Month: July 2016

The Next 100 Days: The Most Crucial Since 1932

We are today 100 days away from the Presidential Election of 2016.

This is the most crucial election in 84 years, since 1932, at the worst moments of the Great Depression, when the nation seemed to be disintegrating, and Franklin D. Roosevelt saved us from worse, as Herbert Hoover had shown he had no ability to deal with the crisis.

Today, we face the dire threat of a Fascist oriented demagogue on the level of George Wallace, but with a real chance to win, if the collective American nation allows ignorance, prejudice, and fear to overtake us, as it threatened in 1932.

A Donald Trump Presidency is not just an undesired development, but rather a constitutional crisis in the making, as he has the potential to do irreparable harm in so many ways, in both domestic and foreign policy.

The Presidency is supposed to promote domestic tranquility, which Trump threatens to destroy by his Muslim ban and his Mexico Wall.

The Presidency is supposed to guarantee stability in security and in foreign relations, and Trump flirts with Vladimir Putin, and undermines NATO and alienates much of the world.

The man is the greatest danger to the Presidency, more than Richard Nixon, improving his status by so doing, because as terrible as Nixon was, he had virtues, while Trump has absolutely none.

Were he to be elected, much of the intelligence and military community leaders would refuse to work with him, concerned about his recklessness and mental instability.

Democracy could lead to chaos, anarchy, and a threat to the civil liberties and civil rights of all of us.

So all decent people must dedicate themselves to organizing and promoting Americans to get out there and vote, in order to prevent a catastrophe, the rise of an American authoritarian figure which would threaten us like nothing since the Great Depression, and before that, the Civil War.

Donald Trump Jr. A Chip Off The Old Block–Like Father, Like Son

Donald Trump Jr, the namesake of Donald Trump, had not been paid much attention before his father began his campaign for the Presidency, but now he is rumored to be planning to run for NYC Mayor in 2017.

And while it is understandable that he would defend his dad, the son is showing that he has tones of racism and nativism just like his father.

How could he go to Philadelphia, Mississippi, the site of the murders of three civil rights workers in 1964, including two Jewish kids from New York City and an African American youth from Mississippi, and speak up for the Confederate flag remaining on the state flag?

Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney were murdered because they were trying to register blacks to vote in the state with the worst reputation imaginable on race relations.

Does Trump’s son have any knowledge of history, or is he as ignorant and clueless as his dad about history?

It is unconscionable that Trump Jr. could defend a symbol which is connected with the defeated Confederacy, slavery, Jim Crow segregation, and lynching!

Hillary Clinton Acceptance Speech The Culmination Of A Successful Convention

Hillary Clinton delivered a great acceptance speech yesterday, the culmination of a successful Democratic National Convention, making her officially the first woman ever nominated for President by a major political party.

She gave a speech which emphasized a progressive agenda, to continue the successes of Barack Obama, and to move to emphasize such issues as a $15 minimum wage; free tuition for public colleges for those whose families earn less than $125,00 income; working toward criminal justice reform; promoting a more aggressive climate change agenda; promotion of civil rights equality for groups that have been denied it under law; improvement of ObamaCare; investment in infrastructure; the belief in science; advocacy of strengthening our alliances with foreign nations including NATO; strong commitment to overcoming ISIL (ISIS) and other terrorist groups in the world, among other proposals.

Clinton came across as genuine, sincere, committed to taking on much of Bernie Sanders’s agenda, and while not the accomplished orator that her husband Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and Joe Biden are, was extremely effective.

The speech of Marine General John Allen denouncing Donald Trump, and the Muslim father, Khizr Khan, speaking about the sacrifice of his son in Iraq in 2004 and asking if Trump knew what the Constitution says, were other standout moments of the last night of the convention, and a strong case against the stability and qualifications and ethics of Trump was emphasized by all speakers.

This is a terrifying time, but to imagine that Donald Trump could be elected President should motivate everyone to register to vote; lobby their friends, family members and work colleagues to get out there to vote; and work to get people to the polls at election time.

For Trump to win the Presidency would be the biggest disaster in American history since September 11, and cannot be allowed to occur.

Sustained Attack On Donald Trump From Four Sides: Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Tim Kaine, Barack Obama!

The third night of the Democratic National Convention saw a sustained attack on Donald Trump by the major figures of the Democratic Party, but also of other reputable individuals.

Vice President Joe Biden was his usual rhetorical self, and Independent former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg made clear that not all billionaires are like Donald Trump, who he had to deal with on a regular basis for 12 years.

Vice Presidential nominee Tim Kaine showed that in many ways he is another Joe Biden, a caring, genuine, nice man who will make us comfortable that he is to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency.

And Barack Obama, as usual, showed his great charisma and speaking style, and made the case against Donald Trump and for Hillary Clinton, and their embrace at the end of the speech was very touching.

Additionally, former CIA head Leon Panetta and Former NSA head Michael Hayden, in speeches at the convention, warned of the recklessness and lack of knowledge of Donald Trump, and over 60 Republican national security personnel and many military figures denounced him in recent days and weeks.

Tonight is Hillary Clinton’s night, her chance to make the case for her election, and the burden on her is great, as there has been much doubt and discord and cynicism about Hillary Clinton, due to the Email Controversy and other issues on her past voting record, and the work of the Clinton Foundation.

Hillary is far from perfect, but she is, as Barack Obama said, the most qualified person ever to be nominated for President, and the future of her Presidency is bright, that it would be a progressive one, more like Barack Obama, than her husband, Bill Clinton!

Hillary Clinton Formally Nominated As First Woman Presidential Candidate By Bill Clinton, Who Knows Her Best!

Hillary Clinton was formally nominated last night by the Democratic National Convention in an emotional and historic gathering in Philadelphia, and then was celebrated by her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton avoided policy discussion, his specialty, and also avoided naming his wife’s opponent, Donald Trump, by name. But he came to a strong defense of his wife, and despite his own record of cheating, highly reprehensible, it is clear that he truly loves his wife. He gave us personal anecdotes about her, and made her real persona come through, including her being a mother devoted to daughter Chelsea. It was made clear that her goal was to do good, not aim to get rich as her only goal in life. Bill Clinton made the case for his wife in a way that no one else could.

But he also gave us an understanding of the Hillary Clinton we have never seen or understood, as a woman who has devoted her life to public service and to concern about the poor, the disabled, the disadvantaged, and particularly to women and children. We also saw ordinary citizens speaking at the convention, who have been involved in situations in which Hillary Clinton intervened and showed her concern and empathy, and not just for a moment or two, but long term, demonstrating how sincere and engaged she really has been over the past four decades of dedication to public service.

There has been a lot of bad mouthing and nasty hearsay and rumors spread around about Hillary Clinton, most of it false, unfounded, and vicious.

Hillary Clinton has been more vilified, condemned, and mistreated by her enemies and much of the news media than anyone in public life, and over a longer period of time than any other public figure, but she has always stood strong and persevered in the midst of attack.

She is a strong, principled woman, who despite recent doubts about her ability to win, will become the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2017.

She comes to the Presidential race as among the best qualified ever to be nominated for the nation’s highest office.

Is she perfect? Of course not, but then there has never been a perfect person to run for or serve in the Presidency.

But we know that the alternative is the worst nominee ever chosen by the Republican Party in its long history, including Barry Goldwater 52 years ago, who if he was here, would not have supported a person clearly a racist, a nativist, a xenophobe, a misogynist, a person who consorts with anti semitic demagogues and white supremacists like David Duke, a bully, a braggart, a narcissist, a person who loves to insult everyone, and has no moral or ethical base–Donald Trump!

Democratic Party Historical Accomplishments

The Democratic Party has been criticized for the fact that in its 188 year history, it was the party that promoted slavery, segregation, and lynching, being dominated for a long time by its ugly Southern membership.

This cannot be denied, but it is the Democratic Party which has also, in the last century of history, had many historical accomplishments.

Among these are:

First Catholic nominee for President–Alfred E. Smith 1928
First Catholic President elected–John F. Kennedy 1960
First Catholic Vice President elected–Joe Biden 2008
First Jewish nominee for Vice President–Joseph Lieberman 2000
First Jewish Presidential candidate as serious contender–Bernie Sanders 2016
First African American President–Barack Obama 2008
First Woman nominated for Vice President–Geraldine Ferraro 1984
First African American Presidential Contender–Shirley Chisholm 1972
First Woman nominee for President–Hillary Clinton 2016
First woman Secretary of State—Madeleine Albright under Bill Clinton
First Southerner elected President since 1848–Jimmy Carter 1976
Youngest elected President–John F. Kennedy 1960
President who gave us Social Security–Franklin D. Roosevelt 1935
President who gave us Medicare and Medicaid–Lyndon B. Johnson 1965-1966
One Term President who advanced Environmental Causes the most in history–Jimmy Carter 1977-1981
President who gave us ObamaCare–Barack Obama 2010
President who advanced Civil Rights—John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson 1960s
President to appoint first Jewish Supreme Court Justice—Woodrow Wilson 1916 (Louis Brandeis)
President to appoint first woman Jewish Supreme Court Justice—Bill Clinton 1993 (Ruth Bader Ginsburg)
President to appoint first African American Supreme Court Justice–Lyndon B. Johnson 1967 (Thurgood Marshall)
President to appoint first Hispanic-Latino Supreme Court Justice—Barack Obama 2009 (Sonia Sotomayor)
President who promoted Containment Foreign Policy with the Soviet Union—Harry Truman
President who promoted concept of international cooperation—Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt
First Woman Speaker Of The House of Representatives–Nancy Pelosi 2007
Most accomplished Congresses, Democratic controlled—-63rd and 64th (1913-1917) under Woodrow Wilson; 73rd and 74th (1933-1937) under Franklin D. Roosevelt; 89th Congress (1965-1967) under Lyndon B. Johnson; 111th Congress (2009-2011) under Barack Obama
Great Supreme Court Justices appointed by Democratic Presidents—Louis Brandeis 1916 by Woodrow Wilson; Hugo Black 1937 by Franklin D. Roosevelt; Felix Frankfurter 1939 by Franklin D. Roosevelt; William O. Douglas 1939 by Franklin D. Roosevelt; Thurgood Marshall 1967 by Lyndon B. Johnson; Ruth Bader Ginsburg 1993 by Bill Clinton; Stephen Breyer 1994 by Bill Clinton

Fantastic Speeches By Cory Booker, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders On First Night Of Democratic Convention!

Day One of the Democratic National Convention was fantastic, with Bernie Sanders giving a rousing speech supporting Hillary Clinton; Cory Booker giving a speech that is memorable for the ages, and will catapult him into speculation for the Presidency eight years hence; Elizabeth Warren making the case against Republican Donald Trump; and First Lady Michelle Obama giving the most dramatic speech of the evening, making us proud of her, as well as her husband.

There are still divisions to be healed with some Bernie Sanders supporters, but compared to the disaster and embarrassment of the Republican National Convention last week in Cleveland, this convention is working quite well, and it seems clear that the unity desired will come about by Thursday night.

And one can expect a major bump in the polls after the convention, by early next week, while the supposed bump of Trump seems to have been misleading, as new polls indicate very little bump, and mostly, only when one adds third party candidates Gary Johnson and Jill Stein to the mix!

It is great that Bernie Sanders is uniting his supporters, an estimated 90 percent so far, to back Hillary Clinton, as otherwise, there is the great danger of electing a dangerous extremist, Donald Trump, with no knowledge, experience, or qualifications to be President of the United States.

Assassinations Book Coming Out In Paperback From Rowman Littlefield In March 2017!

I am pleased to announce that my book–“Assassinations, Threats, and the American Presidency: From Andrew Jackson to Barack Obama”, Rowman Littlefield Publishers, August 2015, will be published in paperback, available in March 2017.

This is the ultimate dream of any author, that his book does well enough in sales and reviews, that it is published in paperback at a reasonable price.

The Mystery Of 2016: Why Hillary Clinton Has Low Public Opinion Rating, And Bill Clinton Continues To Rate High In Public Opinion!

As the Democratic National Convention begins in Philadelphia, there is much turmoil and rancor over the revelation of Democratic National Committee emails, apparently hacked by Russian state supporters, to harm Hillary Clinton by her connection to now disgraced Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

There is no debate that Debbie has run the DNC poorly, and shown bias toward Bernie Sanders, and it is right that she is not participating in the activities of the convention. She also faces a fight in the primary against a Bernie Sanders supported candidate in the Florida primary on August 30.

Despite that, I have met Debbie a few times, and always thought she was a decent, kind, and competent person, but her handling of the Democratic National Committee activities have besmirched her reputation permanently in history, a tragic development.

But beyond this controversy, the mystery continues to arise. Why does Hillary Clinton have such low public opinion rating, while her husband, former President Bill Clinton, continues to rate high in public opinion, and always has?

Hillary Clinton is one of the most qualified nominees for President in all of American history, but she is not a good politician, in the sense that she has trouble arousing supporters, and is not, as she even admits, the expert communicator that her husband, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, are.

Clinton has made mistakes, certainly, but so have all Presidential nominees and all Presidents. But much of the attack on Hillary Clinton is manufactured by right wing conservative forces and Republican nominee Donald Trump.

And she is blamed for her husband’s misbehavior, but somehow, that does not affect the popularity of her husband, so this is inscrutable!

There, clearly, is a anti woman mentality among many men, and even a large percentage of women, both of whom seem to feel that a woman is not qualified to be President.

However, the belief is that once Bill Clinton speaks at the convention on Wednesday that he will be able to boost the candidacy of his wife, and that once he goes on the campaign trail in the next months, that he will help to elect his wife to the Presidency.

Grand Opening Of Democratic Campaign As Tim Kaine Is A Rock Star In Introduction To The American People In Miami Rally!

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, presented himself to the nation yesterday at a political rally in Miami, Florida, with Hillary Clinton, at Florida International University, a heavily Latino school.

Many observers had said that Kaine was a “boring” personality, but he was anything but that. He was a “Rock Star”!

The TV audience and the crowd learned just how dynamic, caring, committed, and principled Tim Kaine is, apparently a secret just unveiled, as he was not well known nationally.

Tim Kaine is a wonderful human being with compassion and concern for social justice, just the opposite of Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, who has demonstrated an extremist right wing Tea Party view on so many different issues.

The future debate between Kaine and Pence will be very revealing, and will help Hillary Clinton win the Presidency.

And we will be blessed in January with a great successor in the Vice Presidency to follow Joe Biden, who must be recruited for some important position, as we should not lose his talents and expertise.

A good suggestion is to make Biden Secretary of State or Attorney General, both areas of his expertise and knowledge, not only as Vice President for eight years, but also his years as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Democrats have, once again, blessed us with outstanding Vice Presidents—Walter Mondale under Jimmy Carter, Al Gore under Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden under Barack Obama, and now they offer us the talents and great judgment and humanity of Tim Kaine.