Month: June 2019

The Misunderstanding Of The Terms “Liberal” And “Progressive”

Ronald 1 Comment

A new debate is emerging over the use of the terms “Liberal” and “Progressive”.

There are those who think there is a real difference between these two political terms, but this blogger and author wishes to make clear that he sees no difference in reality.

The term “Progressive” became popular with the rise of President Theodore Roosevelt, and Senators Robert La Follette Sr of Wisconsin and George Norris of Nebraska in the early 20th century. This term became notable due to these Republican officeholders and others.

But in the 1930s, Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal ushered in a different term, that the reforms of the 1930s were “Liberal”, and for the next half century, “Liberal” was the preferred term, promoted by President John F. Kennedy, and Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota and others in the Democratic Party, and by Republicans including Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Senator Jacob Javits of New York and others.

With the rise of Ronald Reagan to the Presidency, with the attacks on “liberalism” by conservatives, the term “Progressive” returned to favor, and this author chose that term for the title of his blog, when he began it in 2008.

But I consider the terms “Liberal” and “Progressive” to be interchangeable, as both represent the promotion of the virtues of government; the need for economic regulation; the promotion of social reform; and concern for human rights and environmental protection. Additionally, the importance of international alliances and agreements is paramount, and the avoidance of unnecessary wars and military intervention except if truly a threat to national security, is essential.

So for instance, World War II, the Korean War, and the Persian Gulf War were justifiable, while the wars in Vietnam and Iraq were not justifiable, and support of military dictatorships around the world suppressing freedom has always been unethical and immoral.

So as I stated on my Personal Profile page since August 2008, I am proud to call myself a “Liberal” AND a “Progressive”!

75 Years Since D Day: The Ultimate Moment Of Courage, As Now The Battle Against Donald Trump Requires Equivalent Courage And Commitment

Ronald 7 Comments

Three quarters of a century ago, young men, many actually still boys, demonstrated courage and selflessness when they committed to the liberation of Europe from the evil of Nazi Germany, by storming the beaches of Normandy, France.

Several thousand went into battle with the recognition of the likelihood that their lives would end, but with the sacrifice of their lives, western civilization would be saved from the horrors of Nazism and Fascism.

These men did not think about their own selfish needs and interests, and instead thought about their nation and the promotion of democracy.

Now we have a President who embodies none of the character and principles of that World War II generation, and not only those on D Day, but also those who fought and died throughout that war, and not only in Europe but also in Asia against Imperial Japan.

We have a President who has no respect for anything or anyone, and only is concerned about his own aggrandizement, and whose children are the most corrupt offspring in American history, bar none. The whole family deserves to be prosecuted and imprisoned for the rest of their lives, but whether that will happen is hard to predict.

But there is such a concept as karma, and what goes around comes around, and sometimes in ways one cannot perceive before they happen.

The major problem 75 years later is to eradicate the short and long term dangers of the new move toward totalitarian dictatorship, and stop it dead in its tracks, and that is the job of the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, which must move toward impeachment, exposing all of the details of this cancer–Trumpism–which is attempting to destroy everything decent and accomplished in the history of the American Republic.

Imagine Donald Trump On Pearl Harbor Day; D-Day; Cuban Missile Crisis; September 11

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America has gone through many major crises in its history, and Presidential leadership was key to the reaction to those tragedies.

But just imagine if Donald Trump had been President when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Or imagine if Donald Trump had been President on D Day, June 6, 1944.

Or imagine if Donald Trump had been President in the 13 days of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.

Or imagine if Donald Trump had been President on September 11, 2001.

It is inconceivable to imagine Donald Trump able to deal properly or legally in any of these moments of crisis.

That is why every day that Donald Trump is President, the nation and the world are endangered by a man who does not believe in the Constitution, does not believe in civil liberties or civil rights, does not believe in a stable international order, does not believe in retaining and strengthening our alliances with democratic nations, does not believe in science and protection of our environment, does not believe in common decency or compassion or empathy toward those less fortunate, does not believe in the concept of democracy!

Is America Ready To Elect A Gay Man As President? The Rise Of Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Ronald 13 Comments

South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg has been the big surprise of the political season, coming across as very intelligent, very competent, very charming, and very inspiring as a potential Democratic Presidential nominee.

If elected, he would be only 39 years and one day old on Inauguration Day 2021, making him by far the youngest President, nearly four years younger than Theodore Roosevelt and more than four and a half years younger than John F. Kennedy.

The fact that Mayor Pete is gay and has a husband, Chasten, who would be First Gentleman, has not harmed him, except among older generation religious hypocrites, including the evangelical Right, who would not vote Democratic in any case.

But if we could elect a Catholic in John F. Kennedy and mixed race African American in Barack Obama, both at young ages (43 and 47 respectively), why could we not elect a younger gay man who has more knowledge, education, compassion, and common decency than Donald Trump?

And were Mayor Pete to be the Vice Presidential running mate instead, imagine the debate between him and Vice President Mike Pence from the same state, Indiana—a gay man against the most hateful anti gay basher in American politics?

Mayor Pete would “slaughter” either Donald Trump or Mike Pence in a nationally televised debate!

Reality: Candidates Ahead In Public Opinion Polls In Third Year Of Presidential Term Never Are The Nominees For President

Ronald 2 Comments

Public opinion polls have been notoriously inaccurate in the third year of a Presidential term in who would be the Presidential nominees of major parties the following year.

In 2003, Vermont Governor Howard Dean was the front runner for the Democratic Presidential nomination, but John Kerry ended up as the nominee in 2004.

In 2007, New York Senator Hillary Clinton was the front runner for the Democratic Presidential nomination, but Barack Obama ended up as the nominee in 2008.

In 2007, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani was the front runner for the Republican Presidential nomination, but John McCain ended up as the nominee in 2008.

In 2011, Herman Cain was the front runner for the Republican Presidential nomination, but Mitt Romney ended up as the nominee in 2012.

In 2015, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush was the front runner for the Republican Presidential nomination, but Donald Trump ended up as the nominee in 2016.

Beyond these examples, in the third year of many Presidential terms, who could have known that the next President would be someone not seriously considered at that time to have a chance to be elected.

Witness John F. Kennedy in 1959; Richard Nixon in 1967; Jimmy Carter in 1975; Ronald Reagan in 1979; Bill Clinton in 1991; Barack Obama in 2007; and Donald Trump in 2015.

Also add the following: Abraham Lincoln in 1859; Woodrow Wilson in 1911; Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1931; and Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1951.

So, to assume that Joe Biden, currently ahead in all polls for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2020, will be the nominee is quite a gamble, based upon history.

The Most Evil Man In The US Senate: Mitch McConnell Of Kentucky, Setting Out To Destroy The Legal System And Legal Precedents!

Ronald 2 Comments

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky clearly is the most evil man in the Senate, setting out to destroy the legal system and legal precedents that have been accomplished over many decades and administrations.

He is striving, successfully, to set up a judicial system which will set America back legally for the next thirty years, as his legacy. His refusal to allow a hearing for Merrick Garland, Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Antonin Scalia in 2016, and the rushed confirmation of many unqualified and despicable district court and circuit nominees for life terms in office is insuring a gloomy future for civil rights and civil liberties. And now, he has said he will push the confirmation of a Supreme Court judge if either Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Stephen Breyer were to leave the Court in 2020.

His corruption is out of control, and his wife, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, has clearly been involved in corrupt financial actions while working for Donald Trump. This power couple should not be able to have such power and influence, with the obvious conflict of interest that promotes their support of Donald Trump, and unwillingness on the part of McConnell to challenge the President on his abuse of power and obstruction of justice.

Hopefully, again they will pay the price in legal charges brought against Elaine Chao, and the defeat of Mitch McConnell for reelection in 2020. Mitch McConnell has violated his oath of office and subverted the democratic process. And Elaine Chao has proved she is yet another of the corrupt cabinet officers under Donald Trump!

CNN’s 39th Anniversary: Changing The Face Of Journalism

Ronald 19 Comments

Today is the 39th Anniversary of Cable News Network, the first cable news channel, started by Ted Turner in 1980.

It is now hard to recall that before CNN, and later MSNBC in 1996, and the infamous Fox News Channel, also in 1996, the face of electronic journalism was only CBS, NBC, and ABC.

This author and blogger grew up as a devoted fan of CBS and Walter Cronkite and the other great journalists of that channel, with sometimes focusing to a lesser extent on NBC and ABC.

One also recalls how Richard Nixon complained about the “constant barrage” of TV news nationally 22 minutes out of the 30 minute nightly newscast, which was actually only 11 minutes out of 15 before 1963.

Now, we are overwhelmed by so much electronic news on cable channels and the internet, but at the end CNN still stands out as a quality news organization.

CNN has made mistakes and blunders, but it has also educated us mightily in the past 39 years, and has been strengthened by a tyrant named Donald Trump who claims that channel and MSNBC, along with the three major networks are “fake news”. The constant attacks as well on the NY Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times, the three best print papers in America, have only made educated people realize how significant all these and other news sources as well, are in keeping us free and informed.

It is the role of journalism to speak the truth, expose scandal, and insure our freedom and democracy, and they are working hard to overcome the greatest threat to America since World War II, far greater by comparison to that presented by Richard Nixon a half century ago.

No one is trying to give Richard Nixon a pass as a major threat historically, but the present “clear and present danger” of Donald Trump is an alarm bell warning us of the danger of infiltration by a foreign power which has always wished us ill since 1917, and now reconstituted in a different manner but no less dangerous than the old Soviet Union.

So to undermine our foreign policy and our loyalty to our allies in NATO, and in East Asia is a danger to the national security of America and to the world community at large, and CNN, MSNBC and others and the print media are working full time to keep Americans alert and informed.

So Happy 39th Birthday, CNN, and many more!