First-time readers, this blog is set in the future (sometime after the year 2020). Each entry assumes there has been a 5th revolution in the US — the Revenge Revolution. More about Revenge Revolution and author, Entry #1. List and general description of entries to date. Annual assessment whether Revolution plausible.
Note: most characters appear in a number of entries, with many entries building on previous conversations. Profile of characters. You’ll catch on quickly. Thanks for your time and interest…and comments.
Scene: Jordan’s Washington office. Conversation begins Entry #204.
Greenie: “Back from the break. Let’s see if we can wrap up reviewing your friend’s list of ‘Reasons to vote for Trump.’”
Jordan: “We can try but there are seven (7) more to go.”
Greenie: “Alright. I’ll be patient. What’s the next reason?”
Jordan: “#7 on the list, ‘Culture: Constitution and Bill of Rights.”
Greenie: “Culture, culture. What do you suppose they meant? Culture can be a ‘way of thinking or behaving.’ Wonder if that’s what they meant?”
Jordan: “I’d say ‘yes.’ When Trumpsters said Constitution and Bill of Rights they usually meant ‘let’s go back to the 18th Century.’”
Greenie: “So even though the Bill of Rights were not part of the original Constitution…and were added as Amendments #1-#10, the Trumpsters really meant that Amendments #11-#27 were added later and therefore should not count. Right?”
Jordan: “Probably, except the 2nd Amendment, which should be considered in today’s terms.”
Greenie: “They want to revert to the 18th Century except for the 2nd Amendment. But for the 2nd Amendment the definition of the right to bear arms should (i) ignore the original meaning of a well-regulated militia, which we now have with a standing military and police forces and (ii) include allowing almost anyone to easily buy and own a near replica of all weapons used by today’s infantry, whether Army or Marines. I’ll give credit to the Trumpsters for one thing. At least they were consistent.”
Jordan: “How so?”
Greenie: “Trumpsters would consistently pick an interpretation of a law that fit their need. The logic of the interpretation could vary from one law to the next and sometimes even for the same law, depending on circumstances. But they were consistently inconsistent.”
Jordan: “You mean like the first 10 Amendments should count as part of the Constitution but #11-#27 shouldn’t count?”
Greenie: “Especially exclude the 14th Amendment since ‘those people’ have never deserved to be citizens. The 22nd Amendment applied only if there was a Democratic president.”
Jordan: “Greenie, are you being overly cynical?”
Greenie: “I can understand some of the individual statements about why to vote for Trump. But you start to combine 3 or 4 of them, the approach is so out of whack it would not pass the first test in Logic 101.”
Jordan: “That’s because you think through issues and understand how the different issues are linked. When your decisions are based solely on emotion, logic does not matter. Think about the Rushman and talk radio. Logic just gets in the way.”
Greenie: “OK, what’s #8?”
Jordan: “And, #8 is, ‘Drug free: Mandatory drug screening before and during welfare.’ I guess that means…”
Greenie: “Guess? No reason to guess. Blacks, of course, are the cause of most of the drug problem in this country. Blacks also dominate the welfare rolls. Blacks won’t give up drugs. Therefore reduce the welfare rolls through drug tests. Plain and simple solution.”
Jordan: “But whites make up the majority of people on welfare. And whites make up a majority of people using illicit drugs.”
Greenie: “Doesn’t matter what the facts are. Blacks don’t deserve the same treatments as whites. Get blacks off the welfare rolls and a major spending issue solved. Get with it Jordan.”
Jordan: “You’re starting to sound like a Trumpster. What’s happened to you?”
Greenie: “I’ve seen the light. Seriously, you know I don’t support what I just said. But I agreed to write a series of articles about the causes of the Revenge Revolution. At least I need to understand all perspectives, especially the extreme right…and the extreme left.”
Jordan: “Now I’m the one getting confused…and frustrated. You really think the logic behind a drug testing program for welfare was to exclude blacks?”
Greenie: “Absolutely. When this list was written in 2016, blacks on welfare tended to be concentrated more in urban environments and those states leaned more toward Democrats. Whites on welfare were concentrated more in rural areas and many of those states leaned toward Republicans.”
Jordan: “You’re suggesting states with higher concentration of whites could circumvent any Federal law re welfare?”
Greenie: “Of course. Look at how Republican governors tried to circumvent the Affordable Care Act, even to the detriment of many tax-paying citizens in the state. Look at how Republican legislators tried to circumvent the SCOTUS ruling on abortion rights. And your wonderful state of North Carolina…”
Jordan: “Please, that’s where I live. I’m considered an illegal alien by many natives.”
Greenie: “Look how NC led the attack on legalizing discrimination against the LGBT community. The legislators and governor did not care how much money it cost the citizens or the state in lost revenue. The NC legislators had to uphold 18th Century principles. Legislators in red states are so predictable.”
Jordan: “Make that red-state legislators were predictable. We’re seeing some change since the Revenge Revolution.”
Greenie: “What’s #9? I thought we could zip through the rest of these but I guess not.”
Jordan: “#9 is ‘Freebies: None to non-citizens.’”
Greenie: “I guess that means no welfare, no education for children, no ER treatment at hospitals…even if you have a green card, paying taxes and following all the rules to become a citizen.”
Jordan: “You think the Trumpsters meant to exclude people with green cards?”
Greenie: “I just interpret what I read. The term ‘freebie’ is not defined, of course. I just hope the Trumpsters never get ill and have to visit a doctor or hospital while travelling outside the US.”
Jordan: “Reciprocity would be a good lesson for the Trumpsters. ‘Sorry you’re ill but you need to return to the US for treatment of your appendicitis. Our government does not allow treatment of people who are not citizens of this country. Good luck on making it back.”
Greenie: “Now you’re being cynical. But I do like the idea of the Trumpsters getting the one-fingered salute. Should we try to tackle the rest of the list?
Jordan: “No. This looks like a good stopping point.”
(Continued)