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    Two Visions of America by Don Jans

    Elvis Presley and Donald Trump

     

     

    By Robin Itzler

    If you’ve never visited Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, consider a visit to “Music City” as there is so much to see and do. In 2019, my New York City “sister” and I spent a week sightseeing and had a fabulous time. In addition to meeting Californians who have relocated to the Volunteer State, we visited the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Belmont Mansion, Johnny Cash Museum, Centennial Park with the Parthenon (exact replica of the one in Greece), Nashville Zoo, President Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage estate, and the Pedestrian Bridge, to name some of the fascinating places in and around Nashville.

    During the visit we also took a one-day 15-hour turnaround bus tour to Memphis to see Graceland. Each year millions of people from all over the world make a pilgrimage to Elvis Presley’s estate. Not only are you stepping inside the King’s beloved home, walking by the famed swimming pool and seeing his gravesite, but there are other points of interest at Graceland:

    • Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum is filled with unique artifacts from his life and legacy.
    • Presley Motors Automobile Museum includes his iconic Pink Cadillac among many other cars.
    • Self-guided Elvis Discovery Exhibits.
    • Immersive and Interactive Experiences.
    • Walk through the 1958 Convair 880 luxurious jet that Elvis bought in 1975, remodeled for $800,000 and named after his only child Lisa Marie.

    In addition, Graceland has shops and restaurants along with an immense entertainment center (often rented out for private functions). While there, I visualized Elvis walking on the grounds, enjoying the seclusion away from his busy entertaining lifestyle.

    Don’t Be Cruel

    Born poor, it’s amazing that Elvis’ early success allowed him to buy the 10,000+ square-foot mansion situated on 14-acres in 1957 when he was just 22 years old.

    By the time Elvis passed away in August 1977, the house had grown to 17,550+ square feet. However, the executors of his estate found its operating costs prohibitively expensive. In 1988, his ex-wife (but always his true love) Priscilla Presley decided to open Graceland to public tours.

    In addition to daily tours and special events, each year on August 15-16, thousands of people (from Presleyphiles to Elvis impersonators to curiosity-seekers) participate in the annual candlelight procession to the Elvis grave to mark his passing. This year’s socially distanced vigil, which was first held in 1978, maxed out at 720 guests compared to the throngs that usually participate.

    Thanks to opening the estate to public tours, Elvis’ beloved Graceland has made him richer and more popular in death than he was in life.

    After all, everyone loves the King of Rock ‘n Roll!

    That’s why events of Sept. 1 stunned most people. Whether you are a diehard Elvis fan or just know highlights of his extraordinary life, you were probably shocked to learn that Black Lives Matter/Antifa groups defaced the iconic walls surrounding Graceland. Messages included: defund the Memphis Police Departmentabolish ICE, and Black Lives Matter.

    Similar messages were scrawled in nearby Overton Park where Elvis held his first paid concert in 1954.

    Priscilla Presley tweeted:

    “Concerning the graffiti at Graceland, I’m absolutely horrified that those in our own city disgraced the walls surrounding Graceland. I’m saddened by acts like this and appalled by this behavior.”

    If Black Lives Matter/Antifa supporters want to win over Americans and grow support for what is currently seen by many as a violent Marxist movement, this is not going to do it. Based on social media comments, defacing Graceland probably moved more people to voting to re-elect President Trump, the only law and order candidate running for president.

    It’s Now or Never

    Despite daily overwhelming mainstream media support for the sagging Biden campaign, the Trump candidacy is gaining momentum as many Democrat-led cities burn because of Black Lives Matter and Antifa anarchy. Consider the data:

    • Base still with Trump – Exuberant Republican support for President Trump is about 90 percent. His passionate base continues to hold rallies, often combining local issues such as the petition to recall Governor Newsom or supporting law enforcement. This year, in response to social distancing rules, popular “Trump flotillas” are being held in lakes, harbors and along coasts! There are equally popular “Trump car caravans!” In a post-convention interview, liberal filmmaker Michael Moore warned his fellow progressives –
      “I’m warning you almost 10 weeks in advance. The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trump’s base is OFF THE CHARTS! For Joe, not so much…”
    • New Trump supporters – President Trump’s zealous base is firmly with him AND he has added millions of new supporters. Some are folks who annoyed us in 2016, such as Red States’ Erick Erickson and The Blaze founder Glenn Beck. Erick and Glenn along with many former Never Trumpers are now firmly on the Trump Train. New Trump Train passengers represent Democrat core constituents:
      • Gay former liberal Democrat Brandon Straka started the WalkAway movement, encouraging Democrats to leave the Marxist-leaning Democratic Party.
      • Jewish Michelle Lubin Terris began the Jexit movement encouraging Jews to leave the anti-Semitic Democratic Party.
      • Respected Black commentators Candace Owens and Brandon Tatum originated the Blexit movement encouraging Blacks to leave the Democrat plantation.
      • Latinos are moving to the right, especially Cubans and others from socialist countries. For this reason, Florida is now considered a toss-up.
      • A record number of unions (especially law enforcement) that in past years endorsed the Democrat nominee have endorsed President Trump.
        Political analyst Michele Maples explains why so many Democrats are leaving the Democratic Party –

        “You have got a lot of disenfranchised Democrats that cannot get behind this socialist agenda that is being thrown in their faces on a daily basis.”
    • Silent Majority – In a recent online study by CloudResearch LLC, a Queens, N.Y.-based company that conducts online market research and data collection for clients, 11.7 percent of Republicans and 10.5 percent Independents refused to give their true opinions versus 5.4 percent of Democrats. Many stated that it’s dangerous to express non-liberal opinion, which means most polls are nothing more than the liberal media pushing an anti-Trump narrative.
    • Those who predict presidential elections as scientists – If you predict the outcome of a presidential contest and are wrong, you lose credibility and cannot regain it for at least four years. Stony Brook University professor and political scientist Helmut Norpoth is one of many political scientists predicting Donald Trump will be re-elected. Norpoth correctly predicted Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Using his model for previous elections, it was accurate 25 of 27 times. In a Sept. 2 interview Norpoth said –
      “Everybody thinks Trump is going to go down in flames, and here I am predicting with almost total certainty that he’s going to win. It seems crazy. But it’s not.”
    • Those who bet on presidential elections – In putting your money where your mouth is, political betting odds have moved in President Trump’s favor following the conclusion of the Republican National Convention. Odds favor President Trump over Joe Biden at Bovada and BetOnline.
    • Those who follow the money – According to an Aug. 31 article in Fortune magazine entitled “JP Morgan Says Investors Should Prepare for Rising Odds of a Trump 2020 Win”:
      Investors should position for the rising odds of President Donald Trump winning re-election, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.
    • Look where candidates are campaigning – The liberal media wants you to believe that Joe Biden is waaaay ahead in the polls and has this election locked up. Then why is Biden campaigning in traditional blue states? President Trump is holding rallies in those states where thousands of enthusiastic supporters line up to hear him speak.
    • Gun owners for Trump – In the first six months of 2020, approximately 19 million firearms have been sold. According to the National Rifle Association, during that same period more than 2 million Americans became FIRST-TIME gun owners. Does anyone think most new and existing gun owners plan to vote for Joe Biden who threatens to take their guns and destroy the Second Amendment?

    Now add specific issues that drive voters such as President Trump’s unyielding support for pro-life, law and order, the military, Second Amendment and school choice and you can understand why Michael Moore is very worried.

    Republicans all shook up

    No longer the party of John F. Kennedy or even Barack Obama, today’s Democratic Party cannot win at the ballot box. Their only hope is using the waning pandemic to cause fraudulent mischief with mail-in ballots to create chaos on Election Day.

    “It’s very important to vote, but also to be involved in the citizen effort to protect that vote,” said Katherine Gerdis, acting Orange County coordinator for Election Integrity Project California and Membership Secretary of West Orange County Republican Women Federated. “Election Integrity Project California works to minimize the damage to public faith generated by illogical and often fraudulent results facilitated by permissive laws and policies as well as non-enforcement of basic election integrity protections. It’s extremely important that the integrity of the election process be maintained so that voters have confidence in the outcome, and citizens can do much to fill in where elections officials fail.”

    The Silent Majority is no longer silent! With an overwhelming proclamation by the American people to re-elect President Trump and Vice President Pence Democrat plans for fraud become an impossibility. By getting out the vote, the Marketing Maven predicts a landslide victory for President Trump. Maybe Trumplicans should celebrate at Graceland.

    Republished with permission by author.  

    The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal.


    Robin Itzler: Columnist, speaker and author, Robin Itzler has been involved in marketing and communications for more than 35 years. Her Marketing and More columns in the Orange County Breeze often blend marketing, politics and motivation to offer unique perspectives about topical headline issues.

    Currently, she is on the executive board of the California Federation of Republican Women with responsibility for the organization’s quarterly newsletter that is read by 10,000+ members. Robin also handles publicity for several Republican Women Federated local clubs as well as the City of Orange Hearing Loss Association of America chapter.
    A former NASD licensed securities representative, Robin once served as president of the Animal Assistance League of Orange County. She and her husband Larry own Royal Care Pet Sitting, serving pet parents throughout northwest Orange County. Having originated “Market My Words” for Pet Sitters International World magazine, Robin remained a regular contributor for several years. As the former editor in chief of Toastmasters International Founders’ District, Robin’s articles and newsletters were read by members in 180+ clubs. Although legally deaf, the former New Yorker Robin has one word for anyone who doubts her abilities: Fuggedaboutit!


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