Month: February 2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams Needs To Be Removed Due To Corruption And Collaboration With Trump On Immigration Raids!

Ronald 2 Comments

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on corruption charges centered around favors and bribes paid by the government of Turkey.

As soon as this corruption was revealed, Adams was suspect in his behavior and reactions to this scandal that he has engaged in, and if he had any decency, which he does not possess, he would have resigned.

Two earlier NYC Mayors–Jimmy Walker in 1932 and William O’Dwyer in 1950–resigned in similar scandals.

But instead, Adams has consorted with President Donald Trump and his “Border Czar” Thomas Homan to assist in pursuit of immigrants to deport, not just those who have committed crimes, but instead, giving widespread latitude to pursue many migrants who have committed no crime other than entering the country as an escape from bloodshed, persecution, and desire for a new life start!

NY Governor Kathy Hochul should move ahead, under her authority, to remove Adams from office, as he is not serving the public interest, and his corruption and collaboration with Trump undermines New York City and its 8.3 million people, with its many problems that are being ignored just to protect Adams from accountability.

Total Lack Of Respect And Appreciation For Federal Civil Servants’ Contributions To America!

Ronald 46 Comments

Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Russell Vought (author of Project 2025 and Office and Management And Budget Director) have declared war on the Federal Civil Servants, with more than 10,000 fired, without cause, from a multitude of federal agencies that are crucial to Americans’ welfare, health, and safety.

In addition, 75,000 have accepted resignations with the supposed guarantee of being paid and keeping their benefits until September of this year, but with doubts that the agreement for their resignation will be upheld.

This series of firings and resignations is shocking, and will do great harm to the American people.

Many ignorant people will figure that what has happened will not affect them in any way, but they will see the deleterious effect that the Trump Presidency will have on American prosperity and national security.

The lack of respect and appreciation for the contributions and sacrifices of federal civil servants is stunning.

The whole concept of a competent federal work force, first enunciated in the passage of the Pendleton Act in 1883 under President Chester Alan Arthur, after the tragic assassination of President James A. Garfield by an incompetent and crazy office seeker, was to insure that federal government workers would be competent and qualified, rather than politically corrupt employees under a “spoils system”.

There has never been the kind of corruption and incompetence that now is being promoted by the most corrupt President in American history, who is already breaking laws in so many ways, with an arrogance and abusive attempt unmatched even by Richard Nixon!

“Unitary Executive” Is Term For Dictatorship And Plutocracy!

Ronald 26 Comments

With “Project 2025” now in effect during the Donald Trump Presidency in his second, nonconsecutive term, the term “Unitary Executive” is now officially the rationale for Trump asserting himself in an authoritarian manner!

This is a direct attack on the history of the Presidency, and if not challenged effectively, it means we are under a dictatorship and plutocracy, with billionaires, led by Elon Musk, but also most of the Cabinet members and other advisers around Trump, being in total control of domestic and foreign policy.

The federal courts, so far, are challenging this reality, but the question is whether the Supreme Court will assert itself with its present membership, when cases arrive at the Court in the future.

The News Media also is, courageously, making clear the threats to all Americans by this new “GILDED AGE” mentality.

And the Democrats in state governments and many in Congress are also making clear they will not sit on the sidelines as the basic concepts of American democracy are under attack.

But with growing public demonstrations developing across the nation by average citizens, the question is will the Trump Administration abuse the rights under the First Amendment—Freedom of Speech, Press, and Assembly—and use violence to suppress popular opinion and outrage at the revolutionary changes being brought about against our entire constitutional history!

Trump’s recent statement–“He who saves his country does not violate any laws”–is an alarm bell in the night, and must be resisted, as America does not have or need a King or dictator!

America has a system of “checks and balances”, and Donald Trump must be controlled in his powers for the good of the nation and its future!

Another Disastrous Republican Vice President In A Long Line!

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The Republican Party has had an amazing ability to find a group of horrendous, often unqualified, Vice Presidential nominees, many of them becoming Vice President of the United States, in the past six decades since 1964.

Barry Goldwater in 1964, himself a highly controversial Presidential nominee, selected New York Congressman William E. Miller, totally unqualified to be a heartbeat away, to be his Vice Presidential running mate. Thank goodness Goldwater lost to Lyndon B. Johnson and his highly qualified Vice President, Hubert Humphrey.

In 1968 and again in 1972, Richard Nixon had Spiro Agnew as his Vice President, until he was forced out due to scandal and resignation in October 1973. Agnew was a true nightmare, and the thought that had he not been forced out, that he would have been President in 1974, was a literal nightmare scenario!

Fortunately, Nixon appointed Gerald Ford as his Vice President to replace Agnew, a blessing, and Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller, former NY Governor and three time Republican Presidential contender as his Vice President, both appointed under the 25th Amendment.

When Ford selected Senator Bob Dole as his Vice Presidential running mate in 1976, while controversial for his utterances, Dole was at least qualified for the Vice Presidency, as was George H. W. Bush for the eight years of Ronald Reagan.

But then came Dan Quayle as Vice President under George H. W. Bush, a man who came across as not very bright and a bit terrifying to imagine him succeeding to the Presidency, when Bush had a heart issue, that thankfully was resolved successfully, and lived on to 2018.

In 1996, losing nominee Bob Dole had former Congressman and Housing Secretary Jack Kemp as his running mate, not horrible but not preferable to Al Gore, Bill Clinton’s two term Vice President.

Then, George W. Bush had Dick Cheney of Wyoming as his Vice President, certainly competent, and actually having a great impact in the first term of Bush, but seen as very arrogant, nasty, and corrupt, and having great responsibility for the Iraq War, based on false information.

Then, an all time low was Sarah Palin as John McCain’s Vice Presidential running mate in 2008, the most scary and incompetent running mate in modern history, making even Dan Quayle look better.

This was followed by Mitt Romney in 2012 having Paul Ryan, later Speaker of the House, but seen as similar in right wing extremism to Cheney.

And then we had Mike Pence under Donald Trump, dutiful and obedient, but seen by many as a religious extremist, and yet repudiated by Trump, who endangered him at the time of the January 6 Insurrection for failing to stop the Electoral College Vote Count, and by Trump not calling off the mob attack that was threatening Pence’s life.

And now, we have JD Vance, who quickly is demonstrating how right wing extremist and undiplomatic he is on his first involvement in international affairs, along with his divisive domestic comments. His connection with powerful technology executives, including Peter Thiel, and Elon Musk, is totally horrifying!

The thought that Vance, at age 40, is a heartbeat away from the Presidency is terrifying!

Donald Trump Creating International Crises And Disruption Of American Diplomacy!

Ronald 13 Comments

Donald Trump is creating an image that “Might Makes Right” in international affairs, and that presents a disaster for the world!

Trump has said the Russia-Ukraine War must end, and is taking the side of Vladimir Putin, that territory gained from Ukraine since 2014 should be conceded by Ukraine, and that Ukraine cannot be allowed to join NATO in the future.

Trump says Russian troops have been “sacrificed”, and that, therefore, that nation must be able to have its advancements on the battlefield legalized under international law!

Trump is setting up the situation for his own plans to be aggressive in foreign affairs, and claim that American “sacrifices” must be rewarded with the gaining of teritory he has an eye on, including the Panama Canal, Greenland (Denmark), Canada, and the Gaza Strip (Middle East).

We are about to see America become aggressive and imperialistic as it was in the 1840s under President James K. Polk and the 1890s under President William McKinley!

Trump wants to act like the governments of Russia and China, and divide the world into areas of dominance controlled by those two nations and America.

It is a repudation of our alliances, including European nations in NATO, and Pacific alliances with Asian nations and Australia and New Zealand.

This is a radical, revolutionary transformation of American foreign policy, diametrically opposite to that pursued by Presidents from Franklin D. Rooevelt through Joe Biden, minus the first four years of Donald Trump!

Checks And Balances, Separation Of Powers, And The Constitution After 236 Years!

Ronald 27 Comments

The American Constitution, adopted between 1787 and 1789, has gone through multiple crises, including most notably the Civil War, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the Great Recession, and the COVID 19 Pandemic.

Through it all, the basic belief in American democracy and freedom has held, due to strong leadership in Congress and the Presidency.

But now, America faces a very severe threat to our system of checks and balances and separation of powers, as Donald Trump and his Billionaire supporters, and most notably Elon Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, are posing a massive threat and disrupting our economic, social, and foreign policy.

Donald Trump in just 24 days has been acting like a revolutionary leader, creating a whirlwind of constant crises and challenges.

It is difficult to keep up with the chaos which is assisted by MAGA followers and Republicans willing to give up their oversight over the Executive branch.

The role of the news media, the Democratic Party in the states and in Congress, and massive numbers of lawsuits, as well as public demonstrations and support, are the only way to prevent the threat of Fascism.

This is a time to pay attention, and be constantly active in pursuit of the truth, and the abuses of power that are being waged.

This is not a time to turn our heads and ignore what is happening, as that would just insure an authoritarian dictatorship!

Donald Trump “Worship” Of Andrew Jackson And WIlliam McKinley!

Ronald 15 Comments

Donald Trump has, through his words and actions, indicated a “worship” of two Presidents, both of whom became engaged in controversial actions.

The 7th President, Andrew Jackson (1829-1837), was a clearcut racist who thought native Americans were subhuman, and defied the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall, in the case of Worcester V Georgia (1832), that upheld Cherokee Indian rights to their ancestral lands in Georgia.

That 1832 case led Jackson to announce defiance of the Court, and state that John Marshall and the Supreme Court had made its decision, now let them enforce it!

The result was the forced removal of thousands of native Americans to Oklahoma, infamously known as “The Trial Of Tears”, between 1830 and 1838, after passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

About 15,000 native Americans were killed or died from disease during this forced removal, where about 60,000 native Americans, of five tribes—Creek, Choctaw, Chicasaw, Cherokee, and Seminole–were forced to “Indian land” in Oklahoma, which after a half century and discovery of oil, led to white settlement, taking away much of that territory from native Americans.

The 25th President, William McKinley (1897-1901), became infamous for having promoted the McKinley Tariff of 1890, making for very high tariffs on foreign goods, a factor in the worst economic downturn of the 19th century, the Panic of 1893, which was not overcome until the second year of the McKinley Presidency in 1898.

McKinley also is remembered for having promoted imperialism and expansion, including the gaining of Hawaii by joint resolution in 1898, and going to war with Spain, and gaining control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and a “sphere of influence” over Cuba, giving the US an “Empire”, and new markets for industrial goods produced by corporations in their quest for new markets for their goods.

And the US fought a three year “guerrilla war” against the Philippines, who wanted independence after being liberated from Spanish control, but instead were forced to be a colony until after World War II in 1946, an event known as the “Filipino Insurrection”, mostly ignored in teaching of American history to students!

Trump is now pushing protective tariffs on all nations, and is now advocating American expansionism by considering retaking control of the Panama Canal; suggesting Canada become the 51st state; making clear his desire to gain control of Greenland from Denmark; and suggesting that the US take over the Gaza Strip in the Middle East and force removal of the 2 million Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan.

So Trump is guided by the worst policies of two of his predecessors in the White House–Andrew Jackson and William McKinley!

Federal Involvement In Education Since 1953 Under Threat Of Termination!

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The United States federal government never came around to realizing the significance of a federal engagement in promotion of education to all of our children and adults alike, until the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961).

The creation of the Department and cabinet post of Health, Education, and Welfare took place in the first year of the Eisenhower Presidency, even with a Republican controlled Congress.

Long overdue in all three areas of the cabinet position, after 26 years, it was recognized that the HEW Department was much too massive, so in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, the HEW Department was divided into Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education.

Almost from that event, many Republicans and conservatives declared war on the Education Department, arguing for a return to state control of all Education initiatives, despite the reality that many states, particularly in the South and Great Plains were clearly inferior in their commitment to education.

Unable to bring about the demise of the Education Department, even with Republican contenders for the Republican Presidential nomination over many election cycles advocating its destruction, the new gambit was to promote “”Charter Schools” and “Home Schooling’.

This was designed to take away funding from public schools, and then along came Donald Trump, and his “war’ on public education, starting in his first term, and now actively working with Elon Musk and Project 2025 activists to destroy completely the Department of Education by closing down its offices, and limiting its funding, deapite it being funded by Congress.

So now there is a full scale destruction in process, but to get rid of the Department of Education, a cabinet agency, would require action of Congress, not the outrageous, and unconstitutional removal of funds and staff by Trump, Musk, and other right wing extremists who wish to destroy an essential agency.

So the question is whether the survival of the Department of Education can be accomplished in the present disastrous situation!

Donald Trump And Elon Musk Attack On Federal Regulatory Agencies

Ronald 32 Comments

Donald Trump and Elon Musk have declared war on many federal regulatory agencies, creating a “clear and present danger” in so many areas of government policy.

These include the US Agency For International Development (USAID); the US Department of Education, which is a Cabinet post; the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

These agencies were created by John F. Kennedy in 1961; Jimmy Carter in 1979 for the second and third listed agencies; and the latter by Barack Obama in 2010, after vigorous advocacy by Elizabeth Warren, before she won election to the US Senate in 2012.

Additionally, there has been discussion of weakening or eliminating the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all created in the early 1970s under Richard Nixon.

This is pure madness, but at this point, Trump and Musk are like “Bulls in a China Shop”, abusing their power and no clearcut response from Democrats, state governments, and the courts, although cases are being brought to the courts, and Democrats are up in arms!

Donald Trump’s Attack On News Media And The Free Press

Ronald 3 Comments

Donald Trump has declared war on a free news media, and is clearly out to do whatever he can to suppress truth and facts.

Trump and his party in Congress has threatened to take away the public support of National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

He has launched lawsuits, or threatened such, against CBS, ABC, and major newspapers.

The Pentagon under Pete Hegseth has replaced major news media with work stations from the most substantial organizations to those with far less reputation and expertise.

So the following have been denied frontline status—NBC News, the NY Times, National Public Radio, Politico, CNN, Washington Post, and The Hill.

They are being replaced by: NY Post, Breitbart News, Daily Caller, Washington Examiner, One America News Network, Newsmax, and the Huffington Post, with all but the latter being right wing media sources.

These actions are designed to create an “obedient” news media that will inform the American people what propaganda Donald Trump and his administration want to be promoted as facts and truth, rather than actual reality, but it will not work, as a free press will defy Trump’s attempts to destroy the First Amendment!