Civil Discourse November 4, 2022November 4, 2022 But first . . . THE PERFECT AD Former Navy Commander Luria loves her country — as do we all. I would argue that this 60-second spot speaks for virtually every Democrat on Tuesday’s ballot. BUCK UP! Michael Moore, who defied conventional wisdom in 2016 predicting Trump would win, now defies it again — with even more confidence. He predicts a blue tsunami. And offers action steps for your weekend, because tsunamis don’t just happen. WILL THE COURT BLOCK HIM? CREW alerts Trump they will sue under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to bar him from office if, as rumored, he kicks off his campaign this month. It will be interesting to see how the Court rules. I’m not sure it’s a forgone conclusion. (The same would apply if he ran to be Speaker of the House.) And now . . . CIVIL DISCOURSE In response to the last line of yesterday’s post — that Putin, et al, would be thrilled if America lost democracy “but what about the Greatest Generation, who fought so hard to preserve it?” — Fred C. writes: My Dad was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed and at various stations throughout WWII and I can guarantee you he would not be voting Democratic. My former party has become the party to discontinue bail and let felons back on the street so they can murder, allow men to compete in women’s events completely negating all the years of training for many of these women, allow abortion on demand up to the point of birth, try to destroy the energy companies and allow gas prices to continue to rise, and completely forgive student loans even though most of us had to pay their way through college. I could go on about inflation and wokeness but no need. The only valid argument on your side is that democracy hangs in the balance. As I’ve told you before, I don’t believe that to be the case but you’ve made your point. The judges, in my opinion, are a wash. Biden is loading the judiciary with far left loonies just as Trump did with the far right. As for me, I hope the democrats get shellacked and maybe get rid of the woke nonsense and come back down to earth. I would really like to see a party I can support. I have enjoyed reading your column for many years now. I was a moderate republican when I started, became a somewhat liberal democrat, and have morphed into a somewhat conservative independent. It’s been a wild ride and you’ve been right there with me. Take care, I have the deepest respect and fondness for you regardless of your views. And I strongly support LBGT rights, I just believe it is very unfair for a person born a male to compete in women’s athletics. My reply: Thanks for the kind words. I think there are very few instances of violent criminals being let out on bail. That’s the G.O.P. scare tactic. To the extent it does happen, I totally join you in opposing it – as would almost any Democrat running for office. I also agree that it’s unfair for men to compete against women. That’s why I’m glad the NCAA and other sports authorities – who probably don’t lean wildly liberal – have studied this and set rules requiring that certain testosterone levels be met, and other safeguards. To the extent they may have set the bar too low, I have no problem with reexamining and readjusting. But in a nation of 330 million people, is this really an issue that affects more than a few thousand athletes? Or is it something the G.O.P. has effectively seized upon to draw attention away from, say, keeping insulin wildly expensive for 20 million diabetics? Denying tens of millions of women the protections of Roe v. Wade (which does NOT allow “abortion on demand up until the day of birth”). I don’t think Dems are working to destroy energy companies (which are making record profits) OR “allowing gas prices to rise” — we don’t set the world oil price and at least so far have not limited those record profits. But to Democrats, the slow-rolling climate crisis is real, and we owe it to future generations to try to balance today’s critical needs with tomorrow’s. Your point on student loans is definitely an important one. The other side of it is: If you agree that inequality has gotten badly out of hand over the past four decades, then here is a measured, limited way — targeted largely to community college grads and students who took on debt but DIDN’T graduate — to provide a little boost. Even the score a little. After all, not so long ago we bailed out the banks, with little outcry from the G.O.P. . . . and gave the richest Americans and corporations huge tax cuts at the BEHEST of the G.O.P. So modest debt relief to a group who badly need it? That’s the other side of the discussion. Both sides make valid points I think, though I come down with the Dems. I agree with you about wokeness — cancel culture has gone way too far — which is why I link to so many Bill Maher rants. I like to think the pendulum is beginning to shift back a bit. And I would note that little of the Democratic leadership comes from the far left, whereas MOST of the Republican leadership now comes from the election-denying far right. If I had to choose between being way too sensitive to things like racism and sexism or being way too INsensitive — a terrible choice we both agree should NOT have to be made, as a sensible center should be found – I would choose the former. Have a great weekend and thanks again for your readership! If everyone were a thoughtful independent like you, we’d have little to worry about. You have a great weekend, too.