Think hard before you vote for the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party! 

I was reading an interview with author TJ Klune the other day; he quoted a favorite meme of his that he found posted on Twitter by Adam Brott in 2015 – “I never thought leopards would eat MY face,” sobs woman who voted for the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party. 
This letter is to those of you who are still considering voting for Trump. Trump has promised to keep you safe from that of which you are afraid. This may include gays, lesbians, immigrants, folk with darker skin than yours, transgender folk, folk who speak a different language. The list can go on. 
He has also promised to use the all aspects of the federal government to get back at his enemies. In short, he has promised to become an autocrat. 
Autocrats do not concern themselves with individual freedoms or protections. If elected, the only way Trump can make good on these promises to protect you from those you feel threatened by is to trample individual freedoms & protections. Everyone’s freedoms & protections. 
Once those freedoms & protections are gone, anything that happens to the folks you are afraid of can happen to You! 
And for those of you who still believe it balances the power to vote Democrat for President & Republican for Congress, please consider that Trump has already sewn the political conversation with the seeds of a stolen election. It is essential, if you want to avert an autocracy replacing our democracy, to vote a Democratic ticket for congress as well. 

Please think hard before you vote for the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party! 
Darcy Seezaday
Duluth, Minnesota

There’s only one poll that matters

Remember the much-touted “Red Wave” that never materialized during the 2022 midterm elections? Political analyst Simon Rosenberg at hopiumchronicles.com was one of the few commentators to see through that mirage and predict the Red Wave wasn’t going to happen. He had noticed that Republicans had been flooding the zone with low-quality polls that had skewed the overall averages, and the media had taken the bait. Well, this is happening all over again. And the most absurd of the bad data being absorbed by the gullible mainstream media comes from “betting polls,” online gambling markets where people bet on who will win the election. Would-be Bond movie villain and professional douchebag Elon Musk has said betting poll data from “Polymarket”  is valid because people are putting their money where their mouth is. Sound reasonable? Polymarket is an offshore, crypto-based gambling site. But here’s the thing: AMERICANS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GAMBLE THERE! That’s a “poll” that Musk and the MSM are giving credence to. All this skewed polling will be pointed to when MAGA invariably challenges the results of the 2024 election. The MSM are normalizing fascistic and sociopathic behavior. The rightwing media are full of Great Man hagiography worthy of North Korea. And the internet has become a cesspool of lies. Whenever Republicans speak of “election integrity,” assume they are engaged in voter suppression. There is no end to their dirty tricks, but we must beat them at the only polls that matter - the polls where we vote on election day. 
David A Sorensen
Duluth, Minnesota

Disasters!

As I am writing this letter the pending “natural” disaster of hurricane Milton will hit Florida on October 9th, 2024. I have friends and business associates in Florida and will wish them the best like I did 2 weeks ago with hurricane Helene. I am concerned about Funds Evade Milton Aid (FEMA). 
However, there are a couple of disasters that are not natural. First, the terrible one year anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel. My heart goes out to the 1,200+ victims of this disaster plus the 100+ hostages. Israel continues to be attacked and they need to defend themselves so no ceasefire until all of the terrorists are killed.

Then there is another disaster happening in America on November 5th, 2024. which could be more terrible than the 2 previous disasters! For those of you who have followed my letters for the past 6+ years in the Duluth Reader you remember that I am a very patriotic veteran! I served in the U.S. Army in 1970-72 and stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. I did not have to go to Vietnam and my rank was a Specialist 4. I had a secret clearance as my job and knowledge of “crypto” communications was vital. I could not travel to Berlin due to my secret knowledge.

So, this other disaster on November 5th (election) I will not promote Trump nor will I disparage Kamala. All I want to do is to ask all of my readers to think about your vote for the well being of America. This will be a very close election and if all true patriots vote for America and not their party we have a chance to survive just like Florida and Israel.
Chuck Bracken
Cannon Falls, Minnesota

You don't say

A lone virus has slipped through the safety net and is on the loose, running amok.
His latest posture is playing the vengeful reaper, meting out draconian punishment for any who would question his prcolamations.
Gerald Norrgard
Duluth, Minnesota