Steve Bannon. The President In Effect. A guy who made big bucks investing in Seinfeld. Editor of alt-right Breitbart. Conspiracy theorist and closet racist. Puppetmaster of populism. Trump whisperer. National Security Council interloper. Anti-Muslim executive order architect. Xenophobe-in-Chief. Dangerous if left unchecked. Courts and Congress need to take action. Soon.
Marching Orders
Post-inauguration day. Feminist marches turned enormous historic rallies. Citizens converted shock into action. Not just women. Impressive. Too bad after Trump is sworn in. First question to all of these protesters to a person. Broken record alert. Did you vote? Second. Michael Moore agrees with me. Get rid of the old guard in the Democrat leadership. The bench is so shallow. New blood needed. But. There has to be a place to rise to. Third. Despite what you say. Trump is your President. How to change that? Run for office in counties that count. Support young candidates who can win congressional seats in 2018.
To make this movement a reality. Pragmatism trumps emotion.
Danger Field
Rodney Dangerfield. The comedian famous for lamenting “I don’t get no respect”. This may be the constant rant we hear over the next four years. As our new Petulant Adolescent President continues his knee-jerk – emphasis on jerk – reactions to each perceived disrespect. With Theresa May sounding similar in the UK it could be a dangerous world. Cue TTSD.
On the football field. Will I. Am v. Peeper Creeper. The 2 Rodgers v. the Ryan-Shanahan Fighting Irish. Okay. I say. SuperBowl. Atlanta v. Pats. Atlanta wins.
Four Words 2016
Most overused word: Amazing. Still. To describe anything. Everything. If you are lacking in adjectives. There’s probably an app. Use it.
Most politically charged word. Xenophobic. To describe Trump. Trumpistas. Brexits. Nationalists. Polite for racist. Antonym. Globalist. Polite for multi-cultural overcorrection-ist.
Scariest word. Upgrade. As Calvin Trillin says, it strikes horror in us luddites. New software which wreaks havoc with our phones, computers, lives. It’s only a good word when you are supposed to be flying coach. Then it’s amazing.
At least they are words. And not emojis. Or emoticons.
Table Talk Pie
Dreading Stuffington Post Drudge. Politics topic. Skip it. Typically topples Thanksgiving tables. How to avoid faces full of pie?
Never speak of the one who must not be named. Talk about cute Kimmie Schmidt. Or being up Schitt’s Creek. Discuss West World theories. Stranger Things. Who is creepier couple. Eleven and Dustin. Or. Maeve and Man in Black. Contemplate Trace Decay. Time travel. Parallel story lines. Divergent pasts. Artificial intelligence. I told you not to mention … that turkey.
Election Elegy
Whatever the outcome of the 2016 Presidential election, there will be a deep collective sigh of sadness. For the loss of comity and civility in politics, journalism, society as a whole.
The Republican Establishment will have to find a way to acknowledge and address the anger of Trump’s supporters. J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy is the most glaring glimpse into generations of cultural and economic suffering in rural America. The country has reached a true tipping point.
Democrats have also left a large swath of its voters in the lurch. Clinton’s coronation was baked into the entire primary process cake with Bernie Sanders’ followers remaining disgruntled and disaffected. Big money interests will endure.
Either way the scales stay unbalanced. We’re left with a lament.
Celebrity President
Predictions are in. mAdBen 294 for HRC. Dr. Husband 319. Joey3Sticks 301. Nobody thinks Trump will win. Why the TTSD then? Hmmm. Bottom line. Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton. Epitome of fame and fortune. Milking name recognition for personal gain. Each would bring their own rarefied air to the Oval Office. Traveling in exclusive bubbles. Private jets. Security. Scrutinized for decades in the public eye. Reputations shaky. Dealings shady. Yup. Either way. That’s what we’ll get. A Celebrity President. Whadda country!
In order to thwart the last weekend of TTSD. And hunker down away from throngs of Marathon runners. Make City Scampi. Fresh shrimp from Citarella. Farm picked Fall produce from the Street Market at the Natural History Museum. Sancerre from Corks on Columbus.
Voted!
On a perfect autumn day. Strolled around the Lake. Brought ballots to the Post Office. Voted! For whom? Hint. Stayed true to my initial instinct. Wanted a billionaire businessman who had success in both private and public sectors. It was before the tectonic announcement last June 16 of that other so-called buffoon/tycoon. So. Yes. I wrote in. Guess who. 
Dr. Husband. Well. He voted for her. I’m sure. TTSD almost over.
TTSD
Traumatic Trump Stress Disorder. A malady coined by Dr. Husband from which he suffers. As has been studied, this year’s seasonal syndrome is caused by the remote prospect of Trump as President. Sleep loss. Hand wringing. Combing the internet for stories which afford solace. Trolling for swing state polls showing widening gaps for Hillary. Trying to avoid hearing the next unsavory snipe, yet addicted to cable news like a rubbernecker at a train wreck.
My prescription for Dr.H? Write. Laugh. Find the humor in it. He’s not going to win! Is he?
Retro Grade
Seems like everything is moving backwards in slow-motion.
Tiger decided not to make his latest comeback at the Safeway tournament this week. He hasn’t hit a golf ball in public for over a year. Will he ever again?
In Miami, it’s the Clinton-Gore retro show. Trying to appeal to millennials with a droning speech on climate change and revisiting hanging chads. Yawn. Meanwhile, Trump has declared war on the Republican party. Solidifying an eponymous third party for the future. Reminding us of his true end-game. This is TNN.
Flashback to M.A.S.H. Ran into Alan & Arlene Alda strolling through Central Park on our daily constitutional by the Lake. Looked like a happy couple of 58 years.
Side Trek . NYC 