The Historical Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

 January Twenty, Twenty Twenty-one; the healing has already begun. A new national tone already beginning.  It has been a great day for the republic; our democratic republic. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was sworn into office as the forty sixth president of the United States of America. The magnanimous event was marked by wonderful performances, readings and a bold display of the best of the hearts and minds of the nation’s most talented. The featured included Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks along with lesser known poet Amanda Gorman. Each were equally amazing and gracious in their contributions.  The inauguration was attended by and included members of both political parties. I send out a personal thank you to former Vice President Mike Pence for his participation and gestures of dignity and a true loyalty to honor, the national spirit and the greater good. 

President Biden’s speech was perfect in tone and content. His sincerity, commitment and dedication all evident throughout. Joe Biden believes in America and its people in a uniquely unselfish way. We will be all the better because of the manner and ways he has served until now in addition to what he will enact and contribute in the near and not so distant future. His tenure as Commander in Chief will prove to be transformative.

It was no easy road culminating in Biden’s and Harris’ arrival to the White House.  The campaign season in itself was alarming, chaotic and especially brutal. Multiple legal cases were subsequently attempted in efforts to overturn the election results.  The cases were as quickly extinguished and dismissed as they were brought to court rooms and before judges.  In a final effort lies and reckless incitement created and fed to the masses in an attempted coup d état lead to the storming of the US Capitol building   by violent armed thugs. Waving the flags of their racists and anti-Semitic heroes from past and now present insurrections with chants of death threats toward particular members of congress were among the worst travesties seen in our contemporary times. A troop contingency of over thirty thousand National Guard’s Men and Women, miles of razor wire and road blocks coupled with over Two  Hundred arrests were enough to dissuade the “Goon Squad’s” return today. 

Distrust, fear, hate, disdain for humanity and social justice have marred the nation for the last four years in unpresented ways. The new administration challenges thou many are already being addressed. Executive orders were signed even today. Biden’s team and we (the nation’s citizens) will prevail. America survives; the presidential torch has passed, the systems of laws prevail. With the power of the vote; we the citizens, the faithful, the believers in something good and decent share this victory. We seize and glory in this day. We are an army of workers and achievers. The night mare of the previous administration has ended. A brighter, better era begins. This time for celebration is ours!  

 

Biden & Harris: A Victory for the Ages

 Joe Biden Has labored long and diligently for this nation; locally, in the senate, as Vice President and resulting in today’s vote count he has been elected President of the United States of America. This is no small feat. He and his running mate; Kamala Harris have prevailed against tremendous opposition and what some would call impossible odds. By the grace of God, Almighty the election was decided by the American citizens, America’s diverse populous.  

To paraphrase a lyric from a popular nineteen sixties radio song. “The dark days are done and the bright days are here.” The meaning being that Biden wants to reunify the country and work across the aisle with Republicans as one nation; “neither Red nor Blue; but as one.” The realities are Biden will not solve all of the nation’s problems; no administration can do the impossible. In light of this the Bidden administration will give all their heart and being to a glorious quest of righting many of the nation’s ills and paving a better future. Biden is in certain ways the embodiment of the legendary literary character Don Quixote. The spirit of that great novelized figure has been missing in our contemporary world order and dealings with all aspects of life. 

                                                                                        

The road to success has not been a straight or easy path. He has faced personal losses and hardships while he has yet to succumb to total defeat. In the words of his colleague and supporter Jim Clyburn; “Biden never learned to stay down; he always rises to the occasion.  His losses become opportunity for growth while always fighting the good fight.”

As a woman of color, mixed race and the daughter of immigrants’ Kamala Harris; in the minds of many, would never rise to the office of Vice President. She has defied the odds and made history. She will prove to be an excellent choice as she works with Joe Biden in the best interest of all citizens.

I write this blog on the day of the announcement of the Democratic candidate’s victory; following the counting of an enormous number of citizens turning out as early voters, on November third and equally many more voting by mail in ballots.  It has been cause for an abundantly protracted amount of time of counting of ballots. In spite of this there is the presence of peaceful gatherings in the streets and avenues of America. There is a new optimism and hope. There is also relief and tears of comfort and consolation.  The nation will be made whole. 

Biden and Harris have since spoken from Delaware to a large receptive crowd of well-wishers, supporters and the press. Their speeches were hopeful, powerful, and informative and stuck the right opening tone for what is to be the Biden era. Following Harris’s acceptance speech and introduction Biden burst onto the stage in a full trot/sprint showing the strength and vigor of a man energetic and excited about taking on the job of Commander and Chief of a Great Nation, the strongest in the world, the United States of America. Fire Works, music and reveling followed; again making for a sense of truth, beauty and optimism.    

Congratulations President-Elect Joe Biden; Congratulations Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. We love you both! We look forward to the next four years. We wish you every success!   

When The White House Went Dark

 Sunday night May 31^st 2020 The White House goes dark. President Donald Trump hides in the bunker beneath the main floors strickened in personal terror. Police and protesters clash in the streets outside; around the surrounding grounds of the White House and throughout other parts of the nation’s capital. 

Metaphorically and philosophically the White House and nation went dark in a somewhat gradual and very real moral way when Mr. Trump was sworn into office January 1^st 2016. His presidential  lies, half-truths and fabrications began with Trump disputing the crowd size of his inauguration over President  Obama’s.  He declared war on the press calling  all reportage that painted him in a bad light or was contrary to his twisted narratives “Fake News.” He extended his ire to his own intelligence community and the FBI. He was out of the blocks with a vengeance and there was no “Honey Moon” for “Mr. Trump,”   

The current climate of unrest is tied to the death of African American Citizen; George Floyd at the bidding of four Minneapolis police officers, Trump’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic  and a greatly suffering economy. 

 At the present Trump continues to tout false cures, untested procedures and quackery as remedies for the corona virus and uses race bating and brutality as solutions to civil disobedience. In his own mind the crumbling economy and unemployment rates are fine so these things are not even addressed. If at all he wants to dangerously reopen all businesses and social activities. This in spite of warnings from his own medical advisors and scientific authorities. Members of his cabinet and appointees are filling the jails as much as they are implementing  policy. Many of the president’s men have been indicted and many convicted (at least six individuals) for criminal activities, a number of which they have admit to. The numbers include his personal lawyer’s paying of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels for various extra marital escapades with his boss. Most recently his advisor Steve Bannon was arrested for fraud and is currently out on bail as he awaits trial. 

                                                          Unrest @ The White House

Trump when not playing  golf remains busy. He is at this moment trying to suppress voting by shutting down the USPS with the aid of his crony Louis DeJoy; Post Master General who is also his ardent supporter and campaign donor.  DeJoy is removing mail sorting machines, mail boxes and cutting workers over-time hours across the country.  This due to Trump believing fewer voters equal fewer votes against him and will benefit his campaign in the end. The Trump  abuses of power, ignorance and attempts to form a sort of dictatorship  not unlike Putin’s Russia are very important to him. His intentions are to subvert the constitution while staying in power for as many years as possible.  He would love to destroy our system of a three branch system of government with clear separation of powers at the federal level. In this he is most dangerous; a true threat to democracy. 

  

Lastly and equally distressing is Trump’s allusions  to and possibly mentally delusional remarks on the fore mentioned idea of his staying in office after what he will surely call an unfair and rigged election. This is of course if and when he hopefully and prayerfully loses his bid for reelection.  The election happens in a period just over two month from now. Given that he might   attempt to stay in the White House beyond his term I am convinced that he will be evicted shortly after the swearing in of former Vice President and Senator Joe Biden. He will be removed (if not by his own free will) then by members of the Secret Service or if need be the United States’ Armed Forces (Rule of Law will prevail) as Biden takes over the reins of Commander in Chief after his swearing into office; the afternoon of January 1^st 2021.

The Trump Bomb

President Barack Obama Reelected

 The presidential campaign of twenty twelve is over; Romney has conceded, Obama has accepted, the counting of ballots has ended and the results have been concluded…except in Florida.  It was another historic event as essentially every election is in our continually great nation. The re-election of President Obama is the result of an unparalled effort equaled only by another miraculous achievement; his own first election and first term. At this time no one knows with certainty what his next four years will entail but hopefully it will culminate in progressive and remarkable things.

 The campaign was grueling for all involved and difficult for all those lucky/unlucky enough to live in a swing state. The television ads were merciless. The phone calls numbing. The sad reality of modern politics is that attacks are necessary. Both sides are forced to counter-balance each other with negatively brutal attack ads not to get an edge but simply to stay even. There was a time when it was the Vice-President’s or running mate’s job to be the “Attack Dog.” This trend of relentless attacks started many elections ago. It increases every four years. On that count we are all losing. Celebrities were part of the fray as Morgan Freeman narrated a powerful commercial for President Obama; Clint Eastwood aired his trumpeting endorsement of Mitt Romney. Honey Boo Boo endorsed Obama as another little girl tearfully pleaded for an end to the madness “I’m tired of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney “was her lament.

There were also good opportunities within the course of things as citizens had opportunities to meet and see the candidates and their surrogates in the flesh. A personal favorite was a last minute rally featuring former President Bill Clinton at Patrick Henry High School in Salem Virginia. I attended with my cousin and a little over twenty-two hundred others. I was amazed at the number of Romney bumper stickers in the parking lot. (There were zero hecklers in attendance.) Clinton was insightful, charming and funny. He is an amazing speaker, a tremendous public servant and ultimately a great man. We enjoyed it! (John McCain was in the area that same evening. He attracted about three hundred supporters.)

 

 

Another related event I attended was the opening of Melissa Ichiuji’s “Fair Game” exhibition at Galerie Lareuse in Georgetown (Washington, DC.)  Melissa’s primary medium is stitched fabric. She is becoming increasingly famous for her provocative dolls and figures. She utilized her considerable artistic skills to create charactures, stuffed heads mounted like trophies on the gallery walls. Her subjects/victims were the participants of both sides of the election. She uncannily and deftly satirized in much the spirit of Daumier the likenesses of Herman Cain, Paul Ryan and Ron Paul. Obama, Romney and their wives were included among the trophies. The Obama piece was met with such controversy that Sarah Palin (who is little known for her art world interests) has since purchased it.

I was able to enter the fray in many discussions on my job and through social media. Along with face to face discussions I created a number of graphics and cartoons for display, inspiration and humor. Many are featured here as illustrations. Obama’s acceptance speech was expectedly eloquent, heartfelt, touching and rousing. The President is gifted as much as he is the nation’s gift. Hope has been revived for many as some seem to be slipping deeper into delusion and dismay as a result of their shock and disbelief of the election results. Time and realization should bring them around and back to some sense of reality. We (the Obama supporters) will enjoy this brief season of happiness and satisfaction. This is the kind of moment we wish for; a spirit of co-operation and shared purpose that could last for months; possibly years. We can dream.