Month: June 2024

The Nation Needs A New Leader To Stop Donald Trump!

It has been a tormenting three days since the disaster of the Presidential debate.

This author and blogger has been indecisive in his views on what should happen, but as time has passed, the answer has come that the nation needs a new leader to stop Donald Trump.

This is not about Joe Biden, who will go down in history as a superb President, better in one term than James K. Polk, usually said to be the best one term President.

It is about the future of America, and the absolute, dire need to stop Donald Trump from returnning to the White House, as he will destroy the American Republican, democracy, the rule of law, and the Constitution!

The Democratic Party must promote an open convention, and allow any potential Presidential candidate to make his or her case over the next six to seven weeks, and then allow the delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to choose who they wish to be their nominees for President and Vice President.

Joe Biden must recognize the need for change, as to believe that he can conduct the Presidency for the next four years to age 86 is unrealistic, as there has never been a democratically elected world leader at that age in world history!

Winston Churchill retired at age 80, and Biden will be 82 a few weeks after the election, and only Popes, Kings, and dictators such as in Iran presently, have served at later ages.

Joe Biden MUST do what is right for the nation, and he can hold his head high as a statesman by doing the right thing!

Donald Trump: A Fraud, Con Man, Liar, Sexual Assaulter, Convicted Felon!

While Joe Biden faltered in the Presidential debate on Thursday evening, Donald Trump unleashed dozens upon dozens of lies and mistruths!

The man has no character, no morals, no ethics, no scruples, no conscience, no sense of decency, compassion or empathy, and is all about himself!

Trump utters the most outrageous statements, and everything he says against Joe Biden and other critics is simply projections about his own behavior!

Donald Trump is mentally ill, delusional, and clearly is in a state of deterioration before our eyes, and his own family was not present for the debate, and his wife Melania, stays away from all campaign events!

There has never been a President like Trump, not even Richard Nixon, often seen as the most criminal element before Trump, but possessing intelligence, knowledge, and some important principles and significant accomplishments.

Richard Nixon did not consort and collaborate with foreign dictators against American National Security, as Trump has done, and Richard Nixon enforced the foreign alliances to protect Europe and Asia, while Trump has no regard or concern about any foreign government that is not an authoritarian dictatorship!

Time For Pause, Calming Spirit, And Careful Consideration Of Future Tactics!

Having read a number of opinions, and calming down from the shock of last evening’s Presidential debate, this author and blogger is taking a deep breath and reflecting that it is not a good idea to panic, although many decent people are doing so.

One must remember that Joe Biden has always been underestimated his whole life, and has always recovered from disappointments and tragedies.

Joe Biden is one of the most decent, humane public figures in my lifetime, and in the mind of this author and blogger, he became the new Hubert Humphrey, after the tragic passing of Humphrey in 1978 at the early age of 66.

Biden, like Humphrey, and only a small list of other political leaders in my lifetime, exudes decency, compassion, and sincerity, and his Presidency has been the best, most accomplished in domestic affairs since Lyndon B. Johnson.

And Biden has shown courage and principle in foreign affairs, dealing with very complex international problems in a measured way, and has great respect and admiration from world leaders, who fear the return of the most massive liar and most crooked President in American history, Donald Trump!

No wonder experts and scholars agree overwhelmingly that Donald Trump is the worst President, raising the stature of those two Presidents, James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson, that have been the bottom rankings for many years. This is demonstrated in the C Span Presidential Survey of 2021 and the Siena College Research Institute Survey of 2022, as well as the American Political Science Association Survey of 2024!

The struggle to stop Donald Trump requires commitment and truth, and Joe Biden deserves a chance to prove that what happened yesterday is not the norm. His rally in North Carolina this afternoon was inspiring, so give it a few days to a week for reflection, and then it might be time for action, but let us all pray for the best for Joe Biden and the nation he loves!

Time For Reality: Joe Biden MUST Step Aside, And “Swing State” Governors Are Best Combination To Stop Trump! :(

This author and blogger is shell shocked from the disastrous performance of Joe Biden last evening in his debate with Donald Trump.

Biden was clearly not well physically, having a cold and a raspy voice, but also, mentally, not “with it”, and sadly, as much as I have “loved” Biden and have been proud of him and his record, it is time for him to announce that he will not run for President.

However, the best alternative is NOT a Californian, such as Vice President Kamala Harris or California Governor Gavin Newsom, but rather two young “swing state” Governors!

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (age 51) and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (age 53) is a perfect combination that can rally all Democratic groups of voters, and attract independents and sane Republicans who do not want Donald Trump back in the White House!

Much more analysis and discussion will occur, but the Democratic National Convention should unite around Shapiro and Whitmer as the best combination to defeat Donald Trump and his authoritarian Fascist threat to American democracy and rule of law!

Three Senate Republican Targets Whose Defeats Would Be Blessings!

The battle for control of the US Senate in 2025 is a very difficult struggle for Democrats, who have a one vote margin in the present Senate, but seem highly likely to lose that slight edge in the upcoming Senate elections.

Besides having to defend incumbents in Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, open seats in Maryland and Arizona will be difficult battles, and with West Virginia assured of a switch to Republicans with Joe Manchin’s retirement.

There are only three Republican targets that are possible switches to the Democrats, but all three will be very difficult to defeat.

In Florida, Rick Scott is opposed by Debbie Mucarsel-Powell; in Missouri, Josh Hawley is opposed by Lucas Kunce; and in Texas, Ted Cruz is opposed by Colin Allred.

All three Republican Senators are horrendous in their comments, votes, and basic personalities, the kind that are regularly demonstrating their lack of concern for their constituents, and motivated solely by ambition and desire to be controversial.

Joe Biden, The Experienced Debater: Much Underestimated!

With the Presidential debate only about 36 hours away, it is clear that many observers do not understand that Joe Biden is an experienced debater, much underestimated by Donald Trump and many others.

Biden has had more debate experience than just about any Presidential contender, as he was engaged in debates in 1987 before he withdrew from the race; as Vice Presidential nominee in 2008 against Sarah Palin; as Vice President in 2012 against Paul Ryan; and against Donald Trump in the Presidential Election of 2020.

And certainly, against Palin, Ryan, and Trump, it is clear Joe Biden “WON” those debates, and with Palin and Ryan decades younger than he was!

What it comes down to is this: Joe Biden has ALWAYS been underestimated in so many ways, but he ALWAYS comes through!

And Donald Trump is running scared, knowing that history of Joe Biden the Debater!

Religion Does Not Belong In Public Education!

The Louisiana legislature recently enacted a law requiring display of the Ten Commandments in all public schools from nursery schools through public universities.

This is unconstitutional, and promotes a narrow Christian view of religion, when there are many other religions that are not considered in enacting such legislation.

The law is against the Bill of Rights, specifically the First Amendment, which makes clear total separation of church and state as a major principle of the Founding Fathers.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups have brought suit to prevent the enforcement of this attempt at promoting theocracy in public education.

The only way that religion is, rightfully, in public education is to teach about the various religious beliefs in an objective, and elective, high school and or college course, but not as theocracy, but as part of world history or Philosophy!

Donald Trump And “Religious” Supporters: Pure Hypocrisy!

Donald Trump is a vile human being, totally racist, nativist, misogynist, a twice impeached, four times indicted, and convicted felon on 24 counts.

He has done tremendous harm in so many ways, and is the most massive liar ever in public office!

And yet, evangelical Christians invite him to their gathering, and laugh and applaud his horrendous, hate filled rhetoric!

And sadly, many so called “devout” Catholics, and Orthodox Jews, also seem to have no issue in backing such a despicable person, who disgraced the Presidency for four years, and pledges a dictatorship, and makes clear there is no need to vote in four years!

What is wrong with these supposedly devout hypocrites? 🙁

This is why organized religion is declining rapidly in America, and legitimizes the statement of Karl Marx two centuries ago, that “religion is the opium of the people”, a factor that has caused more hate, bloodshed, and death than any other human institution! One does not need to endorse Karl Marx to say he was correct in this regard!

Chief Justice John Roberts At A Crossroads

Chief Justice John Roberts is only the 17th person to be Chief Justice.

He has been Chief Justice for 19 years by September, and will be the fourth longest serving Chief Justice at that point, already surpassing the average tenure for a Chief Justice, with the major exceptions of John Marshall (1801-1835) and Roger Taney (1836-1864)), and also Melville Weston Fuller (1888-1910).

Roberts worries, rightfully, about the reputation of the Supreme Court, as it is named after the people who hold the position of Chief Justice.

While a definite conservative, Roberts has tried to promote a rational center on the Court, but that has become much more difficult with the extreme rightward swing of the Court since Donald Trump made three appointments in his one term of office.

The feeling is that Roberts has lost any sense of control or ability to influence his colleagues.

There clearly are major splits on the Court, and Roberts has the difficult job of showing he can lead, or allowing Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito to dominate the Court.

It is hoped that Roberts, quietly, behind the scenes, has convinced the Trump appointees to tame the influence of Thomas and Alito, as otherwise, the reputation of the Court and his own historical reputation will lie in tatters.

This will be demonstrated when the Court finally makes its fateful decision this week on Presidential immunity, and the majority of the Court desperately needs to get this case right, or else, the American experiment in democracy will be in long term crisis!

US Supreme Court Adding To Its Poor Image By Delaying Presidential Immunity Decision To End Of June!

The US Supreme Court, already with a terrible reputation as an extremist right wing Court, is adding to its poor image by delaying its Presidential Immunity decision to the very last week of the present term.

The idea that any President has total immunity on anything he does as President is shocking, but the Court, with its three Donald Trump appointees, plus the horrendous Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, both involved in conflict of interest controversies of their own making, is adding tension to the nation by not having rejected such an idea summarily.

The hope is that the Court will reject such an outrageous abuse of Presidential power, that would allow any action of a President without any controls.

This blogger senses, and hopes that the vote will be as high as 7-2 rejecting total Presidential immunity, with only Thomas and Alito seemingly assured to back such abuse of power.

But this assumes that the Trump appointees, and at the least, Amy Coney Barrett, along with Chief Justice John Roberts, will join Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, to come to that conclusion. The hope is that Brett Kavanaugh will also join such a majority, and possibly Neil Gorsuch.