Month: January 2020

The US Senate, As An Institution, Is On Trial

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The US Senate, often called the greatest legislative body in the world, and based on the concept of the Roman Senate, is clearly, on trial.

It has had a grand total of 1,984 members since March 4, 1789, and at least a few hundred have been major players in US History.

It has also had its scoundrels and low lifes, but it has always played an important role in US history.

Courage and principle has often governed what happened, while other times, pure dirty politics has ruled the day, such as right now, as Senator Mitch McConnell, the Majority Leader, is doing everything he can to deny the American people a fair impeachment trial of Donald Trump.

The trial, sadly, may be a sham, but the Republican Party will pay for it with a loss of control of the Senate, and the defeat of scoundrels such as McConnell and Lindsey Graham.

History is waiting, and will not be kind to any US Senator who does not promote a fair trial!

Three Years Of Donald Trump, One Year To Next Presidential Inauguration

Ronald 10 Comments

It is hard to believe that Donald Trump has been in office, disgracing and besmirching the institution of the Presidency, for three years. With one year left to this term, hopefully, we will see next year on this day the end of this nightmare threat to civil order and international stability.

All possible efforts must be made to eradicate this cancer on the office of the Presidency, with commitment by voters and by those in public office to do everything needed to remove this man from the Presidency. We must then work to reverse the horrific damage he has done in so many areas of public policy.

There is no perfect candidate, but the nation must unite around the winner of the Democratic Presidential nomination as the only alternative to the horror of a second term for Trump, as that would create lasting damage to the nation, with little chance of reversal.

This is particularly true in the case of the federal judiciary, as if Trump is able to make the Supreme Court extremist right wing, it will reverberate on the nation in a deleterious manner for the next 20-30 years. It would insure domestic chaos and injustice long term, in a nation becoming rapidly a majority minority by the 2040s.

28 True Conservatives Who Support Removal Of Donald Trump As Violator Of Separation Of Powers And Rule Of Law

Ronald 2 Comments

As the Donald Trump impeachment trial begins, it is clear that a true conservative would support his removal from the Oval Office on the basis of his violation of the separation of power and the rule of law.

The list is long, including, among others the following 28 in no special order:

George Conway

Steve Schmidt

John Weaver

Rick Wilson

Jennifer Rubin

Charlie Dent

Richard Painter

Max Boot

George Will

Joe Scarborough

John Kasich

Jeff Flake

Mia Love

Bill Kristol

Even McMullin

Mike Murphy

Justin Amash

Bill Weld

Joe Walsh

Susan Del Percio

Elise Jordan

Michael Steele

Nicole Wallace

Rick Tyler

Amanda Carpenter

Charlie Sykes

Carlos Curbelo

Tom Ridge

Will Four Or More Republicans Call For Witnesses In Donald Trump Impeachment Trial?

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With the Donald Trump Impeachment Trial to begin in earnest on Tuesday, January 21, the first full day of the last year of this Presidential term of office, the question arises whether at least four Republican Senators will buck their leader, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and call for witnesses to testify.

John Bolton, former National Security Adviser, is the key witness in mind, although there are others, including Mick Mulvaney (the Acting White House Chief of Staff), Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Vice President Mike Pence, as well as lesser figures.

If even John Bolton gets to testify, it will be a victory for Democrats, but the question is whether there are Republican Senators who want to know the truth, or are just interested in backing the President, no matter what abuses of power he has engaged in.

The best estimate is that we will find the following Senators supporting testimony:

Susan Collins of Maine

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska

Mitt Romney of Utah

Lamar Alexander of Tennessee

Rob Portman of Ohio

Cory Gardner of Colorado

If only three of the above support witnesses, it would be a 50-50 tie, and the belief is that Chief Justice John Roberts could rule in such a tie situation, and would support witnesses.

But this is such an unprecedented situation, so we are guessing at what will be the ultimate decision on this matter.

Trump’s Impeachment Defense Team The Most Obnoxious, Obscene, And Crooked Imaginable!

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Donald Trump is employing Alan Dershowitz, a clearly demented, egotistical, unethical former Harvard Law Professor, who is totally contradicted by most prestigious law professors, including those at Harvard, to present his case in the upcoming impeachment trial.

Dershowitz has represented many of the most despicable criminals imaginable, and while he says he is a “Liberal Democrat”, he clearly has no principles other than his own economic aggrandizement and egotistical glorification. Dershowitz is a criminal lawyer, not a great constitutional lawyer, and he is undermining American democracy with his willingness to defend the abuse of power by Donald Trump.

Trump is also employing Ken Starr, the prosecutor who brought about the ultimate impeachment trial against Bill Clinton, glorying in providing precise sexual details about Clinton’s love life, and then, being President of Baylor University, which had a football player sex scandal which he handled terribly, and resigned in disgrace.

The worst of humanity is what Dershowitz and Starr are, and their ethical violations should lead to their disbarment and disgrace, as they are the most obnoxious, obscene, and crooked defense teams of lawyers ever conceived!

The Donald Trump Impeachment Trial Begins As House Appoints Impeachment Managers, And Hands Over The Two Articles Of Impeachment To The Senate

Ronald 13 Comments

Finally, a month after the House of Representatives adopted two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has appointed seven members of the House to be impeachment managers, and has handed over the two articles of impeachment to the Senate.

More evidence against Donald Trump has emerged, and hopefully, the Republicans in the US Senate will realize the need for new evidence to be allowed, and for witnesses to be brought before the Senate, as Chief Justice John Roberts presides, over what is now the third Presidential impeachment trial in American history.

John Roberts joins Salmon P. Chase in 1868 and William Rehnquist in 1999 in the historic stewardship over the impeachment proceedings, with the President on trial, although not in person, and with the House having impeachment managers to argue the case, and the Senate to act as a jury. All branches of the government are present in the Senate chamber as this trial commences, and lasts a few weeks, likely beyond the Iowa Caucuses on February 3 and the New Hampshire Primary on February 11.

The Donald Trump Impeachment Trial Helps Promote Moderates Over Progressives In Democratic Presidential Competition

Ronald 9 Comments

Last night’s Iowa Democratic Presidential Debate added “steam” to the belief that moderates are gaining over progressives, based on performance, and also on the reality that the upcoming Donald Trump impeachment trial will “bench” the two leading progressives, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, along with Amy Klobuchar and “forgotten” candidate Michael Bennet, giving the edge to Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg.

For a few weeks, beyond Iowa and probably including New Hampshire, those Senators will be unable to campaign in person, a major disadvantage.

It could be that it will have no effect on Iowa or New Hampshire, but the feeling is growing that it might be that a ticket will emerge of Joe Biden for President, with his experience, knowledge, and likability, running with Mayor Pete for Vice President, from the Midwest heartland, and making a major step forward as an openly gay Vice Presidential nominee .

Experience, youth, and likability, all in one ticket!

At the same time, a ticket of Biden with Amy Klobuchar, or a ticket of Pete for President and Amy for VP or vice versa would be fine, too!

The Caucus-Primary System In The Future Needs To Be Reformed

Ronald 18 Comments

The Caucus-Primary system for Presidential elections needs to be reformed, as it is clear that having Iowa and New Hampshire go first, with both being totally lacking in diversity, is not a system for the long term.

The argument could be that California and Texas should go first, as they are very diverse and together have about 20 percent of the national population.

Add states such as Wisconsin and Virginia, and that would be a good start toward a system that would be much more amenable to the promotion of racial and ethnic diversity in a nation that will be majority non white in a generation. Therefore, it would be more reflective of reality, and allow minority candidates a better chance to survival in the process.

It is sad that Kamala Harris, Julian Castro, and Cory Booker have been forced out of the Presidential race for the Democrats, due to lack of financial support. Hopefully, the future can be different.

Iowa Presidential Debate Crucial As Caucuses Are Three Weeks From Today

Ronald 3 Comments

The Democratic Presidential debate on Tuesday night is crucial as the caucuses near us three weeks from today.

The latest polls indicate close to a four way split, with only five points between first place finisher Bernie Sanders and fourth place finisher Joe Biden.

It is clear anything could happen on February 3, and it could dramatically influence New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada later in February.

We must remember that Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Barack Obama in 2008 went on to the Presidency after winning iowa in those years.

A win in Iowa could lead to victories in New Hampshire and onward, and that, if occurring, could have a dramatic effect on Super Tuesday, when 14 states, including California and Texas, the two largest, vote in primaries and caucuses on March 3.

A failure to end up at least in third place in Iowa would likely be the death knell of a candidacy.

And yet, even Amy Klobuchar, who is not seen seriously right now, but being from neighboring state Minnesota, could surprise us, having visited all 99 counties in Iowa.

So Tuesday’s debate will be a test of how she can perform, along with how Joe Biden will fare, and also whether Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, numbers one and two, treat each other. Additionally, whether Pete Buttigieg, now third in most polls, can compete against his older and more experienced rivals.

How the debate is judged by media will certainly have a dramatic effect on the likely voting lineup on February 3.

But an additional potential influence on what happens in Iowa and New Hampshire is the upcoming Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump, which will force Sanders, Warren and Klobuchar off the campaign trail, possibly giving an edge to Biden and Buttigieg.

Give Credit To Michael Bloomberg, Using His Fortune To Help Defeat Donald Trump, If He Does Not Win Democratic Presidential Nomination

Ronald 15 Comments

It is great news to hear that Democratic Presidential contender Michael Bloomberg has decided, that if he does not win the nomination, he will use part of his fortune to help defeat Donald Trump.

For any candidate, including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, to decide to reject such support would be totally stupid, even with their commitment to wish to tax multi millionaires and billionaires, and to refuse corporate support.

This is not a time to “play games”, as the urgency is to remove the cancer of Donald Trump from the Presidency, with all of the tremendous damage he has done in both domestic and foreign affairs, and also in his appointment of nearly 200 federal judges, that if added to further, will totally undermine all of the good work done by Presidents and Congresses in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

In fact, billionaire Tom Steyer should also agree to contribute massive amounts of his fortune, on a smaller scale than Bloomberg, to the Democratic effort to excise Trump from office, and hold him legally accountable as a private citizens for his sins and transgressions, which are massive in number and depth!