This week is mercifully the last one before election season is over. When it is, I expect this section to become less extensive. First, I'm going to address the single most infuriating line of logic that I keep hearing from other voters heading into the election, then I'm going to talk briefly about my final #StateOfTheRace projection.
The argument that I'm talking about, which I've briefly addressed before here, is the Binary Choice Fallacy. I refuse to term it the "lesser of two evils" argument, though some do. It most frequently emerges in this form: "If you don't vote for Donald Trump, you're helping to elect Hillary Clinton."
To put it nicely: I find this argument lacking for a number of reasons. First, many of those making this argument to me know that I don't buy 99% of what Hillary Clinton is selling, and I believe that she would be a disastrously bad leader for our country. The idea that I would refuse to vote for Donald Trump in order to prop up Clinton is laughable to those who know my political views.
If Binary Choice Believers recognize this, they often move to the emotional argument that "Trump will be bad, but Clinton will DESTROY OUR COUNTRY. Even if it means voting for someone really bad, you must hold your nose and do it. If Clinton wins, it must be because people like you didn't vote for Trump, so you'll be responsible for everything that she does in office!" We have no idea if Trump would not do the same things as Clinton when he gains power. He's a lifelong supporter of liberal politicians, and he likes to cut deals with them. And if you think Trump will be restrained by the party, I sincerely doubt his ego will allow it.
Finally, the amount of condescension contained in the Binary Choice Fallacy is astounding. Believers in the Binary Choice Fallacy see my reluctance to vote Trump and conclude that I must not get "it." This makes them feel compelled to carefully explain to me how a two-party system works, that practically speaking, there is no chance that a third party can win this election, and we must just accept the system as it is.
There are only two practical choices in this election because enough people believe that there are only two practical choices. If a good chunk of the electorate decided they no longer believed in the imprisoning Binary Choice Fallacy, third parties would suddenly, magically become competitive options as those voters shifted allegiance. The moral defeatism contained in the Binary Choice Fallacy is the same defeatism that surrounded the abolition of slavery in America in the 1800s. Then Abraham Lincoln ran third-party in 1860.
Bottom line: I'm not going to vote for a egomaniacal sociopath because the alternative is a corrupt career politician, and I'm not going to vote for a corrupt career politician because the alternative is an egomaniacal sociopath. I choose to reject both bad choices, because at some point you just have to say "enough."
Whew. Okay. Time for #StateOfTheRace.
This polling week was weird. For most of the week it looked like Trump would make the race close on the heels of some bad press for the Democrats (rising Obamacare premiums, renewed FBI investigations into Clinton, the Podesta email releases). However, polls late in the week showed the race stabilizing and more independents shifting to Clinton, so this is where I think the race is.
Early voting numbers out of NV look great for Democrats, McMullin's momentum seems to have stalled in UT, and Clinton's run at AZ doesn't look like it will flip the state. CO seems to be solidly for Clinton now. In the East, let's look at the four big battlegrounds. OH seems to have solidified for Trump, PA is not nearly as open as some models have it (Trump hasn't led a poll there since July), and FL does its weekly back-and-forth dance, but more and more models are handing it to Dems. The only state that no one knows what to do with (including the betting markets) is NC. I'm going to call it R, but I really have no idea. I don't buy a lot of the chatter that NH or VA will go red, despite a couple recent polls. Lastly, I do think ME's 2nd Congressional District, which continually votes for their Trumplike governor, will back Trump.
Movies
This weekend, I saw Doctor Strange, a film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe about an arrogant neurosurgeon whose hands are damaged in an accident. Desperate for healing, he goes to Nepal and encounters the Ancient One, a being of otherworldly power who shows Strange a new world of magic. When a powerful evil from another dimension threatens ours, Strange must decide whether to use his new training to return to his old life, or to take up the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme to defend our world.
Benedict Cumberbatch is one of my favorite actors, so I was excited to see his take on a superhero I didn't know much about. He was, as always, pitch perfect and the best part of the movie. That's not to discount from the rest of the cast either. Chiwitel Ejiofor plays the rigid Mordo, battle-buddy of Cumberbatch's Steven Strange, with gravitas that reminded me of his role as The Operative in Serenity. Rachel McAdams played Strange's occasional love interest as the everywoman very well, Tilda Swinton displayed simplicity and quiet grace as the Ancient One, and the always spectacular Mads Mikkelsen was menacing as the power-hungry Kaecilius.
One of the best origin stories I've seen since Batman Begins or Iron Man, with a plot that resembles both in different ways. The visual effects look nearly real, and the direction is sweeping while allowing the actors room to embody their characters. An excellent, fun time. 4/5 Stars.
Sports
Go Cubs go
Go Cubs go
Hey Chicago whaddaya say
The Cubs are gonna win today
I'll admit, I was not rooting for the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series until Game 7. I didn't really follow baseball at all this year, and I turned on the TV just because I wanted to see history.
What I saw was the best baseball game I've ever seen, and maybe the best sports game I've ever seen, period.
During the game, my brother (a giant baseball fan) texted me something that made me think. In all caps, just as the Indians tied the game in the 8th inning: "THIS GAME IS WHY I LOVE BASEBALL." And just as the game ended, he said: "You will never see a better baseball game, both because of the significance and the events themselves. The tying home run. The rain delay. The fact that it's game 7. The players-only meeting that [Cubs player] Heyward called during the rain delay. The fact that Davis made it a one run game. Unbelievable. As Billy Bean would say "How can you not be romantic about baseball?"
For me, the best part of this game was that for ten innings, America heaved a big sigh of relief. For ten glorious innings, America came together to watch an epic story unfold, a curse shatter into a thousand pieces, and a city unite in joy. During that game there was no political mudslinging, no fear for the future, no hatred of other tribes – just fun, and in its wake absolute jubilance across generations of Americans.
My brother is right. Sports at its best is magical, because it unites across divides.
Sudden subject change: the College Football Playoff! The first rankings came out this week! They don't matter, so I don't care!
The only remaining teams in CFP contention according to The Rules are Clemson, Louisville, West Virginia, Michigan, Ohio State, Western Michigan, Washington, and of course Alabama. Baylor fell flat on its face against TCU and needs to do a massive amount of soul-searching, Nebraska got outclassed in nearly every way by Ohio State, Florida fell victim to NovemBert, and HAHAHAHA AGGIES LOST TO CLANGA. They are all summarily eliminated.
Your playoff is still probably Alabama, Michigan, Clemson, and Washington in that order until someone loses.
Etc.
Nothing further to add except this Bible verse for your Election Day. Please join me in praying for our nation and our next president, no matter who it may be.
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