Yes, It’s Really, Really Over

“In time, you will know what it’s like to lose. To feel so desperately that you’re right. Yet to fail all the same. Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives.” – Thanos, from the Marvel movie, “Avengers: Infinity War”

Given the political quagmire our nation finds herself embroiled in, at this time, that particular quote seems fitting.

The Trump campaign has fought a losing battle, in their efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Over 50 lawsuits challenging the results of the election in states where Trump lost have all been summarily bounced.

The latest, and most definitive has been the case brought by indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. He pushed the case to the Supreme Court, attempting to nullify the votes of four states: Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Did Paxton and those Trumpian clingers who signed on with him really believe there was merit to their case, or that Texas, as big and bold as it is, can tell other states how to run their election?

Don’t you believe it, for a minute. Paxton knew this would fail, but because he is under investigation by the FBI, turned in by his own senior staff, he’s hoping this bit of theater earns him one of Trump’s out-the-door pardons. He’ll need it.

As for Trump’s faithful followers, they’re not taking it well. That part was to be expected. Were they emotionally or mentally well, they’d remember wins and losses are just part of the political game. Still, their tears and howls of “FRAUD! IT MUST BE FRAUD!!” are both amusing and disturbing. At what point can we expect them to rejoin our society, if ever? They’ve invested 5 years of loyalty to this Pied Piper of dimwits. To give up now would be admitting that maybe Donald Trump isn’t infallible or immortal. To accept that he ran a poor campaign, based on fear tactics, grievances, crazed tweeting, and four years of tearing down the very foundation of our republic may be more than they’re capable of processing.

If nothing else, the age of Trump has scraped off the thin, cheap veneer of patriotism many in the Republican Party have claimed as their ideology. At the time of this writing, hours after a conservative-leaning Supreme Court – with three Trump appointees, no less – slammed the lid shut on Trump challenges to the White House, the writhing, frothing Branch Trumpidians are calling for martial law. They want Donald Trump installed by military force, if they can’t steal the election, any other way.

They truly do not believe that there are more people in the voting public ready to dunk the Trump era into the garbage bin of history, than there are of them.

Here’s the reality check: People didn’t vote for Joe Biden, so much as they voted against Donald Trump.

Trump has spent the last four years writing a check with his mouth that his ample, orange behind cannot cash. The bill has come due, and it amounts to an eviction from the people’s house.

So what did SCOTUS decide, regarding the Texas case? This is the one soon-to-be-former President Trump called “the big one.”

They kept it brief, because it did not merit more of their time.

“Texas has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another State conducts its elections,” the ruling states. “All other pending motions are dismissed as moot.”

In layman’s terms, they told Texas to take several seats. How other states run their elections is none of Texas’ business, and don’t bring this nonsense before the courts again, because, just as happened this time, you won’t get past the front door of the establishment!

This was like a convenience store posting a picture of Ken Paxton at the register, with a note saying: Do not accept checks from this person.

Still, Justices Thomas and Alito had comments of their own. It was a bit like rubbing salt in an open wound, actually.

“In my view, we do not have discretion to deny the filing of a bill of complaint in a case that falls within our original jurisdiction,” wrote Alito, joined by Thomas. “I would therefore grant the motion to file the bill of complaint but would not grant other relief, and I express no view on any other issue.”

More layman’s terms: We should have probably heard the case, since they went to all this trouble, and hearing cases is kind of our thing, but after we heard it, we were just going to side with the other seven and serve up a unanimous 9-0 verdict against it. They lose, either way.

On December 14, the electors will cast their votes for Joe Biden, and that, truly, is that. Next month, a new presidential term will begin. It will be the Biden administration, and no amount of social media moaning, mad tweeting, “patriot” marches, or GOP grifting will stop the inevitable.

It’s done.

Am I thrilled to have Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, along with whatever motley crew of liberal thinkers they surround themselves with in office?

I am not. I know there will be a lot to rail against, and I’m prepared to blast them on every point.

That being said, I am absolutely thrilled to see our system still works. There is still a branch of our government willing to shut down the creeping fascism of the Trumpists. Where the legislative branch has failed to uphold their duties, letting partisanship give free reign to Donald Trump’s worst impulses and nation-killing decisions, the judicial branch has drawn the line.

I’ll close with this question: Who wants to help Trump pack?