Mike Lee

Republican Party, Alarmingly, Going Along With Donald Trump On Russia!

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It is mind boggling that large numbers of Republicans in Congress, along with MAGA supporters, are demonstrating a strong pro Russian, pro Putin stance, in alignment with Donald Trump, who has basically invited Vladimir Putin to invade NATO nations that Trump says are not paying enough for their defense!

The refusal of House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, to consider aid to Ukraine in its heroic battle for its sovereignty in the war provoked by Russia two years ago, is outrageous!

But even in the Senate, only 22 Republicans are willing to support Ukraine aid!

Among those who did so are:

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
John Cornyn of Texas
Joni Ernst of Iowa
Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Mitt Romney of Utah
John Thune of South Dakota
Thom Tillis of North Carolina

Among the nearly 30 Republican Senators who refused to support national security interests, including continued support for Ukraine are:

John Barrasso of Wyoming
Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee
Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Ted Cruz of Texas
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Josh Hawley of Missouri
Ron Johnson of Wisconsin
James Lankford of Oklahoma
Mike Lee of Utah
Rand Paul of Kentucky
Marco Rubio of Florida
Rick Scott of Florida
Tim Scott of South Carolina
Tommy Tuberville of Alabama
J D Vance of Ohio

Notice how many of the second list are among the most outrageous, obnoxious members of the Senate, but also including a traditional supporter of national security legislation in Graham, who is now a turncoat, and Tim Scott, who clearly is angling to be the potential Vice Presidential nominee for Donald Trump!

These Senators in the second group are those who have surrendered their ethics, morals, and scruples to cater to Donald Trump, and in so doing, along with the Republican House, they are repudiating the Republican past of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and even the infamous Joseph McCarthy!

The Republican Party, except for a select few, has gone stark raving mad,and repudiated the heritage and traditions of the party started 170 years ago this year!

The need is clear for all sane, principled people to unite in the dissolution of the Republican Party, which has now been infested with MAGA Lunacy that cannot be reversed, and must be overcome by the decent majority of the American population!

Fascinating Senate Race In Utah: Evan McMullin Running As Independent Against Mike Lee, And Mitt Romney Remaining Neutral!

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One of the most interesting and fascinating Senate races in 2022 is in heavily Mormon Utah, where Republican Senator Mike Lee, who has emerged as a MAGA Republican, despite being very critical of Donald Trump six years ago, faces a challenge NOT from a Democrat, but from an Independent Republican who ran for President in 2016 in protest against Donald Trump’s candidacy.

McMullin won 21.5 percent of the vote in 2016 in Utah, and half of one percent of the total national vote, close to 750,000 votes. And in 2020, he endorsed Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden. McMullin had been a CIA agent, and believed Trump was a danger to national security.

When McMullin decided to run against Mike Lee, the Democratic Party in Utah agreed to stay out of the race, and right now, the polls indicate a very close race, with Lee only ahead by 4 percent, and more than ten percent of the voters still undecided.

McMullin, a strong conservative with principle, and never a Trump loyalist, has pledged he will not join the caucus of either the Republicans or Democrats if he wins the seat.

And the controversy over this race is magnified by Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican Presidential nominee, refusing to take a stand and endorse his Senate colleague, Mike Lee. This is causing an uproar, but remember Romney voted to convict Trump in both impeachment trials, and has been condemned by Donald Trump.

This race of Lee vs McMullin will certainly be one of the most intriguing Senate races in November!

Potential For Democrats To Gain Multiple Senate Seats In Midterm Elections Of 2022

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The potential now exists for the Democrats to gain multiple Senate seats in the Midterm Elections of 2022!

With six Republicans Senators retiring, at least three of those seats could go to the Democrats, along with three Republican Senators running for reelection having troubles in their reelection campaigns.

Pennsylvania with John Fetterman; Ohio with Tim Ryan; and North Carolina with Cheri Beasley, all have a good shot to win what have been Republican seats.

Additionally, Florida with Val Demings and Wisconsin with Mandela Barnes could see the defeat of Marco Rubio and Ron Johnson. And the longest serving Republican Senator, Chuck Grassley, running at age 89 for another six year term, also has a tough race from retired Admiral Michael Franken that should not be ignored.

Four Democratic Senators have major challenges to keep their seats—Mark Kelly in Arizona; Raphael Warnock in Georgia; Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada; and Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire.

Also, Mike Lee in Utah has a strong independent, Evan McMullin, trying to defeat this loyal Trumpite, and Democrats are backing him.

Rand Paul in Kentucky has a strong African American opponent in Democrat Charles Booker, and the defeat of Paul would be welcome, but unexpected.

In Missouri, Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine will try to stop Republican Eric Schmitt, another tough race without an incumbent, but Schmitt favored to win.

The possibility of up to a 4-5 seat gain for Democrats is in the cards, if the present trend in polls continues!

Disgraceful Display Of Disrespect By Republican Senators Upon Confirmation Of Ketanji Brown Jackson!

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The gleeful emotions of Senate Democrats yesterday, upon the confirmation of Kentanji Brown Jackson to become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, was counteracted by the disgraceful display of disrespect by Republican Senators, who walked out as rounds of applause, lasting a full minute, emanated in the Senate chamber.

Only Senator Mitt Romney joined the Democrats to applaud the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson.

It was an embarrassing scene, when all Senators, whether they supported Jackson or not for the Supreme Court, should have shared in the historic nature of her appointment.

It is one thing to oppose a nominee or a piece of legislation, but another to be rude, insulting, and clearly racist and bigoted in nature, as if after 108 white males being placed on the Court, it is somehow unacceptable to have a qualified, competent black female to be added to the Court!

It just adds to the obscene image of the Republican Party which is mostly beholden to the evils represented by Donald Trump!

The memory of the horrendous behavior of Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, and Mike Lee will never dissipate, and all of these Senators will be condemned in the long run of history, as their reputations will lie in tatters!

The Republican Party Is More Horrendous Than Ever!

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It is hard to believe, but the Republican Party in Congress is more horrendous than ever before!

A party which used to have a substantial number of moderate Senators in the past has gone totally nuts!

Yesterday, this author and blogger condemned the handling of the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson by Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Lindsey Graham, and Tom Cotton.

Now Marsha Blackburn is added to that list making fools of themselves in the hearings.

But even outside of that issue, now we have Indiana Senator Mike Braun who says that Interracial Marriage, declared constitutional in Loving V Virginia in 1967, should never have been accomplished by the Supreme Court.

This is part of setting constitutional law backwards, along with the threat to abortion rights Roe V Wade (1973), and Griswold V Connecticut (1965), which promoted the constitutional right to sexual privacy and legalized contraception for married couples.

Although Braun now has backtracked, it is clear that leave it to the Republicans, and they would interfere with the privacy rights of Americans, not only interracial marriage, abortion, and contraception, but also gay marriage, if given the opportunity.

This is right wing totalitarianism, denial of basic human rights, and going back to the years before the Warren Court (1953-1969) and forward!

Republican Party, 168 Years Old Today, Undermined By Competing Factions, Some Of Them Extremist In Nature

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The Republican Party was born on this day in Ripon, Wisconsin, in 1854, 168 years ago.

The future of the party is in danger, due to these massive splits.

Among the members of these six groups below are the following:

Trumpism—including House members Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Madison Cawthorn, Jim Jordan, Paul Gosar, Matt Gaetz; Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz; and Governors Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott, and Kristi Noem.

Anti Trumpism—including House members Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Anthony Gonzalez; Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse; and Governors Larry Hogan, Charlie Baker, and Phil Scott.

Christian Right—Mike Pence, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee

Libertarian conservatives—Senators Mike Lee and Rand Paul; Congressman Thomas Massie

Neoconservatives—George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, John Bolton

Moderates—Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Charlie Baker, Larry Hogan, Phil Scott, Chris Sununu

The hope for the long range is that the Anti Trumpists and Moderates will prevail, as otherwise, the Republican Party is an authoritarian, Fascist oriented party, abandoning the principles of the party at its founding!

The Long List Of Tragically Flawed, Unpatriotic Republicans Who Might Run For President In 2024!

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Already, just six months since the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection and early successes of President Joe Biden, we are witnessing early hints of the large group of potential Republican candidates for President in 2024, who have demonstrated they are tragically flawed and unpatriotic, and would seem to be unable to be seen as legitimate alternatives for the White House. These Republicans continue to back Donald Trump, and promote the “Big Lie”!

The list is so long, but here is a list of such disgraces who think they are entitled to be President, despite their sedition and treason six months ago. Also, there are many others who through their continued support of the authoritarian Fascist Donald Trump, complicates any of these characters deciding to run whether or not Trump decides to try again for President, and in so doing, is promoting white supremacy, violence and bloodshed!

How does one list a group of 16 individuals who are the absolute worst Republicans in any sense of order? But here goes:

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Texas Senator Ted Cruz
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley
Florida Senator Rick Scott
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
Texas Governor Greg Abbott
Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton
Florida Senator Marco Rubio
Utah Senator Mike Lee
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott
Former Vice President Mike Pence
Fox News Channel Host Tucker Carlson

And here is a list of 6 less objectionable and more reasonable potential candidates in no special order:

Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan
Utah Senator Mitt Romney
Former Ohio Governor John Kasich
Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney
Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger

15 Republican Senators Who Have A Reputation Of Being In An Alternative Universe

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The following 15 Republican Senators have developed a reputation of being in an alternative universe, leaving the impression that they are simply horrible human beings, actually uncaring about the people they serve!

Their meanspirited nature and lack of common decency is shocking!

Tommy Tuberville of Alabama
Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Rick Scott of Florida
Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Rand Paul of Kentucky
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
John Kennedy of Louisiana
Josh Hawley of Missouri
Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee
Ted Cruz of Texas
John Cornyn of Texas
Mike Lee of Utah
Ron Johnson of Wisconsin

This does not excuse the bulk of the rest of the Republicans in the US Senate, but these 15 are particularly egregious in their behavior!

Twelve of these 15 Senators are from the traditional South, or from the border South states of Kentucky, Missouri, or Oklahoma.

Only three are from elsewhere, meaning Iowa, Wisconsin and Utah.

So the tradition of the South and Border South, whether Democratic in the past, or Republican since the 1960s transition, to be narrow minded and uncaring about the lives of their constituents, continues today!

The Republican Party Potential Field (25) Seeking Presidential Nomination In 2024!

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When one looks ahead to the next round of Presidential contenders in the Republican Party for 2024, one sees clearly that it is a “Group Of Horrors” that awaits the nation, if the party does not reform itself and reject the extreme right wing extremists who are planning to seek the Presidency in 2024.

There is a long list of potential contenders, and it will be a question of how one separates responsible conservatives from the monsters that wish to make even Donald Trump look less extreme by comparison! Imagine that!

The most extreme Right potential nominees as now perceived include the eight following in no special order:

Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky
Senator Rick Scott of Florida
Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida
Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota

Those less far Right but still unacceptable to any rational person include the five following in no special order:

Senator Marco Rubio of Florida
Senator Mike Lee Of Utah
Vice President Mike Pence of Indiana
Former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

And then there are those who are conservatives in the more traditional mold, including the nine following in no special order:

Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska
Senator Mitt Romney of Utah
Former Ohio Governor John Kasich
Senator Rob Portman of Ohio
Former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China and Russia Jon Huntsman
Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland
Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts
Former Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey
Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois

And finally, there are the true long shot whackos, including:

Donald Trump, Jr.
Tucker Carlson of Fox News Channel

And of course, Donald Trump could end up running, and putting the Republican Party in total disarray!

Would Any Republican Senators Vote For Conviction Of Donald Trump In Impeachment Trial? It Is Possible Up To 23 Would Do So, Three More Than Needed To Remove Trump From Oval Office!

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As the likelihood of the impeachment of Donald Trump increases daily, the question arises whether any of the 53 Republican Senators would actually vote for his conviction and removal from the Presidency.

It has been reported that privately up to 30 Republican Senators would wish to do so, but are unwilling to risk their Senate seats to vote in public, where they need to be listed as to their vote on the matter.

Looking at the list of Republicans, it seems to this author and blogger that the following 23 might decide to convict Trump:

Richard Shelby of Alabama

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska

Marco Rubio of Florida

Johnny Isakson of Georgia

Chuck Grassley of Iowa

Joni Ernst of Iowa

Pat Roberts of Kansas

Rand Paul of Kentucky

John Kennedy of Louisiana

Susan Collins of Maine

Ben Sasse of Nebraska

Deb Fischer of Nebraska

Richard Burr of North Carolina

Rob Portman of Ohio

James Lankford of Oklahoma

Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania

Tim Scott of South Carolina

John Thune of South Dakota

Lamar Alexander of Tennessee

Mike Lee of Utah

Mitt Romney of Utah

Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia

Mike Enzi of Wyoming

All of these Senators, except four, do not face election until 2022, or 2024 in the case of Fischer and Romney, while Roberts, Enzi and Alexander are retiring in 2020, and Isakson is retiring early at the end of 2019 due to poor health . Only Collins, Ernst, Sasse and Capito face election in 2020, but possibly could be considered “yes” votes for conviction.

If all of these 23 GOP Senators voted to convict, added to 47 Democrats and Independents, it would mean the vote to convict would be 70-30, enough by three, allowing, in theory, three of the Senators facing election in 2020 to decide NOT to remove Trump.