American Democracy

Looney Republican Women Running For Governor: Kari Lake And Tudor Dixon

The Republican Party has had looney women run for Congress and become an embarrassment, including, most recently, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boerbert of Colorado. But they have done little harm, other than to cause outrage, as they are a small element in the House of Representatives, who just make a lot of noise!

But now, we have looney women nominated for the Governorship of two states that were influential in the Presidential Election of 2020!

Arizona has Kari Lake as its nominee for Governor, and Michigan has Tudor Dixon as its nominee for Governor, and both are believers in the “Big Lie” that Donald Trump won the Presidential Election of 2020, and are unwilling to acknowledge that Joe Biden is the rightful winner of the Presidency.

Both Lake and Dixon make it clear they will do everything possible to deny the Democrats the electoral votes of their states in 2024, even if the Democratic Presidential nominee wins the popular votes in their states.

So both Lake and Dixon are deniers of reality, and are a threat to democracy’s continuation in their states!

Interestingly, both states will have a Democratic woman running against these looney Republican women.

Arizona will have Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who insured despite threats, that Arizona had legitimately voted for Joe Biden in 2020, and is now the Democratic nominee for the Governorship.

And Michigan has the very courageous Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who was threatened by extremists in the state in the past few years, but stood tall and principled, and is running for a second term as Governor.

It is urgent that Arizona and Michigan elect these two competent, decent women over the lunatic and dangerous women that the Republican Party has foisted on the people of these states!

New Third Party Movement, “Forward”, Formed By Andrew Yang, Christine Todd Whitman, David Jolly!

A new third party movement, known as “Forward”, has been formed by former Democratic Presidential and New York City Mayoral contender Andrew Yang; former Republican New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, who headed the Environmental Protection Agency under George W. Bush; and former Republican one term Congressman David Jolly of Florida, now a political commentator on MSNBC.

Already, there is strong criticism that such a movement will hurt the Democrats more than the Republicans, at a time when Donald Trump and the extreme right wing that controls the Republican Party is a clear and present danger to American democracy.

One has to wonder if any substantial political leaders will join the “Forward” party, as right now, it comes across that its leadership is not very impressive nor “heavy weight” in any sense!

After Thursday’s January 6 Committee Hearing, It Is Time For Prosecution Of Donald Trump!

The 8th January 6 House Committee Hearing leaves absolutely no doubt as to the guilt of Donald Trump in inciting the US Capitol Insurrection.

It is good to see that Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Department of Justice have made it clear that they are fully engaged in pursuing justice in this horrendous attack on American democracy.

It is time for prosecution of Donald Trump and his supporters who incited the bloodshed that led to loss of lives, harm to many lives, and the damage done to the citadel of American government, the US Capitol!

From Nelson Rockefeller (1963) To The January 6 2021 Insurrection: Right Wing Threats

Sixty years ago this week, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller denounced the Right Wing threat working to gain control of the Republican Party, and he fought against Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1964.

Goldwater lost massively against President Lyndon B. Johnson, but the seeds had been planted in a movement that now has become a menace to America under Donald Trump, leading to the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

But even Barry Goldwater was not as extreme as right wing Republicans now are!

If Trump or a Trumpite follower ends up as the Republican nominee in 2024, the concept of American democracy could be dissolved, as the threat of Barry Goldwater sixty years ago has been far surpassed by many Republicans since the 1990s.

Leading potential Republican nominees besides Trump in 2024 include such as Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, and Rick Scott, among others.

The alarm bell has rung, and the question is whether the diminishing band of mainstream Republicans–such as Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Larry Hogan, Chris Sununu, Chris Christie, Liz Cheney, and Adam Kinzinger–many of them far from ideal–can mount a campaign and take the Republican Party back to the center of American politics!

A Half Century Since The Watergate Break In That Brought Down Richard Nixon

A half century ago, on June 17, 1972, the Watergate Break In occurred, and over the next two years and two months, led to the downfall, the resignation, of Richard Nixon from the Presidency.

The most corrupt and lawless Presidency came to an end, and one would have thought that it would never be conceivable that we would have a future Presidency that could be more corrupt and lawless.

But we are now living through a nightmare that seems to have no end, as Donald Trump remains a threat to the nation and its future!

He has millions of cult followers who are trying to insure that the January 6, 2021 Insurrection, which was horrendous, but ultimately failed in its brazen attempt at a coup d’etat, can be tried again in 2024 and succeed in putting Trump back in the White House, causing the downfall of American democracy!

The elements that back Donald Trump promote antisemitism, racism, nativism, misogyny, homophobia, white supremacy, and Christian nationalism, and represent the worst right wing criminal elements of America!

As we move toward the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 and the 240th anniversary of the making of the Constitution in 2027, there is much fear and trepidation over what is clearly the greatest constitutional crisis since the Civil War in the 1860s!

Despite Criticism Of Mike Pence, What Might Have Been Instead

Former Vice President Mike Pence can clearly be criticized for his obsequious attitude to Donald Trump, but imagine if others on the short list to be Vice President in 2016 had been chosen instead.

Newt Gingrich and Rudy Giuliani, both supportive of Trump, and willing to promote the “Big Lie”, would have prevented the legal counting of the Electoral College vote on January 6, 2021, and America would have been in new, uncharted territory, and the likely destruction of American democracy.

As it is, Donald Trump unleashed violence and bloodshed on that day, which could have led to the second and third highest ranking members of the American government–Mike Pence, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi–facing assassination by Trump supporters!

If that had occurred, plus the deaths or injuries of innumerable members of Congress on that day, it would have been the ultimate coup d’etat, the ultimate insurrection, greater in impact than the Reichstag Fire in Germany that gave Adolf Hitler ultimate power and the establishment of Nazi Germany!

The Gullibility Of Millions Of Americans Who “Worship” Donald Trump: Terrifying!

As one watches and analyzes the January 6, 2021 Insurrection at the US Capitol, it becomes ever more stunning and shocking as to how gullible, how ignorant, how bamboozled, millions upon millions of Americans are regarding Donald Trump!

Any sane, intelligent person would realize that Donald Trump is a charlatan, a phony, a crook, who has exploited people throughout his lifetime, but he has always been able to get away without accountability, other than having to pay some monetary judgments!

The lack of education and good judgment of millions of Americans, who “worship” Donald Trump, and are a cult like group who would follow him anywhere, is terrifying!

And the fact that Donald Trump has never won the popular vote, and has had a deficit unmatched by any other Presidential candidate, a total of nearly ten million negative support in two elections, is clearcut evidence of the dire need to change the Presidential election system, so that, as with other elections at any level, the winner of the most votes is inaugurated!

The Electoral College has become a system that undermines American democracy!

78th Anniversary Of D Day Normandy Invasion In World War II!

Today is the 78th Anniversary of the D Day Normandy Invasion of France in World War II, a turning point in the struggle against Nazi Germany!

The number of veterans who live on after this momentous event is very small, as one would have to be in the mid 90s or higher to have been part of that battle and still survive today!

We must never forget the sacrifices of the veterans who survived, but even more of those who gave their last effort for the American nation and the civilized world!

The striving for democracy, which was fought in 1944, continues today as we face the threat of Fascism and Donald Trump, and the future of American politics in the Midterm Elections of 2022 and the Presidential Election of 2024!

Six Months To Midterm Elections: Time To Emphasize The Danger Of Republican Extremists!

In six months, the Midterm Congressional and Gubernatorial Elections of 2022 will occur.

Polls indicate disillusionment with Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, due to inflation and its effects, and the fact that there is stalemate with the evenly divided Senate and the small Democratic edge in the House of Representatives.

There is concern felt about the danger of Republican extremism in the states and on the Congressional level.

The party has allowed itself to promote policies that victimize women, people of color, immigrants, gays and transgender individuals.

They are promoting censorship and declaring war on public education and libraries in the name of advocacy of Christian values in a nation based on separation of church and state.

There is a strong strain of pro Russian, pro Vladimir Putin, support and a growing isolationist spirit, which endangers the alliances of the United States in international relations, most notably the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The cancer of Donald Trump still infuses the party rhetoric and obsequious support of a man who still contends that the election was stolen, and attempts are being pursued to insure limitations on voting and on control of election machinery for the upcoming Presidential Election of 2024.

American democracy and basic common decency, humanity, empathy and compassion are under attack, and the Democrats must pursue an aggressive counter reaction to the evils represented by an opposition party which is authoritarian oriented, and Fascist in nature!

The whole future of the American nation is at stake, if the Republican Party, as now constituted, wins control of state and national governments, as likely it will be a point of no return!

So Joe Biden and all Democrats must go on the offensive and make clear the dangers of Republican extremism!

Ron DeSantis Has Started His Presidential Campaign: Need To Cut It Short!

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has started his Presidential campaign, even before his reelection contest coming up this November.

Why does this author and blogger say this?

Because DeSantis has gone to Nevada, one of the earliest states in the Presidential Primary and Caucus season two years from now, campaigning for Adam Laxalt in his quest for the US Senate seat of Catherine Cortez Masto!

DeSantis is making it very clear that he is going to run for President, come hell or high water, even if Donald Trump decides to run!

DeSantis is showing his overriding ambition to promote his autocratic policies in Florida on a national level!

Whatever can be done to stop DeSantis in his reelection campaign, and Adam Laxalt in his Senate campaign must be done, to prevent this dangerous man from seeking the White House!

He lacks any respect for President Joe Biden; Dr Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and for the News Media, having journalists who have the gall to ask him challenging questions to be thrown out of his public meetings. He was reckless in his reaction to the COVID 19 Pandemic, having no concern for the large loss of human life in Florida!

Ron DeSantis is a threat to American democracy!