Come Heller high water …
- Spoiler alert: This is entirely – from stem to stern and tip to top – a Trump-bashing column. I would be derelict in my duty if it weren’t. If that’s not your bag, please move on.
- Trump is 99 percent bluff, but the one thing I don’t think he’s bluffing about is that he’s not going to leave quietly. The vote is going to have to be such a big landslide (60-40 minimum) that even the Republican Supreme Court (formerly known as the U.S. Supreme Court) dismisses the inevitable flurry of lawsuits that Trump and his minions will bring. If it doesn’t, then the U.S. experiment is over.
Paranoid? Yeah, probably. The odds that something extreme happens are incredibly low. But, remember, there are supposed to be three co-equal branches of government – the executive, the judicial and the legislative. Republicans control the executive branch and the more powerful half of the legislative branch. And the judicial branch has become, effectively, a vassal state of the Trump administration and is no longer co-equal. Even if it were still independent, the GOP has a hammerlock on the Supreme Court. Meaning: There is little standing in the way to prevent a GOP takeover. Very little.- Except us, of course. We can vote. I voted this week by absentee ballot. The envelope it came in said I can track my ballot through the system at mi.gov/vote, which, you better believe, I aim to do. (Note: that link takes you to an FAQ. Here’s a more specific link.)
- My favorite political yard sign to date professes support for “Any functioning adult.” Truth.
- I’m not usually a Jim Carrey fan but I gotta admit he’s nailing the role of Joe Biden on SNL, especially this week’s cold open. Joe Biden as Mr. Rogers is going to stick.
- I honestly don’t know what the term “cold open” means but I feel all insidery when I say it, so I’m going to keep saying it
- In a sense, I hope Trump does fight leaving. It would be fun to see him perp walked out.
- Trump this week said he might leave the U.S. if he loses. Bonus!
- Actually, with all the lawsuits and criminal charges facing him, I think fleeing the country has been his plan all along. But who would have him?
- Even if you’re a Trump supporter, you have to admit that urging a Michigan crowd to chant “Lock her up” about Gov. Whitmer a week after a plot against her life was foiled was a low-class and dangerous move. And if you don’t think so, what is wrong with you? Seriously, get some help.
- Bold prediction: In three weeks, it’ll be damned near impossible to find a Trump supporter who isn’t a white supremacist or ammosexual (my new favorite term, btw.)
- No one thinks they live in historic times. But this election is just that – historic. This is a rise to the challenge moment, one you’ll tell your kids about. I hope you pick the right side. I’m not saying that to be partisan. I’m not even a huge Joe Biden fan. I’m simply saying that because we’re at a tipping point as a nation. What’s it going to be, folks, the America we’ve built the past 250 years or the dystopian nightmare we’ve seen the past four years?
- “A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Image courtesy of Donkey Hotey
I read the very first line of this column and immediately chuckled. Just couldn’t help it….
I will work at a polling place in Grand Rapids on Nov. 3. I am wondering about nasty right-wingers with rifles. If they show up at my polling place, I will go out, and pace off 100 feet. That is the distance they must keep away.
But, hey, what the heck? A guy with a gun would be intimidating, no matter how many feet.
I will ask these people to take their guns back to their cars, but I will not go any further. I hope to heck they do not even show up.
America can not be duped two Presidential elections in a row…….. I sure hope not.
The only way to ensure it does not happen is to vote.
Vote him Out!
Kim would take him. He had a love affair with him remember? If not him Putin and they could have unlimited pee parties. Sorry for the last one. Not really.
A fun one from last week. Stopped for coffee on the way home.
A young lady I have known for many years showed up and joined the group while wearing a “Trump 2020” facemask. When I asked her why, she gave me a whole list of his accomplishments. I waited patiently for the whole discourse. When she finished I asked a few questions. “So is it okay to call the military “suckers and losers?” (Most male members of her family have “served.”) “Is it okay for a husband to have many incidents of infidelity with multiple wives? To have an affair with a well known porn star?” She did not reply. A few minutes later she left the coffee shop and walked to her car. I saw that she was not wearing the mask. Didn’t think much about it until I walked out to my own car. There, in the sidewalk trash can, was the mask. All we can hope is that many of those who voted for tRump before have seen through the MBF (Male Bovine Feces) and will help vote him out.
What a (IMO) spot-on column! I certainly agree with “Democracy experiment over” if, we don’t (decisively) vote Trump out. This guy is very dangerous & very evil! Getting back to normal would be extremely up-lifting to all. We could begin to really attack Covid-19 and probably save thousands if not millions of lives, put back in place the EPA regulations for our air & water. The list goes on & on & on as to the damage this complete nut-case has caused. The nightmare called Trump hopefully ends very soon! VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think fleeing the country has been his plan all along. But who would have him?
His problem is that just about every other first world country has forbidden entry into their country from the United States. He finally got massive travel bans imposed, unfortunately they’re all specifically directed at us…
“The world is laughing at us.” – Donald Trump 2016
I’ve been saying he’ll leave the country for awhile now…Russia or Saudi Arabia
G R E A T article, Andrew!!! He so needs to be gone!!
Trump can move to Yemen!
That darn Ivanka Trump graced us with her too-skinny presence in Wet Michigan today. She looked pretty sleek, EXCEPT, her bright, brassy hair had a couple inches of dark roots. She looked dopey. As dopey as the stuff she and her dad say.
She did not even pay us the respect of going to her hair dresser before visiting us. She figured us Michigan hicks would not notice her awful hair.
Thank you as always for the voice of sanity that you are! Your readers appreciate you more than you realize. We have a Biden- harris yard sign in our front yard- in fact we bought two at the county dem. headquarters in case one got stolen. about a week before election we will put the other sign in yard also. we have a lready absentee voted did about a week ago- dropped it off at township office bldg. to be sure it was counted. please all vote!!
Lots of talk about openly carrying guns at Michigan polling places! Some judge has said it is okay. Oy. But, here is some mitigating info:
I believe most of the polling places are churches and schools. And, it still is illegal to take guns into churches and schools. So… guns probably will not be a big problem. For example, the polling place where I will be working is a Catholic church. I do not expect to have people coming in with guns. I hope they will not dare.
Please vote! We need your votes!
I too, do not expect to see firearms at my polling location. IMO, it is appalling this discussion has to even take place …guns at the voting booth??? Appalling!! I for one, am sick & tired of hearing about the Boogaloo bozos or the scum-bag group, Proud Bums.
Here is a outrageous anti-Trump fact:
We have almost a quarter million Covid deaths in the USA. Compare that to 58,220 total US deaths in the Vietnam war. Covid is almost five times a deadly as Vietnam!
https://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-statistics
Hallelujah!
DITTO!!!!!!!!!! Still a lot of work to be done. This total idiot has caused some real problems and, he may yet cause more.
For now however, let us savor this VICTORY for Democracy!!
I like Presidents that don’t lose the popular vote.
Twice.
I like Senate candidates that don’t lose elections.
Twice.
The American family, all of us, have been living with an abusive, nasty, irrational step-father for four long years. Now, today, the divorce came through. And we finally can start to relax, out from under his spell, no longer locked in his dungeon of anger and fear.
Wow !! well- written Matthew! I started to cry and sob with relief knowing that now we as Americans have hope again!
Saturday night – We saw all the joyous celebrations across the USA this afternoon. Wonderful! But, now darkness has fallen, and I fear the night people might come out, and smash windows, and try to start fires. It happened a few weeks ago, during the Black Lives Matter marches, with awful night-time follow-ups.
I hope it does not happen tonight.
To Poster Sharon: Cheers. Thanks.
Not a big grin. Just a nice quiet smile. There is still a lot of work to be done. Thank you voters.
Kate McKinnon 100 years ago on 11-12-2016 after Trump won the election.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG-_ZDrypec
It was salve then. Seems to be a resonant bookend now.
Donald Trump is our defrocked president. We are excommunicating him. [I just wanted to use the word DEFROCKED in a post.]
The Heller-And-Back Awards??
Andrew, 2020 almost is over. You might think about giving recognition to your best 2020 posts, from us posters. Maybe, Funniest, Best-Written, Most-Informative , Most-Concise… Any categories you want to make up.
You could duplicate the winning posts here. Good idea for a theme for a Heller column, no? We would love it.
Ha, thank you Matthew. I think people would think I was egotistical to do that.
We do not think you egotistical. Some of us look to you as a leader.
Here is a topic you might have done, in the old days, before Trump: Why the heck does my TV jump from the normal channel to channel Several Hundred Plus, every time I watch it? For example, my local PBS station is channel 6, but it shows up on 240!
We may need a congressional investigation! Cheers!
The Republicans are lying about the Challenger/Poll Watcher situation in Detroit.
My election experience was different. I worked all day and night at one precinct in a Grand Rapids polling place. We had two challengers sitting behind our table the whole time. I do not know whether they were Republican or Democratic. They were friendly. They asked a few procedural questions. I showed them a couple things about how the Michigan election system works. As far as I know, they never challenged anything.
One of them complimented my colleague Ellen and me on our patience with new voters. The other challenger actually stayed after the polls closed, and helped us tear down and pack up.
Cheers for Grand Rapids and West Michigan! Boo to lying Trump Republicans!
Hello, all. It seems to me that this Andrew Heller comment site is dying. Very sad. I became a Heller fan long ago, back when we saw Heller in print. He has been clever, over the years, entertaining. Very sad that the whole thing has turned to politics now.
Thank you, Andrew Heller. Good luck!
Matthew,
The site is not dying, the comments will keep coming and Andy will go on as he always has.
I have been reading his columns since darn near day one,
Unfortunately, our current president has been the center of most of the daily news stories over the past few years, I think Andy is regrouping.
We are now on the brink of a new regime, a better and brighter time in our life.
No more daily drama and wild conspiracy theories, just bright new ideas and better days ahead.
Andy will keep us enlightened and entertained for years to come.
Nah, I’ll be back to writing at some point soon. I have a new job that is kicking my butt. I’m contemplating some changes in format and content as well. Appreciate you guys reading and commenting.
I agree. While there has not been as much back and forth as a while ago, I see some fun stuff coming up in the future. Besides, how can I take Andy to lunch next summer on my M/C ride around the Yoop if I can’t get his attention?
Okay, you guys. Let us keep on.
Now, let me tell you, if I ever have a chance to meet Trump, I would shake his hand, but I also would try to fart very loudly and stinkily, at the same time.
Same thing, if I ever meet Dick Cheney.
Hooray for our Michigan canvassers! Bye-Bye Trump!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy9_lfjQopU&list=PLiA3l0Y8_kOLV10saJa7xGvl0ooIvJQcr&index=3
That attachment did not come out right. It was supposed to be, “So Long, Farewell.”
Does this work?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy9_lfjQopU&list=PLiA3l0Y8_kOLV10saJa7xGvl0ooIvJQcr&index=3
No. Sorry.
So Long, Farewell, to Mr. Trump!
At a part of the public hearing during the State Canvasser’s meeting today, former state Senator Patrick Colbeck made repeated allegations of voter fraud being committed, as documented, he said, by sworn affidavits in his possession. He himself has also claimed in an affidavit that as an election challenger, he witnessed computers being used by elections officials that were connected to the internet in Detroit on election night.
One of the state canvassers, Julie Matuzak, asked Colbeck if he had submitted his evidence of voter fraud to the Attorney General’s office since the board itself has no power or capability to investigate voter fraud, to which he replied:
“I’ve submitted my affidavits to lawyers, and we’ve moved it up the chain that way, I can submit it to anybody you’d like me to submit it to.”
Matuzak encouraged Colbeck to submit his evidence of fraud to the Attorney General’s office.
Tonight, Dana Nessel, the Michigan Attorney General noted in a tweet that Colbeck “has never made a complaint of election fraud” to the Michigan attorney general’s office.
She continued:
“If he had, we would have fully investigated said claim,”
“Colbeck’s assertions aside, intentionally making a false claim of criminal activity to law enforcement is itself a crime,” Nessel continued. “It’s been my experience that is often the reason certain reports are not made.”
Make no mistake of what just happened here. The Attorney General just called former state Senator Patrick Colbeck a ….
Er, well, put more appropriately, she just told the former state Senator to man-up or shut-up.
I wonder which he’ll do?
Yup! This is truly very pathetic to say the least, especially from a former state senator!! It’s bad enough it seems, that a lot of folks don’t understand how voting is structured etc.
A (former) senator making these accusations improperly no less, is disgusting!
Thank god our constitution has held up!!!
Whew! It looks as if honesty and professionalism will win out after all. Now let’s see how much the Orange Devil whines and cries.
Loser that lost by over 90,000 votes three weeks ago finally admits that he lost, more than a day after the state canvassing board that he asked to pretend that he didn’t lose certified that he did, in fact, lose.
By a lot.
John James, repeated losing candidate for Senate, finally conceded today.
He previously self-servingly asserted that claiming that the voting process in Michigan was corrupt, a decidedly false claim in the persistent absence of any evidence, was actually a selfless act on his part in the service of Democracy.
Now, certified as defeated (again) he attempts to assumes the guise of gracious statesman, suddenly recalling a moment of comradely years back shared with the man he just spent weeks insisting won his election through corrupt means. He even affects classy guy bona fides by offering a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue to Peters.
One might suggest that that bottle of scotch has spoiled over the previous three weeks.
Washinton (AP) Breaking News: Donald Trump has pardoned Benedict Arnold, praising him as, “an outstanding American patriot, a general who almost conquered Canada.”
Hi, you all. I have held off for a week. Are any of you, or is Andrew, even interested in this conversation anymore?
Here is a prediction for Trump: Trump will pardon many of his minions and his family, and then he will resign, before the inauguration date. Trump will claim he cannot stand all the “fraud” and such. Pense will become- president for a week or so, and Pense then will pardon Trump, ala Ford/Nixon.
You heard it here first. Stay tuned.
Matthew, Thank you. I thought I might be the only one who wondered if some such shenanigans might take place.
Yes, I would like to see this thread go on for a while. These are some really scary times.
When trump won the 2016 election I said………..
He will not last long, he will either be impeached, assassinated, or quit, he will not be re-elected if he were to run again.
Not very long into his reign of terror over the American people I said………..
He will be impeached and then once he is a regular citizen again he will face an onslaught of criminal and civil cases in various courts of law.
As time went on I added all of his minions and his three adult children to join him in the clink after they have been charged with various crimes and have been relieved of thier millions of dollars that were unlawfully gained through their fraudulent activities with the trump foundation and other shenanigans.
Some of my predictions in 2016 have come to be, I think many of the remainder will be after January 20, 2021.
One can only hope Trump or anyone else for that matter, will be held accountable for their actions!
I agree that this thread needs to please continue- it helps to keep many of us sane when orange- hair and his offspring and goones do outrageous things.I just wish i could hibernate until january 21, 2021!! Everyone please stay safe, healthy,- inspite of the chaos know that we have elected good sane, kind leaders to come in January!!