US House Of Representatives

To Kevin McCarthy And MAGA Republicans: NO Cut In Aid To Ukraine! :(

Ronald 6 Comments

As I write this, it seems as if we are on the road to a costly and unnecessary government shutdown on Sunday, provoked by extremist right wing MAGA Republicans, and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy unwilling to resist them, and instead to make a deal with Democrats and mainstream Republicans in the House of Representatives.

McCarthy and the MAGA Republicans now want a cut in aid to Ukraine, but some House Republicans and many Senate Republicans agree with Joe Biden and the Democrats that it is essential to continue to provide aid to that nation in its struggle against Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation.

The MAGA Republicans, Kevin McCarthy, and former President Donald Trump are promoting a dangerous isolationist attitude on world affairs, much like occurred in the 1920s and 1930s.

Practing appeasement to a dictator, as with Hitler in the 1930s, and Putin now, does not lead to peace, as it emboldens such evil people, and just as World War II was the result eight decades ago, so would be the result if Ukraine is conquered, as Putin will move on to NATO nations, including Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, if the US and NATO stop assisting the valiant battle of Ukraine.

So the answer to MAGA Republicans, Kevin McCarthy, and Donald Trump is NO CUT in aid to Ukraine, and the Republicans will suffer at the ballot box in November 2024!

It is tragic that there will be so much harm visited on vulnerable Americans, but in the end, Joe Biden, his party, and reasonable Senate and House Republicans must stand strong and refuse to give in!

Time For Bipartisanship To Keep Federal Government Operating

Ronald 1 Comment

The Republican controlled House of Representatives is proving its inability to operate the federal government, and holding Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy hostage.

With only a five seat edge (222 Republican and 213 Democrats), the time has come for the small band of moderate, mainstream conservative Republicans to “cross the aisle” and work with Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and take action this week to keep the government operating, and avoid the financial crisis and the mass damage that would do.

The extremist small band group of Republicans must be neutralized, and Republican members of the bipartisan “Problem Solvers Caucus” have the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to stability and cooperation.

Officially, the Problem Solvers Caucus consists of 63 members of the 118th Congress, including 32 Democrats and 31 Republicans.

Among the Republicans seen as most engaged in promoting cooperation are :

Don Bacon of Nebraska
Anthony D’Esposito of New York
Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
Andrew Garbarino of New York
Dusty Johnson of South Dakota
Thomas Kean Jr of New Jersey
Young Kim of California
Nick Lalota of New York
Mike Lawler of New York
Nancy Mace of South Carolina
Marc Molinaro of New York
David Valadao of California

If 6-10 of these or other Republicans work with the 213 Democrats, the government will avoid shutdown, and the mood is developing to have such cooperation, so let’s hope such a situation transpires.

Kevin McCarthy, as horrible as he is, would be likely to stay on as Speaker, but the Republican control of the House of Representatives, as fragile as it is, is likely to evaporate in 2024.

The New York members of the Republican group, including those mentioned above, are representing Biden won districts, and they are working to survive and keep their seats, which will be a tall order. The present Congress includes 18 Republicans who won districts Biden won in 2020, so a major challenge for those Republicans.

Speaker Of The House Kevin McCarthy Clearly A Total Disgrace!

Ronald 1 Comment

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has no guts, principles, or courage! 🙁

He was elected only after many multiple ballots, and is trapped by the extreme right wing of his House majority, most specifically the “Freedom Caucus”, including Matt Gaetz of Florida, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Chip Roy of Texas and others.

McCarthy is about to allow the government to be shut down at the end of the month, which will harm the American economy!

He also insulted Ukranaian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, by not allowing him to speak before a joint session of Congress, forcing the speech to be in the old Senate chamber in the US Capitol, where a majority of Senate Republicans continue to support aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.

The House Republicans and MAGA Republicans supporters of Donald Trump, along with the disgraced former President, do not wish to aid Ukraine, and show evidence of being pro Russian, which would astound Republicans of the past, including Joseph McCarthy (no relationship), Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and a host of others.

Kevin McCarthy’s catering to right wing demagogues and Russian supporters will condemn him in history as the worst Speaker in modern times, and that is not an easy assertion, as past Republican Speakers included the disgraced Dennis Hastert and the despicable demagogue Newt Gingrich!

To think that Kevin McCarthy is two heartbeats away from the Presidency is a danger sign, and Democrats MUST retake the House of Representatives in 2024 to restore the dignity of the House, that was so well represented by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi!

The Anti Science And Anti Medicine Conservative And Republican Attacks!

Ronald 3 Comments

The Conservative and Republican attack is not only on the truth and facts of American history, but even more dangerous is their attack on Science and Medicine, including the COVID 19 Pandemic!

Fox News Channel hosts Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, and Tucker Carlson peddled false information regarding the COVID 19 Pandemic and a general attack on Science and Medicine.

Also promoting false information were Republican Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, as well as Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan.

And Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also refused to take the pandemic seriously, costing more loss of life in Florida than anywhere else.

And DeSantis also attacked former White House Presidential Medical Adviser Anthony Fauci, who was the head of the National Institute of Of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 38 years, and trusted by Presidents of both parties from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden.

DeSantis rhetoric included calling Fauci “a little elf”, who should be grabbed and chucked across the Potomac, despicable insult and horrid language toward a medical doctor who devoted his life to dealing with the AIDS crisis and other epidemics for four decades!

Also, another critic has been Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, who Fauci called appropriately, “a very disturbed individual!”

The Shocking Behavior Of Republicans Is Beyond The Pale! :(

Ronald 1 Comment

The Republican Party is fast disintegrating!

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, after being impeached overwhelmingly by the Texas dominated Republican House of Representatives, is found not guilty on all counts by the Texas dominated Republican Senate.

Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert acted inappropriately in public with her date at a concert.

The Republican Presidential contenders move further to the extreme right in appeals to evangelical voters in Iowa, and try to outdo each other in their craziness and authoritarian tendencies.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy allowed himself to be manipulated by his Freedom Caucus extremist members to start an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden, knowing there is no evidence to do so, and just using the personal problems of Hunter Biden to attack the entire Biden family.

Donald Trump gave an interview to Kristen Welker of NBC Meet the Press, demonstrating ever further his mental deterioration and constant lying and deceptions.

Mitt Romney, when announcing his retirement at the end of 2024, told us that Mitch McConnell did not respond when Romney warned him of danger on January 6, 2021, four days ahead of that fateful date. Romney also condemned most Republicans who he said ridicule Donald Trump in private, but support him in public, and particularly mentioned Senators Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, and J D Vance. Their desire to have power overcomes the concept of commitment to basic principles.

In the past, we saw political parties in America, including the Federalist Party after 1816; the Democratic Republican Party in the 1820s; and the Whig Party in 1854, all dissolve!

It is time for the Republican Party name to be replaced by a new party name, and a rejection of much of what the present day right wing Fascist oriented party represents, in order to have a safe future of a nation committed to the Constitution and rule of law!

Impeachment Move Against Joe Biden Has No Basis, Just Political Posturing!

Ronald 3 Comments

The impeachment move of the Republican House of Representatives and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy toward President Joe Biden has no basis, and is just political posturing.

There is no “there, there”, and McCarthy knows it, but he is captive to his extreme right wing Freedom Caucus members who may yet dump him as Speaker in a roll call vote!

This is just revenge for Donald Trump having been impeached twice by the Democratic controlled House of Representatives in 2019 and 2021.

The Republican Party in the House has only a 5 seat edge, and it seems highly likely that the Democrats will win back control in 2024, and by much more than a few seats!

If Dianne Feinstein Leaves, Maxine Waters Should Be Interim US Senator!

Ronald 1 Comment

The possibility is growing that California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who is in poor health, may end up leaving the Senate before the end of her term at the end of 2024.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has said that if such an eventuality were to occur, that he would select an African American woman as a caretaker until the election of the new Senator.

He has now clarified that it would be inappropriate to select anyone who is an announced candidate for the Senate, giving such person an unfair advantage.

So it seems clear that Congresswoman Barbara Lee would not be selected, since she is in contention with two other California members of the House of Representatives–Adam Schiff and Katie Porter–for the Senate seat.

The odds now would favor Schiff for the Senate seat, with Nancy Pelosi already endorsing him, although the opponent in November of next year likely could be Porter or Lee, since the California system allows the top two vote getters in an open primary situation to be the final rivals in the fall election.

So with Newsom’s declaration that he will not select any of the competitors, it is clear that the best solution would be to select Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who is 85, and while still in great health, might like the idea of being a Senator for a limited period of time as a fitting end to a distinguished career in Congress since 1991!

She is outspoken and dynamic, and suffers no fools, and her colorful nature has made her attractive to many, but she will be past 86 at the end of 2024, so it would be a graceful way for her to leave if the opportunity arises to serve a limited time in the US Senate!

A Proposal To Increase Membership In House Of Representatives After 2030!

Ronald 3 Comments

A movement is growing to promote a proposal to increase membership in the US House of Representatives after the next census in 2030, going into effect in 2032.

The House of Representatives has been set at 435 members since 1913, and capped officially at that number since 1929, with the exception, temporarily, of additional seats in 1959 with the admission of Alaska and Hawaii as the 49th and 50th states.

From the original 65 members in 1790, with each seat representing roughly 35,000 constituents, presently the 435 members represent roughly 770,000 constituents as of the 2020 census figures.

By 2040, if no additional seats are created, each district will represent approximately 875,000 constituents.

The ratio of population from largest states to smallest states was 12-1 in 1790; 70-1 in 2020; and would be 77-1 in 2040 (between California and Vermont).

The number of seats recommended to be added would be 150, which means almost all states that have lost seats to other states by reapportionment since 1931 would no longer be losing seats.

The average House district would decline to about 565,000, but one problems is how the chamber would seat another 150 members, plus the issue of office space and office buildings.

Some have said that the House of Representatives is “chaotic” as it is with 435 members, let alone 585.

And the Electoral College would change from 538 (including Washington DC and the 24th Amendment) to 688, requiring 345 electoral votes, rather than 270 electoral votes, to win the Presidency!

We shall see if any action on this proposal will move forward!

49th Anniversary Of Richard Nixon Resignation: Time To Hold Donald Trump Accountable!

Ronald 2 Comments

It is 49 years since the nightmare of Richard Nixon came to an end, with his announced resignation from the Presidency.

It is now time, a half century later, for Donald Trump, who makes Richard Nixon look like a choirboy, to be held accountable for his crimes and abuses in his Presidency!

Attempts are being made to delay any trial until after the Presidential Election of 2024, but that cannot be allowed to happen.

And if only Congress would impose the 14th Amendment, Section 3, against Donald Trump, then he would be ineligible to run for President, and to undermine American democracy.

Sadly, with a small margin Republican controlled House of Representatives, such a reality will not be happening, and the nation and the world is in danger from an authoritarian Fascist oriented, mentally unstable man, whose followers are a cult that have no concern about the US Constitution and the rule of law!

Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips Considering Challenge Of Joe Biden!

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Minnesota Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips, a moderate centrist Democrat, is considering a challenge of President Biden for the Democratic Presidential nomination, as long a shot as that is.

Phillips is the representative of the western suburbs of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St Paul, and has voted with the President on almost every issue, but is seen as the 27th most bipartisan House member, and is a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, made up of members of both parties who promote bipartisanship; and also a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of liberal and moderate Democrats who promote centrist views.

Phillips has some distinctions of interest, including that his paternal grandmother was “Dear Abby”–Abigail Van Buren, real name Pauline Phillips.

Also, Phillips owned Talenti Gelato until he sold the company, and he is one of the wealthiest members of Congress.

Also, Phillips happens to be Jewish, and his birthday is January 20, which means were he to be elected President at any time, he would be inaugurated on his birthday, and would be 56 on January 20, 2025.

Age 55 and 105 days is the average age of all Presidents if all their ages upon inauguration are compiled, and averaged out, and is considered the “ideal” age for any President!

However, the reaction among Democrats is that the thought of Phillips challenging Biden and being able to win the White House is that it is a fantasy, although less so than the looney Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is backed by Trump supporters to cause trouble for Biden!