Input for the 2023 Royal Palm Awards, Please and Thanks

Hello, nine followers of this blog. You know what time it is?

It's time to figure out which articles to submit to the Florida Writers' Association's Royal Palm Literary Awards for their category of Nonfiction - Published Article or Blog.

Given the submission limitations, I can only send in five written items for judging. Since I'm planning on submitting my self-published story collection in one of the other categories, that narrows down the blog article choices to four.

I've personally whittled the choices down to these fifteen articles listed here:

Why It Matters - my argument in favor of putting trump on trial for all his sins

The Threat of Another War Of The (MAGA) Posers

The Mouse Knows How to Play (w/ Updates) - this one will require a lot of cleanup, but it's both whimsical and serious and I hope it has a chance

What Was Bought, What Was Sold

Losing It All In the Dirt Digging 

The Sins of Conservatism - one of the rants I'm incorporating into my -Isms book, but as a standalone essay it might convince

A Simple Question (w/ Update) - arguably my most direct critique of the GOP's failures at ethics and leadership

The Racism That SCOTUS Just Allowed

The Whitewash of History, on DeSantis' Orders - I'm very tempted to keep this one, very blunt about racism and very argumentative about the disastrous effects DeSantis' anti-Woke agenda is working out 

What If: How 2024 Could Play Out - on a par with my winning essay about NOT invading Iran

Punching Themselves Just a Little Bit More - THIS is the one I submitted to Batocchio for the Jon Swift Memorial, so this might be a keeper

Roma Invicta - My silliest ode to ROME ROME ANCIENT ROME FIVE TIMES A DAY IT POPS INTO MY DOME, WHICH REMINDS ME, THEY INVENTED THE DOME, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I THINK ABOUT ROME ...ah sorry, earworm...

The Bare Minimum of Congressional Standards

Every Culture War Warrior a Hypocrite - it's a regional (Florida politics) essay with relevance

Never the Honest Answer from Republicans - similar to The Whitewash of History, but with a broader approach about the GOP's inability to admit how wrong slavery and racism are.

I know people don't like to use the Comments section below, but please let me know your suggestions. If you're on Twitter (fuck X) or Bluesky please send me direct messages that way, I am @PaulWartenberg at both sites. If any of my fellow bloggers in the circle of Crooks & Liars can share my request for input, please get the word out.

I'm looking to get my submissions in the first week of February, if you can let me know what you think before then, thank you.

Update: I've bitten the bullet and I am submitting The Sins of Conservatism, The Whitewash of History, What If: 2024..., and Punching Themselves... as my blog entries for RPLA. I'll be submitting them the first day of February. Here's hoping I get fair-minded judges. ;-)

Update 7/28/24: Just got the email from the Royal Palm coordinator.

NONE of the submissions reached Semifinalist stage.

This is not helping my mood at the moment.

After getting the Gold for last year's submissions, to draw a complete Zero this year... Frustrating. I'd cry if I could (I am finding it hard to even do that in my current mindset).