Give a Cheer for the Dos Exquis Here

From Wikipedia--Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the 2020 Nevada debate. Or at least how I picture her, with Mike Bloomberg in the background.

In 2016, a disaster of an election year that yielded the most incompetent, damaging president in U.S. history, it’s important to note that Hillary Clinton not only was almost elected, but did win the popular vote.

True, we don’t elect presidents by popular vote. Maybe we should, but we do not. Trump did not win the trumped-up landslide that he constantly brags about and dreams up—being delusional and constantly lying is one of the new “normals" of this historically awful president—but he did win, by the anachronistic and un-democratic federal rules we have, in 2016.

And he needs, he desperately needs, to not only be defeated in 2020, but crushed. The whole Trumpism movement needs to get a severe brush-back pitch. He’s crowding our freedoms at the plate. Let’s bean him and all of his Joni Ernst enablers.

Anyway, I had several impressions of the Nevada democratic debate. As many observed, the knives were out for Mayor Bloomberg, and I think he was pretty effectively sliced and diced. Mr. Mayor, I appreciate that you’re spending your own money to get rid of Trump. Drop out and spend to elect other Democrats, please.

The other impression I have is that, to me, the two most best candidates are still the ones I toyed most with supporting when they ran in Iowa.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is still my number-one choice, because she represents a moderate approach that I agree with, because she is electable and because I think she would be a decent president.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, on the other hand, is definitely to my left. And I definitely like her. In terms of imaging a candidate who can handle Trump in a debate, Lizzie seems like she’s the Xena of the pack, the female warrior who is ready for battle.

Amy is a great debater, too, but I think she had an off night Wednesday.

Senator Klobuchar, queen of the north. Image from wikimedia commons by Lorie Shaull.

My favorite moment of the debate was when a reporter asked Amy about not knowing the President of Mexico’s name. Amy was a bit flustered, and it showed. Xena swooped in, sword drawn, and leapt to her defense.

Way to go, dos equis mafia. I’m not into identity politics—yet I think it would be a healthy, cool thing if the United States elected a woman, especially if that woman would send hyper toxic male Tangerine Hitler, wounded and hurt, back to Mar-A-Lago.

Still, I thought it was a good night for my two favorite Democrats who happen to be double X’s named Amy and Elizabeth. I also liked Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and so kudos to the kid from Indiana.

Thursday night's champ, Xena, Warrior Princess. Image from wikimedia commons by Gage Skidmore.

Unlike some of my Facebook friends who state that they would leave the party if Bloomberg is nominated, I recognize that any Democrat running in 2020 will not be Donald Trump, and not being Donald Trump makes almost any random human being more fit for office than he is. I refuse to say I would take my marbles and go home if I don’t get my way—that’s the road to defeat and Democrats cannot afford to invoke their party’s history and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

So, to paraphrase Senator Warren—I’ll vote for the person that the Democrats choose. But I hope they choose Amy or Elizabeth or maybe Pete. I don’t hate Bernie, but I see serious flaws in him as both a candidate and a president—but if the party goes a bit crazy in 2020 in the opposite direction of the crazy that infected the Republicans in 2016, then yes, I would vote for the socialist. At least he’s not a fascist.

Hell, I would vote for Rep. Tusli Gabbard, who seems like a basket of crazy in this campaign. Even a basket of crazy is not as crazy as the mountain of orange insanity that we have now.

Oh, Have Mercy

From Wikipedia, Warner Brothers poster

Is it just me, or does it seem lately as if movies have grown up a bit?

I missed “Midway,” but saw “Little Women” and loved it. And this week, on a Wednesday night, my wife and I went to the local budget cinema to see “Just Mercy.”

It was a rather somber movie, covering rather serious themes of the death penalty, the criminal justice system and racism. And it was very entertaining and watchable.

One of the characters is a witness whose testimony was used to convict a black man of a murder he did not commit. I had an odd reaction every time he was on screen, a sort of Rocky and Bullwinkle thought.

That voice. Where have I heard that voice?

It wasn’t until later, during the drive home, that it suddenly hit me. The ABC sitcom “Modern Family.” Season three, first episode, “Dude Ranch.” The horny cowboy.

Anyway, “Just Mercy” was an emotional journey. It was hard when one convict lost his appeal and was executed. It was a catharsis when the main prisoner was released, although he and his life were forever scared.

If you can make the time, catch “Just Mercy” before it’s gone from theaters.