Month: November 2013

HUGE Victory For Obama And Democrats In Reform Of Filibuster Use!

Finally, after almost five years as President, Barack Obama can savor victory, knowing he will be able to get his nominees for all federal executive branch positions and federal judiciary, except for the Supreme Court, confirmed by the Democratic Senate. Majority rule will govern, as it should, and as it does, in the House of Representatives!

And because the Republicans shot themselves in the foot, not allowing the approval of three nominees for the DC Circuit Courts, they will now see the federal courts tip dramatically toward Democratic and more liberal judges!

At the moment, there are exactly 390 federal judges appointed by Republican Presidents, and an equal number of 390 federal judges appointed by Democratic Presidents.

If Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, had allowed the confirmation of those three judges that were just voted down by the use of the filibuster, requiring 60 votes to move a nomination, then the balance would have remained on the federal courts between Democratic and Republican appointments.

But now, that is not so, and the Democrats and Barack Obama will gain a potential total of 93 appointments for vacancies on the courts, making for a one sided Democratic control of the judiciary, which will last for years, as the judiciary are on the court for life, not limited terms.

So as the Republicans lick their wounds, and realize their abuse of the filibuster in the past five years, and their arrogance, have led to this moment, the Democrats have a lot to celebrate about, as nothing is more important than affecting the future of constitutional law, and the Republicans have given the Democrats a huge victory, which will reverberate for decades, and give those who believe in progressive reform and change, a sense of hope that there IS a future in America, for others than rich, white people!

Hatred Of JFK Much More In Reality Than Recalled Today

As we come up to the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, it is easy to imagine that JFK was popular, and that the country was united around him.

In reality, there was a lot of hate of our 35th President.

Southern segregationists were furious with him for having taken a strong civil rights stand.

Kennedy was still being attacked for his Catholic faith by many evangelical Christians, who even today do not show any respect for the Pope and the Vatican.

Corporations were furious with JFK for having taken a strong stand against the steel industry price increases in 1962, and the oil industry in Texas was particularly condemnatory of him.

Organized crime was angry with the pursuit of the Mafia by Attorney General Robert Kennedy.

Cuban exiles were angry with JFK over the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, and unhappy with the survival of Fidel Castro after the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

There was discontent within the FBI and CIA, as to the handling of issues by the Kennedy White House, which was challenging the military-industrial complex that President Eisenhower talked about in his Farewell Address, after JFK had allowed himself to be influenced early on by these agencies and their agendas.

This is not to say that JFK was killed due to these opposition forces and hatred, but the point is that the nation was not one of unity around Kennedy, and he faced a daunting task to be reelected.

America was not a nation that was united anymore then, than it is now. We remember JFK fondly more for his tragic death than his ability to unite the American people and various interest groups.

The “Nuclear Option” On The Filibuster: Necessary Action!

The Republican Party in the Senate has abused the filibuster in a way never seen even in the civil rights era, when Southern Democrats worked to block civil rights legislation.

They have now stopped a vote on three nominees to the DC Court of Appeals, arguably the most important court outside the Supreme Court.

So the indications are that Senator Harry Reid, the Majority Leader, will invoke the threatened “nuclear option”, which would change Senate rules and allow a vote on a nominee as long as 51 Senators, a majority, rather than the present 60, support such a vote.

Moving in this direction could hurt the Democrats someday when the Republicans control the chamber, but the total paralysis on appointments, not only to the courts, but to executive appointments as well, leaves Reid and the Democrats no alternative.

It is a regrettable action, but something that needs to be done!

The Pluses And Minuses Of A Bernie Sanders Independent Presidential Candidacy

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is a true national treasure, an independent Socialist, longest serving Independent member of Congress in American history, who allies with the Democratic Party but is not a member of the party.

Sanders, originally Mayor of Burlington, Vermont, served as the only House member from his state for 16 years, from 1991-2007, and is now in his second term in the US Senate.

He has now devoted 23 years to service for his state and the nation, and even if one does not agree with his stands on issues, no sane person sees him as a threat simply because he is a “socialist”.

Sanders has now suggested that he might run as an Independent candidate for President in 2016 if no one else in the Democratic Party is willing to promote what he believes in, suggesting Senator Elizabeth Warren as a potential nominee that he could support.

Sanders makes it clear that someone has to run on the issues of Wall Street control, the problem of growing poverty affecting the middle class, the crisis of global warming, and the need to protect Social Security and Medicare, all issues he has been in the forefront on, more than just about anyone else.

The danger of a potential independent candidacy by Sanders, which he admits is mostly unlikely, is that it would split the Democratic vote and help a right wing Republican to win the White House.

That was the effect of Ralph Nader in the Presidential Election of 2000, and the last thing we need is a Republican who will set progress backward ever further.

So while Bernie Sanders is appealing, it is hoped he will decide, ultimately, not to run, and if Elizabeth Warren runs and loses, that she will unite behind whoever is the Democratic nominee, even if seen as a comparative moderate, such as Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden or Mark Warner.

Disllusionment With Washington Opens Up Possibility Of State Governors Again Having Advantage For Presidential Race!

Much of the time in American history, there has been disillusionment with the Washington DC establishment, and a desire to have an “outsider” being our President.

Only three Presidents of the past century were elected directly from the Senate—Warren G. Harding, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama—while a total of six Governors or former Governors were elected to the Presidency—Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush. Additionally, former Governors who were Vice President first, and succeeded during the term—Theodore Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge–were also elected to a full term.

So the present anger at Washington and everything it represents opens up new opportunities for sitting or former Governors in both parties, such as follows:

Democrats—Andrew Cuomo of New York, Martin O’Malley of Maryland, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts

Republicans-Chris Christie of New Jersey, Jeb Bush of Florida, Jon Huntsman of Utah, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, John Kasich of Ohio, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Rick Perry of Texas, Susana Martinez of New Mexico

Having said this, one still has to wonder if the Democratic Governors can overcome Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden or Mark Warner or Elizabeth Warren or Amy Klobuchar or Cory Booker.

And one has to wonder if the Republican Governors can overcome Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum and others.

150th Anniversary Of Greatest Speech In American History: The Gettysburg Address Of Abraham Lincoln!

150 years ago on November 19, President Abraham Lincoln gave a speech to commemorate the loss of life at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, which occurred on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863.

Although only a two minute speech, it is regarded as possibly the greatest speech ever made by an American President, although not regarded as such at the time.

Lincoln was one of the greatest orators of our history, memorable for his Second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865 and for other speeches and declarations, both in the White House years and in his earlier career as a Congressman from Illinois, and a Senate candidacy against Senator Stephen Douglas.

The Battle of Gettysburg, and the tremendous loss of life, remains a center of fascination to historians and tourists alike, and the short statement of Lincoln honoring the dead remains a classic of Presidential oratory that will reverberate through all of time!

Republicans In Congress Demonstrate Unbelievable Arrogance, And Ignore Public Opinion, Even Of Republican Voters!

The House Republicans are the most reactionary group seen in Congress in modern times, as evidence now shows that they are opposing not only general public opinion, but also that of voters of their own party, along with Independents and Democrats!

Issues where this is true include the following where some Republicans supported the proposed legislation in the Senate:

ENDA–the bill to stop discrimination in employment against gays and transgendered people, passed 64-32 in the Senate.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform, which passed the Senate 68-32.

At the same time, Republicans in both houses of Congress are fighting against the following, which are also supported by Republicans in polls, along with Democrats and Independents.

The Minimum Wage increase legislation to $9 an hour.

Background Checks on Gun Purchases

Who would think that a political party could ignore the views of its own voters and expect to stay in office? It makes one wonder how the GOP can believe it will keep power in the House and gain control of the Senate, as they seem to believe they can accomplish, when they have such a high level of arrogance as they are demonstrating!

Threatened Coup Against Barack Obama Reminiscent Of Attempted Coup Against FDR In 1934-1935

Next week will be the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Assassination, specifically on Friday, November 22, the same day of the week that the horrible event occurred.

It reminds one of the dangers from right wing and left wing extremists to our national leadership, and the threat of a march on Washington by armed groups, supposedly to be held on Tuesday, November 19, demanding the resignation of President Obama, or else action will be taken against him, makes one shudder.

And it reminds us of the plans for a similar coup d’etat against Franklin D. Roosevelt, in similarly difficult economic times in 1934-1935, a coup which was squelched by revelations that right wing business groups and leaders had plotted, similar to what is being planned now. The Great Depression was a time of such extremism that emerged because FDR represented change.

The right wing promoted hate against FDR for his New Deal, as the right wing promotes hate against Barack Obama, due to ObamaCare and other reforms and changes promoted by this administration after a similar economic downturn as FDR faced 80 years ago. Then, it was the Great Depression, and now it is the Great Recession, both brought about by Republican Presidents and their economic policies.

The arguments against FDR and Obama are similar, with the addition of racism against Obama making the present threat presented by the right wing even more dangerous.

The Secret Service is certainly aware of the threats, and one can only hope that any overt action is backed away from, once becoming public knowledge, as it was nearly 80 years ago!

Hope And Reform Possible For Georgia With Michelle Nunn And Jason Carter

The state of Georgia has the potential to move into the Democratic camp for the offices of Governor and Senator in 2014, with the announcement that Michelle Nunn, daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn (1972-1997), is running for Senator to replace Saxby Chambliss, who is retiring, and Jason Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, is running for the Governorship that his grandfather held from 1971-1975 before his run for President.

Both are progressive oriented, and would humanize government again in Georgia, which has, sadly, fallen into disarray with the Republican dominance of the state government and Congressional delegation majority in recent years.

The growing Hispanic-Latino vote offers promise for Georgia to turn blue in the future, and quality candidates such as Nunn and Carter bring optimism to those who hope it can happen in 2014!

Barack Obama Meets The “Second Term Syndrome”

Barack Obama has hit a low point in public opinion in his first year of his second term, with the disastrous beginning of ObamaCare, the failure of the website to operate properly. He has also had great trouble getting anything else accomplished in domestic affairs, due to GOP opposition, and is also facing a multitude of troubles overseas.

His Presidency is under assault more than anyone could have imagined after his second election victory just a year ago.

It turns out that what could be called “Second Term Syndrome” has affected Obama, just as it did many of his predecessors who had a second term, including:

George W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Ronald Reagan
Richard Nixon
Harry Truman
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson

It makes one wonder if a one term Presidency would be better, but then the President would be, effectively, a “lame duck” the minute he is elected, instead of being such at the beginning of a second term, when everyone knows, since the passage of the 22nd Amendment in 1951, that the President is limited to two elections to the White House.

So there is no happy medium between a one term limit and a two term limit Presidency in reality!