrage-movement

https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/didyouknow.html

https://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/history/woman-suffrage-timeline

I hope Grits, and Moonpie and Tater are safe and well after the storm. My thoughts are with everyone affected by Hurricane Matthew. I think this was the last post by Grits before Hurricane Matthew arrived.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028209369

Love and light to Grits and everyone dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.