There are good times and there are bad times to launch a book. The Psychic on the Jury is officially out now, has been for three days, and it’s really hard to think about that or put energy into it. I’m mostly stuck, focused on the assassination attempt, and all of the ways people are reacting to it.

I’m seeing a lot of doom and gloom. Too many people in my spheres are saying, “That’s it. This clinches it for Trump.”

Tons of people are saying that. So many that, if they were to all show up at the ballot box in November, Biden would win in a landslide.

When people are in despair, when they’ve given up, they tend to stay home. So let’s talk about some reasons why it’s okay to remain hopeful, and why the end of this story isn’t certain.

Let’s start with Project 2025. It’s still the Republican’s handbook, and it is full of scary, un-American bullshit. It is deeply unpopular, so Trump tried to distance himself from it. We’re not buying it, though, because his attempt was weak — he wished them luck in all that they do — and the people that wrote Project 2025 are all people that worked for him. They want to work for him again.

“But the assassination attempt!”

The person that attempted to kill Trump was a 20 year old registered Republican, using an AR-15. One of Trump’s own tried to kill him using a gun that Republicans famously fight to keep on the streets. How does this help Trump get re-elected?

Compare that with Biden’s response. Biden has been genuine, human, empathetic, and warm. Which again, forces us to look at history and how Trump reacted when Pelosi’s husband was bludgeoned with a hammer. Again, how does this help Trump get re-elected?

“But Biden sucks!”

Does he, though? He’s old and he doesn’t speak very well, but his administration has been putting up good numbers. Do you care about student loan debt? Or legalization of marijuana? Or low unemployment rates? Or a booming economy? Or…

Pick a stat. Look at the actual numbers. Biden’s administration has been great for the country.

He did terrible at a debate that didn’t matter, because everyone’s mind was already set on who they were going to vote for. We have history to look at for the performance of both presidential candidates. On that history alone, Trump should lose. Bigly.

And, going back to Project 2025, we know how much worse a second Trump presidency will be.

If that’s not enough to convince you, let’s look at the Supreme Court. The next president is going to select some number of new justices on the court. And what has this current court brought us?

The end of established law. Roe v Wade: overturned. The Chevron Deference: overturned. Checks and balances on the executive branch: destroyed. We have a supreme court that has produced wildly unpopular, terrible decisions. Elect Trump, and he’ll put Aileen Cannon on the bench. If you don’t know who she is, consider yourself lucky.

We have to remain hopeful and vote in such numbers that the gerrymandering and double dealing is insufficient to stop us.

If you don’t like Biden, that’s fine. Vote for him anyway. Vote for his administration. Vote to keep Trump out of office. There really isn’t a “both sides” to this.

I will remind you that I am not a Democrat. I’m registered Independent, and I have plenty of criticisms to level at the Democrats. Now isn’t the time for that. We have to hold each other up, defeat the demagogue, and then roll up our sleeves and do the work that will actually make America great.