New York Times

Former Republicans Who Are Conservatives Will Support Democrats As Only Way To Stop Fascism

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Christine Todd Whitman—Miles Taylor—Max Boot.

Former New Jersey Governor–Security expert in the George W. Bush and Donald Trump Administrations–Conservative Writer and Historian.

The first two in the NY Times, and the last one in the Washington Post, made clear their intentions for the future.

These are three Republicans who would define themselves as conservatives, along with many others, who have come to the smart conclusion that the Donald Trump dominated Republican Party in Congress and the states MUST be defeated soundly in 2022 as part of a plan to expunge the Fascist, authoritarian nature of a major political party.

So they and others have dedicated themselves to voting Democratic in the upcoming elections, not because they necessarily agree on all matters with Democrats, but simply because it is the only alternative to excise the cancer of Donald Trump and his minions.

This is not a laughing matter, as American democracy and the rule of law is at stake, and only a sound defeat of the evil and dangerous Trump control of the GOP can save the day.

As this author and blogger has stated in the past five years, the Republican Party may need to be put in the dustbin of history, and a new, responsible, and reasonable conservative alternative to the Democrats needs to be created from scratch, a little like the birth of the Republican party in the death throes of the Whig Party in the 1850s.

Facebook And Social Media In General A Deleterious Force: A Need For Regulation!

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This author and blogger can recall the “good old days”, when there was no Facebook and other social media companies, obsessed by profit, and unconcerned about dividing America into opposing forces that see those who disagree with them as dire enemies.

The expose by a whistle blower of what many have sensed was reality has led this author and blogger to decide not to spend time on social media, and instead to back off and focus more on the major news sources to keep up with the constant flow of events.

Despite the criticism of reputable journalism sources–including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times–the record of their reliability over the long haul makes them the best source of information. They are more reliable than even electronic media on cable networks.

Clearly, there needs to be some kind of government regulation to overcome the reality that social media helped to inspire the January 6 Insurrection, and is a danger to the future of American democracy. Also, it is clear that the COVID-19 Pandemic and resistance to vaccination and masking is due to the influence of Facebook in particular, and that Instagram, owned by Facebook, has had a horrific event on self image, particularly of teenage girls.

Social Media has gone out of control, of any sense of responsibility to America, only centered on profits!

Happy 25th Anniversary For MSNBC: A True Treasure!

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Today marks a quarter century of an exceptional news source, MSNBC, which began on July 15, 1996.

It started as a partnership between Microsoft and NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation).

It is one of the two major cable channels, alongside CNN (Cable News Network) to be committed to promote facts and truth, and the battle for facts and truth is a constantly evolving battle, due to the rivalry of Fox News Channel, which has spent its entire history since October 1996 to promote distortion, lies, and evade the truth.

It is hard to imagine news coverage in 2021 without appreciating the people and the coverage of news that MSNBC offers. It has enriched all viewers and readers, and is an indispensable source alongside CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, the NY Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and many other online sources listed on this website, all on the right side of the page!

So congratulations to MSNBC in its constant battle against the forces of evil that are out there in the media world!

Journalism Essential Protection To Preserve American And Foreign Democracy From Authoritarianism

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Journalism is an honorable profession, and the promotion and protection of the institution and the people who spend their lives promoting truth and facts is essential, in order to preserve American and foreign democracies from authoritarianism.

Of course, there are those journalism sites and individuals who choose to use their influence to peddle lies and mistruths, (such as Fox News Channel, Newsmax, One America Network), but it will not take away the validity and reality that major news sites ARE reliable, no matter how much naysayers claim otherwise.

All human beings make mistakes, and no journalism source is 100 percent accurate, but history tells us that reliable journalism sites are correct more than 90 percent of the time.

When one sees the shutdown of the Hong Kong democracy newspaper, and the crackdown on all expressions of truth, facts, and democracy in many nations around the world, it makes the defense of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and the right to vote ever more urgent into the future.

So the struggle against authoritarianism requires recognition in America of such news sources that have proved their value and accuracy over the long haul, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, and a multitude of other news sources!

Pentagon Papers 50th Anniversary: Turning Point On Executive Authority In Presidency

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It has been a half century since the exposure by the New York Times of the Pentagon Papers, that revealed the secrets of how America became engaged in the never ending Vietnam War.

It infuriated President Richard Nixon, and led to circumstances that brought about the Watergate Scandal, and the move to impeach Nixon, leading to his resignation on August 9, 1974.

But now, revelations show Donald Trump had engaged in even worse violations of the law than Nixon did, and this makes it clear how alarming it is that Trump is still trying to promote a coup, as on January 6 at the US Capitol, so that he can return to power.

And it is ever more alarming that most Republicans are willing to bend to Trump’s will, and that the Republican Party of 2021 is far more corrupt and dangerous than it was in 1971!

Joe Biden Perceived By Many Observers As Potentially Transformational, As Was FDR And LBJ

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It may be hype, but many political observers, impressed with President Joe Biden’s fast start in his first 50 days, are speculating that the 46th President could be a transformational President, in the mold of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson.

One such viewpoint is expressed by NY Times Columnist David Brooks, who is a conservative, but sees elements in Joe Biden to unite the nation, as has occurred with the just signed COVID 19 $1.9 Trillion legislation today, which is seen as a law that will have a great effect on taking many people, including children, out of poverty, along with essential aid to small businesses, state and local governments, and the rapid availability, now said to be on May 1, of COVID 19 vaccine for all adults.

Joe Biden has surprised many in his ability to draw Republican registered voters to be totally supportive of assistance this legislation provides, even as Republicans in Congress refused to support the legislation, but are already claiming credit for some of the programs and aid being distributed rapidly, starting this weekend.

There certainly is great optimism, on this anniversary of the declaration of the COVID 19 Pandemic a year ago today, after the horrible loss of 525,000 Americans, the greatest loss in one year in American history!

Discussion Of Martial Law In White House Alarming, With One Month To Go Until Inauguration

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Today, one month before the inauguration, 31 days until Joe Biden and Kamala Harris begin the new administration, there is alarming news that corrupt, renegade lawyers around Donald Trump had a stormy meeting with Donald Trump, promoting the declaration of martial law, suspension of the Constitution under the ill advised Insurrection Act of 1807, and the redo of the election in states that were “swing’ states lost by Trump in November.

The New York Times reports that Patrick Cipollone, one of the President’s White House lawyers, and Mark Meadows, the White House Chief of Staff, argued vigorously against such action, while a renegade lawyer, Sidney Powell, was promoting such alarming ideas, along with wanting to be a special counsel to investigate the election returns, after the Electoral College has already made the election results official on December 14.

The possibility of a coup still exists, but it seems clear that were Trump to move in that direction, that the military and the bureaucracy would not cooperate.

At this point, with a crazed President out of control, and promoting anti democratic actions, at least in his diseased head, that immediate action to force his resignation, and for Vice President Mike Pence to finish out the term, is essential.

And those who argued for such action, including Powell and retired General Mike Flynn, who was convicted and then pardoned, should be incarcerated as traitors and seditionists.

And it is good to see Cipillone, who represented Trump in the impeachment trial and has been the White House Counsel, and Mark Meadows, former Congressman and Tea Party favorite, are putting patriotism and the rule of law ahead of Trump’s maniacal behavior!

The News Media And Public Opinion Polls On Trial On Election Day: Are They Reliable?

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Today, Election Day 2020, it is clear that the news media, particularly the establishment media–the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC–need to be demonstrated to be reliable and accurate in their coverage of the 2020 election campaign.

Or will they have “egg in their faces” again, as in 2016, when there was total shock at the result of the election, the victory of Donald Trump?

And the same goes even more with the multitude of public opinion polls, which misjudged what was about to happen, and also the prognosticators, many well known, and some like this author and blogger, NOT well known, who all believed Hillary Clinton would win the Presidency!

A one time blunder, or error, can be explained, as it was in 1948 when no one thought Harry Truman would defeat Thomas E. Dewey!

A second time, when all evidence is that Joe Biden will likely win a landslide victory over Donald Trump, would be fatal in many ways, making Americans unwilling to believe the major news media and public opinion polls in the future!

Hopefully, the right wing news media, notorious for lies and deception, most notably Fox News Channel, the New York Post, and the Wall Street Journal, all Rupert Murdoch owned and operated, will be repudiated beyond any redemption! The same applies to right wing talk show radio hosts, including Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Mark Levin, and a host of other extremists who exploit the American people on a regular basis!

Hopefully, we will know sometime tomorrow, Wednesday, November 4!

Another Opportunity To Salute The New York Times, Today 169 Years Old, A True National Treasure To Freedom Of The Press!

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This author and blogger has hailed the New York Times numerous times over its courage and principle in always seeking the truth, and has celebrated its birthday many times, and it is time to do so again, on its 169th Anniversary!

The New York Times is a true national treasure to freedom of the press, the best guardian against dictatorship and authoritarianism.

The paper has won 130 Pulitzer Prizes, more than any other newspaper, and has saved America with its investigations and revelations on government and its leaders since the middle of the 19th century, along with the best, most thorough discussion of foreign affairs, as well as culture and finance.

It was responsible for exposing Watergate, along with its “sister” competitor, the Washington Post, which has won 69 Pulitzer Prizes, the second most of any newspaper, and founded on December 6, 1877, so almost 143 years old.

The fact that both newspapers are seen as the enemy of Donald Trump and crooked Republicans in 2020 is a badge of honor.

The New York Times–“All the News That’s Fit to Print”–will survive Donald Trump, and will report on all authoritarian regimes around the globe, as it has done through the years.

It is not a perfect newspaper, and neither is the Washington Post, and they have both admitted shortcomings over the years.

But to be well informed and understand public affairs, one MUST read the New York Times and Washington Post, or give up a claim to being knowledgeable on all kinds of public issues!

Presidential Debates Are Worthless, Unless Donald Trump Agrees To Two Conditions: Taxes Revealed, And Fact Checker For Trump Lies!

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There is no point to Joe Biden agreeing to debate with Donald Trump, unless Trump agrees to reveal his tax records, as Joe Biden has done, AND it is also agreed that there will be a fact checking team approved by both candidates to be hired by the non partisan Commission on Presidential Debates.

That team would report with ten minutes left in the debate any misleading statements, phony numbers, or outright lies uttered by either candidate.

Trump lies as he breathes, as Thomas Friedman of the New York Times said last month, and Biden should not allow that to go unanswered by a fact checking team at the debate.

Since Biden is comfortably ahead in all polls, he gains nothing by debates, and by refusing to debate, will infuriate Trump, who will go even more looney.

Trump knows he is losing, and Joe Biden should just continue to make public statements before small audiences with proper distancing. Biden is being helped by various Republican groups who are dedicated to Trump’s defeat as the only way to revive the party of Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Joe Biden has been right since January on the CoronaVirus Pandemic, and should make the effort to win as many states as possible, but the debates make no sense at this point, unless Trump agrees to the two conditions mentioned above, which will not occur!