I read the news today, oh boy!

After Trump was declared president-elect four years ago, I slowly slipped into a dark hole. For a week or two, I tried to read the daily paper (New York Times), but I couldn't keep it up. Journalists seemed to be treating Thump as a president worthy of respect, but all I saw was a lying piece of trash. Trump affirmed my opinion over the course of several years, and lowered the bar even more. I couldn't stand it. Though my wife Jane insisted we continue to get a paper, I stopped reading it entirely. I couldn't bear to wake up every day to a new rash of insults, lies, and criminal behavior.

Way to go Joe and Kamala!

Thank you for stepping up. Now let’s get those Senate seats.

Nothing to say

I've written and deleted three posts this morning, each trying to express my disappointment and my hope. All three proved too raw and angry to remain posted. I'm going into hiding for awhile. I can't stand the thought of living in a state so fucked up that assholes like Tillis and Cawthorn are respected in any way. See you later.

America's sickness

Many have posted comments decrying the miserable state of our country. I couldn't agree more. The closeness of this election, no matter how it finally ends up, reveals an ugly rage in America that cannot be ignored. This rage seems largely driven by white men who despise liberal elites, even though they don't know what either word means. They want their leaders to hate the people they themselves hate, and Thump has given them permission to do just that. When I think about it, I get sick to my stomach. Maybe I'll have to stop thinking about it?

Election Day Open Thread

Welp, we're down to the final test of our democracy. Hope you've voted already. Let us know how you're doing.

Only 20 or so people at Cedar Falls polling place this morning. That’s good news. Most of our precinct has voted early! Blue wave!

Don't bother asking Tillis anything. He'll just lie.

There's a movement growing to get elected officials on the record with regard to counting all the votes. The story goes something like this:

Practicing preaching

I'll bet most people reading this have already voted -- and may have done even more to help with the election. You're among the 1% of people who are politically involved, I appreciate all you do. But there's still work to be done. As I write this, my wife Jane is coordinating a frenzy of phone banking here in Orange County. Her teams made 8000 calls yesterday.

Which brings me to one more request.

I woke up this morning

Waking up is never a sure thing for me. My family has a rich history of heart disease and every doctor I've had worries about my cholesterol.

Yesterday I had some kind of medical episode, not sure exactly what. Might have been a TIA or something similar. Might have been a panic attack, dehydration, who knows. My daughter called 911 and an ambulance came out to where we were on I40. I ended up not going to the ER, but am still a bit out of it. Life is short, that's for sure.

Another thing voters need to know about Maddy Cawthorn

As this election season moves into the final stages, it's worth recapping the pros and cons of candidates surrounded by controversy. One of least appealing among them is the guy named Madison Cawthorn. He's pictured here, wrapped in the American flag, insulting patriots and veterans who fought and died to protect the country it stands for.

Any true patriot knows that treating the flag like an overcoat expressly violates the US Flag Code:

The political death of Dan Forest

As Dan Forest's polling numbers continue to collapse, the stink of desperation is setting in. Cooper leads Forest 52% to 39%, with the gap increasing every time a new poll comes out. It ain't over till it's over and anything can still happen, but I'm cautiously optimistic that our great governor will come out on top.

BlueNC

James's blog