Joe Walsh

Very Few Principled Republicans Who Put Nation Ahead Of Donald Trump

Face the facts: The Republican Party of 170 years history is dead!

In its wake, we have a cult loyal to Donald Trump!

So there are only a handful of elected Republicans, or former elected Republicans at this point, who have put the nation ahead of Donald Trump, and will not support Donald Trump in the upcoming Presidential Election of 2024!

Among them are the following 24 Republicans:

Liz Cheney
Adam Kinzinger
Mitt Romney
Lisa Murkowski
Susan Collins
Bob Corker
Jeff Flake
Rob Portman
Pat Toomey
Bill Cassidy
Paul Ryan
John Boehner
Peter Meijer
Anthony Gonzalez
Will Hurd
Fred Upton
Joe Walsh
Charlie Baker
Phil Scott
Jeb Bush
Chris Christie
Larry Hogan
Asa Hutchinson
John Kasich

28 True Conservatives Who Support Removal Of Donald Trump As Violator Of Separation Of Powers And Rule Of Law

As the Donald Trump impeachment trial begins, it is clear that a true conservative would support his removal from the Oval Office on the basis of his violation of the separation of power and the rule of law.

The list is long, including, among others the following 28 in no special order:

George Conway

Steve Schmidt

John Weaver

Rick Wilson

Jennifer Rubin

Charlie Dent

Richard Painter

Max Boot

George Will

Joe Scarborough

John Kasich

Jeff Flake

Mia Love

Bill Kristol

Even McMullin

Mike Murphy

Justin Amash

Bill Weld

Joe Walsh

Susan Del Percio

Elise Jordan

Michael Steele

Nicole Wallace

Rick Tyler

Amanda Carpenter

Charlie Sykes

Carlos Curbelo

Tom Ridge

Former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh As Challenger To Donald Trump

Suddenly, with time short, Donald Trump is starting to gain opposition to his nomination for a second term as President.

Former Governor William Weld of Massachusetts, who was the Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee in 2016, announced months ago, with little to show for it, as polls indicate 85-90 percent of Republicans are ready to back Trump.

Weld is at least seen as a “legitimate” candidate, but now we have others who are much more right wing than Weld, and lack credibility as national candidates, who are emerging.

Already, former South Carolina Governor and former Congressman Mark Sanford, he of the sex scandal that forced him out of the Governorship a decade ago, saying he might join.

And now, this past weekend, we have a definite challenger, but of no greater reputation, former one term Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh, of Tea Party fame, who was a believer in the “birther” theory used against Barack Obama, and spewed poison and hate in his one two year term, followed by defeat and retirement to a career as a talk show host.

Walsh was reckless and confrontational in his one term, and came across as a mean spirited and nasty Congressman, with a record of driving on a suspended license, and failure to pay child support, and using racist and sexist language, often considered “a loose cannon”. And he supported Donald Trump in 2016, but now has regrets for that and has apologized and expressed regret on his treatment of Barack Obama.

The fact that Walsh is willing to attack Trump, and tell the truth about him as a horrendous man and President is great, but his own record and background, despite his trying to make amends now in 2019, make him suspect as someone to fully trust.

This is not a way to revive Republican fortunes, to consider Mark Sanford or Joe Wash as legitimate alternatives, when the real alternatives, as suggested in an earlier blog entry last week, would be Jon Huntsman or John Kasich.

The only good thing about Walsh is that he might, somewhat, convince a small number of Republican voters to abandon Trump, and weaken him enough that he will not win reelection. Any effort in that regard is certainly welcome.

And Walsh made an important statement, when he said that young people, women, and suburbanites were totally alienated from Trump. Let us hope that as if they are, in mass numbers, against Trump, and one adds African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Jewish Americans, college educated people, and those that possess compassion and empathy towards the victims of Donald Trump, then we will be liberated from the cancer of Donald Trump.

Republican Philosophy: Every Fetus Must Be Born, But No Right To Care For Preexisting Conditions, And No Basic Right To Health Care Itself!

The Republican Party is a total disgrace in 2017.

It has allowed itself to become the party of death, not the party of life.

While adopting the extreme right wing position of being totally anti abortion, and subjecting women to the whims of religious extremists, that every fetus must be born, now the GOP has fully adopted the concept that once a fetus is born, that there is no right to care for preexisting conditions, which nearly half of Americans have in their lifetime, and no basic right to health care itself.

The party that freed the slaves, promoted racial equality, and advocated protection of the environment, now has become the party of Christian extremists and hard line Southern Confederate views, repudiating the principles of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt and many decent, principled office holders who were proud of the Republican traditions of the past 150 plus years.

Now, if you are not wealthy, to hell with your health, and if you die, such is life, and it most showed up when former one term Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois, said he was not interested in having to pay more taxes to support the health care of an infant who had a need for heart surgery to survive.

What has happened to the concept of human decency, compassion, empathy, and concern for others?

What has happened to the idea that we all pay in through our taxes for the betterment of society, and if we do not end up getting back as much as we pay in, it means we have been fortunate enough not to need help from the government on the same scale as others?

What happened to the concept of religious values, whether Christian or Jewish or Muslim or Hindu or whatever, that we are our brother’s keeper?

The Republican Party will be condemned in history for the passage in the House of Representatives yesterday of this reprehensible “tax care for the wealthy” bill, and it will NOT make it through the US Senate.

It was disgusting to see the House Republicans, led by despicable Speaker Paul Ryan, rushing to the Trump White House to celebrate the loss of health care for 24 million Americans, which, were it to become law, would insure tens of thousands of Americans, at the least, will die because they are not wealthy!

The wealthy have more than enough advantages, and do NOT need another tax cut, as it was those under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush which have obliterated much of the middle class, and accelerated the fall of millions into poverty since 1981.

The odds are heavy now that the Democrats will win at least the minimum number of seats, 24, to regain the House of Representatives majority, and even if the US Senate is not regained, it will change the playing field in 2019-2020, including the likelihood of the impeachment of demagogue Donald Trump!

For any decent human being to be a Republican in 2017, shame on you, and one can believe in karma, that you will be repaid appropriately in the next stage of your existence after your death on earth!

All Lives Matter: Both Victims Of Police Overreaction, And Law Enforcement Protecting All Of Us!

The tragedies of this week–two African American males shot and killed by police without just cause in Louisiana and Minnesota–and the murder of five law enforcement personnel and wounding of seven others in Dallas, Texas during a peaceful demonstration against those incidents—are a shock to the nation, and one thing MUST be made very clear!

All lives matter, not just black lives, but white lives, Latino lives, Asian American lives, Native American lives, and “Blue Lives”, that of the law enforcement professionals who dedicate their lives to protection of all of us, but in so doing, face possible bodily harm and death every day.

We can be angry at law enforcement when it abuses its power and takes the lives of people who are no threat to them, but realize that the number of such cases, while seemingly too many, is still a miniscule number of cases as compared to the total number of good law enforcement people who get very little recognition or appreciation for the important work they do every day.

This is a time of sober reflection, and the hope that we can work to unite the nation, and not allow race baiting villains of any race to further incite violence.

This also requires politicians to stop provoking, but already being shown to be occurring, as with former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh, former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani, and many right wing talk show hosts, who should understand the impact of their words, but still are reckless and demagogic!

Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King Has Gone Too Far In His Depiction Of Hispanic-Latino Immigrants!

Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King is well known as one of the wackiest, craziest, and most divisive members of the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives, sharing that distinction with Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert, and in the recent past, former Florida Congressman Allen West and former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh!

King has depicted Hispanic and Latino immigrants as “dogs”, “livestock”, and as “drug dealers”, and he has also called for an electrified barbed wire fence between Mexico and the United States. He is against the DREAM Act, to allow the law abiding children of immigrants who came here illegally to be able to move toward eventual citizenship, including a requirement for military service or college education!

Speaker of the House John Boehner at least had the good sense to condemn King’s remarks as hateful, and Eric Cantor, the House Majority Leader, said it was inexcusable rhetoric.

But that is not enough, as to spew such hatred on the floor of Congress should lead to a censure of Steve King for incendiary behavior unbecoming a member of Congress. The Republican Party needs to repudiate such language in strong terms, and work to undermine any influence this nightmare member of their caucus has!

If not, the GOP is guaranteed to lose any opportunity to gain, even in the long run, the support of a substantial percentage of those of Hispanic or Latino origin!

Congressional Members Leaving Who Will Be Missed, And Those Who Will NOT Be Missed!

As the lame duck session of the 112th Congress finishes its last weeks, one can reflect on some of the members who will not be returning, some because of defeat, and others because of retirement or resignation.

Some of these members made major contributions and will be missed, including:

Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine
Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut
Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin
Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas
Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts
Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio
Congressman Gary Ackerman of New York
Congresswoman Shelley Berkley of Nevada

Among those leaving who will NOT be missed are:

Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona
Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts
Congressman Ron Paul of Texas
Congressman Allen West of Florida
Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois
Congressman Ben Quayle of Arizona

Altogether, 47 members were defeated; 35 members are retiring; and 11 members have resigned, including just today, Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr, who has serious mental illness complications.

A grand total of 93 members will have left by the end of the year, which means about one out of six members in 2013 will be brand new in Congress.

Fantastic Victory For Florida And America: The Defeat Of Congressman Allen West, And The Election Of Patrick Murphy To Congress!

Finally, two weeks after the election, the victory of Patrick Murphy over Congressman Allen West in the new 18th Congressional District of Florida has been accomplished!

West has refused to concede, despite Murphy’s 2,000 plus vote lead, but he finally gave up the fight today!

West’s loss, along with defeated Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois, by Tammy Duckworth, are the two biggest Democratic victories in the House of Representatives against the Tea Party Republican mentality which elected both of them two years ago.

West was a literal nightmare, totally rude, obnoxious, inappropriate in his attacks on other members of Congress, including Debbie Wasserman Schultz, his colleague in South Florida, and head of the Democratic National Committee, and also disturbing to the extreme for his statements that most members of the Democratic Caucus were Socialists and Communists, leading this author to call him the “black Joseph McCarthy”!

West is very unstable, and seriously needs a psychiatric examination, particularly because of his abuse of an Iraqi prisoner of war in 2003, for which he was drummed out of the military, and forced into retirement. West has an anger problem, and he is a divisive figure, who has no asset worthy of being in public office ever again!

Meanwhile, young Patrick Murphy offers the opportunity for a talented accountant with an open mind, who really cares about all of the people in his district, and is certain to do a positive job in the House of Representatives. Florida and his 18th Congressional district have made a great judgment in giving Murphy the responsibility to speak for them in Washington, DC. He is certain NOT to disappoint!

Barack Obama And Veterans Day: A Great President On Veterans Issues

Barack Obama may not have served in the military, becoming an adult during a time when military service by draft had ended, and instead choosing to become a community organizer, in many ways a domestic version of the Peace Corps.

Mitt Romney supported the war in Vietnam, but used his religious commitment to the Mormon Church to avoid service, and instead spent his entire life acquiring massive amounts of wealth, with no social commitment to anyone, and only using one term as Governor of Massachusetts as a tool to run for President, and become the ultimate “BOSS’, which has been his only goal in life other than materialism!

Barack Obama has been very respectful and supportive of the plight of veterans who have served in our various wars, and he has done so much for their needs when they return, and he is pledging again our total commitment to them in the future. with recognition of the reality that much needs to be done.

As we become aware that one out of four homeless people in this nation are veterans, and that many veterans are unemployed, it means that no stone shall be unturned to do what must be done to help these people who served with courage and determination.

There may be budget cuts coming, but not at the expense of veterans!

Seeing Barack Obama speak at Arlington National Cemetery right now is such an inspiring moment, and realizing that one of our heroes, Tammy Duckworth, who gave up both legs and one arm in Iraq, is now the Congresswoman Elect in an Illinois district, having soundly defeated one of the worst Tea Party elected Representatives of 2010, Joe Walsh, is a very exciting moment! And seeing Allen West of Florida, who abused his power in Iraq and was drummed out of the military, also leaving Congress in January, is a very satisfying event!

Tea Party Nasty, Mean Spirited Conservatism Lost Big: The Republican Party MUST Change Or Be Replaced!

The Tea Party Movement of 2010 has lost BIG in 2012, and the nasty, mean spirited conservatism it represents must be overcome by the Republican Party, which MUST change or be replaced!

Congressman Allen West of Florida, Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois, Senate nominee Todd Akin of Missouri, and Senate nominee Richard Mourdock of Indiana headline those who lost.

Never again can the Republican Party try to dictate to women about their reproductive lives; never can the GOP attack Hispanics and Latinos in a nasty, mean spirited way and expect to gain their support; never can the party of 2012 allow itself to let religious extremists to control its destiny and dictate religious doctrine to the nation at large; never can they promote foreign wars and aggression as the neoconservatives did under George W. Bush; never can they promote lack of concern for the middle class and the poor, as Mitt Romney made clear in his “47 percent” speech; never can they allow themselves to become the captive of billionaires such as Sheldon Adelson and the Koch Brothers; never can they allow Donald Trump and other jerks like him to take control of their public message: never can they allow racists and talk show hosts, such as Rush Limbaugh, and other extremists and hate mongers to dictate to them—and in many other ways, they must liberate themselves from their demons, or become part of the dustbin of history!

They must become more like the Conservative Party of Great Britain, which is far to the left of the present Republican Party, but still to the right of the Labour Party of Great Britain!

It is up to them, and purging and house cleaning must begin in earnest!