A Few Things to At Least Be Aware Of

Oh, there are always things to worry about. Personal concerns, and then general political concerns. One has to try to keep these political concerns moderated, because if one reads everything, and sees all the bad people out there, and worrisome things going on, it can be depressing and demotivating. So one tries to keep it in perspective, but not ignore them.

I did want to mention two areas to at least be aware of. One is the primary election in Wisconsin coming up on April 4. This is actually for one Supreme Court seat, but its importance cannot be minimized. The Wisconsin Supreme Court presently has a 4-3 “Conservative” majority. Actually, from what I have learned, these are four Far Right Justices, a disgrace to what the term conservative judges used to mean.

Wisconsin is another one of the states where Democrats were routed in the 2010 midterms. That was a dreadful election year. Republicans won so many seats, that they took over state legislatures and courts. Wisconsin, once a liberal state, home of Robert La Follette’s Progressive Party, ended up with a right-wing Governor, Scott Walker, and a right-wing legislature and Supreme Court. They immediately used their power to dominate the state in all aspects.

When a Democratic Governor was finally elected, Tony Evers, in 2018. the Radical Right did everything they could to limit his power. Various state officials would not resign, and their Supreme Court found in favor of them not having to. Now finally with the resignation of one Justice, there is a chance to stop this frightening takeover of the state, and maybe the country, if one of the liberal candidates wins. First, there is a primary, with two liberal justices and two ”conservatives” vying, in a ‘top two” race, where likely one of each group will runoff in April.

I listened to an interview with Ben Winkler, who has been effective in helping Democrats retake the state. He believes that if a right-wing judge is elected, the total abortion ban which was passed around 1849, could once again become law, after Roe v. Wade was overturned. This would be a nightmare. A liberal judge would make sure that abortion would remain legal in the state. In fact, either of these two right-wing judges, both Trump supporters, could so much ruin the state, that Wisconsin might not certify the presidential popular vote in the state in 2024.

We know that this is a real fear nationwide. But Wisconsin is a crucial battleground state. If Democrats do not win the state in 2024, it will be immensely difficult to win the national election. We would need to win Georgia or Arizona, or maybe both, depending on whether we held states like New Hampshire and Nevada. Demographics has caused more ‘blue” states to be at risk of reversal, than “red states.” Thus Wisconsin is crucial, and the Supreme Court race is central to how not only that state will go, but also the country. This should be focused on, and we know that Republicans will do everything they can, seize on any issue, to get the voters to just vote against Democrats. And if this ends up with the Wisconsin Supreme Court still in Republican hands, it could be much worse than even the media seems to understand We must win this race!

The other concern is more general, and should be something to be aware of going forward. I was watching a new television show, “Capture.” It is a British show. I have watched three episodes out of the six in the first season, and I am not quite sure what the outcome will be, but it is becoming clear that it is about technology, specifically video surveillance, which is increasing. And it is about how this technology could absolutely be tinkered with or subverted, so that what people might think they are seeing on video is not accurate. The impact of realizing this is powerful and unsettling.

I don’t find many shows that I like, but I am impressed by this one. It stars Holliday Grainger, and features a fine cast. Grainger, whom I first saw playing my teenage literary crush, Estella in “Great Expectations,” and who stars on “Strike,’ might well be the new potential superstar of British drama, although I very much admire Gemma Arterton and Kate Winslet as well. I think that if “Capture” continues to be as compelling as it has been so far, it will bring up the very real danger of technology being exploited for evil, or at the least very questionable, purposes. That is always the danger with technology, used by totalitarians to control the perceptions and attitudes of people. I will see where the show takes this theme.

And now another something to worry about; Senator Fetterman and his wife have stated that he is being treated for clinical depression. That is obviously a concern for him and his family, and of course will be exploited by Republicans any way they can, and generally used against Biden. Nikki Haley, whom I cannot stand, said in her presidential candidacy announcement, that she wanted “a competency test for any politician over 75.” That brings up images of “Logan’s Run,” and “Twilight Zone” episodes, and is an awful idea, but it is in line with where the would-be totalitarians who make up the Republican Party are going.