I'm Back! Did you miss me? The US Political pot boils over.

 It's been a while. I admit to keeping this outlet for my observations at arms length due to the politics of the times here in the US and my reticence to bring those opinions to this forum. I have softened my objection to voicing any partisan leanings in OOTTH since the election has become a focus of attention of just about the entire world. And so in keeping with something of a world view I have decided to open things up a bit and see how the chips fall.

COVID19 appears to be the root of all evil. If you look at the world wide numbers the US appears to be
among the top 10 in cases and deaths in developed nations. The odd thing is it also caused millions of voters to go to mail in ballots instead of chancing potential long lines and long waits at your designated polling place. Seemed logical to me and to millions of others who are in the higher risk category due to either age, infirmity, immunodeficiency, etc. For some unknown reason the prospect of increased vote by mail numbers frightened the current administration to the point of their making unfounded claims of potential fraud perpetrated by Democrats and a flawed US Postal system. I might add here that there has not been any recent history of widespread voter fraud and malfeasance, nor has the Postal Service been cited for widespread mishandling of the mail...any mail.

For months the administration mouthpieces have been entreating their constituents to avoid the mail and vote in person. The message regarding voter fraud and lost ballots connected with the millions of followers and they did just that. Inexplicably the White House replaced the Postmaster General with a billionaire businessman having absolutely no experience with the multi billion dollar Federal service

and who promptly began dismantling and removing equipment used to process millions of pieces of mail from centers around the country. He next ordered that the delivery trucks must leave at the exact moment scheduled so they could make on-time deliveries leaving stacks of late arriving mail on  loading docks. There are photographs of mailboxes being removed from the streets for no apparent reason. It appeared the WH was trying to guarantee reduced mail efficiency and the disruption of  a process that had been rated one of the best in the world for political reasons.

Taken to court Federal Judges agreed and ordered the PMG to return the removed machines and get them back in service. He was told to replace the mailboxes removed from suburban and city street corners and to make sure all the mail got on the trucks. The PMG ignored the court and didn't lift a finger. There was a vigilante rescue of processing machines in Washington State by unnamed postal workers who reinstalled the units they found stored in a warehouse waiting to be dismantled. The PMG set up an investigation to find out those responsible for that unsanctioned rescue. 

So COVID caused the mail in vote to blow up. Republicans defied the science and voted en mass. Democrats (for the most part) mailed theirs in and VOTED early! States (and remember, there are 50, plus the District of Columbia) are responsible for their vote. They provide the ballots, collect them, count them and certify them. They set up the rules on how and when votes are processed. Florida counted mail in and absentee in advance so they could finish without long delays. The Republican state senate in PA ruled that those same votes had to be done last.And, as long as the ballot was postmarked by election day they could be counted up to either 6 or 12 days after (can't recall which) that. So in the case of the presidential incumbent who preached for his minions to vote in person he enjoyed an early sizable lead. His lead dwindled as the mail in votes were processed and he tried everything he could think of the stop the counting of the mail in votes all the while crying foul and accusing PA (especially Philadelphia) of being corrupt and colluding with the left enraging election officials in that state...Republican officials. His court challenges were tossed out and his opponent took the state and thereby became President Elect..

Sorry for the history lesson, but what is most important is that mail in voting is here to stay. The process went off without a hitch and is SOP in other countries around the world. In my case I voted early at a

polling place designated for those of us who had the inclination and the time to do so. I believe it will allow those who are unable to get around to take part in the electoral process. Over 75,000,000 cast their vote for the President Elect and millions did it via the crippled mail service. Through 10 or 15 frivolous and ultimately unsuccessful court filings, the incumbent will use his lame duck status to sow more discontent and fear in an effort to poison the fruit on the tree of the next administration. He will fail. 

World leaders are waiting. The American people are waiting. Unfortunately the naysayer currently occupying the WH will continue his tantrum back to Florida...but he still has legal challenges pending with the Attorney General of the State Of New York and the feds at the SDNY. He's right when he says it isn't over. Once he steps off the WH grounds and into private life he's got plenty to worry about. Stay tuned.