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!   

The ReBirth of a Nation???

This is “The Age of Donald Trump.” This era of political and social unrest, of chaos and violent death; he owns. It is his. We try to look to him for healing and thoughtful resolve…we will not find it…it does not reside within the man or within his words.

The events last weekend in Charlottesville Va. happening figuratively in my own back yard. I live in Va. not really so far from that town. As every thinking and caring person by this times knows; it was a horrific two days that culminated in the death of a caring and dedicated young woman; Heather Heyer. People of good faith around the world mourn her death along with two state troopers that lost their lives. These men merely doing their jobs (to protect and to serve.) It is Heather’s death that will have the most lasting impact. Her mother has vowed to not let her daughter’s death be in vain. She will take up the mantle, the fight against oppression and hate. In that she will vindicate Heather’s life and goals. We must support this as we support our better selves.

In anger and zealous rage an insane man rammed his car into a group of counter-protesters to his rallying of white supremacy. His cowardly act resulting at best, in illuminating the danger of the condoning and coddling of his kind of ignorance and vitriol. And in answer to all of this what do we learn of President Donald John Trump? He will not denounce his own.

Donald Trump N.S.S.B.

His complaints, animosity, lying and rude vulgarity began in the presidential campaign and went into full blown anarchy on inauguration day. The size of his crowd as compared to that of President Obama’s became an issue. The popular vote loss as compared to Hillary Clinton’s numbers he raised as yet another question. The rounding out for day one was and remains; press coverage. This United States President would lead one to believe he hates the press, that it is unfair and false; but to the contrary he consumes the news (limited to television coverage) with an unbridled passion. Donald Trump is a "dangerous mind," a threat to himself and humanity and very much a ticking time bomb of a man. 

After reaching his one hundred day mark he had no real accomplishment. He had gotten his Supreme Court nominee appointed; but it took a major change in the decades old rule of a clear bi-partisan majority. He also won some favor for the bombing of Syria. There has been no follow up are any coherent plan of action or policy on the Syrian Civil War. By the same token his Muslim Travel Ban remains blocked and he is to date unable to replace and repeal affordable health care. He has multiple appointments yet to be made and his people remain under investigation for collusion with the Russians. Trump lives in the White alone and tweeting in the early morning hours. His weekends are lavish retreats to his ritzy Palm Beach, Florida digs. He spends his time golfing and gorging alone without his wife and young son.

Who gets it next???

Donald Trump having just returned from his first trip abroad; a venture very mixed in tone and accomplishment. He made an arms deal with the Totalitarian Saudi Monarchy. They sang each other’s praises and danced to world repressive and dominance.  He went on to bullying, insulting, boasting and mis-representing almost every protocol and diplomatic standard in the remainder of his trip. The European allies were little impressed with the man, especially Germany and France. This whiles his son-in-law; Jared Kushner becomes part of the Russian query, North Korea defiantly steps up their long range missile testing and his communications director’s sudden resignation. Trumps latest and biggest blast is his decision to drop out of the Paris Climate Accord. This is an incredibly bad move for the USA and the world at large. He may not recover as he has continually spiraled downward from his administration’s outset.

Mr. Trump; those in the Russian Government are not your or our friends (they are laughing at your ineptitude.) The press is not your enemy (it is the corner stone of and essential in a free republic.) With your tweets you are hurting yourself (Twitter is a form of social media not intended as a means of governing.)  Listen to Ivanka; you say she wants you to be a better person/leader. Mr. Trump; by every measure, you are failing miserably. Don’t make The United States a “Loser Nation” following the paths you consistently and irrationally seem compelled to take.