Month: September 2022

A Growing Sense Of Overwhelming Challenges Facing America As Midterm Elections Arrive In Six Weeks!

Ronald 3 Comments

This author and blogger has a growing sense of overwhelming challenges facing America as the nation faces the Midterm Elections of 2022 less than six weeks from now.

The horror of the massive damage of Hurricane Ian, after all the other natural disasters that Climate Change have brought to the nation and the world in the last few years, is multipled by the threat to American democracy and democracies elsewhere.

More than any other midterm election cycle, the present one is a challenge to the stability of the American nation.

America is a divided nation with at least a third of the nation living in delusion and fantasy, and with the worst elements of human nature displaying themselves on a regular basis. This includes, in no special order, misogyny, nativism, racism, homophobia, theocracy, and the promotion of Fascist ideologies.

Promotion of conspiracy theories and incessant lying and deceit by Donald Trump and a vast number of Republicans undermine the American nation and the world!

We are on the brink of not only disarray increasing in America, but the possibility of a World War III, promoted by an unstable, evil tyrant, Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, as he continues the assault on Ukraine!

The challenges reminds us of the 1930s and early 1940s, demonstrating that the battle for democracy and social unity is a never ending struggle!

Hurricane Ian Puts Florida Governor Ron DeSantis On The Spot: How Will He Handle The Disaster?

Ronald 4 Comments

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who clearly wants to be President of the United States, faces a major crisis that puts him on the spot!

How is he going to handle Hurricane Ian, with millions of his constituents in crisis?

And will he conduct himself properly in his dealings with Democratic President Joe Biden, who has been to the forefront of this crisis, even as it was developing?

This is a test case for crisis leadership, and arrogant, right wing demagogic Ron DeSantis is likely to cause controversy, and show lack of empathy, sincerity, compassion, and decency, since he has no element of any of these characteristics!

On the other hand, Joe Biden exudes empathy, sincerity, compassion, and decency throughout his nearly half century of political leadership.

This may well be the test of Ron DeSantis’s planned Presidential candidacy, as the likelihood is that he will fail miserably, but will blame others, rather than take responsibility for the reaction to this natural disaster!

Will he even show the kind of leadership that former Governor Jeb Bush demonstrated in numerous hurricane crises in 2004-2005 when he was in charge in the “Sunshine” state?

And short term, how will this horrendous disaster affect the Florida Governorship election, which is less than six weeks from now, and will Democratic opponent Charlie Crist gain an advantage?

Crist was lucky that there were no major hurricanes in the four years he was Florida Governor as a Republican (2007-2011).

This crisis will be a possible forerunner of a DeSantis-Biden confrontation in 2024!

Hurricane Ian Reminds Us Of Climate Change, And Momentarily Unites Americans!

Ronald 2 Comments

The disaster of Hurricane Ian, a massive, historic hurricane hitting the west coast of Florida as I write, is an excellent reminder of Climate Change, even though Republicans continue to deny it, and work against finding solutions.

This author and blogger lives on the east coast of Florida in Boca Raton, and we have been spared the direct hit, but it is pure luck and coincidence, and anyone living in Florida has to face the reality of the dangers of hurricanes and climate change!

The damage that will be wrought by this monster hurricane, with more than 150 MPH winds and massive flooding, will require cooperation between the state government of Florida, under Ron DeSantis, and the Democratic Presidency of Joe Biden.

DeSantis will have to stop partisanship and acknowledge federal help, which is already forthcoming, and it seems already is acting appropriately, appreciative that Biden is having no limits in what he will promote for the survival and stability of millions of people!

But the issue of hurricanes will not go away, even after this tragedy, and it is time for politicians to stop their games of climate change denial, and acknowledge climate change is real and getting worse by the year, and cooperate to cope with it in the next decades, as the situation will not improve without willingness to overcome party politics!

Growing Migrant Crisis In America And Worldwide

Ronald Leave a comment

With the growing climate change crisis worldwide, and the mistreatment of migrants, based on religion, race, and ethnicity, the world faces a massive crisis.

Not only in America with the Republican party do we have nativism rearing its ugly head, but also all over the globe, as migrants wish to escape horrendous economic and climate conditions and persecution in their homelands.

Men, women, and children are being rejected at borders after dangerous migrations, and also at sea, and the crisis will only grow in future years.

The idea that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott are showing disrespect toward migrants from left wing dictatorships, including Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, and using them as political props is shocking and reprehensible!

This is a spiritual and moral crisis of massive proportions in Europe and worldwide, and reminds us of the crisis of Jews in Europe and antisemitism in World War II. The conflicts going on today in many nations, with politicians exploiting hatred and division, is very disturbing!

And now, the rise of Giorgia Meloni as the first woman Prime Minister in Italy, promoting the Fascism of former dictator Benito Mussolini, is yet another sign of the dangers facing migrants. The idea that exactly a hundred years after the rise of Mussolini and the Fascist Movement, we are seeing Fascism come to power again, is shocking.

And the fact that the Republican Party and Donald Trump are clearly Fascist oriented, and wish to promote authoritarian government, is a sign that much of the history of the first half of the 20th century may be repeating itself.

American democracy and worldwide democracy is in crisis, and basic decency and humanity is under attack!

Liz Cheney Vows To Do What Has To Be Done To Keep Donald Trump Out Of White House!

Ronald Leave a comment

Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming was interviewed at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday.

Vice Chair of the January 6 House Committee investigating the US Capitol Insurrection, but defeated for renomination in her home state, Cheney has vowed that she will do what has to be done to keep Donald Trump out of the White House in the Presidential Election of 2024.

She has hinted at running for President, to stop Trump, and willing to support Democrats, even though she does not believe in many of their ideas, but sees Trump as a “clear and present danger” to American democracy.

She plans to campaign for Democrats in states where Republicans are election deniers, including for Katie Hobbs in Arizona and against Kari Lake, one of the wackiest Republicans running for Governor in the midterm elections. Also, she will campaign against Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania, running against Democrat Josh Shapiro for Governor.

And Cheney has said that if Donald Trump is nominated for President in 2024, she will no longer be a Republican!

What Is More Important? Economy, Inflation, Crime (Republicans) OR Abortion And Climate Change (Democrats)?

Ronald 4 Comments

With six weeks to go until the Midterm Elections of 2022, there is a massive battle going on between Republicans and Democrats, in a year where the Republicans should be favored, due to Joe Biden, a Democrat, being in the White House and his party in control, barely, in both houses of Congress.

But there are many indications that the Republicans have massive problems with their candidates, and the extremist right wing agenda they are promoting, which is scaring millions of Americans.

The Republicans are emphasizing the problems with the economy, inflation, and crime, while the Democrats are focusing on abortion and climate change.

The Democrats are focusing on issues that affect the nation that deal with basic human rights and long term effect on weather and the planet, while Republicans are trying to scare voters into dealing with issues that are more gut reaction.

Trying to figure out the future in six weeks is a major problem that will affect the next two years until the Presidential Election of 2024 and beyond!

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Is Appealing To Right Wing Authoritarians!

Ronald 5 Comments

It has become clear that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is perceived as the likely alternative to Donald Trump, among other Republicans who might seek to run for President in 2024.

What is clear is that Ron DeSantis is smarter, more intelligent than Donald Trump, which makes DeSantis very dangerous.

DeSantis is appealing to right wing authoritarians, based on his utterances and actions in office.

He has promoted the “Don’t Say Gay” legislation in Florida, persecuting gays, lesbians, and transgenders in the public schools, and dictating what can be said by educators in classrooms regarding sexuality and students.

Along with other Republicans, he is aiming to avoid the subject of race in the teaching of history, distorting the truth of the American past. He has attacked CRT (Critical Race Theory), which is not taught in schools, but he also does not want the unfortunate reality of racism and discrimination in the American past to be taught at all in schools and universities.

DeSantis is promoting book banning, affecting libraries and schools, and encouraging parents and school boards to promote censorship, interfering with students right to read books that should continue to be available.

He has promoted the anti abortion movement, and weakened gun safety laws, making the state much more dangerous to its citizens.

Anyone who is critical of him is attacked, including Walt Disney World, and Democratic prosecutors elected to office, who he dismisses from their positions on political grounds.

DeSantis has suppressed the vote, aiming to make it more difficult for the basic right of citizens to vote.

He has promoted gerrymandering that took away two House of Representatives seats from African Americans.

DeSantis resisted the COVID 19 Pandemic, working against vaccination requirements, face mask mandates, and stay at home orders, and this has led to Florida having the third most deaths, but not far behind California and Texas, although they have much larger populations.

He sent 50 Venezuelan refugee migrants who had applied for political asylum legally to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, as part of his political strategy to challenge the Biden Administration, but showing no concern about the cost to the state of Florida, and the lack of concern or respect for people escaping a left wing authoritarian dictatorship in Venezuela.

DeSantis is very hostile and antagonistic toward the news media, and bans them from many press conferences, only allowing right wing news media, including Fox News Channel to be present.

He is seen as appealing to right wing authoritarian promoters, and therefore, is seen as a threat to American democracy and the rule of law, were he to be nominated for and elected to the Presidency!

Joe Biden’s Public Opinion Poll Rating Reaches 46 Percent, Highest In 2022

Ronald Leave a comment

President Joe Biden’s public opinion poll ratings have risen in recent months, and is now 46 percent in the latest Emerson College poll, and 45 percent in other polls.

Back in May, Biden reached a low of 38 percent, and now is higher than he was at any earlier time in 2022.

There are a lot of factors explaining this, including the abortion issue; the continuing Donald Trump controversy; the horrendous Republican contenders for public office this fall; and the issue of Social Security and Medicare being threatened by Republicans to be phased out over five years, if they gain control of both houses of Congress and the White House in the future.

There are also other factors, including the issue of gun regulation, and the cancellation of some college student debt payments by the Biden Administration, that influence ratings.

With Biden’s revival, he is in similar territory as earlier Presidents Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford, at this point of their time in office!

Donald Trump Suffers Stunning Series Of Legal Losses

Ronald Leave a comment

Former President Donald Trump has suffered a series of legal losses this past week, including:

New York State Attorney General Letitia James is accusing him and his three older children (Donald Trump, Jr., Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump), of massive fraud, and is suing for a $250 million fine, wishing to deny the Trump family any ability to conduct business in New York State for the next five years, and giving evidence gathered to federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.

A three judge Circuit Court panel, with two Trump appointees, is allowing the Justice Department to pursue action on classified documents taken by Trump to Mar A Lago, to judge whether national security has been endangered.

A Georgia prosecutor is moving toward action on the illegal interference promoted by Trump to try to change the Georgia Presidential election results in the 2020 Presidential election.

Additionally, the January 6 House Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Insurrection at the US Capitol will be having another public hearing and presentation in the coming week.

The pressures being brought against Donald Trump, his children, and his business activities are all adding to the burden on the former President, easily the most corrupt in American history!

Anniversary Of Benedict Arnold’s Treason Brings Up Donald Trump’s Treason!

Ronald Leave a comment

In late September 1780, General Benedict Arnold committed treason, plotting with the British enemy to hand over West Point, New York, the future Military Academy, and about 10,000 American soldiers to the British.

If the treason had succeeded, it would have ended the American Revolution, and the fight for American Independence.

Since the time of Benedict Arnold, there have been others who have been considered traitors to America.

This would include the leaders of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, including, most notably, Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens, along with leading Confederate Generals such as Robert E. Lee and others.

There have been others who conspired against American interests, including former Vice President Aaron Burr, after leaving the Vice Presidency in 1805, and those who consorted with Nazi Germany, including Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh; and those who consorted with the Soviet Union over the 75 years of that nation’s existence.

But now, we have a much more serious threat, in a former President, Donald Trump, who has consorted with dictators, including most notably Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, and who inspired the January 6, 2021 Insurrection at the US Capitol. And Trump illegally took national security documents to his Mar A Lago estate, and there are still questions as to whether other documents might be found at his other estates in New Jersey, Trump Tower in New York City, and elsewhere and whether he may have shared and sold national security details to Putin and others.

So many have stated that Benedict Arnold has been succeeded by “Benedict Donald”, who is seen as a “clear and present danger” to American national security and American democracy!