I believe Trump will win simply because the alternative is too dangerous for too many people.
Inflation will not be solved under Kamala Harris except through far higher interest rates, and through deep recessions -- and the Fed is signaling it lacks the stomach to do what Volcker did in the early 1980s, at least when a Democrat is in office, so I don't think we'd solve the problem in the near future.
War is not going to stop. There will be more of it, and it may reach our shores.
Lawfare. Targeting political opponents through the justice system. "Reform" by prosecutors who have allowed criminals to run rampant. Transgenderism in the schools. Censorship on social media. Forced EV cars and higher energy prices.
I could go on. Basically, there are enough people for whom all the hoopla -- debates, ads, polls, etc. -- simply doesn't matter. People are going to vote for change because we cannot leave the incompetent Ivy Leaguers in charge.
But the obstacles are immense, as the debate this week reminded us, with its crazy bias from the moderators. Vote-by-mail is a scam. Media bias is real. Censorship is going on, quietly. Trump has to overcome all of that.
Can he?
I don't know, but I've chosen to believe that he will. I want to be clear: that's a belief that I've chosen. It would be more logical to conclude that he cannot win and that the machine behind Kamala Harris will simply win (and fail in office).
So I am aware that I am choosing a belief that is likely to fail, possibly so that I can make it through the next few months, possibly because doing so makes the outcome more likely to happen.
It's not crazy, just perhaps unlikely. But I do believe.
This is the portion that all journalists should love: the Torah tells the story of the 12 spies, only two of whom tell the truth when the other ten shade it in a negative away (perhaps to suit a political agenda that is opposed to Moses).
It's not that the ten "lying" spies misconstrue the facts about the Land of Israel; rather, they interject their opinions that the land is impossible to conquer, which strikes unnecessary terror into the hearts of the people.
We have many examples of such fake news today -- from the Iranian propaganda outlets spreading false claims that they are winning the war, to California politicians spreading false horror stories about ICE raids in L.A.
The people realize, too late, that they have been fooled, and once they are condemned to die in the desert, they try to rush into Israel -- only to be defeated by the inhabitants, as the spies predicted that they would be.
But as consolation, God gives the people new commandments -- focused on things they must ...
This week's portion discusses the procedure for lighting the menorah, the holy seven-branched lamp, in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple). It also describes an episode where the people crave meat, and God punishes them by giving it to them in excess. We also read the story of Miriam, Moses's sister, who is punished with the spiritual skin blemish of tzara'at for speaking about her brother, thus violating the prohibition against lashon hara (evil tongue).
I heard a fantastic sermon this week about the lighting of the menorah: that while only the priests were qualified to clean and purify the menorah, anyone could light it. A reminder that each of us can inspire others along the way.
This week we study the vow of the Nazirite; a reminder that sometimes trying to be too holy is excessive, and the best we can do is to be the best that we are.
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495720/p/complete/jewish/Naso-Torah-Reading.htm
