Election Takeaway
Dear Editor: As America girds for what is to unfold in the wake of Nov. 3, there are three things we would all do well to remember, one item to note, and one fact to ponder.
The first thing to remember is the immortal admonition of Papa Joe Stalin: “It’s not who votes that counts, it’s who counts the votes.” Within the context of the contest for the White House in particular, he might have added, “And who gets to decide whose count counts. And, ultimately, who gets to decide that.”
The second thing is the immortal reminder from Yogi Berra that “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.” And within that same context, Election2020 won’t be over until January 20, 2021, when the next occupant of the Oval Office is scheduled to take his oath, and becomes the next President. There are seventy-seven days from November 3 to January 21, and a lot can happen between now and then.
The third thing to remember is that this is the first time in living memory that there is a very real perception and concern on the part of not a few people that these next two and a half months from the election to the inauguration will be anything but peaceful, orderly, and even nominally “normal,” whatever that is anymore, regardless of who is ultimately declared the next President, by whom, or how.
The item to note is an open declaration of War Against the War on Drugs, with four states joining Alaska and ten others in the legalization of recreational marijuana; with Oregon also showing the way toward ending America’s illegal drug problem, the crime associated with it, and the expenses of enforcement by the simple step of reducing possession of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines to misdemeanors punishable by a $100 fine.
The fact to ponder is that, as of two weeks ago, an estimated $14 billion has been spent on election 2020; and that’s just on federal elections. That’s more than twice the total money spent in election 2016, including close to $6.6 billion spent to get to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, compared to around $2.4 billion in 2016. (Source: https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/10/cost-of-2020-election-14billion-update/)
All of this tells anybody who is paying attention a great deal about America’s $1 equals 1 vote system of politics, government, and governance. And a lot about exactly what is wrong with it. And how to fix it.
Jeffrey G. Moebus, Sitka,
Master Sergeant,
U.S. Army (retired)
