Columnists

It didn't attract much attention, but over the last few days, Joe Biden has crafted an effective economic message. In a voter town hall in Scranton Pennsylvania, and in subsequent speeches, Biden crystallized his powerful argument.

Although a majority of voters are worried about the Coronavirus pandemic, there is also deep concern about the economy: jobs, everyday bills, and healthcare costs. Joe Biden is addressing this with a comprehensive plan (https://joebiden.com/build-back-better/#), while Donald Trump offers a set of bromides.

Until the last few weeks, when compared on a range of issues, voters saw Trump as better than Biden on only one issue: the economy. But recently, the gap has narrowed. The September 2nd, Quinnipiac poll ( https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=3671) found Biden and Trump tied on the question "who would do a better job handling the economy."

Now Biden has found the perfect way to demonstrate to voters that Trump isn't the one they should trust to handle the economy: Biden is making it personal. "Guys like Trump who inherited everything and squandered what they inherited are the people that I’ve always had a problem with, not the people who are busting their neck... I really do view this campaign as a campaign between Scranton and Park Avenue." "Like a lot of you, I spent a lot of my life with guys like Donald Trump looking down on me. Looking down on the people who make a living with their hands. People who take care of our kids, clean our streets."

Biden's message is one of deep equality: "One of the lessons my mother taught me... it’s one that you probably were taught too... She said, 'Joey, remember nobody’s better than you, but everybody’s your equal...' You don’t measure people by the size of their bank accounts. I don’t respect people based on how big the house they live in is. I don’t look down my nose when people are busting their necks just making a limit, nor do any of you." Biden is identifying with working folks, the ones who have been left out of Trump's economy.

Based upon this perspective, Biden is directly attacking Trump's fixation on the stock market. "Trump says... everyone’s in the stock market. That’s why he cares about the stock market. What the hell is he talking about? People, I grew up in Scranton, Claymont, they don’t have money in stocks. Every penny we made was to pay the bills and take care of the families, putting clothes in the back, and a roof over our head." -more-

As a paranoid person, in many cases I can't trust my gut instinct, and I must rely on what may seem to be naivete.

If we are paranoid, we have a choice of either trusting most people, or not. And if not, then we are living in a shell of our own illusions. They may not seem like illusions at the time, yet when we come out of the shell, we realize that the thinking had been erroneous.

We are probably better off trusting, and on occasion being fooled, as opposed to never trusting and living in psychological isolation. Paranoia is an isolating thing. It makes us feel more separate from other people than we actually are. When we connect with people in a trusting, open and caring manner, it is very health-giving. If we can't do that, it is bad for our physical and mental health. -more-

There is one sure and immutable sign that the seasons have shifted from summer to fall: It's Pumpkin Month at Trader Joe's.

At the downtown Berkeley Joe's, the celebration gets underway even before you set foot in the store. Instead of a series of "socially distanced" shoe-prints painted on the parking lot floor, the path leading to the rear entrance is now adorned with seasonal slogans like "Fall in Line" and "Up and Autumn." But the best message comes in the form of a riddle: "What do you get when you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter?" (Answer: "Pumpkin Pi.)

So what's on the menu for this year? Here's a quick survey. Pumpkin Empenadas! Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Mix! Pumpkin Waffles! Pumpkin Bagels! Mini Spicy Pumpkin Samosas! Pumpkin Spice Pretzels! Pumpkin Ginger Ice Cream Cones!

And, to wash it all down: "Pumpkin Pie Spiced Ginger Brew!

Elizabeth Warren Is Ready for a Fite

A couple of interesting political flubs surfaced in the mail this week. One was a fund-raising pitch from Warren Democrats that arrived in an envelope bearing the message: "We need you in this fite."

I eagerly read the contents, looking for an explanation for the use of the word "fite."

There was none. So I have to assume someone on Warren's team (maybe Warren herself?) is a big fan of FITE.TV—the "digital network for . . . combat sports such as: professional wrestling, mixed martial arts and boxing." Like they say: Politics is a contact sport. -more-

Trump has nominated Seventh Circuit Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg as justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate vetting process must include an exploration of her membership in the People of Praise, a charismatic Christian group with a highly authoritarian internal structure and known for the submissive role played by women, some of whom were called “handmaids.” Remember Margaret Atwood’s book The Handmaid’s Tale? Pope Francis has warned such groups against the temptation of “usurping individual freedom” of their members. -more-