Two Things

Tomorrow we face an "off year" election, a midterm, that customarily in American history means the party out of party makes big gains:  especially in the last two years of a sitting President's second term.

There are many political science explanations for this, coupled with the Senate electoral rotation, that happens to put more seats up in this rotation.

Moreover, the sitting President's party usually is exhausted by the events of the last election and quite simply sits home.  Mid-term gains for the non-Presidential party are common.

This phenomenon presents itself again this year.  Unfortunately, the stakes are incredibly high this time around and most Americans don't even know it.  A radical shift in the balance of political power is not in our best self interest.

It will be 80 degrees this week in Redding, California!   It is November.  California is caught in a killer drought.  More threatening is a trend of far less Sierra snow pack every year.  Not only are the ski lodges closing, but the water supply is dwindling.

Recent articles from 98% of the climate scientists in the world show a 97% certainty that climate change is man made.  In short, climate change is REAL and MAN MADE!  We must change our energy consumption habits and move to clean energy NOW.  Luckily solar and wind technology make this very possible.

Meanwhile, the first THING:  Republicans for some strange reason (they owe their money to oil, coal and gas companies, have decided that climate change is not real, or worse, that we can adapt to its ravages so why worry.

The cynicism of this is manifested in taking bribes from large companies to get elected, nothing more, nothing less.

We have to act now to avert catastrophe.  This is not a "scare tactic" it is real!   But Conservatives have a "winner " here.  They are gaining votes from their base, by simply putting their heads in the sand.

It reminds me of 1940, when conservatives lived in a isolationistic world of their making, having blocked America's entry into the League of Nations.  This head in the sand approach led to a one vote thin margin to implement the draft in 1940, that quite frankly saved the country when war broke out.  Without that victory over stupidity, America would not have won WWII.

 ONE VOTE!

The same thing applies now:  climate change will kill millions by mid-century, you grandchildren, and great grandchildren will live in a world at constant war over water, food and basic living conditions.  It will be chaos.

Meanwhile Republicans are solidly in the Koch Brother's camp, chemical and oil barons who are very unconcerned if your grandchildren die.

Secondly Republicans have decided that the decidedly conservative Affordable Care Act must be either appealed or emasculated.  They promise both if they get majorities in the Senate.

The President of course will veto any action threatening the Act, but a majority Congress can find a multitude of ways to destroy the ACA.

And this happens just as health care costs threaten to destroy the American economy and the middle class.

The Baby Boom is aging, the first two years have already reached 65.  As the majority reaches retirement Medicare will feel the strains.  Republicans want to destroy Medicare as we know it to "save it".

In fact they have hated it ever since it was passed.  They hate it because it helps people like my father, who without it, would be miserable even more than he is now.

In the larger context, millions now have access to health care thanks to the ACA.  It will take years to ramp up our medical system to serve them.

We cannot afford a two year hiatus, while the Republicans work overtime to destroy an African American President's legacy.

And that is what it is ALL about anyway: an African American President.  Southern racist conservatives cannot abide that a black man is in the White House (note the symbolism).

They will do anything to destroy President Obama, as a warning that only white people can be President.

And they are willing to destroy millions of people's lives to do it.

So, my fellow voters, those are the Two Things you face IF you vote tomorrow.

I pray that you vote.