Nancy Shively is a special education teacher in Oklahoma. She is a lifelong Republican. She voted for Trump in 2016. She now knows this was a huge mistake that has put her life and the lives of her colleagues at risk. She has switched her registration to independent and will vote for Joe Biden this time.
Her vote for Trump, she fears, may have been tantamount to signing her death warrant.
She writes:
I live and teach in a small Oklahoma town. It’s not far from the site of President Trump’s Tulsa campaign rally on June 20 that appears, as common sense would have predicted, to be a super-spreader event. About two weeks after the rally, Tulsa County reported a record high number of cases…
I am over 60, with two autoimmune diseases. This outbreak has me worried as it is. Now, with the prospect of schools reopening in a few short weeks, I am terrified.
And I am not the only one. One young teacher I know has chronic kidney problems and is at high risk for complications if she contracts COVID-19. She can’t quit her only source of income. Taking its cue from our governor, who hosted Trump’s rally and has now tested positive for COVID-19 himself, her school district has announced that wearing a mask will be optional, though the state is considering requiring it…
Our country has long devalued and underpaid teachers, refusing to adequately fund the public schools that support our democracy. At the same time, teachers routinely have to use their own money to buy classroom supplies. Now the government is turning to us to risk our health or possibly our lives during a pandemic. My school district has no mask mandate and two nurses for more than 2,400 students in 5 school buildings. How is that going to work?…
Teaching is a calling and Oklahoma teachers are as tough as they come. Some have sheltered their students as a tornado ripped the school building from over their heads. Most of us would do anything to help our students succeed.
So now the man I gambled on to be president is asking us to risk our health and our very lives. The odds are most definitely not in our favor.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“So now the man I gambled on to be president is asking us to risk our health and our very lives.”
I got the impression that he was demanding that they risk their health and lives.”
Thank you to this brave teacher for having admitted her initial mistake publicly in the local paper and subjecting herself to possible blowback from the noxious Trumpeters. It is mind boggling that they only have two nurses for more than 2,400 students in 5 school buildings. It’s criminal during a time of a pandemic.
We cannot afford more nurses. This is a capitalist country . . . Nurses are for rich kids in rich schools.
A fellow teacher told me he would not vote republican for the first time in his life. The problem with this teacher and my friend is that the vote they cast for trumps opponent will not be heard. In Tennessee as I Oklahoma, reason is so far from political decision that the trump vote will overwhelm them as it has me for all these years.
What we need is, at the very least, change the electoral college is a way that will make all the candidates pay attention to all the parts of the country. Now, a democrat comes to Tennessee so seldom that the state is given up to the republicans. The minority of tennesseans who vote against republicans are left to naught, for political parties today can govern without attention to their minorities.
That’s the absurdity of the electoral college. My vote in New York won’t affect the presidential race but it will matter in the Congressional race. My congressman is a Trump clone opposed by a scientist from a local university.
Pollster Nate Silver claims that Biden has to win by five or six percent in order to safely overcome the potential negative drag of the electoral college. The electoral college is a huge impediment to Democratic candidates.https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2059364461646/bill-maher-mocks-guests-confidence-in-biden-you-guys-are-whistling-past-the-graveyard
cx: electoral college
In light of the electoral college being noted as a way the rural minority will not by tyrannized by the urban majority, can we at least seek balance, with some sort of formula to balance things a bit. I do not see the nation lasting an electoral college victory juxtaposed with a massive popular vote disparity in dispute with that victory. Sooner of later we will see feet in the streets.
The 2016 election was a huge disparity. Clinton received 3 million votes more than Trump and lost.
I am worried that a similar outcome will not be handled quite as graciously in 2020. Already litigation is more intense than at any other time in history. It strikes me that the way to avoid litigation over elections is to make simple rules beforehand that all agree will produce fairness. Unfortunately, the time to do that was four years ago, and we were to busy arguing about whether a tax cut would spur the economy. Who cares about representation?
“A fellow teacher told me he would not vote republican for the first time in his life”
Me neither. I have yet to vote Republican and sure as hell am not about to make this the first time.
MAGRA
Making Americans’ Greatest Regrets Again
I only wish more people in Oklahoma would reject their delusional allegiance to this twisted demagogue that cares nothing about Oklahoma, its people or its schools. Republicans should also wise up and get over their tribal loyalty to party that does nothing for working people other than use them. The last poll I saw showed Trump up by 25 points in the state. Pity the fools!
after almost four years of Trump exposing his personality endlessly, it is harder and harder to find pity
All of this hurt being put on teachers is directly the fault of President Trump. He wants us all to pretend that everything is back to normal so that ‘the economy will bloom again’…and he can get re-elected. Unfortunately, some administrators would rather follow that line than work to make conditions safe for children or any adult that has to go back to school with no safeguards. If money is the main problem, then don’t open up until more can be done.
No masks and only two nurses for 2,400 kids in five schools is an atrocity.
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Trump’s Latest Failure Could Kill 6 million Americans
Sep. 17, 2020 4:43 pm
By Thom Hartmann
Although they haven’t yet publicly acknowledged it in such stark terms, it’s clear now that the Trump administration has decided pursue a herd immunity strategy to deal with the coronavirus.
Trump’s new White House advisor on coronavirus, Scott Atlas, has said it on numerous occasions in multiple venues, and now our Attorney General, Bill Barr, is trying to argue that lockdowns to prevent the spread of the virus are as bad as slavery. Trying to achieve herd immunity in the United States against the coronavirus, assuming it’s even possible, would involve between two and 6 million Americans dying.
And that’s just the deaths. People who survive coronavirus often have heart damage, strokes, dementia, severe chronic fatigue, and long-lasting damage to other organs. With a herd immunity strategy, tens of millions of Americans will be suffering these consequences, perhaps for the rest of their lives.
But if you’d rather play golf and watch Fox News than govern a country, herd immunity is the easiest way to get past a pandemic.
The CDC, apparently on the orders of Trump’s political toadies like Dr. Atlas, has stopped advising states to have mask mandates when their infection rates spike. When its director, Dr. Robert Redfield, tried to tell America that we should all be wearing masks, Trump went out and contradicted him.
At the same time, Republicans in both the House and Senate are refusing to do anything that might help people affected by this crisis, in the bizarre belief that cutting off aid to people will force them back into the workplace.
For some baffling reason, the media is largely ignoring this story. Perhaps it’s because it’s so hard to believe that the President of the United States would think letting 6 million Americans die, and tens of millions of Americans suffer permanent disabilities, is the right thing to do.
But this is the same guy who brought us a failed steak company, a failed vodka company, a failed airline, a failed school, several failed casinos, and even a real estate empire that was failing so badly it had to be bailed out by foreign oligarchs multiple times.
Trump doesn’t know how to run a business, so we shouldn’t be surprised that he doesn’t know how to run a country. His latest failure, tragically, is the United States of America.
But running a bunch of companies into the ground doesn’t cause the death of millions of human beings. Now the stakes have been radically raised.
Trump’s new “herd mentality” strategy for dealing with the coronavirus is beyond incompetent: it’s evil.
-Thom
The herd mentality is cheap and requires Trump to do nothing other than allow innocent people to die. There will never be herd immunity as long as people can be reinfected, and many more lives will be lost. This strategy is equivalent to a Republican “death panel.” Let us not forget this bit of Republican propaganda about the ACA.
I HOPE that a LOT of people who voted for this monstrosity will see the light this time around. I HOPE but ….
Interesting: last night on the PBS Newshour it was reported: The U. S. has 4% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s Covid cases. But, statistics like that are irrelevant in a cult mentality.
Finally some historical facts enabling a better understanding of 2020’s political leaders
Some of you might recall that on July 8, 1947—–some 73 years ago now, that several corroborating first hand witnesses claimed that an Unidentified Flying Object, (UFO), with five aliens aboard, crashed onto a sheep and mule ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico. This is a well-known incident that many say has long been covered-up by the U.S. Air Force, as well as other powerful “deep state” Federal Agencies and Organizations.
However, what you may NOT know is that, during the month of April 1948, nine months after that historic day, the following people were born: Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Paul Manafort, and Mitch McConnell. Based on the rationale and logic of Qanon and other extremist far-right political orthodoxies this is the obvious consequence of aliens breeding with sheep and jackasses.
I hope this bit of historical information and context clears up a few things for you about America’s current powerful leaders who are now fully in power and charge of America.
Given how smart aliens would have to be to get go earth from the stars, the nearest of which is 4 light years away, I’d say that even if aliens bred with sheep and jackasses, the result would be far more intelligent than the folks you listed.
So I think that alone disproves that theory.
Everything you always wanted to know about alien sex, but were afraid to ask”
If ET bred with sheep
The genius would be deep
The sheep would jot
“To be or not”
And dream, perchance to sleep”
The babe would jot
I question CDC Director Redfield’s allegiance. [He was appointed by Trump.] This horrible guideline, put out by Trump appointees, should never have been published. What else is being compromised?
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BREAKING NEWS
The C.D.C. reversed its heavily criticized guidance that symptom-free people who’ve had close contact with an infected person do not need a test.
Friday, September 18, 2020 1:54 PM EST
The agency’s move comes after widespread criticism of the guideline, as well reporting from The New York Times indicating that the recommendation came from political appointees in the Trump administration and skipped the agency’s usual rigorous scientific review.
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education.
Nancy is a true Republican. Could care less about anything until it affects her personally. Not buying these crocodile tears. She deserves no sympathy whatsoever.
Thanks for that cogent analysis. (snark) Obviously, anyone who is/was a life long Republican deserves what they get. Is that how you welcome those who have finally realized the Republican party no longer represents what they thought it did? Biden promises to be everyone’s president. I am hoping that anger, disgust and frustration have just momentarily overwhelmed your better nature.
So cruel and mean! How could you?!!!
Having a little schadenfreude, are you? I know I am, and am having a party and good time!
However, putting all my snarkiness aside, isn’t it better for the”other camp” to reflect, reform, and make shifts in their life? People still can learn. Look at the Arizona red shirt teachers and their movement.
Look at Diane Ravitch.
I am a Western European-style Democrat, and even the most decent GOPs I know are still very unenlightened because they STILL do not understand the virtues of progressive taxation, single payer healthcare, and subsidized higher education. But that said, people can and do change and it’s better to dialogue with them than to gloat.
I mean, I will join you for some gloating and cruelty and have a good time, but they both have a shelf life, Behind that, it is up to us to hold dialogues with those who are different from us and work out positions based the understanding of human need instead of using labels (I do not assume you do so!) of “left . .. right . . . liberal .. conservative”.
I am not sure if these are crocodile tears or ones that reflect a true and sad epiphany. But better late than never . . .
My registered Republican sibling just announced she is voting for Biden. She thinks Trump is an idiot.
Robert Rendo, Educator: I am always amazed at the total hatred that my brother feels. I’d love for my brother to change. Won’t happen. Anyone who voted for Trump and now sees the damage he is doing is worthy of respect.
Here’s what my Republican brother sent me a few hours ago:
Ever see how many people are at a Trump rally? 4,5,6,000 or more? Joe Biteme get, 10 on a good day. He doesn’t even know where he’s at most of the time. I know what state he’s in, it’s rather simple, he’s in the state of confusion. Harris, what a nut job she is. Go head and believe your lies. You’re in a cult, new age movement. Your life is a lie. You believe anything the fake news tells you, constantly lying about Trump. He’s walked over all you nut jobs and your to blind to see it. I will not change, I will never bow to your party. So why don’t you stop with the crap your sending me, it just shows how ignorant you are.
My brother-in-law used to send out blatantly anti-Hillary screeds and sing Trump’s praises before the 2016 election. I finally told him not to send me any of his political “jokes” anymore. I doubt he is still enamored by Trump, but we don’t discuss politics. He escaped from Czechoslovakia during its Russian years, so I doubt hie is still a Trump acolyte, and I say my “I told you so” comments for daydreams. He probably can still recite the ole Republican line; he just doesn’t realize that none of those values are actually practiced anymore.
If Trump, Pence and others could have been aborted, we wouldn’t be discussing them now. 🤔😮😁
Renowned Harvard trauma expert: There’s a ‘very real threat of a racist, misogynist and deadly dystopia’ if Trump wins in November
Written by Bandy X. Lee September 19, 2020
This continues the series, “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump Revisited: Mental Health Experts on the Devastating Mishandling of a Pandemic.” Whereas we could not have predicted a pandemic three-and-a-half years ago, the authors of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President anticipated how the president would respond, should there be a crisis. We tried to warn the public of the very consequences that are unfolding today: abuse of power, incompetence, and loss of lives and livelihoods of many Americans…
How do you expect he will respond in the coming critical months of the presidential election and beyond, as he becomes ever more isolated and senses that his power may be slipping away?
What is most frightening to me, as we approach this endgame, is the potential for apocalyptic self-destruction as Dear Leader becomes ever more isolated and senses that his power may be slipping away. Two months ago, the president attempted to revive the mass meetings that have sustained his fragile egomania, The Virus Be Damned! He was enraged and humiliated when, instead of the “hundreds of thousands” he expected, only some 6,000 supporters actually turned out, and the stadium was seen to be over half empty. Apparently, quite a few supporters who might be happy to yell “Trump, Trump, Trump!” “Build the Wall!” and “Lock Her Up!” in a crowd under ordinary circumstances had retained sufficient reality testing so that they were unwilling to risk their lives in a packed indoor space, where devoted cult followers refused to wear masks as a sign of loyalty to the leader.
The president has also been publicly rebuked, by present and former military leaders, for his decision to deploy military forces against peaceful citizens. Polls consistently show that a majority of the U.S. public has had enough of him. He is at risk of losing the election, and losing is something his narcissism cannot bear. Moreover, he has probably retained enough of his own reality testing to know that without the shield of the presidency, he may be called to account for any number of his crimes. Like many dictators under such circumstances, he may want to take the country, or the world, down with him. Prepare for a very dangerous time.
You have been a pioneer for our efforts as professionals with a societal role. Is there anything we might have done differently, and what lessons for the future can we draw from this experience?
I very much regret the fact that my professional organization, the American Psychiatric Association has refused to take a stand of resistance to this president’s multiple abuses of power and his appalling failure to protect the public health during this pandemic. In fact, without any consultation with the membership, soon after the election of this president, the organization’s leaders expanded ethical guidelines to silence any professional commentary on a public figure, no matter how disturbed and destructive he might be. I consider this to be a pathetic act of cowardice on the part of the APA, and I have chosen to disregard their new rule in the service of what I consider a higher ethical principle of bearing witness. I am grateful to my many colleagues who have done the same….
https://www.alternet.org/2020/09/renowned-harvard-trauma-expert-theres-a-very-real-threat-of-a-racist-misogynist-and-dystopia-if-trump-wins-in-november/#.X2Xyfym9qR4.gmail