Presidential Election Of 2016

Republican Party Is Selling Its Reputation To Donald Trump, Who Is Hellbent On Destroying The Party!

The Republican Party is in the process of destroying its legacy, and selling its reputation to Donald Trump, who is hellbent on destroying the party in his quest for absolute power, and destruction of American democracy!

Whether one agrees or not with the conservative philosophy of the Republican Party throughout its history, the party has added to the constant debate over the nature of government.

The Republican Party had its great leaders with courage and convictions, from the time of the party being founded as a reform party in the 1850s, through its various highs and lows over the past 167 years from 1854 onward.

Its low points included 1912, when William Howard Taft won only two states, 23 percent of the vote, and 8 electoral votes; to 1964, when Barry Goldwater won less than 40 percent of the vote, and only 6 states; to the shock of a reckless businessman, Donald Trump, who was able to hijack the party and its principles in 2016, and now has set out to destroy the party and the nation by refusing to concede defeat in the Presidential Election of 2020, and is a dire threat for the future!

Where are the “Profiles in Courage” that put the welfare of the nation over their own ambitions, and are willing to stand up to Trump Fascism, and its promotion of white supremacy and domestic terrorism, as demonstrated in the January 6, 2021 Insurrection on the US Capitol!

Only a small group is putting the nation and American democracy ahead of their own naked ambitions!

So on this Thanksgiving Day, we have to be thankful that Joe Biden is President, and do everything to insure that the Democratic Party overcomes history, and keeps control, and gains seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in 2022!

Growing Opposition To Donald Trump Potential Presidential Candidacy In 2024

A year after Donald Trump lost the Presidential Election of 2020 decisively by 7 million popular votes, and the precise Electoral College vote for Joe Biden that Trump won by in 2016, despite losing the popular vote by 2.85 million votes to Hillary Clinton, the beginning of the challenge to Trump’s potential Presidential candidacy in 2024 is beginning in earnest.

The following are challengers to Donald Trump’s potential campaign for 2024. They all have by word and deed made clear their condemnation of Donald Trump:

Former Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey
Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland
Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming
Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois
Senator Mitt Romney of Utah
Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska
Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan of Wisconsin
Former Governor John Kasich of Ohio

Donald Trump’s Criminal Conspirators: All Republicans Who Deny Joe Biden Victory One Year Later!

It will be one year next weekend since the victory of Joe Biden in the Presidential Election of 2020 was declared on November 7, 2020.

And yet, all of the Republicans who deny Joe Biden’s victory even today, one year later, are, in effect, criminal conspirators in a “Big Lie”, that is causing massive tensions and divisions in America, with nothing quite like it since the Civil War!

Donald Trump has loads of criminal conspirators, and by all rights, all of those members of Congress who refused to certify that the election was resolved in the Electoral College count on January 6, 2021, even after the Capitol Hill Insurrection on that day, should be summarily expelled from Congress, and face prosecution as traitors, conspirators, and seditionists!

And all those around Donald Trump, including his three older children, and all Trump aides or former aides who conspired to promote the January 6 Insurrection should also face prosecution and prison time!

There is no case for believing otherwise than that Joe Biden won the election, interestingly by the same Electoral Vote margin as Donald Trump did in 2016, and yet there IS evidence that the election of Trump was false, and created through Russian Collusion, while Biden won by 7 million votes.

In the past, Richard Nixon in 1960, Al Gore in 2000, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and further back Samuel Tilden in 1876, along with all other election losers, saw the defeated candidate graciously concede. But now we face an endless constitutional nightmare with no end, and the danger that Donald Trump might run again!

Bill Clinton Illness And Colin Powell Death Reminders Of Fragility Of Life

The past few days reminds us, even if we try to forget, of the fragility of life.

First, Bill Clinton, age 75, had a dangerous urological and blood infection, that required six days in the hospital, and will require a few weeks of further recovery at home.

And this morning, we have the shocking news that former Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and National Security Advisor Colin Powell has died of COVID 19 complications at age 84, despite having been fully vaccinated, although he was suffering from cancer.

Powell was a truly great American, a man much admired. But his defense of the claim of WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) before the United Nations, which justified the Iraq War under George W. Bush at the time, was proven to be a lie, undermining somewhat his reputation.

Still, as a mainstream Republican, Powell supported Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020, and was an especially leading critic of the danger represented by Donald Trump.

So we are thankful that Bill Clinton is recovering from his illness, and greatly saddened by the death of Colin Powell!

The Evil Hypocrisy Of So Called “Devout” Evangelical People, Who Accept Donald Trump As Speaking For God!

It is absolutely outrageous that many so called “devout” evangelical people accept Donald Trump as speaking for God!

Donald Trump is the complete opposite of what is considered basic teachings of Jesus, including compassion, empathy, tolerance, and promoting the best behavior by people.

Trump is supported by racists, nativists, misogynists, homophobes, Islamophobes, and antisemites, and has lied and deceived his entire life, including more than 30,000 times during his Presidency!

Trump is far from being a devout Christian as imaginable, as he only worships his own ego!

Trump provoked the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection, and continues to promote the “Big Lie”, that he won the 2020 Presidential Election!

Trump was impeached twice, and lost the popular vote both in 2016, when Russian collusion helped to put him into office, and in 2020, and both times by massive margins–2.85 million in 2016 and 7 million in 2020!

Trump’s whole purpose is to regain power and establish an authoritarian Fascist government!

For any “religious” person to see Donald Trump as speaking for God demonstrates how evil and hypocritical such individuals are, and the concept that America should become a theocracy defies the teachings of the Founding Fathers, who promoted separation of church and state!

The Supreme Court Majority Is Becoming Very Outspoken, Controversial In Actions And Statements!

The Supreme Court of the United States is supposed to be a nonpolitical body, that balances the law and the Constitution.

Of course, there are, and always have been, so called “liberals” and “conservatives” on the Court throughout its history, but the present Supreme Court with six conservatives and three liberals is badly unbalanced, and it is clear that the Court is the most extreme one sided to the conservative side that it has been since the 1930s, nearly a century ago!

There are three appointments to the Court by Donald Trump (Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett); two appointments by George W. Bush (John Roberts, Samuel Alito); and one appointment by George H. W. Bush (Clarence Thomas).

There are already ethical and moral problems with Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas, regarding their behavior and treatment of women in their past; and Amy Coney Barrett was rushed through to confirmation more rapidly than normal after the sudden death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, so that Donald Trump had one more appointment close to the Presidential election, which should have been left to the winner of the election, which turned out to be Joe Biden.

Also, a majority of the Court was chosen by Presidents who lost the popular vote in 2000 and 2016, although the two Bush II appointees actually came in the second term when Bush II did win the popular vote.

And now, since the horrendous decision to allow the Texas antiabortion law to go into effect without a full hearing, taking away a constitutional right of women to control their own bodies, in effect since Roe V. Wade in 1973, the criticism of the Court’s action has led to Thomas, Barrett, and now Alito to issue political criticisms which are not appropriate for Supreme Court Justices. They should NOT be making public statements, no matter what they are thinking, but they clearly are on the defensive and have politicized the Court by their utterances, as well as their actions.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the reputation and public opinion rating of the Supreme Court has declined radically in the last few years, and particularly in the present year of 2021!

The Supreme Court is moving far to the Right as the nation is clearly moving to the Left, in a nation in which the white majority is rapidly declining, and will be the minority (under 50 percent) by 2045 at the latest.

So a constitutional crisis is at hand, and there is the danger of a future 7-2 conservative Court, with Stephen Breyer refusing to consider retiring at age 83, claiming he does not plan to die on the Court. This is a preposterous statement, and could end up denying Joe Biden any Supreme Court selection if a Democratic Senator dies or is incapacitated, or if the Senate goes Republican in the midterm Congressional Elections of 2022!

The Supreme Court Reputation Has Been Seriously Tarnished, No Longer Seen As Representing Moderation!

The John Roberts Supreme Court reputation has been seriously tarnished, no longer seen as representing moderation!

By deciding to go along with an extremist Texas abortion law, in a one paragraph middle of the night statement, which includes no exceptions for rape or incest, and allowing private citizens to sue anyone engaged in promoting abortion, the Court has done one of the worst ever actions, which will be compared to such other issues as Dred Scott V Sandford (1857) and Plessy V Ferguson (1896), and a small group of other reprehensible decisions!

Chief Justice Roberts himself recognized how terrible this 5-4 decision was, so despite earlier personal expressions of being anti abortion, he joined the three liberals on the Court in opposition.

Roberts knows his own historical reputation has been permanently damaged, as the Court has become dangerously radical right wing extremist, with the three reprehensible appointments by Donald Trump showing their true colors!

The fact that the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett switched the Court balance from what it was under the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg right before the Presidential Election of 2020 is reprehensible!

But also, the fact that Brett Kavanaugh was the second Court Justice to face accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct, along with Clarence Thomas three decades ago, and now they decided the private lives of women, is totally infuriating!

And the fact that Neil Gorsuch gained an appointment after a full year of no replacement of Antonin Scalia, and that Merrick Garland was denied even a hearing as his replacement, makes all three of Donald Trump’s Court appointments questionable and wanting!

It is further proof that the Supreme Court has lost whatever aura it had, as a fair, reasonable body!

To reverse a decision of nearly 50 years, when the tradition of the Court is to uphold legal precedent normally, and that it has such a dramatic effect on more than half the population, is beyond the pale!

If Hillary Clinton had won the Presidential Election of 2016, which this author and blogger and tens of millions of Americans think is the truth, the Supreme Court today would not be in the crisis atmosphere it is in!

It requires an attempt to add members to the Court, because otherwise, the Court is on a tear to the promotion of Fascism clear and simple, and that cannot be allowed to move forward toward ultimate destruction of the Constitution and rule of law!

The idea that two Presidents, George W. Bush and Donald Trump,who lost the popular vote, could add two and three members to the Court respectively, which otherwise would have been appointees of Al Gore and Hillary Clinton, is simply outrageous and unacceptable for the long haul!

It will permanently destroy the reputation of a very evil man, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who brought about this travesty!

When one thinks back to the mid and late 1970s, we actually had a 7-2 Republican Court by party affiliation, but it included moderate Republicans, which included statesmen, including William Brennan, Harry Blackmun, John Paul Stevens, and Chief Justice Warren Burger!

So action must be taken to expand the Court, as we are in a constitutional crisis that will only get worse if no action is taken!

The Supreme Court Is Undermining American Democracy And Basic Human Rights!

America is in a tragic situation, of a nation clearly more progressive than the Supreme Court, which has now been stacked with 6 solid conservatives out to take away voting rights, abortion rights, and protect corporations at the expense of workers.

At times, some of the 6 Republican appointees surprise, but clearly, the rights of people of color, women, labor, environmental causes, and basic civil liberties are under constant threat.

And the thought that five of the 6 Republican appointments to the Supreme Court were made by Presidents (George W. Bush, Donald Trump) who did NOT win the popular vote, but rather in contested elections, were awarded the Electoral College majority in 2000 and 2016!

We are in a crisis situation, where the Court is undermining American democracy and basic human rights!

The Lunacy Reigning In The Republican Party In Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Alaska

The Republican Party in many states is going total lunacy, as they work at praising Donald Trump and continuing to promote the “Big Lie” about the Presidential Election of 2020.

In Texas, the move is on to create the greatest restrictions on voting rights, which might force legislative Democrats to leave the state in order to prevent action.

Also, total whacko Allen West, the former head of the Texas Republican Party, after earlier being a nightmare in Florida politics, including one term in Congress a decade ago, is now challenging right wing governor Greg Abbott for the gubernatorial nomination in 2022, as if Abbott is not far enough to the Right!

Additionally, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held a gathering this weekend, including Donald Trump ranting and raving about the election being stolen.

In Oklahoma, Senator James Lankford, a solid conservative but not extreme in rhetoric, has been condemned by the state Republican party chair, and is now facing a primary to kick him out, totally off the wall!

And in Ohio, with Senator Rob Portman, a mainstream conservative retiring next year, the battle is on between extremist right winger Josh Mandel, who swears total loyalty to Donald Trump, and now the entry into the race of author and activist JD Vance, who had been very critical of Trump in 2016, but now swears loyalty to Trump, and says all Republicans must “suck up” to Trump, demonstrating that he is a total coward and phony with no basic principles except to advance his desire to be a United States senator!

Finally, in Alaska, Senator Lisa Murkowski was rejected by a vote of the state Republican Party, who endorsed her challenger, Kelly Tshibaka, but Murkowski overcame a similar situation in 2010, and ran as a write in, overcoming a Tea Party candidate, so do not count Murkowkski out.

Donald Trump Is Both Paranoid And Pronoid At Same Time! He Has Delusions About How Others See Him!

Donald Trump is a paranoid, someone who thinks, without any basis in reality, that everyone is out to “get” him!

But, Donald Trump is also a “pronoid”, someone who thinks, without any basis in reality, that everybody likes him!

For instance, Donald Trump thinks the foreign governments around the world admire him. And he has delusions that the American people really wanted him despite all of the facts that show otherwise. He cannot accept the concept that his reputation is in tatters, and that those who support him in the political world do so more out of fear and concern of crossing him, than true loyalty!

Donald Trump thinks he is a popular person, even though he NEVER hit 50 percent of the population of America voting for him, rather losing both national elections by a total of 10 million votes, but the Electoral College kinks gave him, with Russian collusion, the election in 2016!

Donald Trump is not admirable in any sense, and certainly not a “gentleman” as he perceives, wrongly, that he is!

A “gentleman” is a man who is modest, well mannered, self deprecating, quietly intelligent, considerate of other people’s feelings, and well informed, but Donald Trump does not fit any of these descriptions!

Instead, Donald Trump is vulgar, inflated in his own belief in himself, vain, boastful, noisily ignorant, bullyish, sleazy, mean spirited, and is no model for young people to emulate!

Donald Trump is an obnoxious human being, a womanizer, a person who ridicules disabled people, a white supremacist, a full scale nativist, a promoter of conspiracy theories, a sore loser, and has no capacity for empathy, compassion, and concern about anyone but himself! If he had to abandon his own wife or children, he would do so to save his own skin!

Donald Trump is seriously mentally ill, a danger to America as he has incited domestic terrorism, and even now, six months after the election he clearly lost massively, he refuses to concede, and clearly never will!

Donald Trump insures that he will rank at the bottom of the list of all Presidents for anyone who has any sense of what Presidential leadership and personality means, in analyzing Presidents. Already, in the American Political Science Association Poll in 2018, and the Siena College Research Institute 2018 Presidential Survey, Trump is rated at the bottom of the listings of all Presidents. So much has happened since, including the two impeachment trials of Donald Trump!

Even those Presidents who have major character flaws, including most notably Andrew Johnson and Richard Nixon, are elevated by the horrors America has gone through, and the damage done by a man who should never have been allowed in the Oval Office, and has done lasting harm to the institution of the Presidency!