Tuairim ó Mheiriceá – Díospóireacht – Téic 2!

Opinion from America – Debate – Take 2!

by | 2024/09/18 | Current Affairs, International News, Opinion

Opinion from America – Debate – Take 2!

Introduction

I saw the first presidential debate this year, between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. I wrote an article about that disastrous debate, in which I wrote: "In my opinion, the best thing for Joe Biden to do now is to withdraw from the race immediately - but the risk is small."

A few things transpired after that, which were promising. First, Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race. At first, he insisted that he was the only person who could defeat Trump. But it was clear that others did not agree with that, even people in his own party - the Democrats, and especially Nancy Pelosi - the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. Nancy Pelosi's opinion has a lot of authority, especially in this case. She is slightly older than Biden at 82 years old, and also, she recently resigned from her own position as Speaker, saying she would not seek the role again, after two four year terms in office (2007-2011 and 2019-2023). Eventually, Biden conceded the truth of his situation and pulled out. Then, the second significant thing happened, and all the Democrats supported Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate without any contest. She chose Tim Walz as her vice-presidential running mate and they soon began a vigorous campaign. Their campaign raised $361 million in August, nearly three times more than Trump's ($130 million). The gap between them narrowed in the polls until they were neck and neck. And then after working out a few details, Trump and Harris agreed to have an hour and a half long presidential debate.

The Debate

There was no similarity between this debate and the last one. At the start of the debate, Harris looked over to Trump and shook his hand. In this way, she made an important point that she was not afraid of him, but the opposite. That signal paved the way for what was to happen up on stage in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here are four conclusions I drew from the debate.

1 Trump Weaknesses

Harris clearly highlighted Trump's fundamental weaknesses, which Biden was unable to do in the first debate, including:

• Trump's criminal record. When Trump said that most immigrants coming into the country are criminals, Harris responded: “Isn't that rich. Coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, illegal interference in elections, found guilty of sexual assault, and will be in court in November at his own criminal sentencing.”
• Trump's role in the January 6, 2021 attack. Trump said: "I had nothing to do with that other than they asked me to give a speech." Harris said: “To everyone watching, who remembers what happened on January 6, I say, We don't need to go back. Let's not go back. We are not going back. It's time to turn the page.”
• Seasamh Trump ar ghinmhilleadh. Dúirt Trump go bhfuil na Daonlathaithe ar son linbh nuabheirthe a mharú. Ach dúirt an modhnóir Davis nach raibh sé sin fíor. Nuair a d’iarr modhnóir ar Trump an síneodh sé cosc náisiúnta ar ghinmhilleadh, níor fhreagair sé an cheist. Chuir Harris brú air é a fhreagairt, ach dhiúltaigh sé arís.

2 Trump's lies

Trump told a whole bag of lies, and here are just a few examples:

• Tá na Daonlathaithe ar son linbh nuabheirthe a mharú.
• Democrats are giving votes to illegal immigrants.
• Undocumented foreigners are capturing towns, capturing buildings.
• In Springfield Ohio the immigrants are eating the cats and dogs.

3 A passionate case regarding abortion

Dúirt Harris go dtacaíonn sí le Roe v. Wade a athbhunú. “Tá sé maslach do mhná Mheiriceá. … Bíonn ar dhaoine oibre, mná oibre atá ag obair post nó dhó, a bhfuil orthu cúram leanaí a fháil gur ar éigean d’acmhainn dóibh, taisteal go stát eile ar eitleán, a bheith ina suí in aice le strainséirí, chun an cúram sláinte a theastaíonn uathu a fháil – ar éigean d’acmhainn dóibh. Agus tá sé neamhscrupallach iad a chur tríd sin.”

4 Príomhthéama Trump – Inimircigh gan doiciméad agus a gcoireanna

According to Republicans, the Democrats' immigration policies are their biggest weakness, and Trump has emphasized immigration matters as often as possible. Trump has told lie after lie on the subject, and I already mentioned one where he claimed immigrants were eating the pets in Springfied. Here are a few more examples of what he had to say about migration.

"They (Democrats) allowed criminals," Trump said, claiming without any evidence that there were "millions" of criminals. “They allowed terrorists. They allowed common street criminals. They allowed people to come in, drug dealers to come into our country.” Trump said at another point: “Bad immigration is the worst thing that could happen to our economy. They and she (Harris) are destroying our country with their policy. That's crazy.”

Conclusion

According to most analysts, Harris won the debate. I agree with that, but that does not mean that she will win the election. Hilary beat Trump in the three debates between them in 2016, according to the analysts and according to the public - but despite this, Trump won the presidential election. And while everyone knows about Trump and his approach, many people don't know much about Harris and the differences between Biden's policies and her own. Harris did a great job in the debate and that's a good step, but she still has a lot to do, and she doesn't have much time left to do it. As a positive ending, Taylor Swift posted her support for Harris to her followers (283 million) on Instagram, after the debate. That's not a bad thing!

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Bás Matthew Perry!

Death of Matthew Perry!

by | 2024/08/27 | Current Affairs, International News

Death of Matthew Perry!

 

From time to time, our attention is drawn to some tragedy involving drug or alcohol addiction. Recently, an investigation into the death of the famous actor Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing in the sitcom 'Friends' which aired from 1994-2004) came to an end. Perry released a memoir a year before his death, called 'Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing' which contained harrowing details of his struggle to overcome addiction. At the time, he said he had been drug-free for the past year and a half. Less than a year later, he was dead. At first, the coroner said his drowning in his hot tub was an accident, the result of a combination of drugs he had taken and heart disease. But a new inquiry was opened in May, 2024 to find out why there was so much of the drug ketamine (Ketamine in English) in his blood. Perry had been using ketamine infusion therapy for intensive treatment of depression and anxiety, but his last session was more than a week before his death.

The Doctor and the Ketamine Queen

Perry’s blood contained the same amount of ketamine as would be used in a general anaesthetic. Where did it come from? It was reported in the Los Angeles Times in June that investigators employed by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Service successfully linked certain individuals to the supply of ketamine. It was an incredible story, and five people were charged in relation to Perry's death. When Perry asked his regular doctor to prescribe him more ketamine, he refused. Then Perry found another doctor who wouldn't have a problem with that- Doctor Salvador Plasencia. Prosecutors allege that Plasencia used Perry's desperation and addiction to get money. Another doctor, Dr. Mark Chavez, was helping Plasencia, and illegally getting him ketamine. They had no scruples, and Plasencia sent a text to Chavez, saying: "I wonder how much this moron will pay." There is no doubt that Plasencia and Chavez believed that Perry was a money bags. And they were right, about the money anyway. Perry paid $55,000 in cash for a dozen vials of ketamine in the last month of his life. But a vial of ketamine usually only costs $20! What kind of doctor sells drugs at an outrageous price to a patient with an addiction problem? What kind of doctor takes advantage of his own patient's disease? What kind of doctor is so selfish that he would kill his own patient? That person, in my opinion, is not a doctor, but a drug dealer who only cares about money.

Another criminal network was also at work, supplying Perry with drugs. A drug dealer and ketamine distributor named Jasveen Sangha, known as the 'Queen of Ketamine', was supplying Perry with ketamine through another drug dealer, Erik Fleming. Perry knew Fleming because before he became a drug dealer, Fleming was a film director in Hollywood. Fleming gave 50 vials of ketamine to Perry's personal assistant, a man named Kenneth Iwamasa. Iwamasa gave Perry ketamine injections every day – he gave him 27 injections in the five days leading up to Perry's death, and 3 injections on the day of his death. Iwamasa was not qualified to give Perry ketamine injections, but Placensia showed him how to do it. The five (Plasencia, Chavez, Sangha, Fleming and Iwamasa) were charged with various crimes related to the distribution of ketamine and Perry's death. Plasencia and Sangha pleaded not guilty, but Chavez, Fleming and Iwamasa pleaded guilty.

The five (Plasencia, Chavez, Sangha, Fleming and Iwamasa) were charged with various crimes related to the distribution of ketamine and Perry's death. Plasencia and Sangha pleaded not guilty, but Chavez, Fleming and Iwamasa pleaded guilty.

Sentences?

What is the fate of the five, in terms of sentences? In the case of those who pleaded guilty, Chavez could face up to 10 years in prison, Iwamasa up to 15 years and Fleming up to 25 years. In the case of Sangha and Plasencia, if convicted of all charges against them, it is more than likely that both of them will spend their lives in prison.

Conclusion

Ketamine is an addictive drug, used as an anesthetic and as a therapy for depression. It is a controlled substance and an illegal drug. Perry first got it as therapy, but then became addicted to ketamine. It was a terrible choice to give an addict an addictive drug like this, and Perry was known to the world to be an addict. Worse than that, instead of helping him, his doctor, friend and personal assistant took advantage of his illness, and eventually killed him. I hope that all five of those criminals spend a long time in prison for their heinous crimes. Maybe that will send a clear message to other criminals thinking of doing something like that.

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Seoid Chríonnachta!

Pearls of Wisdom!

by | 2024/08/21 | Current Affairs, Personal, Opinion

Pearls of Wisdom!

 

"This is what they call summer, God between us and evil!"

I turned and who was there but Séimí an Droichid, and the poor creature looked like a drowned rat. Fortunately, I had an open golf umbrella with plenty of room for two people under it.

"Come join me under my umbrella!" I said, because I felt sorry for him.

"That's an offer I can't refuse, and I'm very grateful!" Séimí answered and he already safe, sheltered from a heavy shower.

“Well, let's head to Meubles for lunch, then! I will stand this!” We were outside Woodies and heading in that direction, anyway.

"Beggars can’t be choosers, so to speak!" said Séimí. “Ahead we go!”

When we were sitting by the window, eating soup and brown bread, I asked Séimí the question that had been bothering me recently.

"Séimí, I think we are in an uneasy time at the moment. Although diplomacy is the best way to ensure that there will be peace, there is a lack of it all over the world. But the increase in immigration is having the biggest impact on the western world. Once upon a time, the stresses of immigration were only visible in America. We didn't really understand what was going on there until the same thing happened here too, and we learned the complexities of immigration pretty quickly then. But now, things have taken a turn for the worse in Ireland and the violence is getting worse. Riots broke out in Dublin last year, following online rumors of an attack on children in the city centre. And there have been riots in England recently too. People across Britain were shocked when three girls aged between 6 and 9 were killed in a knife attack on July 29 in Southport, a seaside town north of Liverpool. False rumors quickly spread on social media that the suspect was an asylum seeker, or a Muslim immigrant. The anti-immigrant riots started in Southport, and then other riots broke out across England, from Plymouth on the south coast to Sunderland in the North East. Riots also occurred in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Séimí, where the hell are we going?" I was out of breath, and I was also starving. Séimí was already eating and I quickly imitated him.

“Mickaleen, my faithful friend, what about the niceties of social relations? I'm quite well, thank you, and I hope everything is fine with you, too?” He smiled roguishly, and I realized instantly that I had been rude to Séimí.

"Excuse me, Séimí, for my verbosity - I wasn't thinking at all. And we are fine too, and as busy now as we were before we quit our jobs. I was looking for relief, maybe, or reassurance from you that things will work out in this country and around the world and that's why I started blathering."

"Michael, I understand what you are saying, and that you are worried that things are in turmoil around the world, including in our own country. Too much bad news affects us all negatively. Times like this remind me of an old English proverb, which goes like this: 'Have the calmness to accept things I cannot change, have the courage to make changes when possible, and understand the difference between them.' We have an opportunity as a country to take a strict stance in relation to countries and people committing atrocities. We can express our views to our TDs (representatives). We also have the opportunity to express our discontent on the street, as demonstrations are often organized to pressure the government to address important issues. And we as citizens have a duty to use our votes wisely, and to give our support to people and parties that do not have hatred as an integral part of their political vision. Michael, people worry especially when terrible things are happening that they have no control over. But you can get things done most of the time. Although they are often small things, they make a positive impact in the right direction. My advice to all citizens is another old saying - 'actions speak louder than words'. One small action is stronger than a thousand words. I don't know if that would give you any relief or reassurance, but that's my approach to things like that!” With that, Séimí finished eating and nodded his head wisely. I myself had finished my meal and was drinking in every word that my faithful friend had to say.

“Séimí, you did it again! You are right. The 'Stand up to Racism' group held more than 50 rallies in Great Britain and the North. Around 15,000 gathered in Belfast, chanting the words: 'when migrants are under attack, what do we do? Let's stand up!' There are also frequent anti-racism rallies in Ireland, and there was a big one in Dublin last year. Our conversation reminds me of a few other old sayings of Teddy Roosevelt’s: 'In the hour of destiny, the best thing to do is the right thing, and the worst thing to do is nothing' and ‘Do what you can with what you have, where you are.'

“Well, we're of like minds then. And you tied everything together with the statements of President Teddy Roosevelt. He was a pillar of support for the disadvantaged during the Great Depression in the United States. Great advice from him, no doubt! Well, it's not raining anymore – I'm going to meet another friend at 'Costa' now. Nice to meet you, and I'll definitely see you again after a while."

"I'll be looking forward to it!" I said, but Séimí was already halfway down the stairs.

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Tuairisc ó Mheiriceá-Casann an Taoide!

Report from America-The Tide Turns!

by | 2024/07/31 | Current Affairs, International News

Report from America-The Tide Turns!

Even a few days ago, things were not looking good in the United States of America (USA), if you are a Democrat. Before the debate between Trump and Biden on June 27, Biden was trailing in the polls by quite a bit. That debate stunned me, as I watched Biden struggle in every way. It was very clear to me that he could not control his thoughts at all, and he spouted rubbish more than a few times. It is a shame how terrible the debate was, with the candidates arguing about who is better at playing golf, when there are all kinds of problems to be solved in the country and in the world. After that poor showing, things took a turn for the worse for Biden in the polls. Even within his own party, his support had waned, and prominent Democrats had begun to say that it is time for Biden to consider whether it would be right for him to continue his bid for the presidency. The list of those people grew day by day. At first, Biden did not listen to them, saying that he would only listen to God.

Murder Attempt

Then there was an assassination attempt on Trump at a political rally. A bullet grazed Trump's ear, before the murder of the failed assassin by a secret service sniper. Trump seized that opportunity promptly and instinctively. Trump got back to his feet, bloodied but unbowed, a stream of blood on his face, his fist in the air, a US flag flying behind him. A photographer took a powerful photo of the horror, and with that Trump was given the status of a hero, a divine status. The experience of his near death gave renewed energy to the Trump campaign - reinforcing the public perception that he was a victim of the Democrats. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that iconic picture is worth more than hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign ads. At first, it was thought that the news would distract the public from Biden's difficulties. But the vociferous complaints continued and increased, urging Biden to drop his bid for the presidency. Then Biden contracted COVID, and had to self-isolate at home.

Change of Mind

Although he was ill, the pressure on Biden continued and he was in contact with people in the party whom he respected to discuss matters about his situation. He also had more time to discuss matters with his own family. Whatever the reason, Biden threw in the towel on July 21, and recommended Vice President Kamala Harris to fill his place. It was a very difficult thing for Biden to resign like that, but he did it for the good of his party and the good of the country - and not for his own good. What a contrast between Biden and Trump. Biden gave up his bid for the presidency when he didn't have to. Trump made every effort to remain president when he lost the presidential election. That's the difference between a democrat and an autocrat.

Kamala Harris

Most Democrats immediately gave their support to Harris. No other Democrat put his or her name in the running, either. Many donations were being made to Harris' campaigns after Biden pulled out. The Harris campaign probably raised more money in a 24-hour period than any other candidate in US history – around 100 million dollars! Therefore, it is clear that she has the support of the community. She has also received the support of the majority of delegates (2,688 out of almost 4,000 at the time of writing) in the party. and they choose which party will stand for the presidency. Therefore, it is almost certain that the Democrats will choose Harris to run for the presidency against Trump.

Is America ready?

Had Harris won, she would have been the first woman, the first woman of colour and the first person of South Asian descent to serve as president of the United States. There are many people on the right wing in the United States who are extremely conservative and would struggle with such changes. On the other hand, many people on the left wing want at least such changes. The people of the USA are completely divided politically, and that division is seen clearly and personally in their presidential choices - Trump and Harris. Trump and Harris are currently neck and neck in the polls. Harris has not yet named her vice presidential running mate, and that decision could have a major impact on the outcome of the election. The Republicans' plans are in disarray with Biden’s withdrawal and it will take time for them to come up with a new strategy. Therefore, the result cannot be predicted in any certain way yet. But this much can be said for sure – the Democrats will now have a much better chance of achieving many victories at all levels – the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Presidency – than when Biden was running for the presidency. Thanks to Biden's selflessness, the is a chance that we will move forward as a democracy in America, and win over the autocracy for another while!

Athbheochan na hÚcráinise!

Revival of the Ukrainian Language!

by | 2024/07/17 | Current Affairs, Language Affairs, International News, Politics, History

Revival of the Ukrainian Language!

 

Ukraine gained its independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. At the time, the revival of Ukrainian, the country's native language, was promised. It is a miracle that it was still alive, as the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union did so much damage to the Ukrainian people, culture and language over the centuries. Another miracle is underway in Ukraine right now, regarding the revival of Ukrainian. Before I reveal that miracle, it is worth writing a few words about how difficult it was for the Ukrainians to preserve their culture and language through the unique crises that happened to them over the years. With that knowledge, we will have a deeper understanding of the miracle itself.

Shortly after she came to power in 1762, the Russian Empress Catherine II banned the teaching of Ukrainian at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the most important cultural center in Ukraine at the time. Later on, she gave orders to the churches to conduct church services only in Russian and to the schools to have Russian as a compulsory subject.

In the 19th century, the Russian Empire repeatedly persecuted the Ukrainian culture and especially the Ukrainian language, fearing that it would be a great threat to the unity of the Empire. In 1804 Ukrainian was banned as a subject and language of instruction in schools.

But even more severe measures followed in 1863 when the Imperial Minister of Home Affairs Pyotr Valuev issued a manifesto to end the publication of books in Ukrainian. According to the manifesto, "'Little Russian' (meaning Ukrainian) has never existed and will never exist."

In 1922, shortly after the Russian Revolution, Ukraine was absorbed into the Soviet Union, where new policies were implemented, known as 'Ukrainization'. It was a complete change and there was no longer any ban on the use of Ukrainian.

The 'Ukrainization' was short-lived, however, as the dictator Joseph Stalin canceled it in 1933. Worse than that, a good number of Ukrainian intellectuals, including famous writers and artists, were killed in the 'Great Purge' in 1937. After Stalin's death in 1953, a cultural revival flourished and in addition, a new generation of writers and artists emerged.

When Ukraine gained its independence in 1991, the government pledged to support culture and language. But the negative influence of Russia on the Ukrainian language was still visible in the new country and long after that, Ukrainian television, its newspapers, and even the names of its streets were still mostly in Russian. It wasn't time yet.

With the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2013-2014, a pro-Kremlin regime was ousted and replaced by a pro-Ukraine regime. Vladimir Putin did not accept that, and Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Soon after, Russia invaded eastern Ukraine, seizing parts of the self-governing regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Strict restrictions were placed on the use of Ukrainian in those occupied territories as part of the occupation.

Finally in 2019, the Language Act was passed in Ukraine, which established Ukrainian as the country's official language, forcing the media, the education system and public bodies to use the language publicly.

Then, in the year 2022, Putin's forces brutally attacked Ukraine, and although Putin thought he would win within a few days, the war is still ongoing two and a half years after the attacks. With Russian imperialism in full swing, the Ukrainian revival took off. The people of the country were single-mindedly committed to speaking their native language, regardless of their ability in the language. It was then that the miracle happened and the facts tell the story. Eight months after the attack, 71% of the country's population said they were speaking Ukrainian more, and 33% of Kyiv residents switched from Russian to Ukrainian as their spoken language.

From April 2023, anyone trying to become a citizen needs to pass Ukrainian exams (written exam and oral exam). "We are going through the rebirth of the language. We're just discovering what we've always had,” said Volodymyr Dibrova, a writer and translator who teaches Ukrainian at Harvard. Neither religion nor territory, but language, said Dibrova, is the factor that most significantly distinguishes them from their enemy. "It is as if the people of the country have woken up and are asking themselves: Who are we? What is our real history? What is our real language? If Ukrainian is our real language, why don't we speak it all the time? Why don't we speak Ukrainian as the language of our relationships and at all events - both formal and informal?" The answers were very clear to the people of the country, and they understood well that their language is a key part of their identity as a community and as a nation. That's why they started learning or re-learning it and speaking it as much as they could. They realized that their culture and especially their language was intertwined with their national identity. And they went into the breach and stood up for that same identity!

I highly recommend everything that the people of Ukraine are doing regarding their language, despite the fierce war that is going on. It also raises a few questions for us, regarding our culture and our language. Who are we? What is our real history? What is our real language? If Irish is our real language, why don't we speak it all the time? Why don't we speak Irish as the language of our relationships and at all events – both formal and informal? And finally the most important question for us to answer – what needs to happen to us so that we wake up from our stupor before it is too late and save our language – short of war?

Tuairisc ó Mheiriceá – tír gafa idir dhá thine Bhealtaine!

Report from America – a nation on the horns of a dilemma!

by | 2024/07/10 | Current Affairs, International News, Politics, Opinion

Report from America – a nation on the horns of a dilemma!

 

If you're a Democrat, the presidential debate that took place on June 27 was an absolute nightmare. Biden was unsteady on his feet as he walked out on stage before the debate, in contrast to Trump. That was a bad prediction for what was to come. Biden spoke in a weak, boring and monotonous voice. He became confused from time to time as he tried to recall details. Sometimes, one word came out when another word was intended. For example, he said trillionaires when he should have said billionaires. At other times, he lost the thread of his thoughts entirely, and at the same time seemed to be confused. For example, when he was criticizing Trump for his contribution to the national debt, this is what Biden said: “We're able to make every single person … eligible for everything that I've been able to do with him the, uh, with — with the Covid, uh excuse me, with, dealing with, everything we have to do, uh … see … if … we finally won Medicare.”

Trump promptly responded with a grin from ear to ear: “Well, he's right, he beat Medicare. He beat it to death.”

Trump told us his bag of lies during the debate, and Biden couldn't convincingly disprove the myths at all. For example, Trump blamed Nancy Pelosi for the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He said that Biden would raise taxes fourfold, that he would kill children after they were born, and that the economy was the strongest ever during the Trump regime. He said that 18,19 or even 20 million immigrants were taking "Black jobs" and "Hispanic jobs" and that things willo be the worst ever seen under a Biden presidency.

Biden was on the defensive most of the time, and only attacked Trump a few times. For example, he said that Trump was convicted on charges related to his close relationship with porn star Stormy Daniels, and that Trump had 'the morals of an alley cat'.

As heated as the debate was at first, things got worse with each passing minute. As it approaches the end of the debate, they were arguing about who is the better golfer, instead of discussing the big problems regarding their plans at home and abroad. And finally we saw them calling each other names: "Let's not behave like children," Trump told Biden. "You're a child," Biden replied. That is an accurate reflection of the debate, unfortunately.

Analysis

I can't say anything positive about the debate itself, it was so bad. There was nothing substantial to learn from the presidential candidates regarding their policies, that we didn't already know. But I did learn a few interesting things about Biden and Trump, though.

Biden

It was the worst decision of all for Biden to join the debate. There is no doubt about that. He was in no condition to be on that stage at all. Maybe Biden didn't recognize that, because he wasn't thinking clearly. But didn't his handlers or even his wife see that there was something wrong with him – something worse than a cold - seriously? It also looks like President Biden has had some kind of problem for some time; perhaps a problem that is getting worse over time.

Biden has done a lot in his first term, and the economy is currently strong in the country. But he couldn't convincingly tell us the list of their main achievements. Nor has he informed us of what he intends to do if re-elected.

Trump

Trump was lying through his teeth as usual - telling lies in detail and often. He had a big platform to spread his crap, and he didn't miss an opportunity to do it. He also gave Biden a jab or two, but Biden did that job on his own, really. Trump played a smart game, and had a big win against Biden, on the day.

Conclusion agus Moladh

A few things were very clear to me after the debate. The presidential candidates are just, well, leaders who are nothing but figureheads. But behind them, there are powerful and frightening political machines (Republicans and Democrats) operating against each other, with very different agendas. The Republicans believe that the only way for them to maintain their power in the future is to change the rules to their own benefit. They would not have the upper hand in a democratic political system, so they would change to an authoritarian system, with a dictator in charge with power equal to a king/queen. Forget the separation of church and state, as the philosophy and morality of Christian Fundamentalism would be the guiding principles of government. Also, a sectarian, malignant, racist philosophy would be contributing in. In short, the United States of America would be like the 'Republic of Gilead', the dystopian country invented by Margaret Atwood in her novel 'The Handmaid's Tale'.

Democrats would want to maintain the democratic political system and preserve and expand the freedom and rights of citizens, regardless of skin color, gender, religion or ethnicity. Wealthy people and companies would have to pay their share of taxes. The government would be obliged to provide social security services and public health services.

The Democrats did us no favors when they gave their full support to Joe Biden. They knew that there were major problems with that decision, and instead of preparing another candidate for the job, they continued despite their opinions on the matter. They upset the fans of their party, including me. In my opinion, the best thing Joe Biden could do now is to withdraw from the race soon - but the chance of that is small.

My suggestion to voters in the presidential election? Don't bother with anything else but cast your vote for Biden if you prefer a democratic country, or for Trump if you prefer a country like the 'Republic of Gilead'. It's that simple!

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