Campaign to Nov. 3, 2026, and after
By my count, it is 80 days to the 2026 election. My prediction that this one, and the ones following, will prove to be the most dangerous and consequential in American history, and the only antidote will be a well- informed citizenry who votes. The future is in the hands of we, the people. As always, we will own the results, good or bad, everywhere, for every position elected.
My personal contribution, for your reflection, is here: Political Campaign 1996 & 1960. To the reader, page 1 is a column I wrote which was published December 3, 1996; pages 2-6 was the draft of the column Nov 27, 1996, written after the November 3, 1996, Presidential election. It is strictly my personal opinion about two specific points in time. I encourage you to read, reflect, comment and act in the 80 or so days remaining to election 2026.
(The 1996 campaign was the first and only time in the TV era where I quit watching political television for several months beginning in the weeks immediately preceding the election.) The trigger, not mentioned in the column, was one final bald-faced lie recited with a straight face to me and everyone else by Newt Gingrich over CNN. It was my personal last straw. No, I don’t remember the specific lie, but it was a whopper, presented convincingly – a con. Unfortunately, I think it was rather innocuous compared with the stuff we’ll see shortly, everywhere, circulated by huge dark money campaigns, unbridled dishonesty, probably nefarious use of AI (artificial intelligence), misinformation presented and circulated as fact, etc.
The antidote to all of this, of course, is to refuse to buy the too-good or too-bad-to-be-true pitch. The old caution, Caveat Emptor, let the buyer beware. applies.
By now, anyone with even the slightest interest knows the lay of the political land, compared with the real world, wherever you live. Our collective individual votes make for the outcome November 3.
Wherever you live, Vote.gov is probably as good a place as any to start relating to your own state.
If you qualify to vote, this is your country, and your and following generations future at stake. VOTE.
POSTNOTE: the last post, Forrest Gump, has several interesting comments related to AI (artificial intelligence). They start at about mid-post.
For the record, I am not cynical about government – which is essential to any civilized society. I am careful who I vote for, since my elected representatives are the ones who make the policies that facilitate good or bad outcomes for the public at large.
COMMENTS (see also more below)
from Fred: Your comments were measured and reasonable. They seem quaint in today’s US political world. I will give the nation a pass for Trump’s first election win, but It beyond reason, in my opinion, that anyone could have foreseen voters giving him a second chance.
from Joyce: One of my biggest concerns regarding this election is the usually reliably Democratic Jewish vote; the DSA candidates are so openly antisemitic that many of my Jewish friends say they will either vote R, or skip the election altogether. I still intend to “vote blue no matter who,” but the antisemitism is, quite frankly, terrifying.
Dick – excellent summary of the MN elections. The Pillow Guy refuses to concede, in true Trump style, but if Mike Lindell turns out (very far out) to be the winner then the Democrats should have the easiest opponent of all.
Speaking of Trump’s “MO,” I am concerned about the Mid-Terms. My fear is based on several things, all having to do with Trump and the spineless Republicans in Congress. Trump may continue the war – as Iran wants him to do – so that our dear leader can invoke the “insurrection act” and simply call off the fall elections. This seems absurd but nothing Trump does from starting a needless war to stealing as much as he can from the Treasury, is beyond his devious mind. And there’s nobody to stop him. I’m also afraid Trump will order his ICE goons to seize ballot boxes so his sycophants in DC can count all the ballots from the states, as the January 6th insurrectionists tried to with state certified ballots. Shakespeare said it, “what is past is prologue.”
North Dakota and Minnesota have never had any kind serious problem with elections. But for Trump and his ilk, they will work hard to create problems, particularly in “blue” states. Interfering or even calling off an election to serve a partisan purpose is the beginning of the end of our 250-year-old democracy. God help the Democrats to win SO big the results can’t be stolen or even questioned.
Oh, come on now! The insecure and narcissistic, Donnée, just wasn’t to be the king *he has actually said that) and love by all with a cult of personality that results in his name on everything and statues praising him all over Washington. D.C. Just like a small, spoiled child whose parent’s aka members of the GOP congress, will do nothing to restrain him.
Our power may seem small. We each have only one vote. Remember that the same is true for everyone, rich, poor, generous, selfish, good, and evil. Use your power to vote.
Do not underestimate the other voters. They will see through the extreme and nasty ads trying to deceive us all.
Only broadcast networks win those games. They must love what election ads do for their balance sheets!