The other day I wrote one of my periodic state of the 2020 Senate races articles. In it I could have been clearer about one of the Georgia Senate seats and I want to go into more detail today. I will also use today’s article as a sort of catch up article on several other events. Let’s explore.

The “Clarification”

The remainder of Johnny Isakson’s term is up for election in November. Governor Brain Kemp, to the displeasure of President Trump, appointed Kelly Loeffler to the seat upon Isakson’s mid-term retirement. Trump wanted Representative Doug Collins appointed and those two are both running as Republicans. On the Democratic side Matt Lieberman and Rev. Ralph Warnock are in the race. There are several “third party’ candidates but the aformentioned are the main four. All contestants are in the November election. Georgia, like many other southern states, still has a vestige of Jim Crow law requiring the winner to reach a certain percentage of the vote. In Georgia’s case it is 50%. (The objective of the old laws was to prevent a single black running against multiple whites from getting elected by winning a plurality.)

In the likely case that no individual reaches the 50% mark the two top vote getters will runoff on January 5, 2021. Who knows what will happen between now and November but without one of the top four dropping out I doubt anyone can get to 50%. In a race where a few votes can make a huge difference when trying to reach 50% you can see where a “third party” candidate with no chance of winning can still have a major impact on the outcome. That clarification is complex but as clear as I can make it.

The World Is Still Out There

Earlier this week we received news that North Korea had destroyed a building in the DMZ that they had used (it was currently unoccupied) to meet with South Korea by bombing it. This was not part of an urban renewal project – it was a deliberate message act and it is not good for those who want world peace.

Also earlier this week India and China had an armed clash along their border in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed. Here we have two nuclear armed countries, each with a population in excess of one billion people and led by strongmen engaged in a military confrontation. I lack the expertise to tell you how it will end but I do know there is tremendous potential for a bad outcome and I can’t see “art of the deal/ world class diplomat” Donald Trump solving it.

I know we are rightfully concerned with the Trump Depression, the coronavirus pandemic and unrest in American street but the rest of the world isn’t exactly stable and with our State Department gutted by Trump we are not in a good position to help bring about peaceful, positive outcomes.

Police Reform

One of the demands of the protesters is that the police stop killing people of color (particularly, but not exclusively, young men). Wednesday, amid much fanfare, the Senate Republicans unveiled their plan. Basically it makes a lot of suggestions and looks like something written up on the back of a cocktail napkin after several drinks with police union leaders. (The lead on this was South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. I am not accusing him of having a drinking problem; I have no idea of whether he drinks or not.)

Exactly how we get there is something I could write essays if not books on but the solution to the problem is a culture change in police departments. Anything else is a small step; not a solution. Scott’s bill isn’t even close.

A Fascist Attempt At Censorship

Trump’s Attorney General/Consigliere Bill Barr is seeking to block the June 23^rd (already delayed from March 17^th) publishing of John Bolton’s book. (For the record I have no intention of either buying or reading it.) The claim is that the book reveals classified material. My guess is the only thing to be harmed by its publishing is Trump’s façade reputation.

If Bolton and his published had any courage they would have published the book early and dealt with Trump’s threats if they actually materialized – most of his threats to sue don’t and those that do more often than not fail in court.

Wasted Government Spending

As part of Boy Blunder Jared Kushner’s pandemic plan the United States now has 66 million doses of hydroxychloroquine in the national stockpile. Yes, you are correct that is the “wonder drug” Trump and his echo chamber touted, pressured the FDA into granting an emergency temporary “approval” which they recently rescinded after the drug proved harmful to coronavirus patients. I hope somebody with the expertise and resources of the Washington Post’s David Farenthold is looking into that one. The money trail could be interesting. What I do know is that the doses were paid for with taxpayer money and they now border on useless.

We Needed An Investigation For This

In a revelation worthy of a Captain Obvious commercial, an investigation conducted on the behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that several of its officials violated scientific integrity principles when they backed Trump in what became known as Sharpiegate. To jog your memory that was when Trump altered a NOAA chart by extending the cone of uncertainty with a sharpie.

This Gets Almost No Coverage

Recently the body of a young black man was found hanging from a tree in California. Several local protest leaders have mysteriously turned up dead in recent weeks. Am I the only one who suspects organized foul play? It seems like Nance’s Law may apply here: coincidence takes a lot of planning. Add to that we know we have an active domestic terrorist right wing in America.

It’s still a long way to noon on January 20^th. Can we make it? Worse yet, there is no guarantee Trump will be leaving office then.

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