If you know which classic TV commercial that line came from (answer below + bonus questions*), you might be a Boomer – and you MIGHT have decided this election.

Congratulations to former Vice-President, Joe Biden, and future Vice-President, Kamala Harris – and to America, for having the sense to choose them, rejecting four more years of Trump chaos.

While it was closer than expected – and too close for comfort – there’s no doubt who won.

Trump and Company are still whining, but it wasn’t close enough to allow their shysters to overturn it. Trump and enablers continue making wild accusations – with no evidence – about widespread fraud. But just because you don’t like the outcome, that doesn’t make it fraudulent.

Trump’s favorite shyster, political gadfly Rudy Giuliani, announced a press conference trumpeting those claims, to be held at the “Four Seasons”. Giuliani pontificated in the parking lot of Four Seasons Landscaping Company – between a crematorium and adult video store. The first “witness” he introduced was a convicted sex offender. At least the location and tone reflected Giuliani’s own level of refinement. He sputtered, “the networks don’t get to decide elections, COURTS do”. Actually, Rudy, VOTERS do.

Some Republicans with dignity were unwilling to dismiss reality in favor of Trump’s lies (over 25,000 documented, so far). Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Pat Toomey (R-PA) agreed it’s time to show evidence of EXTENSIVE fraud – if he has any.

Other Republicans are cowered by Trump’s bullying and cultists’ zealous mentality. No need for evidence or facts. Whatever the Dear Leader says is Biblical to this mob. Make no mistake, that mentality is dangerous to America’s democracy.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), desperate to retain power, joined the charade – at the same time praising GOP down-ballot victories, in the same election, from some of the same ballots. No accusations of fraud in THOSE races.

Backbone-challenged Republicans, like senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), encouraged Trump to “fight to the end”. Valuing their own power above all, they believe currying Trump’s favor is their shot at preserving it.

Texas’ GOP Lt. Governor, Dan Patrick, offered $1 million (from campaign funds) to “reward people to come forward and report voter fraud”. Allegedly encouraging “whistleblowers and tipsters”, Patrick will certainly encourage paranoid conspiracy theorists, social-media addicts, and con men instead.

A PA election worker, Richard Hopkins (Trump called him “a brave patriot”), reported supervisors discussing back-dating ballots. Interviewed by investigators, he recanted his story, then recanted that the next day. Apparently he can’t remember, make up his mind – or risk lying under oath.

Meanwhile, TX Republican Cruz pushed a debunked rumor – even discredited by Fox News (typically a Trump mouthpiece, but demonstrating some credibility lately) – that Republican observers were thrown out of a vote-counting room. Cruz is using that disproven rumor to fundraise, proving again he has no shame.

Many have compared this election to Democrat Al Gore’s 2000 loss to Republican George W. Bush (who recently displayed dignity, congratulating Biden). Gore’s lawyers fought for 30+ days, until the Supreme Court decided for Bush.

Similar, but huge differences:

1. Bush-Gore was decided by one state (FL), with a razor-thin margin of 537 votes (0.0009%); Gore won the national popular vote by over 540,000 votes.
2. Gore was urged to pursue more lawsuits. A true patriot, he declined – to unify the country. If only Trump could display that kind of patriotism, instead of his typical narcissism.

Trump trails Biden in PA, MI, GA, and AZ (all called for Biden), where he’s contesting results, by significantly wider margins. He would need to prove pervasive fraud in most (if not all) of them, to overturn results. Experts agree it’s extremely difficult to overturn ANY state’s election results.

Sadly, AMERICA’s lawyer, Attorney General William Barr, was obedient again, showing he considers himself (and the Justice Department), to be TRUMP’s attorneys. Barr issued a memo instructing the department to investigate any claims of voting fraud.

Many accusations have been made in states like GA, with Republican secretaries of state overseeing their elections, by Trumpers.

GA’s GOP Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, faced demands for his resignation from a pack including two incumbent GA GOP senators (David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler) locked in tight run-off races – for having the audacity to manage a fair, much-improved election system and report votes truthfully.

TMM acknowledges Trump DOES have the right to exhaust legal options to ascertain election accuracy – IF he has evidence backing his case. He does NOT have the right to make up wild accusations, without evidence, and claim he actually WON.

So Trump and Company, where’s the beef? Your accusations impugn election workers (many volunteers), who worked tirelessly, counting votes accurately. And bravely – some received death threats from your fanatical followers.

To borrow another phrase, “time to put up or shut up”. If you have no evidence of widespread fraud – enough to overturn election results – for the sake of America, please SHUT UP.

 

 

* Answer:

Wendy’s, 1984

Bonus Points:

What actress spoke that line?

What other fast-food chains’ hamburgers were Wendy’s rivals?

In what other political campaign was the phrase effectively used?

Answers:

Clara Peller

McDonald’s Big Mac and Burger King’s Whopper

Democratic presidential nomination campaign; 1984; Gary Hart vs. Walter Mondale, who used the phrase to assert Hart’s policies were insubstantial.

Images: Google Images

Trump at debate: Bryan Times

Biden and Harris: AP

Giuliani press conference: Stillwater, OK

Trump and McConnell: Florida Politics

Trump and Graham: The Guardian

Patrick: Forbes

Hopkins: New York Post

Cruz and Trump: The Texas Tribune

Bush and Gore: Business Insider

Barr and Trump: CNBC.com

Raffensperger: Detroit News

Perdue, Ossoff, Loeffler, Warnock: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Where’s the Beef: ilovethe80s.com

Big Mac and Whopper: Eat This, Not That

Hart and Mondale: Getty Images