Month: May 2024

University Commencements NOT Place For Disruptions!

The Israel-Hamas War has led to widespread demonstrations and occupations of college and university campuses, disrupting the whole purpose of higher education–to promote discussion, debate, and rational discourse.

Now, commencement time, a time of celebration of accomplishments, is threatened by disruptions, encouraged in many cases by faculty, as well as by students and outside agitators who, by their actions, are marring the experience that comes once in a lifetime for students who have accomplished their educational goals.

One can empathize and sympathize with those who are desirous of ending the Israel-Hamas War, as this author and blogger is, but the strategy of blockade and interference with the basic right of families to celebrate the accomplishments of their family members is totally uncalled for.

An Impossible Situation For Joe Biden In Israel-Hamas War!

The Israel-Hamas War, now seven months long and counting, has seen about 35,000 killed in the Gaza Strip, with up to two thirds being civilian women and children.

Famine is occurring, and the situation is about to become worse, with the impending invasion of Rafah by the Israeli Defense Forces.

There is an argument that Israel must invade Rafah in order to exterminate Hamas, but many think more civilian deaths will certainly result, and that the goal will never be fully achieved.

The Democratic Party is split on strategy, and President Joe Biden’s decision to hold up on weapons shipments is alienating many Jewish voters, while Arab and Muslim voters are furious at Biden for having supported Israel so completely until now.

This is an impossible political situation, that could lead to the defeat of Biden in the Presidential Election of 2024, although there are many other factors involved in how people will vote.

RFK Jr Brain Worm Revelation, Added To Everything Else, Disqualifies Him!

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr is disgracing the reputation of his extended family, and is clearly delusional in saying, as he did on MSNBC with Ari Melber last night, that he can win the Presidency.

The revelation of a brain worm years ago, and other health and lifestyle issues, and added to his crazy conspiracy theories, and anti vaccine looniness, makes him totally unqualified for the Presidency.

So far, he is only on a few state ballots, but insists he will be on all 50 states and DC ballots.

He was very argumentative and irrational with Ari Melber, demonstrating he cannot control his behavior, making him just as dangerous or possibly more so than Donald Trump.

He also acts as if he is “young”, when he is 70 years old, and has never held public office, in common with Donald Trump before 2016.

The gall of this unstable man, to think he is qualified, and that he will be the first independent candidate who can win, when even Theodore Roosevelt only won 6 states and 88 electoral votes in 1912 after having been President for 7.5 years, is beyond belief and credulity.

Harry Truman And Joe Biden

May 8th is the 140th Anniversary of President Harry Truman’s birth in 1884.

It is also the 79th Anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, and the defeat of Nazism and Fascism.

These are not just historical events to commemorate, but also relate to 2024.

Joe Biden is the updated Harry Truman, a man who was vilified and underrated, who took us through the early stages of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

Joe Biden is vilified by the authoritarian Fascists led by Donald Trump, who has a love affair with Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, and is underrated in many public opinion polls in the upcoming Presidential Election of 2024, as Truman was in the Presidential Election of 1948.

Joe Biden will become known as “Give Them Hell Joe”, just as Truman came to be known as “Give Them Hell Harry” 76 years ago!

Vice Presidential Contenders Make Themselves Subservient To Donald Trump

The Vice Presidential “sweepstakes” for those who want to be Donald Trump’s running mate is a total disgrace.

Instead of credentials mattering, and the idea of whether someone is qualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency, instead we are having ill-qualified people who are making themselves look subservient.

So Kristi Noem brags about killing her puppy.

Tim Scott refuses to say if he will accept the results in November no matter what happens.

Doug Burgum also seems willing to allow his great fortune to be exploited by Donald Trump, who is running way behind in fundraising to Joe Biden.

Elise Stefanik sold her soul long ago to Donald Trump, making clear her ambition to reach a level she is not qualified for.

Vivek Ramaswamy specializes in being totally obnoxious and obsequious to the extreme.

Marco Rubio and JD Vance are unprincipled phonies who are flattered by Trump considering them.

And then, there is former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, who embraced Syria’s dictator, and has changed her political views so radically from what they were, that one wonders about her mental stability. She seems ready to sell herself to the highest bidder, so to speak, as she flirted with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before he passed her over.

What a horrible, unqualified bunch, when compared to Vice President Kamala Harris, who may laugh too much, but what is so wrong with that? She also is super qualified when compared to this bunch of characters!

Better than the nasty, grievance laden attitude of Trump and his minions!

Six Months To Presidential And Congressional Elections

It is precisely six months to the Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024, and polls indicate an extremely tight race for both the White House and control of both houses of Congress.

However, the fact that Donald Trump is unleashing lunatic statements and authoritarian threats daily, and is mired in a courtroom four days a week, are negatives that are affecting independent voters and undecided voters.

And abortion rights is seen as a definite loser for Trump and Republicans, as the vast majority of those polled, and particularly among women, clearly want women to control their own bodies and destinies.

The issue of the Israel-Hamas War, while creating problems for Joe Biden in Michigan, in particular, seems likely to calm down, as Muslims and Arabs voting for Donald Trump would not promote a different policy, as Trump has a record of working to persecute Muslims and support Israel.

The economy, and particularly inflation, is an issue, but one must remember that Trump did promote the largest tax cut and increase of the national debt for any one term President, and the economy was in free fall due to his inability to deal with the COVID 19 pandemic adequately.

The fight for control of both houses of Congress will be a bitter one, with the likelihood that both houses will have very small margins of the majority, with the House of Representatives likely to go Democratic, but the US Senate likely, at this point, to swing Republican.

So federal judge appointments and more environmental executive orders are crucial for the Democrats and Joe Biden to accomplish in the next six months.

And constantly reminding Americans of the danger to American Democracy cannot be emphasized enough.

“Originalism” And “Textualism”: The Battle For The Future Of Constitutional Government Against The Late 18th Century!

The battle over how to interpret the Constitution in the 21st century is in full swing, with the extremist right wing Supreme Court majority emphasizing “Originalism” and “Textualism” as their basic ideological doctrine!

They want America to be judged by late 18th century interpretations, which means they challenge Alexander Hamilton and his “broad” interpretation of the Constitution.

Hamilton emphasized a broad interpretation, not a strict interpretation, of the Constitution, saying it needed to be a living document.

Even Thomas Jefferson, the original ideological opponent of Hamilton, came to recognize that Hamilton was correct, and so backed away from his original strict intepretation to support the Louisiana Purchase deal with France in 1803, doubling US territory and insuring that no other foreign power would gain further control in North America.

If one is to judge the Constitution by “originalism” and “textualism”, then America should not have had the multitude of changes that has made America a democracy, including among others:

Creation of Cabinet Agencies
End of African American Slavery by Amendment 13
Civil Rights Laws And Amendments (14, 15)
Women’s Suffrage (19)
Federal Government Agencies and Regulations
Federal Income Tax Amendment (16)
Democratizing of the US Senate by Amendment 17
Limitation of Presidential Terms by Amendment 22

This battle is over the future as compared to the limitations of the past, and America has come too far to allow the right wing interpretation to dictate the future of the nation!

May 4, 1970 Anniversary: A Sobering Moment Recalled

It is now 54 years since the National Guard, called onto the campus of Kent State University in Ohio by Republican Governor James Rhodes, opened up fire on student demonstrators against the war in Vietnam, and specifically, the invasion of Cambodia.

Four students were killed, including Jeffrey Miller, who was shot in the back while walking far away from the student demonstration, and led to the infamous photograph of a young girl weeping over his body as his blood drained out. Nine students were also wounded, and one was paralyzed for life in this tragedy.

The idea that it was appropriate to call in military forces to a college or university campus, now being promoted by many Republicans, including Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, is an example of how nothing has been learned from that horrendous tragedy.

This tragedy only emboldened President Richard Nixon, as many Americans believed in so called “law and order”, and the fear is that the present college campus demonstrations regarding the Israel-Hama War might only embolden Donald Trump and his followers in the upcoming Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024.

Joe Biden Takes The Right Stand On Campus Unrest

One can be very proud of Joe Biden, as he has taken the right stand on campus unrest throughout the nation.

As he stated, there is the right of demonstration and freedom of assembly, but NOT to cause destruction or occupation by anyone or to promote persecution, discrimination, and hatred of any kind.

Biden will have problems with both the Jewish community and the Muslim community, since he is treading a very delicate balance on the Israel-Hamas War, wanting a ceasefire, release of hostages, and to prevent, if possible, any further bloodshed.

For any reasonable person to think Donald Trump is better situated to deal with the crisis requires a sense of delusion and naivete!

The South “The Abortion Desert”, Denial Of Basic Human Rights Of Women!

Just as the American South was the slavery promoters who provoked the Civil War in the 19th century, so now the American South is the “Abortion Desert”, taking away the basic human rights of women, as before with African Americans.

With Florida yesterday putting into effect a strict abortion ban, a woman who lives in the “Sunshine State” must travel to New Mexico, Kansas, Illinois, or Virginia as the closest locations to obtain an abortion, even if in medical distress that could end her life. This affects, in theory, about 4 million women of child bearing age in Florida.

A total of 17 states now completely ban abortion, including the entire South, except Virginia, and with some restrictions in North Carolina.

This is a “new slavery”, putting women “in their place”, under the control of religious extremists and misogynists! Vice President Kamala Harris went to Florida yesterday to denounce the new restrictions on women’s rights to control their own bodies.

The issue of abortion will be on the ballot in many states, including Florida, in the November elections, and it is urgent that this be perceived as THE ISSUE extremely important in the upcoming Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024.