The Last Day of the Year, Part III: A New President

 I tell you... I don't care much to write about this  presidential election, but it is worth mentioning. So I will just write a little. And I will try to put a different spin on it. 

But I tell you, this doggone election has plucked my LAST nerves. 

And at the same time, it feels good to hear it announced when President-Elect Biden is going to give a speech, as he has been doing as of late. I stop what I'm doing and I sit down and I listen. And boy or boy it feels good to hear someone speak in complete sentences. Just to hear someone who cogent, who isn't treating this like some big comedy skit makes me hopeful. 

But Trump is still around, doing everything he can to seemingly sabotage the whole peaceful transfer of power process.  And whenever he was giving a speech over the past couple of years I was in search of my remote control so I could turn the channel. And if I couldn't do that, I would just leave the room. 

It was frustrating. I mean, I grew up watching the Presidents give speeches. This one, not so much. If he read from the teleprompter, that was fine. But the comedy schtick and the stretched truths.. no sir. Not today, Sir. I cannot.

Over the past couple of weeks, I read a book that helped me understand all the shenanigans. It has all been very confusing.  And I needed this book out in 2016.

I now have a fundamental understanding when they have been wailing on the political news shows about how this is an attempt to destroy our democracy.  After reading this book, I'm like... OH! Ok. 

Because that's what's going on. And the problem is that Trump is nowhere near as smart and savvy as these past dictators. They were tactical. They were diabolical. Our beloved president seems like he is... brooding, and just having tantrums.

These dictators had their opponents jailed, exiled or killed. They killed MILLIONS of people. If you were against whatever ish they were doing, or if they even so much as thought you were against what they were doing, you and your families and anybody that knew you were dead. Period.  Didn't matter how you died... guillotine, gunshot, set on fire, gas chambers, whatever... they got rid of folks quick, dirty and in a hurry.

Thank goodness we have a Constitution. That is saving us. These dictators got rid of their forms of the constitution AND the opposing parties. I mean, it was CRAZY.

We here in the USA appear to have some guardrails (democracy). But doggonit, we are slamming against those guardrails something awful. I want to go back to a time when the proverbial car was just kept in the middle of the road. 

But it was helpful to read that book. It was such a sad book, though. All the killing and torture was horrible. And I learned that a thirst for hunger and power is never satisfied. ALL that ish comes to a bad end. The seed sown... let's just say you eventually reap what you sow. Period.

And now I understand how the cult of personality, the "Fake news" chants, the lies and all that comes together.  Here is a list, the blueprint for establishing a dictatorship and destroying a democracy, from the book. (Source: Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and The Fall of Democracy by Kenneth C. Davis)

Does any of that look familiar??  Gives me the creeps, I tell you.

It was so crazy to read about Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Saddam Hussein and how similar the environments are between what is going on now and what went on back then.  It was fascinating and scary at the same time to read about. The horror the people suffered is unimaginable. But the groundwork, the silent groundwork and the buildup, was terrifying to read about. The whole emphasis on making the country great again was startling. 

Because that is what we are going through right now. 

And it's not over. Who knows what will happen on January 5th and 6th. Ugh. 

I know one thing... it is all emotionally draining. And anyone or anything that emotionally drains me on a daily basis demands further consideration as to why... and that book right there really gave me an understanding of what will happen if our democracy is thrown out the window. 

Ugh.  

Congratulations to President-Elect Joe Biden. 

He's no savior by any means, but Lord help us... we just need someone in office who will take their job seriously. No havoc, no messiness, no tweeting... just be President. 

And realize this is not a comedy or reality show. 

And just don't emotionally drain me. 

That's all that I can ask and hope for. 

The Day After

Well, well, well...

We have a new President-elect.

Congratulations to President Elect of The United States of America, Donald Trump.

That's one heck of a photo.

That's from Dav.id Duke's twitter. He was pleased as punch with the results.

Look at that. Tanks and a nice semi-automatic weapon.

Gonna

Make America Great Again!

(And we know what that means. Dog whistle. Big huge dog whistle).

I'm not all that phased. I know I stayed up half the night. Around two in the morning, I saw the results of 215 for Clinton versus 244 for Trump. And I thought... uh oh.

It's really going to happen. He's going to become president.

And you know what? I am fine with that. My confession remains the same. I have been encouraging myself for the past two weeks. See yesterday's post.

Today, my workplace mother bought me a lovely salad.

 
 And some salad dressing.

That was a blessing indeed. I had lunch, but I hadn't eaten yet. This was great.

What's more of a blessing was to see her smile and her optimism, and her giving me a good word of encouragement. And I went over to speak with someone else and let's just say we had church in her office.

Today, I even had a good talk with my sister, who is all the way over in Dubai. That was such a surprise and a blessing. 

So I am more encouraged and optimistic than ever.

Today we make a choice: faith or fear. They cannot occupy the same space.

I choose faith. And I move forward. 

You move forward too... on purpose. 

ON PURPOSE!

It's that Special Day...

Yes yes, ya'll...

Alright ya'll... you better make it do what it do.

You better get out there and VOTE!

VOTE VOTE VOTE.

People died so you can VOTE! 

If you didn't vote, I don't want to hear you complaining about who won the presidency.

I early voted a couple of weeks ago, and I am glad of it. I don't have to deal with the long lines and the frustration.

Nope!

We shouldn't be letting this here election stress us out like this. I myself have friends who are voting differently from me, and I REFUSE to get in shouting message. Ya'll can have this spirit of DIVISION. I rebuke that!

I have made a special confession for the past couple of weeks.

"Lord, you know who the president is going to be. And You have always taken care of me. Therefore, my trust is in YOU. You have taken care of me in the past and in the present. I have no doubt you will take care of me in the future."

And that is that!

All I know, it is very telling, all of our fear and trepidation, that is soaked skin deep, down to our very bones.

It tells what we trust in.

I myself am doing better and better with each passing year... no matter who is in office. And that's what I am fully expecting from now on.

Amen.

*waves Obama church fan*

GO HILLS!!!!!

I'm not even a Hillary supporter, and I am happy for her.

It would be awesome for the United States to have it's first female president, though.

So if she wins, you will have a problem...

Not a real problem per se, but a problem for the majority in this country.

You will have a generation who only knows of a black president and a woman president.

This becomes a problem.

Let's just say, I wish I had such historical happenings during my childhood. My dreams would have been bigger. I may have gone in a different direction in life.

I'm just thinking out loud. I have done well with myself. But I have had times in my life when I was the only black person in the mix, or the only woman in the mix, and I had to encourage myself and make sure I didn't think of myself as "less than."

Not sure if that makes any sense, but you get my drift.

Anyway... Go Hills!

I mean, Congratulations to the presumptive democratic nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Friday Freestyles... The Presidential Virtual Barbeque Edition!

Congratulations to our President for relection!


GLORY!!!

4 more years!

Thank goodness Romney didn't win. And I'm an independent, but on the state and local level, mostly. I have to say that I'm disenchanted with the Republican party.  I mean, how the heck do you diss EVERY minority- hispanics, blacks, women, gay folks, poor folks (is that a minority?)- then turn around and make light of the act of rape and its associated issues... and then expect to win?

Well they didn't diss the asian folks. Not sure why. And no telling what was said behind closed doors.

Fold all that up in a blanket called "having enough money to buy an election" and a sheet called "lying", I mean, flip-flopping.

How the heck you do all that ratchetness and win?

The answer is you can't.

And as a result, the President was reelected.  GLORY!

And I am reading articles which pretty much say that the Republicans are calling people who voted for Obama a bunch of idiots.

Wow. It don't stop, does it? Yeah, makes me want to become a republican RIGHT now. LOL

Ya'll lost. Go back and get a REAL leader and a REAL message. Looking down your nose on everyone who isn't a rich white male doesn't appear to be working.  At all.
I am glad it is OVER!! GLORY!

Time to EAT!

Let's have a virtual barbeque! And if you been to a House of LadyLee Barbeque, you know we always have the same menu. LOL

So....

Some of ya'll not all that regular, so you know I will help you on that one. Let's start out with a little fruit.



Uncle Cre (RIP Uncle cre) ! Pull out the witch's kettle! Heat up that grease! Fry us some catfish!


We got the HOT. FRIED. FISH for the Party People!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course I got the grill going.













And you KNOW there's always someone hollerin' about they don't eat pork. GEEZ!! So for them, I grilled up some shrimp and crab!






I cooked up some gumbo...



And for you REAL country folk: My grandma brought over some chittlins!


Hold your horses. The salmon and biscuits are almost ready!


















And for the super health conscious folks, we have all the stir-fry you can eat!

































Good LAWD, there is some good eatin' up in my Party!!!!

"Where the Liquor at, LadyLee!" Blog Fam screams, even though they got a case of the "itis" right now.

I tell you... black folks. You know we love the libations...

Bitch on Ice... So nice so nice.

Come on, sang with me... *Lee does the running man dance*



"Bitch on Ice... so nice, so nice! Bitch on Ice... so nice, so nice!!!"

Grab a plate, and Party ON!!!

Oh, and don't forget to leave room for dessert.

Tiny, grab that ice cream out the freezer!



(Tiny lives in Hawaii now. Lawd knows I miss him!)

Party People, make sure you have a few of LadyLee's Oatmeal Raisin walnut cookies and Chocalate Chip Pecan cookies.


And we got a little double chocolate coffee infused cake! Have a slice!!
Whew!!! That was a good virtual barbeque!

Thank ya'll so much for stopping by and celebrating the reelection of our President!

Now... you ain't got to go home, but you got to get the hell up outta HERE!!!

LOL...

Just kidding. Feel free to go back and grab another plate. There is plenty for all.

All brought to you by your Friendly Neighborhood Original Oldgirl LadyLee.


Go President Obama!  4 more years... ON PURPOSE!

Congratulations to the best man of the job, President Barack Obama.

Sir, I am glad you perservered. Really. I am.

I'm so happy that I want to dance!!


If you don't wanna dance with me, I will dance by myself.

*lee doing the hard running man*

LOL!

Virtual barbecue celebration on Friday!

Congratulations President Barack Obama!!

You're the WRONG MAN, Mitt Romney!

MITT!

You most certainly look presidential...

But you are NOT the president.

YOU LOST.

All that money can't buy a presidency.

And your disdain for the 47%... the common everyday folks... uh, you couldn't back out of that, could you?

And all that lying, uh, I mean flip-flopping didn't pan out either.

You are the wrong man.

Plain and simple.

Anita Baker says it best, sir.



Yes. The wrong man.

And I'm sorry... but you're not gonna beat Hills in 2016.

(That's Hillary Clinton, ya'll. Hills 2016. Bout to make a Hills Church fan right now, lol).

Republicans, next time ya'll need to find someone that you all actually LIKE and respect next time... because Hills is in there. That is all.

You keep working on that bucket list! I know you'll cross more things off... but not the presidency!!

One Day Left

One day left before election day.

By the end of tomorrow night, we will have a new president or we will re-elect the old one.

I myself just want it all to be over.

I want to cry, like this little girl.


This whole election has really played with my emotions. It has played with everyone's emotions. Sigh.

And the thing is, it's not all that bad here in Georgia, since it's a red state. It automatically goes to Romney. And I've only seen maybe 5 election commercials over the weekend, mostly from the superpacs.

But I just want it to be over. Please.

I saw a documentary the other day titled Patriocracy.

It was the most objective film I've seen on the "Why" behind why things are so jacked up in the nation's capital. It really delves deep into the whole history and hatred that goes on between the Republican and Democratic party, and why they can't seem to work together. It talks about the super pacs, and how that came to be. It even takes a detailed look at why the country is in so much debt. I thought it was very good... and very nonpartisan.

I like nonpartisan information. But finding it is like finding a needle in a haystack. It is rare.

And it let me know that I'm not stupid. All of this is just a game.

It's just one big huge pissing contest.

The course that America is taking comes second to big egos.

And it shouldn't be that way, but it is.

I hope things will get better after the election. I hope our leaders will realize that they need to work together, whether they are on the left or on the right.

If not, we'll all be crying like the little girl in the video... sigh.