"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."-- Attributed to Abraham Lincoln. In reality, Lincoln never uttered or wrote those words or words to that effect. Instead, they were said about him.
The original version of the quotation came on Jan. 16, 1883, during a speech in Washington, D.C., by the prominent writer and orator Robert Ingersoll.
"If you" want to know the difference between an orator and a speaker, read the oration of Lincoln at Gettysburg and then read the speech of Everett at the same place. One came from the heart. The other was born only of the voice. Lincoln's speech will be remembered forever. Everett's no man will read. It was like plucked flowers."
From the Democratic National Convention came speeches we haven't heard the likes of in a while. No sound bites, full on speeches, given with conviction, truth, honesty, promises to lower taxes for the middle class, build more houses so the middle class can afford to buy one, preserve Medicare, and Social Security, feed the children, give teachers a living wage, maintain funding for schools, give our children an opportunity to be free of pollution and bullets, overturn Roe vs Wade to provide a reproductive freedom to women, give Americans hope again.
The American Dream raised its beautiful head again when two people from State Schools worked their way up the ranks; one was bussed to school, and the other who grew up on a farm could run for President and Vice President of the United States.
Remember when the strength of America lie in its strong middle class?
Yes, we had problems in the 60's, but we had the guts to protest wars, and march for civil rights, to change the dress code in schools--and champion men to grow facial hair.
Professor Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor, now on Substack, helped me understand how Americans could vote for a tyrant.
Trump exploited their anger.
Americans, especially the working class, have been bullied. They have been bullied by corporate executives, Wall Street, and upper-class urban professionals.
They're angry.
In Trump, they saw someone who they thought was different.
Except that Trump is a bully.
Trump used his wealth to gain
power. He used his power to target people of color, harass and abuse women,
lie, violate the law, and attempt to topple our Constitution. Instead of being
a leader for the people, he became an advocate for himself. He was and still is
vindictive against anyone who opposes him. And then he rages at anyone who
calls him a bully. And he admires Hannibal Lector! What?! (Lector is fictitious character from the movie Silence of the Lambs, who eats people.)
Trump is a "me, me, me, person.
Kamala Harris said every day in court, she would say 5 words, "Kamala Harris for the People."
"Because," she says, "what happens to one of us happens to all."
"Kamala Harris is a You, you, you person." (Thanks, Bill Clinton.)
From Reich:
"We have learned that Trump cannot be beaten at his own game. He cannot be out-threatened. He cannot be shouted down. He is beyond shame or guilt. He emits lies at such volume and repetition they cannot be corrected.
"The only way to beat him is by playing an entirely different game that draws on qualities that are the opposite of his, that appeals to those aspects of the American character diametrically opposed to his.
"Lincoln spoke of the better angels of our nature. Those better angels are still there but have lain dormant since 2016. Biden tried reviving them, but he didn't have the energy or stamina to pull it off. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz do."
And why don't our adversaries trust women?
Women, we need to roar now to convince Americans to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
Listen to Lady Gaga go against Trump. She put it out there. (Trump lied with an ad stating that Gaga supported him.)
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/lady-gaga-slams-trump-at-biden-rally-in-pittsburgh-95211077945
"Vote to keep Trump out of the White House like your life depends on it, no, like your children's lives depend on it, because it does."—Lady Gaga.
And then listen to that Lady sing our National Anthem. Wow, those pipes of hers rang out over the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Memorial with the clarity of an angel.
