The Inspirational Inaugural Address Of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani

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The inaugural address of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani on New Year’s Day was inspirational, and there is a need for critics to pause, and give the young Democratic Socialist Mayor an opportunity to promote his programs, before going on the attack.

To this author and blogger, Mamdani reminded him in many ways of Barack Obama and his Inaugural Address in 2009.

The youngest NYC Mayor in more than a century; the first South Asian and Muslim Mayor; and a rare immigrant Mayor—sworn in by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, demonstrated his charisma and commitment to his ideas, which some see as attacking billionaires and oligarchs, who clearly see him as a threat.

Also, the Jewish population is concerned due to Mamdani’s Muslim religion, including being sworn in on a Quran, rather than a Bible. Also, the fact that the new Mayor has been harshly critical of Israel’s massive war on Gaza, which led to more than 70,000 deaths, with many seen as avoidable, has caused great stress.

Many might think that his “Socialist” goals are “pie in the sky”, but the thought is that his ideas and programs should be given a chance to succeed, as the voting population was strongly in favor of his election.

In any case, Mamdani’s Mayoralty has to be better than the disastrous tenure of now former Mayor Eric Adams over the past four years, with lots of corruption and conflicts of interest.

Two Former Republicans Running As Democrats In Gubernatorial Races In Georgia And Florida

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In the highly significant states of Georgia and Florida, with Republican Governors retiring, there is a hopeful opportunity for two former Republicans who have switched to the Democratic Party due to Donald Trump’s abuses, to compete for their states’ governorships.

In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp is term limited, and Democrats are seen as having a good chance to gain the Governorship, even though the state legislature is heavily Republican.

The Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, is a possible Republican choice, who had to deal with Donald Trump’s attempt to try to fix the Georgia Presidential election results in 2020, and refused to cooperate with Trump.

But Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, in office in the present term, is favored in public opinion polls and in endorsements, having succeeded former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, who repudiated his Republican ties and has become a Democrat. He is one of two most likely Democratic choices, with the other being former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, with Bottoms at this point way ahead in endorsements and polling.

In the state of Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is term limited, and the Republican Party has two major competitors to succeed him as the party nominee. They are Northern Florida Congressman Byron Donalds, and former State Speaker of the House Paul Renner, but with present short term Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins possibly entering the race, supposedly with the backing of Governor DeSantis.

Donalds is, at this point, way ahead in polling and endorsements, but subject to possible changes

The Democrats, who have not won the governorship since 1994, see their best chance with former Republican Congressman David Jolly, who has heavy polling and endorsement support, but will have a challenge from Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.

Sadly, in both Georgia and Florida, it will be a major accomplishment if the Democrats win either race, with the odds in Florida a bit better, as polls indicate a tight race between Donalds and Jolly at this point.

The Upcoming California Gubernatorial Race In 2026

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California, the largest state in population, with 39 million people, will have a new Governor elected in 2026, as two term Governor Gavin Newsom, is term limited, but will certainly be pursuing the Democratic nomination for President in 2028, with many early polls indicating he is the frontrunner at this point.

California has been a reliably Democratic state since the 1990s, so although Republicans will contest the election, the odds are very heavy against any opportunity for success.

There are a multitude of potential candidates in both parties, with the Republicans’ most likely choice seen as probably Steve Hilton, a political commentator for Fox News Channel, and who in the past, worked for the British government.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the losing Presidential nominee in 2024, decided NOT to seek the Governorship, and is still considering a Presidential campaign for 2028.

The Democrats have many potential candidates, but the two that stick out the most are former Congresswoman Katie Porter, former candidate for the US Senate in 2024, and Congressman Eric Swalwell, with Swalwell at this point in the lead in public opinion polls.

But Xavier Becerra, former Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden, and former California Attorney General; and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, cannot be ignored.

The view of this author and blogger is that Eric Swalwell would be the best, most electable Democrat, although before his entrance into the race, Katie Porter was seen as the frontrunner.

The Upcoming Alabama Gubernatorial Race In 2026

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The first in a series of articles analyzing 2026 races for Governor and the US Senate will be on the Alabama Gubernatorial Race.

With Republican Governor Kay Ivey ineligible to run for a third term, the Republican nominee will be present US Senator Tommy Tuberville, with his Democratic opponent being former three year Senator Doug Jones.

Tuberville, a former renowned football coach, most notably at Auburn University, but also at three other institutions, ran for the Senate in 2020, and defeated Doug Jones, who had won the seat to finish the term of former Senator Jeff Sessions, who had become Attorney General under Donald Trump in 2017.

Jones had a distinguished background as a federal prosecutor, who became most noted for successful prosecution of two Ku Klux Klan members for the infamous Birmingham Church Bombing in 1963, which caused the death of four African American girls, accomplishing this nearly four decades later. He was the only recent Democrat to hold office in recent times, as Alabama had become highly Republican, and remains so.

So this is a second time of these two men opposing each other, with Tuberville gaining a reputation of being an extreme MAGA Republican, supportive of everything Donald Trump espouses. He has often uttered outrageous statements and beliefs, and shocked many by his persona.

It will be difficult for Jones to triumph in this Senate race, but if anyone can be perceived as having the potential to do so, it is Doug Jones, who this author and blogger highly respects!

With 2026 Upon Us In Three Days, Time To Examine Gubernatorial And Senatorial Race Potential For Democrats In Midterm Elections 2026!

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With the Midterm Elections ten months away and the year 2026 about to arrive, it is time to examine the potential for Democratic victories in state Gubernatorial elections and in US Senate elections.

So unless there is significant news about Donald Trump, who already monopolizes news coverage to the point of obscenity, this author and blogger plans to focus on competitive elections that will have an effect on state governments and the US Senate, moving forward.

At this point, it would seem as if there are 11 Gubernatorial elections that will be competitive and significant.

Also, at this point, there are an equal number of 11 US Senate races that are to be seen as competitive and significant.

My intention is to examine each one of these races, and welcome comments by readers, over a period of weeks.

Today, I will list the states that have potential impact for both sets of races.

For the Governorship, these states, alphabetically, are:

Alabama
California
Florida
Georgia
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
New Mexico
Ohio
Oklahoma
Wisconsin

For the US Senate, these states, alphabetically, are:

Iowa
Kentucky
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Nebraska
New Hampshire
North Carolina
Ohio
Texas

Presidents With Narcissistic Personality Disorder

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Many public figures have the psychological condition known as “Narcissistic Personality Disorder”, as well as do millions of ordinary citizens, wanting constant attention and adoration.

Among them are a substantial group of American Presidents, nearly one of every four Chief Executives.

The list would include, in chronological order:

Andrew Jackson
Andrew Johnson
Theodore Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson
Franklin D. Roosevelt
John F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Richard Nixon
Bill Clinton
Donald Trump

The most destructive Presidents with this syndrome, clearly, are Donald Trump, Richard Nixon, Andrew Jackson, and Andrew Johnson in the long run of history, in that ranked order.

The other six listed here, while possessing NPD, can be seen as having a greater, overall, positive influence on their time in office, despite their shortcomings and weaknesses.

Of course, this above list and the judgment on these Presidents is subject to debate and discussion, which is welcomed in comments!

The US Senate: Highly Undemocratic, And More So In Future With 15 States Having 70 Percent Of Population, But Only 30 Seats In Senate

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The future of American democracy is in danger from more than Donald Trump and an extremist right wing majority on the US Supreme Court.

The US Senate, considered the greatest legislative institution in the world, has, from its inception, been highly undemocratic in nature, with its idea of states rights, and every state having the same amount of representation.

So in a nation that now has 340 million people, we have the 15 smallest states in population, all tending to be Republican for a long term, have about 41 million people combined, and have 30 seats in the Senate.

At the same time, California, the largest populated state with about 39 million people, has 2 seats in the Senate.

So the estimate is that by 2040, only 15 years from now, 70 percent of the United States will be represented by just 30 US Senators, while the remaining Americans, disproportionately whiter, older, and more rural, will have 70 US Senators.

This will make progress and revival of policies and programs, that are now rapidly being demolished, ever the harder to achieve.

This means the great advances of American democracy from the time of Democratic and Republican Presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, George H W Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden will, in many cases, be permanently impossible to revive, due to the deleterious effect of Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump on American democracy and the rule of law.

MAGA Republicans, Heritage Foundation, And Turning Point USA On Road To Conflict!

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A massive split is developing on the Far Right in the Republican Party and the Conservative Movement.

MAGA Republicans are divided on the issue of the Jeffrey Epstein Scandal, and the slow revelation of the Epstein Files, required by a law passed through Congress and signed by the President, due to strong and vehement insistence of exposing those who abused women and young girls on Jeffrey Epstein’s island.

The Heritage Foundation, under the leadership of Kevin Roberts, formulated the horrendous Project 2025, much of which has been instituted by Donald Trump.

Turning Point USA (TPUSA), led by Charlie Kirk before his assassination in September, and now headed by his widow, Erica Kirk, has worked to gain support from younger conservatives, and has become ever more controversial, since many Far Right influencers have clashed over the purposes and programs and viewpoints that divide the Far Right.

These include the issue of support of Ukraine in its war with Russia; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and reaction to many of Trump’s actions and goals.

Former Vice President Mike Pence has broken with the Heritage Foundation, and many of its board of directors has joined Pence in forming an opposition movement, challenging Donald Trump’s policies in many particulars.

At the CPUSA convention this past week, major conflict and condemnation developed when Ben Shapiro expressed criticism of growing antisemitism in the movement, and was viciously attacked by Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and others.

Other Far Right figures, including Candace Owens and Nick Fuentes also add to the turmoil on the Far Right.

In the long run, this is good for those who believe in progressive values, and makes the idea of unity in the post Trump years much less likely!

Deranged Lunatic Behavior Of Trump Requires Invoking Of 25th Amendment For The Good Of The Nation!

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On Christmas Day, seen as a new beginning by hundreds of millions of people in America and worldwide, it is a time for reflection on what America and the world have experienced in the past year of Donald Trump’s Presidency.

The list of outrages and illegalities and abuses that Donald Trump has promoted in the first year of his second term warrants a response that is decisive.

Trump’s deranged lunatic behavior has undermined American domestic and foreign policy, and presents a dire threat to American democracy, the rule of law, and international order.

Trump clearly is demented, and displays it daily in a multitude of ways, and every imaginable utterance and action only escalates to further alarm all sensible people, including many who failed to see the danger that he represented, but who now realize the threat that he presents.

But the 25th Amendment provides a method to remove Trump as mentally incompetent and dangerous, and while the elevation of Vice President JD Vance is not welcomed, as he is no Gerald Ford, it can be believed that his rise to the Presidency, while far from ideal, would represent a fresh start.

The belief is that Vance would wish to offer a new beginning, backing away from the worst atrocities of speech and action of Donald Trump.

The thought that Trump, with power over nuclear weapons, could ignite a nuclear war is horrifying, and despite what seems like total loyalty and sycophancy of the Trump Cabinet, it seems reasonable to believe that action could be taken, with the pressure brought by Republicans in Congress, who have shown growing discontent with the Trump Presidency, likely to increase in 2026.

As part of the NO KINGS Marches, which will escalate in 2026, the American people must bring pressure on the Trump Cabinet and the Republican Party, in unity with Democrats, to remove Donald Trump from office, similar to what happened with Richard Nixon a half century ago!

CBS And CNN Are On The Road To Destruction!

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CBS News and CNN, two landmark news organizations that inform Americans and the entire world of the reality of every day news that affects hundreds of millions of lives, are now in what could be the death knell of their years of dedicated, non biased coverage.

Donald Trump has worked to undermine both organizations, as part of his war on journalism and the truth and reality of his destruction of American democracy and the rule of law.

CBS News has been taken over by Bari Weiss, a totally unqualified executive, who is doing the bidding of her employer, Paramount Skydance, and its multi billionaire owner, Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison, both good friends and associates of Donald Trump.

Weiss has interfered this past week in the show SIXTY MINUTES, preventing the airing of a story on the abuse of Venezuelan immigrants at the El Salvador Terrorism Confinement Center known by the acronym CECOT, including mostly non criminal immigrants deported by the Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Kristi Noem. This has caused an uproar over interference that is unacceptable, to cover up truth and facts.

Paramount Skydance is in the process of attempting to gain control of Warner Brothers Discovery, which would mean future control of CNN, creating a massive monopoly that would undermine CNN, alongside the present manipulation going on at CBS News.

So if this horrendous acquisition is permitted by the federal government with the support of Donald Trump, the value of two prestigious news organizations will be destroyed, as they will become propaganda organs, rather than reputable news sources, as they have been for many decades!