Ratlinks: OCTOBER SURPRISE
A LOT IS HAPPENING, A LOT MORE IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND IT’S OK
WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!
2020 is a lot to unpack.
At present, the novel coronavirus has claimed over 200,000 American lives. If an ongoing national tragedy wasn’t enough, we have also seen multiple alternative storylines that would be THE STORY OF THE YEAR any other year.
Headlines like the discovery of alien life, the military acknowledging UFOs exist, BLM, murder hornets, worldwide quarantine, the rise of and sale of TikTok, big cat enthusiasts, a California wildfire started by a gender reveal party, and an RV sized asteroid coming very close to the earth.
MAY YOU LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES
- Ancient Chinese Proverb (Curse)
Interesting times indeed and it is only October.
Many people would like to see 2020 end right now, but with a little over a month to go before the presidential election, 2020 is likely to only get weirder with a potential October Surprise.
An October Surprise is a deliberate or spontaneous news event that can influence the outcome of an election. The term was originally coined by William Casey, Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign manager, and the former Director of the CIA.
To quote former supreme court justice Bachman Turner Overdrive:
“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”
SHOCK AND AWE
In simpler times an “October Surprise” could be so shocking that it swayed the hearts and minds of undecided voters.
Theodore Roosevelt’s 1912 October Surprise came in the form of a bullet to the chest from John Schrank, who shot Roosevelt during an October 14th speech in Milwaukee. To the horror of the assembled crowd, Roosevelt casually removed his prepared remarks, dripping with blood, from his pocket, and carried on with his 84-minute speech.
“I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot,” he quipped, “but it takes more than that to kill a bull moose.” The 50-page speech had saved his life, but it didn't save his shot at the presidency. While Woodrow Wilson won the presidency, Roosevelt’s speech remains “one of the great dramatic moments in American politics.” (Smithsonian Magazine)
In 1980, the Reagan campaign feared potential political gain if the Carter Administration could successfully negotiate the release of the 52 American hostages being held in Iran. To avoid this potential “October Surprise” the Reagan campaign worked behind the scenes to delay the release of US hostages in Iran until after the election. The hostages were freed 5 minutes after Reagan’s inauguration.
Indecision 2000 featured the last-minute surprise revelation that in 1976, George W. Bush was arrested and charged with DUI. At the time DUI was a misdemeanor offense in Maine for which W faced the punishment of a $150 fine.
Who can forget the 2016 release of future President Donald Trump’s “Access Hollywood” tape?
THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW
This October there are sure to be plenty of surprises, many hiding in plain sight.
The real question is will these new story-lines shock anyone?
Is the FDA ready to approve a COVID-19 vaccine before the election?
Does Amy Coney Barrett fill RBG’s supreme court seat?
Are Donald Trump’s tax returns going to see the light of day?
What will Eric Trump say during his deposition with New York State prosecutors?
Does Joe Biden suffer an unfixable gaffe?
What potential bombshells will be unearthed by a shadowy super-PAC?
Could a congressional sex tape leak?
Has Melania had enough of the old bull and want the young calf? Could she divorce Donald only to date one of his sons?
Whatever occurs in the coming weeks, YOU have the ability to change the course of history by voting!
OCTOBER SURPRISE COUNT: I
President Trump and Melania test positive for COVID-19
Unsure if you are registered to vote or where your polling place is? Visit https://vote.gov/
I'M OK, ARE YOU OK?
While things at present can appear overwhelming and isolating, remember that you are not alone.
Mental health is a huge part of overall health and should be a priority for everyone, whether you have a mental health condition or not. Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition. However, mental illness affects everyone directly or indirectly through family, friends or coworkers. Despite mental illnesses’ reach and prevalence, stigma and misunderstanding are also, unfortunately, widespread.
If you are struggling know that while 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. Millions of people in the U.S. are affected by mental illness each year. It’s important to measure how common mental illness is, so we can understand its physical, social and financial impact — and so we can show that no one is alone (nami.org)
Mental Health Awareness Week is October 4th - October 10th.
If you can, please support NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
