House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Mike Johnson, The Religious Hypocrite And Underminer Of The Rule Of Law!

America is, unfortunately, saddled with a Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, who is both a religious hypocrite and an underminer of the rule of law.

This is a man who claims to be a “good Christian”, and he and his son monitor each other on avoidance of pornography online.

But at the same time, he shows up at the trial of Donald Trump, who has been engaged in illicit sex affairs with multiple women, and arranged a payment with two such women to keep the American people from learning about the affairs before the Presidential Election of 2016.

Trump has had three marriages, and cheated on all three wives, including just after his youngest son was born in 2006, and yet, Mike Johnson comes to his defense.

Johnson and all of the other Republicans who have shown up at the trial of Trump are out to defend a person engaged in illicit and criminal activity, and are undermining the rule of law, common decency, and morality and ethics.

The thought that Johnson is two heartbeats away from the Presidency under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 is horrifying and just another reason to insure that the Democrats win the House of Representatives in the upcoming Presidential Election of 2024.

Imagine if past Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi intervened to defend Democrats facing trial, such as Hunter Biden or Senator Bob Menendez. What an outrageous reaction there would be, but such an event would never occur.

And think back to the Bill Clinton sex scandal, when Republicans were so moral and ethical, but now have switched gears completely!

Proud Boys Sedition Convictions Now Point To Donald Trump!

The conviction of four “Proud Boys” leaders of seditious conspiracy connected to the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection now brings up an issue!

Should the government pursue such charges against former President Donald Trump, who certainly, by his words and actions to interfere with the counting of the Electoral College votes, provoked and encouraged the actions of not just these specific individuals, but the thousands of rioters who invaded and caused damage to the US Capitol, and endangered Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and all of the US House and Senate members?

How could any sane person disagree with pursuit of prosecution of the former President, who even now speaks of suspending and destroying the Constitution, and vows retribution and revenge, and pledges pardons of all January 6 seditionists?

The only way to prevent a future situation with another President is immediate action, and severe punishment, so that never again will we have a person like Donald Trump promoting the destruction of American democracy and establishment of an authoritarian government!

Donald Trump Is Criminal In So Many Ways!

The January 6, 2021 House Committee Hearings make it clear to anyone who is sane, that Donald Trump is criminal in so many ways!

Trump was willing to see his Vice President Mike Pence assassinated by a mob!

Trump was willing to see mass loss of life of members of Congress, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi!

Trump was willing to pressure state legislators to promote a false narrative on a stolen election, “The Big Lie”, and used the power of his office to intimidate many, although there was, thankfully, pushback!

Trump was willing to intimidate and terrorize election workers, and destroy their sense of safety!

Trump was willing to promote extremists against Republicans who dared to challenge anything he said or did at any time in his Presidency and since he left office!

Face the facts:

Trump is a criminal, and could have been part of Organized Crime!

Trump is a seditionist and traitor, inspiring the US Capitol attack, and defying constitutional norms!

Trump is an evil force, undermining American democracy, and incites his supporters, which include anti semites, nativists, racists, white supremacists, misogynists and homophobes!

Donald Trump and all of his collaborators need to be held accountable legally, and face the consequences of trial, conviction, and imprisonment, as a lesson to any future authoritarian elements, who would wish to emulate his actions and behaviors!

Future Democratic House Of Representatives Leadership–Hakeem Jeffries Vs Adam Schiff Likely Choice!

It seems clear that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will give up leadership in the House of Representatives after the Midterm Elections in November 2022.

Pelosi had pledged she would do so, back in 2018, so it would be difficult to change her mind.

There is the argument that the Democrats need younger House leadership, since Pelosi is 82 this coming March; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is 83 this coming June; and House Majority Whip James Clyburn is 82 this coming July.

There has never been a situation in which the top three House leaders are all octogenarians, although all three are very alert and competent.

As one looks ahead to the future, at this moment, the major competition for the Democratic leadership in 2023, whether majority or minority in the House of Representatives, seems to be between Hakeem Jeffries of New York, and Adam Schiff of California.

If Jeffries who is now 51 and has been in Congress since 2013 becomes the leader, he would be the first African American leader of either party. He is 5th ranking Democrat in the House as the Chair of the House Democratic Caucus. He was one of the seven House managers in the first Senate impeachment trial in January 2020 against President Donald Trump.

If Adam Schiff, who has been in Congress since 2001 becomes the leader, he would be the first Jewish House leader, although Chuck Schumer is now Senate Majority Leader. He is Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and was the lead manager, heading a group of seven, in the first Trump impeachment trial in 2020.

The Ten Leading Heroes Of The Year 2021 In American Politics!

When one looks back at the year 2021, the following ten individuals, a very selective list and certainly not inclusive, stand out as heroes, people who upheld American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law.

We will begin with Republicans who demonstrated their statesmanship and courage:

Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming
Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska

The following Democrats also stand out for their statesmanship and courage:

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi of California
Congressman Adam Schiff of California
Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland
Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota

“Build Back Better” Social Infrastructure Legislation Passes The House of Representatives!

Congratulations are due to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, President Joe Biden, and the Democratic Caucus in the House of Representatives on successfully passing the “Build Back Better” Social Infrastructure legislation by a vote of 220-213, after a disgraceful eight and a half hour rampage speech by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and the refusal of any House Republicans to support legislation which makes life better for millions of Americans!

The legislation, once it gains approval of the US Senate with some modifications certain, will do the following:

Affordable Child Care
Child Tax Credits
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Universal PreKindergarten
Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Credits
Medicaid Home and Community Based Services
Raise State and Local Tax Deduction Cap
Medicare Hearing Benefits
Affordable Housing
Immigration Reform
Clean Energy and Climate Resilience
Climate Related Tax Breaks
Spending on Higher Education
A Corporate Minimum Tax on Large Corporations
A Tax Surcharge Targeting the Wealthiest Americans, over $25 million and over $10 million.

A Need For An Age Limit In Congress!

The news that Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley at age 88 has announced for an eighth term which would take him to age 95 is a sign of the craziness of members of Congress, having no concept of retirement!

Senator Diane Feinstein of California is also 88, and will serve until past age 91. It has been noted that her short term memory is faltering, and that rumors have it that she yells at staff because she is not fully aware of what she is doing, or what she has been told about regarding her ability to do her job.

Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe just won a new term at age 86, and will serve what he calls his last term to 2026, when he will be 92!

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy plans to run again in 2022 when he will be 82, meaning he would be in office until age 88 in 2028.

The other Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders is now 80, and likely would run for reelection in 2024, meaning he would reach age 89 in 2030.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky would be 80 by February 2022, and will be in office until at least 84 plus in 2026.

Idaho Senator Jim Risch, just reelected in 2020, will be past age 83 at the end of 2026.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, reelected in 2018, will be 81 by 2024.

Independent Senator Angus King of Maine will be 80 by the end of his present term in 2024.

Only Alabama Senator Richard Shelby is retiring in 2022, at age 88 plus, the only Senator deciding it is time to leave.

Additionally, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin will be 82 at the end of his present Senate term in 2026.

Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, expected to run for another term in 2022, would be nearing age 83 in 2028.

And there are six other Senators who would be 80 or past 80 by 2026, so a theoretical total of 17 Senators will be octogenarians (with two over 90) by that year!

Additionally, there are close to 50 House members who will be past 80 by 2026, and among the ten oldest are the three Democratic House leaders–Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Nancy Pelosi of California, and James Clyburn of South Carolina, all over 80 at this stage!

There needs to be some kind of age limit with a range of 80-85 at the most, but the problem is that Congress would have to enact such legislation or have a constitutional amendment, but it is highly unlikely that will ever occur!

Right Wing Predictability: Call For Joe Biden Resignation, While Ignoring Threat Of Donald Trump For Five Years!

Not an hour passed after President Joe Biden called for a national vaccination and mask mandate, and the right wing, including Fox News Channel, One America News Network (OANN), Newsmax, and a whole slew of talk show hosts on cable and radio, and many Republicans, have called for his resignation!

Of course, they also want Vice President Kamala Harris, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats to resign, based on their opposition to any government intervention in the worst health crisis in a century!

So they are libertarians, who believe all fetuses must be born, but have no concern about life of those already born, including children, who are endangered by adults and teenagers who think it is their “religious” right to refuse to consider their public responsibility to all around them, clearly “Pro Life” hypocrisy!

Ironic that those who had no issues with the infuriating moral, ethical, and illegal actions of Donald Trump, and refuse to admit that January 6, 2021 was a violent insurrection, an act of domestic terrorism, are now attacking Joe Biden for having decency, compassion, and empathy. Ultimately, the final responsibility to protect the American people, even if many of them do not appreciate federal government intervention!

Joe Biden is in a fighting mood, and he will NOT be intimidated by people who have no concern other their own selfish interests, instead of what is good and necessary for the American people at large!

Nancy Pelosi Rejects Jim Jordan And Jim Banks For January 6 House Committee Investigation, And Kevin McCarthy Pulls All Five Appointees!

It looks as if the January 6 House Committee investigation of the US Capitol Insurrection will only have one patriotic, principled Republican on the committee, Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who already has been stripped of her third ranking position as House Republican Chair by order of House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy!

By McCarthy selecting Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio and Congressman Jim Banks of Indiana, both out to cover up the Insurrection scandal and Donald Trump, to the committee shows McCarthy is not serious, and already, the two earlier Republican leaders, Speaker John Boehner and Speaker Paul Ryan, have condemned his desire to defend Donald Trump and undermine any investigation.

So Speaker Nancy Pelosi is courageous and proper in refusing those two appointees to the House Committee, and McCarthy has withdrawn all five members and refuses to participate on the committee.

This will not work out well for McCarthy, who is a disgraceful leader, only interested in his own advancement to the Speakership in the next Congress.

McCarthy also has the gall to call Pelosi the “lame duck Speaker”, so cocksure of himself that the Republicans will win the House of Representatives in 2022.

No one is smart to bet money on Nancy Pelosi losing the Speakership, although she might decide to retire at the end of the 117th Congress, but that is unknowable at this point!

It is more likely that McCarthy will fail to become Speaker, and might even be rejected by his GOP colleagues even if the party were to win control, and he could also come under indictment for failing to explain his interactions with Donald Trump on January 6, and his fawning obedience to Trump ever since January 6, even though he condemned Trump on January 13, when Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives!

Liz Cheney just defended Nancy Pelosi, and condemned Kevin McCarthy, and kudos to her for that, as she is seriously interested in learning all of the facts and truth about January 6, so it does not happen again!

Six Months Since January 6 US Capitol Insurrection

It has been six months since the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

Over 500 seditionists and traitors to the US Constitution have been arrested for the domestic violence, bloodshed, and destruction they perpetrated on the cradle of American democracy, and they need the full effect of law enforcement to be brought upon them.

The investigation of what happened that day is moving ahead whether or not Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell and the Republican Congressional members want it to procede.

Those members of Congress or their staffs who collaborated in the events of that day need to be prosecuted and expelled from Congress.

White supremacy must be eliminated from the halls of Congress, and Donald Trump needs to be indicted for insurrection, treason, and sedition, and be shown in handcuffs, and sentenced to federal prison, as in the same disgraced company of such traitors as Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr, Jefferson Davis and others in the American past!

A salute to Republicans Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois for being supportive of the January 6 House Committee creation, and Cheney’s accepting membership offered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi!

Enhanced defense and readiness for the US Capitol is essential, due to the right wing threats of more violence, due to the QAnon promotion of the crazy idea of Donald Trump returning to the Presidency in August.

And greater protection is required of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, their families, and the same for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and other Democratic and Republican members of Congress who have expressed loyalty to the Constitution and rule of law!