December 31, 2025

We now have 345 days experience with the regime, which “we, the people” elected Nov. 5, 2024.

Here, again, is the total vote in November, 2024.

You know where your single vote appears above.

When you had the opportunity to select your representatives, for the most part the candidate you voted for, you elect for two or four year terms.

NEW YEARS EVE, 2025

This morning’s Minnesota Star Tribune has two long articles on two exposes on allegations that have received considerable air time.  Here’s the front page:  Of course, to the perpetrator, the accusation is all that matters.  The rumor mill takes care of the rest.  In this case, the media went wild.  A year or more ago I had personally visited one of the alleged sites in one of the articles.  It was very much a normal day in a normal place doing normal things for normal people.  I was with my sister, and the uncle of one of the employees at the center – an administrator.  Most people didn’t have the opportunity I had….  [Jan. 1, 2026 front page headline at end of post] [Jan 1.  I found that the place I visited was not one of the sites visited by the “journalist”.  It was, however substantively identical to the mischief maker.]

Back on December 10 I wrote a family letter for Christmas season, the relevant part of which follows.

Traditionally, the refrain this time of year is “have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”.  That presumes a settled present, and optimistic future.

For far too many, this is not a reasonable presumption as this year ends.

I happen to be an active Democrat, a lifelong mostly active Catholic, parent, grandparent, citizen.  I’m also elderly.  Being 85, as I am, suggests I’m much nearer to sunset than sunrise.  Why worry?  Not my problem?

We are a troubled country.  Too many of us seem to have blinders on, uninterested in seeing reality.  Worse, we are the ones responsible.  There is no one to blame other than ourselves, measured by our own participation in this fragile democracy, basically through our own single vote (or non-vote) in elections and participation in civic conversation.

I’m one person; so are you.  We need to work, together.  What is your niche?

POSTNOTE: VIGNETTE

On the day of 9-11-01, a Habitat for Humanity working group from our church was in day 2 of a 2 week build on a new two-story home in south Minneapolis.  The build was for a Somali family.  I was one of the volunteers the first week.  Per the usual arrangements, the prospective residents were expected to help out, and had done so before our tour (the project had been under way for some time.)

Following 9-11, the future owners did not show up, but nobody really expected they would.  They were a Muslim family.

The project was completed, and several months later we were all invited to a formal conveyance of the completed house to the family.  It was a memorable day.

I had a small investment in the house – a week or so of labor; and my wife and son-in-law also gave a couple of days.

In subsequent years on occasion I drove by the house and it was well kept.  A positive asset to the neighborhood.

Some years in – in my memory it was a few months after the George Floyd murder in May 2020 – I made my periodic drive by the address to take a couple of photos.   This was not intrusive – just a snapshot out the window of my car.

This particular day did not go as usual.  An angry woman came out of the house with a camera.  She was expecting the worst.

I managed to get her attention, and told her my story, as related above.  The tension was immediately relieved, and we went on about our respective lives.  I didn’t take a photo that day.

But it was a reminder that human interactions are not neutral, and even under the best of circumstances one needs to be aware of back stories.

I wrote a long letter to the occupants of the house, telling the story in writing.  I didn’t receive a response, but I didn’t ask or expect one in any event.

It was something that happened.  And I imagine that today is a big repetition of what happened after 9-11-01.