Vacation

Still on vacation and collecting things to write about.  When I get back, I have a much more intensive work schedule than a semi-retired guys should have, so that will push post back further.  I continue to think of you, and have some cool stuff such as the Beringian Standstill, the Book of Nature, and the theologically conservative sides of the major denominations over the last forty years.

In the meantime, think about what is likely to be the next Cause of the Month.  Racism and anti-racism will have to remain in play, because those issues will be spotlighted in order to influence the election.  That Joe Biden is objectively more racist by current definitions than Donald Trump is irrelevant, because whatever is said, most of us judge whether someone is racist by how they feel, and that is in turn deeply influenced by how they have been portrayed since last Tuesday, without regard to their actual history.

"Women's issues," as they are flsely called, keep getting kicked back and forth because of the ambiguity of whether Democrats actually give a rat's ass, but Kamala Harris is going to need them to be front-and-center in order to distract from her own ahem history, on top of her prosecutorial intensity that should offend for racial reasons.  (But won't.  African-Americans will have to first switch sources for their news before many will get that.) So perhaps a symbolic incident will have to be found.  Illegal immigrants, trans people, and Native Americans will have to go pound sand at election time, as usual, trusting in the kindness of Democrats after the election. Still, if a really large (in appearance) incident occurs, that will have to be played correctly.  Socialism is different this time around, because they are usually told to shut up and like it, but this time they may be able to hit the main stage. 

A really big environmental incident would be convenient, and a C19 statistic that makes Trump look like the cause of it all would work too.  I don't think he's been great, BTW, but the initial cessation of flights was an enormous positive that I cannot imagine any Democrat doing at the time, so I cut Donald a lot of slack on most things after that. Presidents have no business commenting on medicines, but he actually showed well on hydroxychloroquine, and his critics have been absolutely insane.  I believe the current dodge is that "well, it's not magic, so there!" He is too confident about reopening, but as his opposition is too skeptical...

I digress. What other issues are likely to come up?  With no active war on, foreign policy becomes a category in which people revert entirely to their priors, regardless of the objective facts. One side or the other will find something to play effectively, fairly or not.

I will now go check the news.