Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Johnny Carson... and Death
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Philanthropy
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Shame on You Supreme Court Justices 2
Before beginning this post, I reread the one I composed almost a month ago. In that one I chastised the Justices for their apparent bias against allowing Colorado to remove Trump from their primary ballot. It wasn't just this obvious bias that concerned me but what I called their ivory tower approach to the oral questioning, and the absurdity of their seemingly offhand dismissal of the actual basis for Colorado's Supreme Court decision, that Trump engaged in insurrection.
It can certainly be debated whether Trump's debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen, his pressure campaign to convince certain state officials to alter or misreport vote totals and to create "alternate" slates of electors, not to mention his relentless attacks on Mike Pence to "do the right thing", and his apparent glee as the rioters attacked the Capitol building, rise to the level of insurrection, but the fact that all those things occurred (and more), should at least have been a part of the debate as to whether Colorado, or Maine, after digesting these facts, had the right to disqualify Trump.
To completely disregard this aspect of the decision, seems to indicate that either the Justices are purposefully ignoring it, or have decided not to take responsibility (as the final judicial word on any legal matter), for upholding the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
https://wurdsfromtheburbs.blogspot.com/2024/02/shame-on-you-supreme-court-justices.html
Now, as a result of their decision to rule on the extent of presidential immunity as being claimed by the ex-president, it seems that ignoring Trump's actions isn't the case anymore, they are actually going to discuss whether he can actually do whatever he wants as president along as his party doesn't impeach him. Hard to believe I would ever look upon Nixon with a bit of wistfulness, as even he knew that his own party might impeach him for his actions, and that he wasn't above the law, while Trump has always acted as if laws are for everyone else, while his grip on the GOP is impenetrable.
This whole situation is the perfect storm of inconceivable actions which the founders could have never predicted. A wanna be dictator with an iron grip on his party along with a Supreme Court more worried about technical legal issues than the fight to save our democracy.
As someone far more insightful that I have said, most great nations fall from within.
What galls me is not just that SCOTUS chose to elucidate their opinion on presidential immunity (an amazing fact in itself, that after 250 years of presidents, it is only now, with Trump, that the issue has to be adjudicated), but that they put a stay on the federal trial to determine Trump's responsibility for January 6th. They certainly could have allowed the trial to move forward, knowing that even if they didn't take oral arguments until late April (and why so much delay for that process is another bad omen), and didn't decide until late May or early June, the trial would still be in progress, since they knew that the judge in the case had already promised over two months to the Trump team to prepare for the trial. Now, if they don't issue their decision until late May or early June, the trial can't begin until late summer.
As I have heard a number of times, it appears that the Justices have given Trump a de facto escape from accountability, both because of the prep time I mentioned above, and also because of the tradition of the DOJ not to get involved in a judicial case involving a presidential election within 60 days of that election. Two months prior to November is September which is damned close to the possible trial start date of an early June SCOTUS decision plus that seventy plus days for trial prep.
Is this a clear case of SCOTUS prejudice for a political candidate who either actually nominated them or shares their ideology?
While I can't possibly know the answer to that question, I can speculate that Judge Thomas, whose wife actively lobbied people in Trump's inner circle to do whatever it took to keep him in power, is biased. I also have no doubt that Alito was instrumental in pushing for the Supreme Court to take this case.
As for the three justices that Trump appointed, I would wager that at least two of them were down with ruling on presidential immunity, especially Kavanaugh, who has a history of supporting extensive presidential powers. I am not sure if I prefer to find out that Chief Justice Roberts was in on the push for taking the case because if he wasn't that leaves us with the dangerous realization that all three of Trump's appointments appear to be on his side, or as Trump would put it, are doing the "right thing".
Certainly it will be interesting to see if there is some kind of details released on how SCOTUS determined to hear this case. Was there a unanimous decision to hear the case, but some dissent as to putting the election interference trial on hold? Did the three liberal justices find themselves outnumbered by the six conservative justices on both the question to take the case and the decision to grant the stay to delay the trial? Remember, allegedly, a stay is generally only issued if there is a reasonable chance that the requesting party, in this case Trump, has a reasonable chance to win the case.
Really? There are justices on the Supreme Court of the United States of America that believe that a president of the United States of America has immunity to do whatever he wants while president? There are enough justices that actually believe that the founders who fought for independence from the dictates of the King of England, would be down for an American King?
We have already seen some dissent when it came to the Colorado decision, as the three liberal justices were joined by Justice Coney Barrett in disagreeing with the extent of the majority when they seemed to rewrite the 14th Amendment with their decision that indicated that states can only get involved in state elections when using the insurrectionist clause, despite the fact that the original intent of the amendment was to keep those who fought against the Union out of the Untied States Congress.
So again I say, shame on you Supreme Court Justices! Perhaps you believe that you shouldn't have a hand in presidential elections which is why you negated Colorado's decision. Unfortunately, you effectively have changed the course of the November election by not allowing the Court of Appeals 3-0 decision to stand, by not allowing the election interference trial to continue while you debated the extent of presidential immunity, and by scheduling oral arguments two months in the future, rather than in a much more aggressive expedited fashion.
What is truly mind boggling, is that this Supreme Court thinks that should Trump win in November, they might be a backstop for some of his more outrageous policies, as if he will follow the law as they rule. We already see the Republican Governor of Texas thumbing his nose at their decision that only the federal government has authority concerning immigration, already see multiple GOP Congressmen and Governors advising Abbott to ignore that ruling. Do they really think that Trump will care what they say should they rule against one of his executive decisions, do they really believe his MAGA supporters will side with them or Trump?
While Biden engages with NATO countries leaders, Trump hosts the dictator from Hungary at his Florida home. The authoritarian playbook is open and in progress, yet the Justices think Trump will obey any ruling they make with which he disagrees. Again, ivory tower thinking.
A Trump victory in November, that can be blamed, even in part, because the American electorate is denied access to the details of how Trump and his team tried to negate the votes of over 80 million Americans, will add the Supreme Court Justices to the list of enablers which includes those who deny what they saw on TV on January 6th, refuse to evaluate the reams of evidence placing Trump at the head of a conspiracy to thwart the peaceful transfer of power, and ignore all the signs that Trump does not care about democracy or America, never has, never will.
Thursday, March 7, 2024
The Key to November's Presidential Election
Saturday, February 24, 2024
Another Step Towards Theocracy
I have written dozens of stories in my life. Futuristic, based on real life experiences, and some with social lessons and commentary, among other categories. But I must confess, I never conceived of a story in which a great shift in a society towards a more religious interpretation of laws would be initiated through the election of a twice divorced man who cheated on all three of his wives, claims "for better or worse" famous men are allowed to grab women by their private parts, who more than once commented on how "hot" his daughter was, and is a convicted sex offender.
Life is stranger than fiction, you betcha!
Theocracy, is defined in a number of ways. Some define it as a nation ruled by religious leaders or one in which the leaders claim to be divinely appointed, deriving their power from god. I imagine if pressed for an answer, many Americans would define theocracy as the kind of government Iran has while also expressing their displeasure with such a government.
However, as more and more laws are being passed by (mostly) red state legislatures, and more and more judicial opinions are emanating from right leaning judges, it is now clear that what irks many Americans about Iran's version of theocracy is the religion it adopts, not the form of government itself.
Jefferson is the most quoted founder in reference to the separation of church and state. While the founders, in general, shared a Judeo-Christian ethos, they also made clear their opinion about religious influence within the government in the very First Amendment, via the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses which basically state that the government shall not establish a religion nor restrict the worship of the people in whatever religion they choose.
Yet, as the non-fiction story reference above indicates, we are in the throes of a movement, which featured the seduction of the evangelical community by the orange Jesus to make abortion illegal, resulted in the Dobbs decision (thanks to the 3 Supreme Court Justices placed on the bench during the Trump Administration), and is now in full swing in dozens of red states, despite the actual wishes of the electorate of those very same states. (See Kansas, Ohio, Kentucky, and Montana.)
It is a movement driven by a vocal minority which has decided that its religious beliefs should rule the day, literally.
Which brings us to the atrocious decision by the Alabama Supreme Court last week, which ruled that embryos which are the key to IVF treatments which allow couples with fertility issues become parents, are children. Not potential children, actual children! As a result, the accidental destruction of some embryos at fertility clinic has been interpreted as murder, as justified by the interpretation of various biblical (not legal) quotes.
I know, shocking that in 2024, a panel of justices who represent the most respected legal thinkers in the state of Alabama, (assuming that is not a contradiction in terms) would actually equate a batch of cells in a test tube to a person.
But, you see, that was the goal all along of the anti-abortion crowd, to establish the legal precedent that personhood begins at conception, which then allows the state to control the most personal, intimate situations of its citizens lives, everything from who to love and marry, to birth control and when and how to start a family. You know, the most repressive form of government based on the tenets of one, established national religion.
Around and around go the bodies of our founders in their graves!
I posted under the title Separation of Church and State twice before, once in 2022, and the other time ten years previously. Here are links to those two posts.
https://wurdsfromtheburbs.blogspot.com/2022/06/one-step-forward-for-american-theocracy.html
https://wurdsfromtheburbs.blogspot.com/2012/02/contraception-controversy.html
What is truly alarming about this movement is that is didn't just appear in the last decade. For those of you who haven't heard of the Seven Mountain Mandate, and I was one of you, there will be plenty of opportunity to research and learn about its philosophy in the coming months, and perhaps years, as the Chief Justice of Alabama, Tom Parker, believes whole heartily in its tenets.
In a nutshell, it is an ism which traces its origins to Revelations, verse 9, which identifies the seven spheres of influence that must be penetrated by the righteous; family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business and government. Once those areas of influence are dominated by these true believers, the prophesy of Isaiah 2:2 can be fulfilled, bringing about the end times.
When Trump talks retribution, I thought he only meant punishment for those who disagree with him, I didn't realize he was talking world wide retribution! Of course, I am sure he doesn't believe any of this, but can certainly spot such an easy to manipulate group of people from a mile away.
In addition to Parker, the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson has exhibited leanings in this direction, not to mention some other prominent GOP leaders and influencers. While there are some who believe that Trump himself shares this belief, I know better; he has no moral or religious foundation, but will certainly use those who do to be king or dictator or whatever it is that his damaged psyche needs to feel like a real person.
So, gird your loins as the saying goes. We are in for quite a ride through the remainder of 2024, and in the next few years. Whether we actually adopt some of these religious zealot dogmas at a national level remains to be seen, but remember, it won't matter if the majority of people are against such measures. Ideologues like this aren't concerned with what the majority think. They have their holy book, their narrow interpretations, and the sheer belief that God is on their side, the electorate or the constitution be damned.
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Shame on You, Supreme Court Justices
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Accountability Finally? 2
Thursday, February 1, 2024
The Monarch Butterfly and Selflessness
Saturday, January 27, 2024
Utopia and The Future
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Nikki Haley for President
First, I want to publicly thank Donald Trump for saving us from nuclear holocaust, as he claimed in one of his depositions which was recently made public. Thank you sir!
Also, I would like to thank Barack Obama for also saving us from nuclear holocaust during his 8 years in office, as well as George W Bush, Bill Clinton, George H W Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhauer, and, so far, Joe Biden. All those men served as president of the United States since the development of the nuclear bomb, and, since there was not a nuclear holocaust during any of their terms in office they deserve our thanks. Of course, I don't recall any of those men citing, under oath during a deposition concerning possible criminal activity, this achievement, but they did accomplish it nevertheless.
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After watching the results of the New Hampshire primary this past week, and then parts of Nikki Haley's post election speech, along with a few snippets of Trump's post election victory tantrum, it dawned on me that perhaps Nikki is our best bet for unity in America.
Now, don't get me wrong, I support President Biden. Despite the constant criticisms leveled at him for the last 3+ years, he has done a remarkable job. Remember, when Biden took office in January 2021, about 500,000 people had already died from Covid, with another half a million still to come. Yet starting in the Spring of 2021, millions of doses of vaccines were rolled out and placed in the arms of those willing to join in the fight to combat the virus.
Whereas Trump did a great job with Operation Warp Speed to get the vaccines developed, he failed to quell the conspiratorial stories about the danger of the vaccines, thereby contributing to a reluctance among his followers to get vaccinated. Strangely, the numbers show that a disproportionate number of those very same people died, as did those living in the red states where governors also ignored the science.
But Biden didn't differentiate red from blue states; he made sure that all the states had access to the vaccine, and, as time passed, the mortality rate declined. I have no doubt that history will praise Biden and his team for saving tens of thousands of lives by making those vaccines available.
Then, as a result of the pandemic, there were supply chain issues, amplified by the invasion of Ukraine and the boycott of Russian oil in those countries who condemned that behavior (and subsequent, and continued slaughter of the Ukrainian people). Soon, prices began to rise, and inflation plagued both America and much of the globe. In addition, the pandemic monetary assistance for those most vulnerable to the loss of jobs, flowed freely, adding to an artificial ability for everyday people to pay their bills, buy food, maintain their homes. So, while some of Biden's monetary decisions added to the inflationary pressures related to supply chain problems and the rise of fuel, it also saved millions of people from foreclosure, food insecurity, and the choice between medicine and food.
Now, compared to most western countries, inflation in the United States is lower, unemployment is still under 4%, two of the three market indexes are at all time highs, and 401K balances are up. By almost any metric, America is in as strong a position as any country, and Americans, while certainly stressed from the shock of inflation rates not seen since Carter and Reagan, are also starting to gain purchasing power due to increases in wages.
Frankly, if Trump were president today, he would be crowing about how he saved us all, would be bragging about those same facts listed above, and Fox News would be full of positive stories about America's great comeback from Covid, instead of their relentless attacks on Biden.
So, why title this Nikki Haley for President?
While it is clear that Trump has a stranglehold on the GOP voter, Nikki's strength in New Hampshire was among first time voters, those registered as independent, and the few remaining Republicans who believe that Trump's bullying, his constant skirting of the law, his lack of respect for the American electorate, not to mention the felony charges he is facing, make him unfit to lead.
Nikki is certainly going to lose big in her home state of South Carolina, but there are many other states with constituencies similar to New Hampshire. Trump can and will win the GOP nomination, but the demographics of America are more like New Hampshire than Iowa and South Carolina. It is the soccer moms of the suburbs, young voters who are leery of two old men as their choice for the next president, and the over 45% of Republicans who did not vote for Trump in Iowa or New Hampshire, who, may or may not support him in November, but have certainly indicated by their votes that they are OK with moving on from him as well.
But, and this is a gigantic possibly pie-in-the-sky but, Nikki would need to soften her position on abortion to at least support states being able to decide themselves, but certainly no national ban, would have to emphasize her plans to strengthen the border without pushing to deport the 11 million undocumented people already in America, and, the biggest of all, have Donald Trump withdraw from the nomination and endorse her.
Now, I know what you are thinking, did you recently hit your head Joe? Donald Trump will never abdicate (I use that word purposefully) his eventual nomination. He loves himself far more than his party or his country. He is not a quitter. I am sure there are many other arguments that can be made for him to not withdraw from the race, although the recent one I heard uttered by one of his supporters in New Hampshire, that he was divinely sent to save us, I discount as one which only those fully down the rabbit hole of his cult would posit.
Still, I think only Nikki can unite America at this point. Trump will never be seen as anything more than a dictator wanna be to 52% of the people (perhaps more if he is convicted of any of the felony indictments he is facing, and likely even more when, after losing his ludicrous request for total immunity, he launches into another one of his ALL CAPS tirades about the courts and how they need to be dissolved). Biden had no choice but to call out the MAGA crowd who believe that the 2020 election was stolen, and who are OK with storming the Capitol and killing elected officials to prevent the transfer of power to Biden.
Nikki, on the other hand, has the ability to walk that fine line between side stepping the truly crazy aspects of the MAGA movement while still talking about making America great again. By adopting and co-opting the beliefs that drive people towards Trump she can seem palatable to them (as compared to Biden) while also appealing to the independents and center left democrats that are unhappy with how inflation has hurt their finances (even though, as I said, it was a global event, and ultimately handled much better in America than most places), and are alarmed about the influx of immigrants, not because they see them as a threat or consider it an invasion, but because our system is not designed to handle such a large influx. In other words, we need to control it better, both for our benefit as Americans, and for those who risk their lives to come here outside the legitimate pathways.
Clearly, I won't be betting my house, or even next week's garbage, on this scenario to happen. Sadly, I believe that even if convicted, Trump will still be the nominee, which will drive his people to be even more loyal while spurring even more independents to vote for Biden.
In essence, Nikki is the only hope the GOP has of winning back the White House, yet their blind loyalty to and, let's be honest, fear of Trump, is stronger than their desire to win in November, and ultimately, stronger than their desire to address our nation's problems.
In a past post, I asked Donald Trump to resign the presidency rather than allow our country's divisions to multiply. He ignored me at that time.
But, rather than being deterred, I ask him again. Mr Trump, be the great man who you wish to be. Do what's best for America, as you claim you desire.
Withdraw from the presidential race, throw your full support behind Nikki Haley, help her win the White House, and then accept her pardon with grace.
Just think of the legacy that will create!