Whose Vote Matters

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Last week SCOTUS listened to Trump’s immunity appeal. Trump’s lawyers argued that the President of the United States should have absolute immunity from prosecution, for actions he took while president, once he is no longer president. Trump seeks immunity in order to avoid responsibility for the January 6th insurrection. He is currently charged with 1). Conspiracy to defraud the United States, 2). Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, 3). Obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and 4). Conspiracy against rights. The lower court ruled unanimously, “A Presidents is NOT immune from justice. Presidents. Can. And should. Be held accountable for criminal behavior.” In other words, just like we’ve grown up hearing our whole lives, nobody is above the law.

The Supreme Court was not obligated to take this case. The justices could have let the lower court’s unanimous 3-0 decision stand. They do so all the time. But, they did take the case and now must make a ruling. So what are their options? They could simply side with the lower court and let the case proceed. However, the bias exposed by needlessly delaying the case in this way might be a little too embarrassing for SCOTUS. After all, why would they take a case if they has nothing to add? SCOTUS could also side with Trump. However, the conservative majority know that if they were to grant the former president immunity from prosecution for crimes he committed while in office, protests would explode across the country. They know this because each one of them claims to be a strict constitutionalist. This means, like every other American who paid attention during civics class, they understand that one of the foundational principles of our Constitution insures that the people of the United States of America would never suffer under a Monarchy which considers itself above the law. Deciding for Trump would also be done without support from the less conservative justices (not that Trump’s people actually care about that). SO, since SCOTUS can’t easily pick sides without serious repercussion, they will likely send the case back to the lower court for “clarification”.

Clarification? What exactly needs to be clarified? During the oral arguments the conservative justices set the stage for a ruling that will instruct the lower court to determine what sorts of actions should be considered official duties of the president and which should be considered private or personal acts?  Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, Alito, Thomas (who refused to recuse himself despite the fact that his wife, Virginia Thomas, is an election denier and participated in efforts to overturn the election all the way up to January 6th), and Barrett want us to believe that future acts by future presidents could negatively impact how a president runs the country and are of greater concern in this case than the fact that this president broke the law, betrayed his oath of office, and instigated an insurrection. Furthermore, they would also have us believe that the lower court, rather than the Supreme Court must fix the problem.

More delays, of course, mean the indictments against Trump for conspiracy, fraud, and obstruction relating to January 6, 2021, will most likely NOT be heard prior to the 2024 election. And, if Trump wins the election, the case will most likely NEVER be heard since Trump would be able to order the DOJ to drop the case or simply pardon himself like he’s promised to pardon the rioters who have already been found guilty. My suspicion is that delaying the proceedings, not the need for clarification, is the real impetus behind SCOTUS taking on the immunity case in the first place.

I understand how cynical and hysterical my concern might sound but I do not believe I’ve taken on the Chicken Little mantle. Cooler and more knowledgeable heads than mine, like former Rep. Liz Chaney from Wyoming and Rep. Jamie Raskin from Maryland, are also flashing their warning lights in an attempt to educate Americans about the truth within the Constitution and the threat a second Trump presidency promises.

If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times, our system of government is flawed. BUT, it is not so flawed that we should give up hope or throw the baby out with the bath water. I believe Donald Trump instigated the January 6th riot at the Capitol, attempted to over turn an election he knew to be legitimate, and committed conspiracy to defraud the United States and the American people. For these reasons and more, I do not believe he is fit for office. But, unless more Americans agree with this assessment the evidence to prove these indictments may never see the light of day before a duly appointed judge and sworn jury.

It is up to the American people–to defend democracy and to make the former president answer for his behavior. When Trump’s 63 legal attempts to question the election results failed to produce the win he wanted he turned to lying, rabble rousing, intimidation, fraud, and other illegal behavior. With a sympathetic House and a sympathetic Court Americans have few options for recourse. But we do have one. We still have a vote.

Unlike the conservative Justices on the Supreme Court, thoughtful, patriotic Republicans and unenthusiastic Democrats can set partisan policy differences aside and choose instead to affirm our Constitution, defend democracy, and guarantee that our systems of governance have a chance to be improved rather than demolished. By voting for Biden, we can make sure Trump never sees the inside of the White House again and more importantly–answers for his crimes.

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What are You Consuming?

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I took a stroll recently, reading through years of old college news papers. I wrote for the paper (rather irregularly) two separate columns, two separate years. I do not recommend such journeys to the faint of heart. What I discovered bruised my ego a bit. I used a lot of words to say nothing, giving my readers (if I even had any) a bunch of empty calories. More dismaying than my shallow verbosity is the fact that during the mid 70s to early 80’s a lot was happening in the world. But sadly, my privileged, white, cushioned in a conservative Christian college butt missed most of it. 

In my look back, I noted a dozen real issues I should have cared about, could have written about, but didn’t. At least six different sexual assaults occurred over the course of my four and a half years at that school. Sadly, they received little public outcry and less administrative action. Opinions about homosexuality were bandied about in the school paper at least every other week the entirety of my the last two years of school. But much to my dismay–now–their biggest concern wasn’t “What are we doing about the AIDS epidemic?” but rather, “Is it a sin?” The week after the beginning of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, in which 53 people were held captive for over a year, I wrote about boredom. Good God in Heaven!

After coming face to face with my own lack of awareness, concern, or outrage when I was a young 20 something, I shouldn’t be surprised that “kids now a days” don’t seem to care about what’s in the news. (I used to hate hearing that phrase come out of my grandparents’ mouths because it was usually followed by some sort of critique). The truth is, kids now a days probably know a whole lot more about what’s going on than I ever did. Yet, even with so much information all around us, unless we intentionally make ourselves pay attention we miss a lot. Life gets busy, we become distracted, and we end up eating a lot more junk-news then we should.

The biggest problem with information today, however, is knowing how to measure what we consume. When “news” is served up not only with a bias but also with nonfactual opinions people can be harmed. Had I been as “in your face” as I thought I was back when I wrote for my school paper, instead of writing about boredom I should have told all the nice little religious folks writing articles about homosexuality to keep their sin opinions to themselves since, in a free society, their religious tenets aren’t facts.

The waters are just as muddy today. If articles, editorials, blogs, and comments don’t offer sources for their information, consumers should be cautious; someones opinions are potentially being treated as truths. Gorging on unverified information doesn’t actually make us smarter. It just makes us fat with faulty facts. Today, one doesn’t have to be particularly tech savvy to understand that clips and quotes can be edited, layered, and spliced together to make people or sources seem to say things they never actually said. Phrases like “according to experts” or “several sources report” without actually providing the names and credentials of those sources and experts are meaningless and lead to the spread of a lot of mis or dis information. 

So, what’s a body to do? When people make claims–ask them for their sources. Then check those sources out. Fact Check dot org is a great source for checking stories. It also allows you to ask specific questions about information. Media Bias dot com rates the bias of over 1400 news sources. It also provides an analysis of the degree to which the community being reported on would agree or not agree with their Media Bias rating. If you still aren’t sure about a source (and have the time and inclination)–follow the money and the practices of the information’s origins. Who or what funds the data? Is it a for profit organization? How do they gather the information they then decimate? Do they have a paid staff? Once you’ve found a handful of reputable sources use them on repeat. Of course it’s always okay to get information from other places but avoid depending on fad diets until you’ve tested its nutritional value. 

Most people want to enjoy their lives without stressing over politics. At the same time, they also want to have confidence that the world isn’t going to fall down around them without warning. I might be projecting a bit here or perhaps I’m just making the assumption that the majority of folks out there line up with what I believe. However, the burr under the saddle with my thinking is that the more aware, enlightened, woke I become the more I realize the world is on shakier ground than I used to believe. The principles I grew up attributing to my faith and thought were enshrined in my country’s origins are just ideas. They have no weight, no force, no value unless “We the People” hold them up. I’d love to sit on my porch, sip some sweet tea, and enjoy the flowers in my garden, with not a care in the world. The world, however, needs me, needs all of us, to care. 

In Any Other Election

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“I’d like to vote for Jill Stein,” she admitted to herself. She hadn’t been a Democrat long, only coming out from under the Republican rock/umbrella in time to vote for President Obama in 2012. But, by 2020 she wanted Bernie Sanders, was tired of the wealth influence on both sides of the aisle, and had woke with a jolt to the civil rights concerns she used to think her faith and her country had championed. Stein lined up with her ideals, at least on paper–a living wage, a green new deal, the end to endless wars.

Still, in 2016 when Stein ran as a third party candidate, she eroded a large enough sliver of voters in key states, that Trump became president. Now that we all know what a Trump presidency brings, can people who care about civil rights, women’s rights, the economy, our democracy, the environment, and our relationships with our allies afford to cast a “protest vote”? The uncommitted votes in the primaries are a great way to send a message to the president, especially if you are angry about America’s unchanging support for Israel. However, Jill Stein isn’t even on the ballot in every state. She literally has NO chance of winning. In any other election a Stein vote says something. It could even be part of a bigger movement to grow a viable third party. BUT, this isn’t any other election. A negative outcome–a second Trump presidency–would be devastating for the whole country and possibly for the world, given Trump’s support for both Netanyahu and Putin.

God only knows why, but some undecided (yet left leaning) voters are as enamored with Robert Kennedy Jr. as they are with Stein. Trump’s supporters sure seem to think Kennedy is the answer to something since at least one of Trump’s high rollers, Timothy Mellon, also contributed in a big way ($15 million dollars big) to Kennedy’s super PAC. Put more bluntly–Trump’s people seem to think Kennedy can siphon enough votes from President Biden, to increase their guy’s chances of winning and so they’re supporting him, at least financially.

In truth, the most liberal progressive thing about Kennedy is his last name. He is an anti-vaxer. His plan to stop the war in Ukraine is to withdraw American troops from Russia’s border and hope Russia will withdraw from Ukraine. He is absolutely pro-Israel, believing a cease fire only allows Hamas to rearm. His healthcare plan is to make alternative and holistic medicine available to everyone. He opposes trans athletes competing in gender specific sports and believes “exposure to herbicides causes sexual dysphoria.” His desire to appeal to the 1% is obvious; you only need to look to his choice for Vice President: billionaire Nicole Shanahan, who gave $7 million dollars of her own money to his campaign even before being tapped as his running mate. Finally, Kennedy has recently walked back his position regarding abortion rights, originally supporting a 15 week ban. I guess, like every politically savvy Republican, including Trump, Kennedy knows abortion isn’t a winning issue for conservatives.

Knowing where Kennedy actually stands on some key issues should cause every voter to pause before voting for him. While it makes no sense for progressives to jump on this band wagons, conservatives might want to think about it. If you consider yourself a Traditional Republican, have never voted for a Democrat in your life, and can’t make yourself do it now, BUT are also horrified by the thought of Trump in the White House again, you could send a message to your party. Your third party vote would say: I deserve a candidate who does NOT assaults women, does NOT commits fraud, does NOT make hush-money repayments with campaign funds, does NOT steal classified documents, does NOT deny certified elections, does NOT encourage an insurrection, and does not pay his legal bills with political donations.

Trump’s actions warrant our protest. If carried out, his threats and policies can have dangerous consequences. For old school Republicans, a protest vote gives Republican leaders (who don’t agree with Trump’s narcissistic extremes but are concerned about his grip on the party) a reason to speak out and to step away from his vision for the party. Even if Biden wins, four years of policies conservatives don’t necessarily like is still better than watching while a president of the United States undermines democracy and potentially never gives it back.

Our system of government isn’t perfect. But for now, it gives us a choice. As much as I’d like to vote for someone who lines up with me on every issue, that isn’t realistic. (I’d literally be the only person I could ever vote for and I’m not running for anything). I’ll continue to protest America’s unyielding support for Israel in letters and posts and an uncommitted vote in my state’s primary in order to register my disapproval of our current policy. I’ll continue to support candidates who want to be better stewards of the planet, who work to get big money out of politics, who support an individuals right to make gender affirming and reproductive healthcare decisions for themselves, and who stand with those who shine a light on systemic racism and then do something about it. But, I will not risk my vote as a protest in the General election when more is at stake than I’m ready to give up. That’s why, in this election, I am going to vote for President Biden.

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He’s Proud Women Suffer

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Trump wants to side step the abortion issue, for now. He wet his finger, stuck it in the air, and determined which way the wind was blowing. Given the results of the mid-term elections, it isn’t favoring the anti-abortion crowd which means only one thing. Trump must skirt the issue because Trump wants to win. And in Trump world–winning is everything–no matter who he lies to, throws under the bus, or villainizes.

Let’s be clear, Trump knows the far right will vote for him. No. Matter. What. So now, he needs to smooth the feathers to the left of his base so the less enthusiastic Republicans and more cautious Independents don’t show up in mass and vote for Biden. Trump knows, and so should we, that if Biden doesn’t win ultra conservative Republicans will put a federal abortion ban on his desk. And despite what he says now, like throwing a bone to a dog, he will sign it.

Trump takes credit for overturning Roe v Wade whenever he can. He promised to nominate anti-abortion judges. He did so. And today, he’s proud of how well they’ve performed. In fact, he even thanked the judges who overturned Roe by name when he also announced his current stance on the issue. And just what is his stance? In short, Trump wants you to believe that he considers the abortion question decided. He also hopes you will forget that during their confirmation hearings each one of his Supreme Court nominees stated that Roe was the law of the land. Then, they overturned it.

As I mentioned before, given Trump’s history of lying, I don’t doubt that if a federal abortion ban is passed by Congress a president Trump would sign the bill. But let’s pretend, he keeps his word for a change. How has what Trump already achieved, by nominating three of the most conservative justices to ever sit on the Supreme Court, impacted women in this country?

Today, only 2 states give women the same rights over their lives that they give men. Every other state believes the government has more rights to control a woman’s body than she does. And Trump is proud of that fact. On the other end of the spectrum, 12 states, including Arizona whose courts just upheld a law passed before the state was even a state, deny all abortions under all circumstance except to save the life of the mother. She has to be dying before she can get care!  6 more states have passed complete bans after six week and another 2 states make also exceptions in the case of rape.

As we saw in Alabama, these strict abortion laws not only impact women who are not ready to have children, they effect women and families who desperately want them. IVF treatment has been brought into question. Women who never wanted their pregnancies to end have faced life threatening red tape for procedures that should have been a sad though routine part of their care. Now state abortion bans impede their future chances to become pregnant because doctors and hospitals are forced to withhold reproductive health care.

2024 is going to be a watershed election for reproductive rights. I have no doubt we will see overwhelming support for a woman’s right to choose in every state that manages to put abortion rights on the ballot. Unfortunately, conservative state legislatures have made that process much more difficult. Thus, electing representatives AND A PRESIDENT who support reproductive rights for women is essential. If we send President Biden back to the White House AND manage to give him a favorable Congress, reproductive rights have the chance of becoming the law of the land once again. Both a sympathetic President and a pro-choice Congress are necessary.

It is time voters hold Donald Trump responsible for the chaos he’s caused. Give Biden a Congress he can work with. Don’t risk putting more women at risk. It is time to vote BLUE.

Where’s the Grand Old Party?

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History has shown us that political parties morph over time. Democrats when Lincoln was president would never have voted for Barack Obama. Today’s Republicans have chosen Donald Trump or he wouldn’t be the current nominee. But, to what extent do today’s Republicans reflect the Republican party of the past? Would Bush Jr., Bush Sr., Reagan, Ford, Nixon, or Eisenhower Republican’s pick Donald Trump? And, if current members of the GOP no longer aline with their leader what are they supposed to do? 

Over all, the shift in the Republican party has been toward unbridled support for corporate America, promoting a stronger military, and defending Religious Right. Under Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush Sr. the US military budget was actually cut in order to bring spending under control. They were fiscal conservative Republicans. Trump, on the other hand, oversaw historic increases in military spending. President Nixon expanded food stamps and school lunch programs. He held the first and only conference on hunger. Before leaving office, Trump proposed tightening SNAP qualifications and massive cuts to the Affordable Care Act. President Ford worked to improve relations with France, the United Kingdom, and Western Europe, knowing that strong partners mean a sustained peace. Trump threatens to pull out of NATO leaving our allies to fend for themselves against tyrants like Putin. Reagan granted amnesty to 2.9 million undocumented immigrants. Trump believes in building a wall and separating families as a deterrent. Nixon opened trade with China. Trump’s promised tariffs would all but shut it down. The differences between the Grand Old Party of yesterday and Republicans today are mammoth.

Unfortunately for the more rational members of the party, the Republicans who are left in Congress don’t seem to care about the threat Trump poses to democracy, his regressive policies, or his questionable moral character. Just look at Senator McConnell. In spite of the racial slurs Trump made against McConnell’s wife, and a clearly declaration that he believed Trump was responsible for the January 6th assault on the Capitol, McConnell failed to defend our Constitution and instead endorsed Trump for president. Most, Congressional Republicans are chomping at the bit to enact Trump’s plans to cut off support for Ukraine and increase tax cuts for the wealthy. And when far right conservatives, like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Katie Britt, push for a federal abortion ban you can bet Trump will sign it even if, to get elected, he now says States should decide. After all, Trump takes credit for overturning Roe v Wade every chance he gets.

Though pressure is mounting to jump on the bandwagon or face Trump’s childish name calling and ejection from the party, several life long Republicans and former leaders of the GOP have refused to endorse Trump. Some, like former representative Liz Chaney whose book, Oath and Honor, is a scathing indictment of the former president’s participation in the January 6th insurrection, have even sacrificed their own political careers to oppose the former president. A few, like Sen. Todd Young of Indiana and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have publicly declared they not only will NOT endorse their party’s leader, they will NOT vote for him in 2024. Both continue to hold office and mercifully are not up for re-election. Other Republicans on the refuse to endorse list include several members of Trump’s own administration: former Vice President Mike Pence; Attorney General Bill Barr; two of his former Defense Secretaries Mark Esper and James Mattis; his National Security Advisor John Bolton; his Joint Chiefs’ Chairman Mark Milley; his former press Secretary Stephanie Grisham; his Chief of Staff John Kelly; and the former White House counsel Ty Cobb.

Unlike Trump all these people have been Republicans their entire lives. Like Mark Meadows, Trump’s last Chief of Staff, they worked behind the scenes, saw his behavior, and know his character. Meadows has been given immunity in exchange for his testimony against Trump regarding the January 6th insurrection. Former Defense Secretary Esper called Trump “a threat to democracy.” And in an email to The Post, the former lawyer for the White House, Ty Cobb, wrote that Trump, “has never cared about America, its citizens, its future or anything but himself…As history well shows…his unrestrained contempt for the rule of law and his related crimes…have hastened the demise of democracy and of the nation.”

I don’t want to believe that every Republican shares Trump’s anti-Constitutional, anti-freedom, and anti-fiscally conservative Republican agenda. It sickens my heart to think that the current version of the Republican party actually endorses white religious nationalism and are strong isolationists, that they will turn their backs on our allies, take away our personal freedoms, and ignore the checks and balances meant to protect us. And yet, Trump is today’s Republican nominee and those are the policies and ideas he and his Republicans espouse. 

Non-Republican sources have been raising concerns about Trump’s agenda since the 2016 election. For most of us, it feels like we’re pounding on the walls of an echo chamber but can’t break through. I, for one, have reached a point where every time I hear someone start to say, “Well both sides…” I scream Bullshit! I am not saying there aren’t multiple ways to look at issues or to solve problems. There obviously are, and old school Republicans, like John McCain, found ways to get things done by reaching across the aisle. What I am saying is that if you are a Republican and Trump’s version of your party is not how you want to be seen, then it’s time for you to speak up. If you believe in democracy, if you expect your leaders to work for the greater good, if your faith gives you autonomy and asks you to walk out your convictions with integrity, then you need to take back control of your party. Trump and Trump’s Republicans are a disgrace. Their ideas are ungodly and un-American. But they don’t have to speak for all Republicans. You can make a difference.

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Can We At Least Start Having the Right Conversations?

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OMG inflation!

Yup. Inflation is higher than it was pre Covid. Yet, we also rolled out a massive immunization program, avoided a recession, got people back to work, created new jobs, increased workers’ wages, incentivized green energy, and began to rebuild our infrastructure. Four years ago, grocery shelves were empty, store owners needed to limit the quantities of toilet paper customers could buy, essential care workers were completely overwhelmed, and 500 thousand Americans had died from Covid-19. So yeah, I’m glad we can focus on inflation now. (It has dropped by the way, from a high of 9.1% to 3.2%.

Frankly, our recovery from Covid, from Trump’s complete mishandling of the pandemic, and from its destructive impact on the economy, is nothing short of astonishing. The US literally has the fastest growing economy. In. The. World. and President Biden’s guidance has played no small part in that.

Border crisis! Immigration!  And Crime! Oh my!

First, Republicans had their chance to do something about the border but chose instead to hand 45 a campaign talking point. They’re still TALKING about it because they failed to DO anything about it. So what’s the Republican’s future plan? Remember family separation? They want more of that. As for all their TALK about deportation–under 45 Americans saw few deportations then we have seen under President Biden. Heck, 45 deported fewer undocumented immigrants than former President Obama! On the crime front–here are the facts: During Trump’s last year in office murder rates increased by 30% and assault rates by 10%. Yet, in 2022 murder rates decreased by 7% and other violent crimes by 4%. In 2023 murder rates decreased by another 10%. We saw 3% fewer aggravated assaults, 11% fewer gun assaults, and 5% fewer carjackings. Additionally, there is no evidence that migrant crime has increased and violent crimes committed by migrants were already lower than violent crimes committed by US citizens. Finally, contrary to what the fear mongers on the Right want you to believe, fentanyl is primarily trafficked by US citizens NOT migrants. Honestly, Republicans who support their party’s presidential candidate and dare to talk about Crime ought to be laughed off the stage!

“Don’t Tread on Me”

Fact Check: Did Trump Say to 'Peacefully and Patriotically' March to the Capitol?

Republicans want to pretend they are the champions of freedom. I call BS. The Revolutionary War phrase depicted on the yellow flag in the photograph above once stood for our freedom from a tyrannical monarchy. Ironically, it has been usurped by radical members of the Republican party, people willing to storm the Capitol in a violent attempt to overthrow democracy. The irony of course, is that in every Republican controlled state house across America laws have been passed that take away our individual freedoms. Curriculum which looks at history from the view point of indigenous, black, people of color has been removed. Novels that examine racism, sexism, and LGTBQ struggles have been banned. Methods of birth control have been threatened and women’s reproductive healthcare has been taken away. Parents’ efforts to help their transgender children get the physical and mental health support they need have been thwarted. And finally (though it’s not an end to the individual rights and freedoms the GOP plan to target) individual voters (especially those with non-white sounding names) are being purged from voting rolls while legislative gerrymandering has given Republicans undue advantages in elections. But hey, at least our guns are protected.

Voters, young and old, can’t afford to sit this election out. For all the differences put forth above President Biden is the best choice for America. Still, Biden isn’t a miracle worker. He has to work with the Congress we give him and he, unlike his predecessor, takes his oath of office seriously. So, if government isn’t doing enough to address the immigration crisis, reform the criminal justice system, develop green energy, eliminate student debt, change America’s policy toward Israel, help Gaza and the Ukraine, address education inequities, or protect our individual rights, then re-elect Joe Biden and send him a Congress as dedicated to problem solving as he is!

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Conflict Resolution?

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One of the biggest critiques people have about Biden is his handling of Israel’s war in Gaza. Many would prefer the US make military aid to Israel dependent on a cease fire and negotiations for a two state solution with Palestine. I applauded Senator Schumer and agree that Netanyahu’s policies threaten Israel’s long term security. The United States does not control Netanyahu however. Nor can we force Israel to do something we want it to do–like hold new elections. Withdrawing our support of Israel may be the only way to force Netanyahu’s hand or pressure the Israeli people to oust Netanyahu, but it could also result in an end to Israel or, since Israel has nuclear capabilities, an end to the world as we know it. There is no easy answer.

Even if you believe, as I do, that Palestine has waited long enough to become its own nation, there is no easy answer. Even if you believe Netanyahu is intentionally targeting civilians, as I do, there is no easy answer. Even if you believe the October attack from Hamas was an act of rebellion against an unlawful occupation, decades of oppression, and Israel’s aggression on the Palestinian people, there is no easy answer. Why? Because exchanging violence against one group of people for violence against another group of people is not an easy answer.

I am angry about the genocide happening in Gaza. And, I am angry the United States is an on-going participant. Hamas is a terrorist organization. It uses civilians, and hospitals, and schools, for cover. Yet, the more indiscriminate the Israeli military is, the less we stay focused on Hamas and the more we focus on Netanyahu’s response. The Israeli people are slowly losing faith in Netanyahu. A slim majority believe the Israeli War Cabinet has not handled the war well and only 15 % of the people believe Netanyahu should remain the prime minister after the war. Thus Netanyahu has no motivation for ending this conflict.

The Israeli leader knows he will not need to worry about the US if Republicans win in November. Therefore, if the United States is going to force Israel to the bargaining table, the time to do so is now. Personally, I believe, if the United States withholds support from Israel, including military aid, Israel will blink. Although, I do not necessarily believe it will be because Netanyahu will blink. I think this but I do not know it. We do not know what Netanyahu or Israel will do.

Americans need to understand that Netanyahu has nothing to lose and may respond to our withdrawing support the same way he has responded to our pleas for him to stop his aggression in Gaza–by ignoring us and going his own way. The United States has been a big reason Israel’s enemies have been held at bay. Without our support what will stop Israel’s other enemies from joining Hamas? And what would stop Israel from using all its weapons in its defense?

There is no easy answer to the situation in Gaza so long as Netanyahu remains in power. So, even if you agree with me, that the United States should not continue to support Israel’s current actions in Gaza–blocking aid and indiscriminate bombing–we must prepare ourselves for the situation to get considerably worse before it is resolved. Americans were all for pulling out of Afghanistan until it didn’t have the result we wanted. Pulling our support for Israel will not guarantee the conflict ends. It will not guarantee aid reaches Gaza. It will not guarantee the end to genocide, peace in the region, a two state solution, and the list goes on. There is no easy answer for America. And so, Americans must brace ourselves for the worst before we shake our fists at President Biden and demand he withdraws our support of Israel. Withdrawal is a legitimate position to take but we must take it with our eyes wide open.

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Letting Go of Options to Save Our Democracy

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When it comes to the next presidential election, either the former president or the current president will be the President Elect. You don’t have to like the fact. You can wish it wasn’t so. But, no third party candidate has a shot of winning; the choice is Biden or Trump.

Under different circumstances, a third party vote could be an effective protest, a legitimate way to prepare the ground for a new party. However, in 2024 if we value the Constitution, believe in democracy, and actually desire freedom and justice for all, voters have only one choice. A third party–protest vote– risks too much. In the coming election, one of these men represents values that reach beyond his personal preferences. The other is completely self consumed.

When Trump was president he continuously lied. He lied about the size of his crowds. He lied about his own wealth. He lied about his plans. He lied about his accomplishments. He lied about immigration. He lied about trade. He lied about his relationships. He lied about Covid-19. And, he lied about the election. In total, Trump made over 30 thousand false or misleading claims, all of which were told to either make himself look better or to get something he wanted.

In addition to his habitual lying, Trump’s rhetoric is often vulgar, racist, and threatening. His vision for the country includes replacing non-partisan civil servants with loyalists–because he must be admired. He wants to overhaul the Department of Justice, making it answerable only to himself–because he must be obeyed. He’s threatened to ignore state’s rights, to send the military wherever he chooses, to squash any protests he doesn’t like. Trump continues to deny the 2020 election results despite a mountain of evidence that proves him wrong. And, he proudly proclaims he will pardon the January 6th insurrectionists, calling them patriots and hostages. Just in case you’ve forgotten–there is nothing patriotic about this:

In addition to pardoning violent criminals, Trump vows to add Palestinians to his travel ban. He’s indicated he would “consider” a federal abortion ban, while reminding his base they first needed to win the election. Though currently walking back statements that he’d cut Social Security and Medicaid programs, voters should know that in every single budget he proposed as president, cuts to those programs were included. Another plan the former president boasts about–a 10% tariff on all goods coming into the United States–would cause all sorts of economic turmoil and significantly raise prices, just like it did his last time around. Prior to Covid, Trump’s tariff wars totally disrupted trade with China and cost US farmers dearly. Our government then needed to bail out the farm industry to the tune of $28 billion dollars. These economic details are possibly a little foggy since just after the bail out Covid-19 hit. Still, couple Trump’s new tariff plans with his promise of more corporate tax cuts and the $8 trillion dollar deficit increase 45 oversaw from 2017-2020 might look like a drop in the bucket compared to what’s coming.

On the other hand, in the wake of Covid-19 President Biden’s economic accomplishments  have out paced every other G7 nation and in some categories are better than Trump’s best pre-Covid numbers. Biden oversaw a massive vaccine rollout which targeted demographics hit hardest by the virus. He also helped make sure hurting American’s received Covid relief stimulus money. Currently, Biden’s economic numbers are on pace with or have surpassed anything produced by his predecessor. In short, President Biden is working to fulfill the promises he made, including rebuilding our infrastructure, promoting green energy, reducing student loan debt, and healing our standing with our allies.

Furthermore, President Biden hasn’t resorted to bullying. He works across the aisle and gives credit where credit is due. He champions causes his personal convictions wrestle with–like reproductive freedom–when they are best for the country. And, he faces the consequences of his mistakes–like answering for the classified documents found in his home.

One of the more news worthy critiques people have about Biden is his handling of Israel’s war in Gaza. I, too, want the US to stop sending military aid, to demand a cease fire, and to insist Israel negotiate a two state solution with Palestine. I applauded Senator Schumer’s speech and agree that Netanyahu’s policies threaten Israel’s security in the long run.

That said, Trump is no friend to Gaza. Telling Netanyahu he just needs to “finish the job” and promising to ban refugees from Gaza are proof of Trump’s distain. Still, Trump isn’t exactly a friend of Jewish people either. Don’t forget, after Charlottesville Trump called these folks “very fine people.”

From Nazis to dictators to the insurrectionists, Trump’s list of very fine people should cause every American grave concern. His promises, plans, and hate filled rhetoric disqualify him as a world leader and should stir in every American the conviction to make certain This Man. Never. Holds. Office. Again.

Shamefully, by choosing Donald Trump as their presidential candidate, the Republican party, or what’s left of it, has shown a blatant disregard for our country and the principles laid out in our Constitution. The Republican party has given Americans who give a damn about this country no choice. 45 neither respects our system of law nor feels any obligation to up hold the loftier principles of personal integrity, accountability, and championing the greater good. What we saw during his presidency, witnessed after his 2020 loss, and hear in his caustic dog whistling leaves no room for misunderstanding. Donald Trump intends to be a dictator and a despot. And the 2024 election is the only thing standing in his way.

 

I Don’t Get It

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Some days I feel like I’m living in another dimension. How rational, patriotic, morally sound people can look at our two presidential candidates and not see the differences between them, is beyond me. Why everyone is not outraged by the pretense that voting for one is the same as voting for the other, blows my mind! And yet, the polls consider this presidential election a toss up. The few old school Republicans I know (and more than a few privileged white Democrats) keep playing the “equally bad” card in order to justify supporting a third party. There is NO equal anything between these two men.

Young people seem hung up on President Biden’s age–apparently unable to see past Trump’s dyed hair, orange skin, and bombastic rhetoric long enough to recognize, he is not only old, he’s an ill intended wanna be dictator. Seriously, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump–could not be more diametrically opposed. One–Trump–drove us off the cliff into the most lethal and economically devastating health crisis of our life time. The other–President Biden–is leading us out of it.

On a daily basis, my head screams: WTF is wrong with US?

Simply based on: 1. what members of Trump’s own party have said about him, 2. how we’ve seen and heard him treat people, 3. the legal problems he’s facing (including criminal felony charges), 4. his numerous proclamations of the ways he plans to ignore the rule of law and violate the Constitution if he ever gets back in office, and 5. his out right lies, one would expect him to be an asterisk in the history books by now.

If this election is actually going to be as close as the polls predict, and you–

  • believe in the right to vote
  • think people have a right to make their own healthcare decisions without government interference
  • want the super rich to pay taxes at as high a percentage of their income as the middle class (or those making below the medium income level)
  • believe climate change is real and we have a responsibility to do something about it
  • think asylum seekers ought to be treated humanely, families should not be separated at the border, and Military Personnel and Dreamers should have expedited pathways to citizenship
  • want a higher minimum wage
  • would like to see reasonable gun laws on the books
  • support a cease fire in Gaza followed by a two state solution between Israelis and Palestinians
  • believe Russia should be pushed out of Ukraine
  • think public funds should go to public education and not unaccountable private education
  • are tired of seeing what new book is being banned
  • think workers should have the right to form unions
  • believe NOBODY is above the law

then there is only one presidential candidate who deserves your consideration–the current president, Joe Biden.

Let’s get real folks! Maybe we are dealing with higher gas prices, but we aren’t looking and empty shelves at the grocery store. Maybe Biden hasn’t pushed Netanyahu hard enough but he isn’t threatening to ban asylum seekers from Gaza which is Trump’s plan. Sure, student loan debt didn’t go down as much as Biden hoped it would. The Supreme Court got in the way, you know the Supreme Court with three justices that were appointed by Trump. Even so, Biden found another way and has slashed student load debt by $147 billion dollars. That’s not peanuts. While it might be a new issue for young voters, climate concerns have been around since the 1970’s. And guess what? Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act provides a biggest investment to carbon reduction in US history. Meanwhile, Trump, who at one point called climate change a hoax and pulled the US out of the Paris Accords when he was president, vows to “drill, drill, drill,” as soon as he becomes president again.

So are we facing a perfect situation? No. Is America healthier, kinder, stronger, under President Biden than it was under the former president? Absolutely! Will we stay safer under President Biden then we would be under a second Trump presidency? Without question! Based on the history. Based on their rhetoric. Based on the facts.

The truth is: we do not have a viable third party. There will be no Convention surprise. Acting in opposition to these facts and ignoring the real threat of a second Trump presidency, exposes an ignorance of history and our deep rooted privilege as a nation. The last time any part of a war was fought on American soil–President Biden wasn’t even alive. Sure, we’ve seen civil unrest, riots, and even acts of terrorism. Yet, over all we have been shielded from the horrors of war, the devastation of world famine, and the hardships of third world poverty. When holding our experiences of life up against the rest of the world, most Americans, at least since World War II, have known nothing other than freedom and prosperity–a life that has gotten better–not worse–under President Biden. That fact is the only explanation I have for why we are so nonchalant about the coming election. We literally cannot imagine what a lack of freedom and prosperity would look like and since we cannot imagine it, it cannot be possible. Wake up woke ones! Our demise is on the horizon.

Did You Watch?

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Last Thursday (3.7.24) President Biden and Senator Katie Britt, a fiery Republican with the look of the girl next door,  gave their assessment of and vision for the country. In her response, we were asked by the young Senator if we think we’re better off today than four years ago. The Senator answered her own question with a solid no. President Biden painted a brighter picture. So, let’s take a look back to figure out who has a better handle on the truth.

In March of 2020 the United States began seeing documented cases of Covid-19. By the end of March 4,326 Americans had died. Yet, on March 30, 2020 then President Trump had this to say, “Stay calm, it will go away. You know it–you know it is going away, and it will go away, and we’re going to have a great victory.” But that isn’t what happened. On April 3rd, just four days later, the former president worried about how he looked, stating: “I’m feeling good. I just don’t want to be doing — somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful resolute desk, the great resolute desk, I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens, I don’t know, somehow I don’t see it for myself. I just don’t. Maybe I’ll change my mind.” Meanwhile more Americans died. Over the next month more than a thousand people died every single day. Trump continued to appear unmasked in public and play down their effectiveness. Yet, according to every reputable health official in the country Trump was wrong. Summer brought some relief. Daily death tolls even dropped to a little over 200 for a few days in July but by the election and through the winter they were back over 1000. On January 6, the day Trump’s insurrectionists stormed the Capitol, 3,902 Americans died from Covid-19.

The day Joe Biden took office, 4,409 Americans died–in a single day. Schools and non essential businesses across the country were still closed. Medical facilities were overwhelmed. Grocery stores had special hours to shop for the elderly and people who were immune compromised in order to lower their risk of catching the virus and to help mitigate its spread. People couldn’t find basic household goods–like toilet paper. Quantities of other goods were limited. That was America four years ago. So, NO Senator Britt, Americans were NOT better off four years ago than we are today. 

But, it’s really about the economy, right? And it’s not fair to blame Trump for Covid. It’s not like he caused the disease; he just botched our response to it. So, let’s ignore the negative impact Covid had on Trump’s economic numbers as we look with a little grace at our recovery. In 2021, Biden inherited a 6.3 percent unemployment rate. It is now at 3.9 percent. Gas prices were at $2.33. Demand was low and supply was high because nobody was able to travel anywhere. Today as the supply and demand of things, like gas, are finally settling out we pay on average $3.39 a gallon. The stimulus money from Covid-19 is gone and Americans feel it in their pocketbooks. Budgets are stretched and higher prices hurt. But we aren’t looking at rows and rows of empty shelves at the grocery either.  For the first time in over seven years student loan debt has decreased. The big burden–the deficit–grew $1.7 trillion dollars under Biden. Under Trump (ignoring Covid) it grew four and a half times that much for a total of $ 7.8 trillion dollars in four years. Unlike his predecessor, President Biden promises to raise taxes on the wealthy so janitors, plumbers, and teachers aren’t paying a higher than the ultra rich.

The stimulus money, Americans got because of Covid, gave us a spike in disposable income at the beginning of Biden’s presidency. Now, we’re back to pre-Covid measures. Again, it doesn’t feel great. We’ve just come through one of the roughest economic crisis of our life time and everything still feels tight and unstable. Yet, over all America has seen a trillion dollar increase in disposable income. Finally, one of the most reliable measures of how the country is doing is over all economic growth. Under Trump, our pre-Covid growth averaged 2.8 percent annually. Under President Biden that number rose to 3.4 percent. Are we there yet? No. Are we heading in the right direction? Absolutely!

While the economy is a primary measure of the health of the country, it is not the only one. A country’s mind set and attitude also matter. And, Americans seem to have forgotten the chaos and embarrassment we endured under the former president. Republicans don’t mind, of course. In fact, they hope we’ll ignore his on-going legal problems and never-ending toxic rhetoric. But can we honestly give a pass to a former president who invited a ruthless dictator to “do whatever the hell he wants” to our allies? We shouldn’t.

Of course, I’m troubled by President Biden’s reluctance to hold Netanyahu accountable for the genocide in Gaza. I would prefer the US withhold military support from Israel until we have a cease fire AND a two state solution on the table. At the same time, as frustrated as I am with President Biden’s measured actions, Trump’s instruction to Israel, “You’ve got to finish the problem”, his bragging that, “You had a horrible invasion that took place that would have never happened if I was president,” and his vow to add the residents of Gaza to his travel ban, should set off alarm bells for everyone.

That said, Trump’s threats of aggression aren’t limited to overseas. He has asserted that as president he’ll ignore state’s rights and send federal troops to quell any protest he doesn’t like. He was recorded bragging about grabbing women by the pussy and in January was ordered to pay Jean Carroll, a woman Trump sexually assaulted, $83 million dollars. He was also ordered to pay the State of New York over $400 million dollars after being found guilty of fraud. Still pending, Trump faces indictments for the mishandling of classified documents, election interference, paying hush-money to a porn star, and conspiracy to violate rights, conspiracy to defraud the government, and obstruction of official proceedings. In all, Trump is looking at 91 separate criminal charges.

The dangers Katie Britt mentioned in her speech–“fewer opportunities and less freedom” are indeed real. The threat, however, does not stem from the current administration. At the state and federal levels the Republican party continuously undermines our democracy with unnecessary voting restrictions. It assaults public education by banning books, rewriting history and science texts, and rerouting funds to religion based learning. It targets our right to self determination by limiting access to reproductive and gender affirming healthcare. And, it refuses to address issues that actually matter to Americans–like immigration reform, climate change, criminal justice reform, and gun control.

When purchasing a gun is easier than buying birth control something in America is out of whack. When the leaders of one political party ignore 60 plus court rulings, deny state certified vote counts, and lie about election results, our system of governance is at risk. When a candidate running for president would rather talk about a problem than let his own party help to solve it, something has got to change! We are at that point. Katie Britts finger pointing and over the top scare tactics only get in the way and rile up anger and fear. If Americans want lasting peace and real prosperity, we need to keep building on the historic progress President Biden has already made. And, send him a Congress willing to listen to Americans, work with each other, and find solutions that won’t cost us our integrity or our democracy.