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Page A-4 Shelton-Mason. County Journal — Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020
THESE TIMES
It’s time for
some pea soup
apologize for what I’m about to do, Rich
IHolmes of Shelton. .
Mr. Holmes wrote a letter to the
last month that took a poke at-me for writing
about politics too much. Here’s his letter, in ‘full: ‘
“Too bad about Kirk Ericson. His once witty and
charming column has turned political and not
very muchyfun to read. In fact, I quit reading
them. I can’t wait for the election to be oVer so I
can enjoy this talented man’s clever and enter-
taining articles.”
That’s the best I’m-not—
reading—you-anymore letter
anyone could hope for, plus it
was persuasive and didn’t de-
generate into name—calling or
labeling, so 'I didn’t dismiss it.
In fact, I cut it out and taped
the letter to my desk, putting
it next to a favorite quote: “If
the fool would persist in his
folly he would become wise.”
So, over the past three
weeks, I’ve taken heed, writ-
ing instead about nonpolitical bats, nonpartisan
salmon and apolitical bananas, with just a brief,
sideward sally into an item about a Las Vegas
pastor who told President Donald Trump, to his
face, that the Lord had promised her that he
would win a second term. ' v
Geez. All the presidential polls were off.
But the presidential election, technically, isn’t
“over” ~— it has yet to be certified, and litigated
and thrashed to within an inch of the Constitu-
tion’s life. So, pardon me, Rich, for the politics
that follow here.
I received another lovely, pre—election letter
last week, this one handwritten and sealed in an.
envelope, from longtime Mason County resident
James Blauvelt, who lives out invthe sticks near
Matlbck. _.
I called James last Saturday afternoon, a few
hours after math determined that Joe Biden
would win the Electoral College vote. After
thanking him for his kind letter, I corrected one I
matter. He referred to me as a “liberal,” but I
told him that I’m more of a left-leaning moderate ’
extremist.
“I guess that’s better than what you could be,”
James replied.
In his letter, James wrote, “I’m 88 years old,
always been a liberal, as were my parents and
grandparents. My grandfather was a plasterer
and senior, organizer in Seattle, a hundred and
more years ago. I liked your column ‘Whose town
is it?’ and your summary of the current powers
that be. I may even subscribe to the Journal
again. Keep up the good work.”
On Saturday afternoon, he told me over the
phone that he was feeling “Like a weight was
lifted off my back when I heard that it was final.”
By KIRK
ERICSON
4 see TIMES, page A—5’
Wimiiiaammniy ileum-ital '
nail is a member of the Wash-
ington Newspaper Publishers
uses 492-800
POSTMASTER: Send‘address changes to Shelton—Mason
County Journal, PO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584.
Published weekly by the Shelton-Mason County Journal
at 227 W. Coia St., Shelton, Washington.
Mailing address: PO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone: 360—426-4412
Website: www.masoncounty.com
Periodicals postage paid In Shelton, Washington.
V forced to defend itself in districts it had held for
per chamber, Democrats have 46 seats and two
' ' candidate Bernie Sanders, who caucus with the
for Mason County addresses and
$75 per year ($55 for six months)
outside oi Mason County.
Owned and published by
Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc.
EDITOR’S CHAIR
'Ber WaVe’ was a red riptide‘
rLast week’s election proved to be a thorough ed for a Jan. 4 runoff,
with Republicans needing to
win just one of the two to maintain a majority.
andpersonal rebuke of President Donald
The projected blue wave ended in a red riptide.
Trump.
It was also rejection of the Democratic Party’s
progressive wing and agenda.
As of Tuesday night, President-elect
Joe Biden is the projected winner of 279
Electoral College votes. Biden also leads
Arizona and Georgia by more than 10,000
votes and appears on track to claim a total
of 306 votes. He also leads the nationwide
popular vote by more than 5 million votes.
While Biden, a moderate Democrat
with the lifelong record of bipartisan
cooperation, and Vice President-elect
Kamala Harris surged past the decidedly
unpopular incumbent president, it was
the Republicans running in both houses
of Congress that made most of the largest
gains on election night.
Countless pre-election polls showed Democrats
on the verge of a “blue wave,” projecting the party I
to take control of the Senate and expand its posi-
tion in the House. V
Instead, Republicans made significant gains
against the Democratic majority in the House. This
was especially true in moderate districts where '
GOP candidates successfully tied more progressive
policies to their opponents. ,
The Democrats intraparty feud exploded the
day after the election as the party’s more moderate
faction'lashed out at its progressive wing for being
Joe Biden would be the Democratic nomi-
nee, many in the party’s more progres-
sive wing those of whom had voted for
Sanders or Elizabeth Warren — decried
that Biden was boring and not progressive
enough. ”
The results of last week’s election show
that Biden is likely the only candidate
that could have defeated Trump.
In many swing states, voters chose
Biden for president and a Republican for
Congress.
Would a much more progressive candi-
date have won back those crucial votes in
the Rust Belt that effectively determined
the past two elections?
The votes seem to give an answer to that.
When it comes to nationwide politics, the United
States is a Democratic—majority nation and has
been for decades. Since George H.W. Bush’s 1988
win over Michael Dukakis, the Republican candi-
date for president of the United States has only
captured the nationwide popular vote once — in
George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election.
The president isn’t chosen by the popular vote ‘
though, and anyone seeking the nation’s highest
office has to contend with the math of the Electoral
College.
That’s why, during those same 28 years, the
GOP has won three presidential terms, and both '
the House and Senate have changed majorities
multiple times.
The country might be center—left, but last‘Tues-
day it resoundingly rejected an ultra—progressive
approach to goVernance.
By JUSTIN
JOHNSON
years. ,
In the, race for control of the Senate, Democrats
picked up seats in Arizona and Colorado, but lost
a'seat in Alabama for a net gain of just one. Re-
publicans currently have 50 members of the up-
independents — including Democratic presidential A - ‘ , ,
I Justin Johnson is the Editor of the Shelton-
Mason County Journal. He can be reached by email
at justin@masoncounty.com
Democrats.
Both Senate seats in Georgia appear to be head—
BET OUT HERE!
YOU CAN‘T STAY IN
THERE FOR FOUR YEARS
BECAUSE OF AN ELECTION.
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