Author: Ronald

Inauguration Day: A Day Of A Right Wing Extremism Revolution Crisis!

Ronald 1 Comment

Inauguration Day has come and gone, and all the worst possible scenarios of what that day would be like, have been accomplished.

America is in the midst of a Right Wing Extremism Revolution, totally mean spirited, and vengeful.

Donald Trump did not hold back in his open criticism of Joe Biden, right in front of the outgoing President.

He moved to promote a vast number of executive orders, and made clear his repudation of a climate crisis, and his aggressive attitude toward Panama, indicating a likely forced retaking of the control of the Panama Canal.

He also gave pardons or commutations to all of the January 6 Insurrectionists, a travesty of justice, and a clear signal to those lawbreakers that they can commit future crimes with impunity, as long as they do so in the name of Donald Trump!

He also showed his plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America via Presidential edict, although that would not be legal, and to bring back the old name of Mount McKinley in Alaska, which had been renamed Denali after a native American tribe.

This also marks the new admiration of President William McKinley, based on his promotion of high protective tariffs in the Gilded Age, and his promotion of expansionism, including the Spanish American War and the takeover of the Hawaiian Islands during his administration from 1897-1901.

It will take many days, if not weeks, to fully absorb what Donald Trump is doing to revolutionize America and take away basic American democracy.

But those who care about democracy must not give up the fight, and be in despair, as instead, it needs to be looked at as a crisis similar to the Civil War, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the Great Recession, and the Covid 19 Pandemic, each of which was overcome by strong, principled leadership by various Presidents and Congresses!

A Day Of Sadness And Concern: Inauguration Day 2025

Ronald 26 Comments

Inauguration Day has arrived, and this author and blogger feels a sense of sadness and concern for the future.

Thank goodness there is a peaceful transition of power, unlike 2021, but it is scary to think what has occurred today.

It is still hard to fathom how 49.9 percent of the American voting population could back a person who was twice impeached, four times indicted, and a convicted felon, with the other charges only dropped because he is becoming President for a second time.

With Presidential scholars clearly putting Donald Trump in the bottom few Presidencies, in the company of James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson, but often rated worse than them, it makes one wonder how American citizens could allow concern over the price of eggs and gas, a temporary phenomenon, to decide their vote, rather than think of the long term, and the effect on both the American economic future and America’s role in international affairs.

Instead of honoring Donald Trump on the day of his Inauguration, we should focus on the fact that today is Martin Luther King Day, a time to honor and memorialize this man of principle, decency, compassion, and human rights, who sacrificed his life for the cause of civil rights!

The End Of A Half Century Of Statemanship, Leadership, And Contributions!

Ronald 12 Comments

President Joe Biden is in his last full day of his four years in the Oval Office.

This is a time for celebration and pride in the leadership of the 46th President of the United States.

Joe Biden did not do everything perfectly well, but no President or any other political leader can insure constant success.

But his Presidency, already rated as number 14 in one scholarly poll, will remain in the top third and likely will rise over time, particularly and sadly, after his future demise.

Joe Biden gave the nation a half century of statesmanship, leadership, and contributions, and he showed Americans what a leader is like who has true character, morals, ethics, compassion, decency, and empathy, rare in the Presidency historically.

His years in public office were only surpassed by one President, John Quincy Adams, who spent more than half his time in appointed office, not elective office, as Biden did with 36 years in the US Senate, 8 years in the Vice Presidency, and 4 years in the Oval Office.

This author and blogger “fell in love”, so to speak in the 1970s, after his original “hero”, Senator, Vice President and Presidential nominee Hubert Humphrey passed away, as Biden came across to me as the closest equivalent to the nature of Humphrey.

There is a sense of great pride and satisfaction that after two failed tries for the Oval Office, Biden finally won it, and took us out of the horrendous once in a century Covid 19 Pandemic, and restored faith in the Presidency after the disastrous, crime ridden, abusive four years of Donald Trump.

We now enter a very sad return of Trump, but all decent Americans cannot give up, but must fight in every legal fashion to limit the harm and damage that Trump will certainly wage.

The quest for a return of the Democratic Party and its common decency must be waged without pause.

Meanwhile, God Bless Joe Biden and his lovely wife, First Lady Jill Biden, and wish them the best in future years!

The Ignorance And Naivete Of Millions Of Americans About Immigration And Isolationism

Ronald 6 Comments

The ignorance and naivete of millions of Americans about immigration and isolationism is extremely depressing and counterproductive!

America is a nation of immigrants, and for so many Americans to wish a curb on immigration, and not be concerned about the possible deportation of undocumented immigrants who have not been arrested or convicted, is stunning.

The importance of immigration is misunderstood, as the economy will be horribly damaged if mass deportation occurs, and there will be massive inflation, and shortage of workers to fill many jobs across the economy.

And for Americans to think isolationism, and ignoring of aggression by authoritarian governments is not our concern, makes clear their total lack of knowledge of World War II and the Cold War.

Of course, Republicans want to promote ignorance and naivete in order to gain and keep power, so the concept that history needs to be sanitized for the future generation is highly disturbing.

It is deja vu all over again, as Donald Trump returns to power to do more damage on human rights, the economy, national security, and so many other areas of policy.

America is reaching the lowest level of education and knowledge of the masses, and that is a guarantee of the destruction of American democracy, if allowed to succeed over the next few years.

So all those who care about America and its future must do everything possible legally to thwart the evil intentions of the Trump Presidency, including court suits, and courageous journalism, and the American people utilizing the First Amendment rights of speech, press, assembly and religion free of government intervention!

Joe Biden, Despite Low Public Opinion Ratings At End Of Presidency, Will Rise In History!

Ronald 3 Comments

President Joe Biden leaves office in three days, with low public opinion ratings, despite his multitude of accomplishments in his one term of office.

This is a sad state of affairs, but clearly, the American people at large are not very knowledgeable or good at making judgments about Presidents as they leave office.

History records that Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Jimmy Carter left office under the cloud of negativism.

But now, Truman is generally rated 5th or 6th among all Presidents in ratings of Presidential scholars and experts.

Eisenhower is generally rated 5th or 6th among all Presidents, either ahead or behind Truman.

Lyndon B. Johnson, despite Vietnam, is rated in the bottom of the top ten, and in one survey, ahead of John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

Jimmy Carter is rated in the mid 20s, but it is clear his stature will rise, possibly to the bottom of the first third, or 15 Presidents.

Joe Biden has already been rated number 14 in one scholarly survey, and despite low public opinion ratings now, it seems assured he will remain in the top third or fifteen of the Presidents.

Sadly, American public opinion is ill informed and ignorant in many respects, and when it comes to being asked who are the greatest Presidents, invariably, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan are rated at the top, not Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Many experts would say that while Kennedy and Reagan consistently are in the lower part of the top ten Presidents, that both are somewhat overrated.

So it will probably, sadly, take until Joe Biden’s life has ended, before he will be completely appreciated for all the good he did!

Biden Farewell Address Reminiscent Of Eisenhower

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President Joe Biden’s Farewell Address was reminiscent of the Farewell Address of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1961.

Eisenhower warned of the dangers of the “Military-Industrial Complex”, and his Farewell Address is regarded as one of the three greatest Farewell Addresses, alongside George Washington in 1796 and Jimmy Carter in 1981.

Biden brought up the dangers of the “Tech-Industrial Complex”, referring to billionaire oligarchs, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and others, who are having a great impact on Donald Trump, presenting a threat to American democracy.

Biden spoke of the Gilded Age, when millionaires and tycoons such as John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan and others abused their powers, leading to the Progressive Era age of reform.

The term “Robber Barons” used in the late 19th century and early 20th century, particularly by Theodore Roosevelt, was employed by Joe Biden.

Now, it is Billionaires, not Millionaires, who are the threat to any concept of concern about what is good for the vast majority of Americans. Most of the Cabinet Officers around Trump fit that category.

Biden also cited his accomplishments in office, which like Jimmy Carter, will not be fully appreciated during his lifetime.

Pete Hegseth Character And Fitness Wanting, But Unlikely To Be Rejected As Head Of Pentagon, A Worrisome Scenario!

Ronald 5 Comments

Pete Hegseth came across as arrogant, cocky, very self assured, in his Senate hearing to be Secretary of Defense. His character and fitness for the position are wanting.

His alcohol problem, his sexual improprieties, and his extremist views about the Pentagon, and the role of woman and racial minorities, should all be factors in his being denied confirmation.

Hegseth is, by far, the least qualified person to be considered to lead the Pentagon, but since Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, who had been a skeptic, made clear, after being under lobbying pressure, that she would support him, it makes the odds of defeating him very low!

We are in a sad state of affairs when Hegseth is one of a number of Donald Trump nominees who should not be confirmed, but little chance of any success at this point.

Major Accomplishments Of Jimmy Carter Under Attack By Donald Trump!

Ronald 2 Comments

Jimmy Carter’s funeral briefly united America around the greatness of this President in ways many had forgotten.

Among his multiple achievements that now are under attack by Donald Trump are:

The Panama Canal Treaty, which resolved a basic wrong in the proper way.

The Department of Education, which was separated from its original home, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Major Environmental Accomplishments, the most of any one term President, at least until Joe Biden.

The basic characteristics of Morality, Ethics, Compassion and Decency that Carter represented.

And now, Trump has raised the flag to full staff at Mar a Lago, against the 30 day mourning period for any President who has died, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has ordered the flag in the US Capitol raised for the Trump inauguration, defying the respect due to Carter having been President.

In 1973, Harry Truman had died on December 26, and when Richard Nixon was reinaugurated on January 20, 1973, the flag remained at half staff, but now that respect is being defied!

Los Angeles WildFire Tragedy Worst In American History!

Ronald 8 Comments

The Los Angeles WildFire Tragedy is clearly the worst natural disaster in American history in the sense of its effect on the citizens of California in numbers, as compared to other natural disasters.

Land and homes, businesses, schools, churches and other structures have been destroyed in massive numbers, and covering an area larger than the cities of San Francisco, Boston and Miami combined, and more than twice the land area of Manhattan.

This is the result of climate change, and a warning of the future, and it is tragic that a natural disaster no one could possibly have planned for has become a political issue in the hands of the Republican Party and Donald Trump.

It is urgent that the Trump Administration recognize the reality of climate change, as it is an existential threat to all mankind!

Trump Cabinet Hearings: Possibility Of Rejection By Some Republican Senators!

Ronald 47 Comments

With one week until the inauguration of Donald Trump to a second non-consecutive term, the time has arrived for the consideration of the approval or rejection of his Cabinet nominees.

There are so many controversial nominees, and one wonders if there are Republican Senators who are willing to come out against such individuals as:

Pete Hegseth–Secretary of Defense
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.–Secretary of Health and Human Services
Tulsi Gabbard—Director of National Intelligence
Kash Patel—Federal Bureau of Investigation Head

And there are others who are also objectionable on verious grounds, but likely will sail through, but with the above having the likelihood of some being rejected.

Who would be candidates for voting against some or all of these nominees, in order of likelihood:

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski
Utah Senator John Curtis
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell
Maine Senator Susan Collins
Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis
Oklahoma Senator James Lankford