Category Politics

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.

 

Big Government or Corrupt Government

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We’re hearing a lot of talk from the Right about getting rid of big government. It’s true, big government can feel overwhelming, unmanageable, and hostile. The very phrase seems to contribute to our collective anxiety. However, a significant difference exists between corrupt government and big government. With over 330 million citizens our government is naturally large just in order to meet the country’s needs. There are 3 different branches, 15 different executive departments, and 78 different oversight agencies, all of which provide checks and balances within the system. Reducing the power of different branches or gutting and cutting different departments may sound like a noble goal but without transparency and a clear plan many vital protections and necessary services could be lost in the process.

Just look at the purpose of our oversight agencies. They administer audits of government agencies, investigate complaints, and conduct inspections. A big portion of their job is to make certain the American people are not unduly burdened or taken advantage of and have a place to go when they are. Another part of their job is to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse within government programs and services and be proactive about making the necessary changes to correct those problems when they are exposed.

While nobody wants unnecessary bureaucracy, corruption and the potential for harm are kept in check by many of the agencies within the system.  As you listen to politicians complain about big government and their desire to down size via major cuts and sweeping reforms, keep a few specific questions in mind. The answers will probably help you decide whether or not you agree with the politician proposing the change.

First, what part of government does the politician want to cut or revamp?

Secondly, who benefits the most by this proposal?

Thirdly, what specifically would be gained and what specifically could be lost?

Finally, how would the American people be protected if the oversight portion of the program in question was part of the cuts?

Getting rid of something we don’t completely understand might feel like a relief in the moment. However, we want the people in the positions they’re in to know what they’re doing. Replacing career civil servants with somebody’s friend in order to payback a debt or curry favor doesn’t sound like a very efficient (or ethical) way of doing business. And, making cuts without knowing their impact has the serious potential for biting us in the butt later.

The differences between Republicans and Democrats–in this election–are dramatic. I already examined their differences with regard to their economic record, their positions on reproductive healthcare, and their policies on immigration. So, let’s now take a look at how they differ with regard to Big Government.

A perfect example of slash and burn rhetoric comes from Donald Trump. The trouble is, like so many other bait and switch routines the former president has pulled, he isn’t actually looking for smaller government, he just wants different government. In pep rally after pep rally he vows to continue what he started by cutting government oversight, replacing non-partisan civil servants with loyalists, and hiring whoever he chooses to fill government contracts. He uses derogatory names like “the deep state”, “the swamp”, and “rogue bureaucrats” but he’s actually talking about parts of the government like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Justice.

In contrast, Biden strives to hold government and government funded projects accountable. He has increased efforts to make student loan servicers answerable for how they administer loans and loan repayments. He’s updated enforcement of the Davis-Bacon Act guaranteeing that federal contractors receive fair wages. And, he’s enforced stricter mercury pollution standards. You want more examples? Just check out the Brookings Regulatory Tracker. There are over 100 such policies, laws, and executive orders listed.

The abuses of power the former president plans for his second  term have only gotten more explicit the closer we get to the election. He’s vowed to use the Department of Justice to investigate his political rivals and hamstring his business competition, suggesting in a recent speech in Iowa that he wouldn’t actually need a legal reason. “If I happen to be president and I see somebody who’s doing well and beating me very badly, I say go down and indict them.” In addition, the former president has talked about getting rid of the “faceless bureaucrats” (meaning non-partisan civil servants) he blames for stopping his agenda last time and about returning to his draconian immigration and trade policies, only on steroids.

The final governmental change 45 plans to make, if he gets to be 47, is to politicize the military. His threats, to send the military in to quell protests he doesn’t like, have some in Congress ready to overhaul the Insurrection Act (a 1792 law that was originally meant to give a president the means to suppress a rebellion). Calling New York City and Chicago “crime dens” and bragging about how he’d take care of things, the former president stated, “And one of the other things I’ll do — because you’re supposed to not be involved in that — you just have to be asked by the governor or the mayor to come in. The next time, I’m not waiting.” In other words, if he doesn’t like what’s happening in a particular part of the country, he will ignore state’s rights and send in troops. Do Americans really want armed soldiers squaring off with unarmed protesters because Trump’s ego can’t handle criticism?

Talk about the evils of big government is a smoke screen for the Right. Trump’s plans for governmental change will wipe out any progress we’ve made toward positive social change or holding corporate America accountable, while lining his pockets and solidifying his power. Voters need to keep asking the question “who will this benefit?” when ever they hear Trump talk about what he plans to do. Because 99.9 % of the time it will only ever be–him, and that’s what corruption looks like.

 

Care VS Control

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Politics and religion have been trying to control women–their behavior, their thinking, and their bodies–for millennia. No where is this more apparent than when looking at the issue of abortion. But, did you know, in the United States unless you were considered property, as Black women were prior to the Civil War, abortions were not illegal until 1821? After a botched abortion that resulted in a still born birth  the state of Connecticut passed a ban on all medicinal abortions after quickening*. (The procedure reportedly began as medicinal process but included a mechanical procedure). Interestingly, mechanical abortions (those requiring tools and a doctor’s presence) were absent from this ban, raising the question as to what was perceived as the offense–the abortion or the person who performed it. Given the fact that at the time few births or gynecological procedures were provided by men and the new law targeted the providers for punishment the answer seems obvious. Regardless of the answer, within 20 years 10 more states had passed similar laws.

While religious and moral arguments grew louder as time wore on the initial arguments against abortion had racial and economic roots. From the latter half of the 19th Century into the 20th Century midwives, who were almost always women and often Black women, were villainized by the American Medical Association (made up entirely of white men) as being ignorant and unsanitary in their practices. The AMA saw women’s health as an expanding market. Going after midwives was in truth a means to an end, not a legitimate pursuit for better healthcare. In fact, as more women began giving birth in hospitals the mortality rates and birth injuries for both mothers and babies increased.

Never the less, the die was cast and the racist, sexist voices in the AMA gained more influence. By 1910, abortion was illegal across most of the country except to save the mother’s life. It would not again become legal  until 1973 when the Supreme Court decriminalized abortion in Roe v Wade. However, in 2022 nearly 50 years later, a very conservative Supreme Court ruled that abortion was not a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, thus overturning Roe. Today, 14 states have banned abortions and 10 more have limited bans. Still other state legislatures are trying to restrict or ban access but have experienced resistance from the courts and/or voters. The supreme court in Montana, for example, “recognized procreative autonomy under the Montana constitution” thereby protecting abortion rights in Montana despite a Republican super majority in the legislature.

As I’ve discussed previously, abortion laws threaten our principles of personal privacy and self governance. Coercion, shaming, fear mongering–these are tactics religious zealots and ultra-conservative politicians typically use to cling to power and control the masses. While they are readily seen throughout abortion propaganda from the past, most Republicans will be relatively quiet on the subject this election season. The truth is, the GOP got hammered in the mid-terms due to the their draconian stance and they want to be elected or re-elected this time around. Yet, we should understand who stands where on the issues involved in Reproductive Rights.

Because Dems believe women should be allowed to govern their own bodies they not only support access to abortions they champion reproductive healthcare as a whole. Additionally, Democrats are more likely to support policies that promote positive social change such as: child care tax credits, pre-K school programs, WIC, equitable access to mental health services, low income housing initiatives, and medicare for all. Working together, all of these policies contribute to lowering abortion numbers by building healthy families.

Typically the same Republican voices that want to ban abortion services also want to defund clinics, like Planned Parenthood, that provide inexpensive pre and post-natal care, STD screening, and a variety of contraceptive services. The look to balance the budget on the backs of social services rather than corporate profits. They’ve recommended cuts in Head Start, low income energy assistance, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These cuts and cuts in reproductive healthcare services result in fewer services of all types which then lead to an increase in unwanted pregnancies and historically an increased number of abortions.

The last thing we need to look at is the impact overturning Roe has had. It did not decreased the number of abortions in the United States. It did, however, increase the burden carried by the poor. For most Republicans, including the presidential front runner, the abortion issue has never been about preserving life. It has only, ever been about money and preserving power. Today (3.4.24) France passed a law guaranteeing abortion rights in their country. The overturning of Roe sent shock waves throughout France and President Macron sought to codify their laws with a constitutional amendment so that France would not suffer the same fate as the United States.

If we, as a country, want abortions to decrease without losing our individual freedoms, we must elect leaders willing to do the work of changing social welfare policies. We need to promote guidelines that set aside traditional definitions and instead advocate for all configurations of family. We need to overhaul systems that have singled out and punished women. We need to shoulder the burden together so we can build a society that truly honors life and embraces the principles of freedom and autonomy.

Like the president, abortion, for me, would not be a viable solution to a problematic pregnancy. I have five children and have lost as many pregnancies as I’ve seen come to term. At least one of those loses threatened my own life as I hemorrhaged profusely and required a procedure, Republicans want to ban as it is considered “abortive”. Women all across the country have similar testimonies with the same moral to their story: Individuals absolutely have the right to make reproductive decisions for themselves based on their religious convictions. However, they may not manipulate our system of laws in order to coerce behavior from anyone else to appease their religious tenets. 

Democrats understand these distinctions. 

Tariff Man and the Economy

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Ever since Bush Senior learned the hard way, “It’s the economy, stupid” has been the standard predictor of how well an incumbent president is likely to do in the next election. This has some people wondering–if that’s still the standard, then why isn’t President Biden doing better in the polls?

The simple answer is Covid. Covid’s affect on the economy has been profound–massive fluctuations in employment, the GDP, healthcare, and housing. One of the most frustrating impacts has been in the disruption of the supply train, which in turn resulted in an increase in inflation. (Lack of supply plus demand drives up prices). For average working Americans, just getting back on their feet, higher prices for gas and groceries feels like a slap in the face. It also perpetuates the perception that the over all economy is weak. However, given the mess President Biden inherited, this perception couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Here’s what I mean:

Under President Biden an average of 400,000 jobs were added monthly during his first three years in office. Under Trump that number was 176,000 jobs. Then Covid hit, wiped out all Trump’s gains, and he left office with a net loss of 20 million jobs. President Biden’s net gain is 14 million jobs.

Unemployment under President Biden dropped to 3.4. Trump’s lowest figure was 3.5. It then shot up to 14.2 during Covid and was 6.3 when Biden took office. Black unemployment, Trump’s self proclaimed claim to fame, hit a low of 5.3, was as high as 16.6 and hovered around 9.2 when President Biden took over. It is now at 5.2. Again, lower than any number the former president achieved.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a generalized measure for over all production, grew an impressive 14% under President Trump. Under president Biden that number is 22%–8% higher. Consumer spending, infrastructure stimulus, and green energy projects are what currently drives the economy. All of these factors are more stabilizing than the stimulus money Trump’s Covid relief provided.

According to the Washington Monthly, Ben Shapiro reports that fixed business investments grew at an annual rate of 5.6% under President Biden, .4% better than Trump’s best year and twice that of his average. In conclusion Shapiro writes, “President Biden’s record not only eclipses Donald Trump’s, but when policy made a difference—on growth, employment, investment, and inflation—Biden stepped up and improved our economic conditions. Those are the facts.”

How loudly one brags about his own accomplishments doesn’t determine their validity. And how often a lie is told doesn’t change the fact it is a lie. Just because the rabid dogs at Trump’s rallies like to chant and shout and wave their fists doesn’t mean all voters, or even all Republicans, have to believe this blowhard bully is good for the country. Voters–Republican voters–need to step back and pay attention to what the man is actually saying.

The former president has started calling himself a Tariff Man, promising at rally after rally to impose more trade tariffs in his second term than he did in his first–a 60% tariff on China, a blanket 10% tariff on all imports. What he fails to explain, as he riles up the crowds with these “make them pay” threats, is the long term impact his trade war had the last time he had power. During his stint in the White House, the former president imposed $250 billion dollars in tariffs against China. Perhaps the devastation of Covid-19 has fogged our memory but 45’s tariffs ultimately cost the US $195 billion dollars in revenue. They disrupted global markets and 240,000 Americans lost their jobs. Like every inheritance he’s ever been given, 45 squandered the positive economic momentum he’d been given by President Obama, ending his presidency with an average GDP of .95% down from Obama’s average of 1.62%. By way of stark contrast, the GDP has grown an average of 3.4% a year under President Biden. This figure not only surpasses Obama’s growth, it more than triples 45’s.

Inflation is real, and it stings, but the differences between a Biden economy and a Trump economy should be enough to convince Americans to re-elect President Biden.  And now, that American wages are again out pacing inflation, we can put the devastation from Covid behind us and look toward brighter days. Unlike his predecessor, President Biden doesn’t just like to hear himself talk, he actually likes to roll up his sleeves and do the work.

 

 

 

ABORTION

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The problem with not having a problem with abortion in the case of rape or medical necessity is that those who hold that view, yet want to stop access to abortions in all other situations, tell themselves they’re being compassionate or worse–reasonable. They are not. They are being self-righteous. They’ve decided it’s okay to impose their personal comfort levels onto someone else, even when they have no actual skin in the game. For these zealots, the circumstances of a pregnancy, a woman or family may or may not have wanted, only matters if they can feel good about themselves.

Abortion laws ultimately conflict with freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution. First, they impose the tenets of one religion onto people who may not hold the same beliefs, thus denying the latter the freedom to practice their faith as they see fit. Secondly, in order to enforce laws that limit or end access to abortion, a person’s individual rights to privacy and self-governance are inevitably violated. Finally, banning abortion doesn’t actually end abortions. It merely pushes access “underground” and skews the availability toward the wealthy. Thus, they impose a greater burden on poor people.

From a political point of view, Americans are looking at two drastically different choices when it comes to abortion rights and reproductive healthcare. Prior to the 2022 mid-term election, Senate Republicans, lead by Sen. Graham, proposed a federal ban on all abortions. It failed but Republicans at the federal and state levels continue to push to restrict access, not only to abortive services, but to birth control, IVF, and surrogacy as well. The recent Alabama Supreme Court decision that brought IVF treatment in the state to a screeching halt is a perfect example of the religiously motivated extremes Red States are willing to go to, and drag the country toward. By contrast, just two days before the anniversary of the overturning of Roe v Wade, Representative Ayanna Presley, and 19 other Democrats cosponsored the Abortion Justice Act. This law highlights the need for ethical, equitable, and affordable access to reproductive health care. If passed, it would guarantee such care for all Americans. A bill being promoted by pro-life Democrats, who are looking for ways to reduce the need for abortion is the Make Birth Free Act which would not only guarantee births are free but would also provide for free pre and post natal care as well. 

What should you look for in 2024? Well, even though most Republicans in Congress favor some kind of federal abortion ban, expect those running for office this time around to shy away from both their rhetoric and their record. Why? Because the 2022 mid-terms were a disaster for Republican candidates and state legislatures that made restricting abortion rights an issue. A perfect example of the duck and cover behavior you’re likely to see came from Iowa Representative Miller-Meek’s. When asked directly if she would again sponsored the Life at Conception Act, she stated, “It hasn’t come up yet.” She then tried to soften her own image by reminding reporters that some people believe life begins at 12 or 15 weeks. I have this to say to Representative Miller-Meeks–The issue of abortion has come up now! And, Republicans, like yourself, are standing on the wrong side of the issue.

Americans need to decide whether they are going to live in a country that thinks the government has a right to control their bedrooms, their relationships, and their healthcare decisions or a country that upholds the principles of personal privacy and self governance.  For now, our Constitution, and the foundational laws on which we have built our nation, guarantee us the right to self governance. They embrace the principles of privacy. They promote equality, freedom of religion, peaceful protest, social justice, and the pursuit of happiness. But, these principles are not guaranteed if we are unwilling to uphold the Constitution. Republicans have clearly demonstrated that they are not.

So, unless you want to give up your right to live in a free society choosing between Red and Blue–Republican or Democrat–should be easy. For, as long as reproductive freedom is on the chopping block in America–and it is on the chopping block in every Red state and by the vast majority of Republicans–then equality, self determination, and civil rights remain on the guillotine steps waiting their turn.

Brokering Peace and Justice

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Today I get to walk my dog, brush my teeth at the bathroom sink, make myself a lotus, write on a laptop that is plugged into a wall, sit in an overstuffed chair and look out my window at a vividly blue sky. A refrigerator, full of food, also plugged into the wall, sits in another room. I can make myself breakfast or lunch or dinner at anytime by simply turning on my gas stove and cooking it, or opening the cupboard and grabbing one of the two kinds of peanut butter I’d find sitting on the shelf, spreading it on some bread from the bread basket on the counter, and topping it with honey from the jar on the turn table. I do not live in Ukraine or Gaza (or any other conflict ridden part of the world) so I can do these things at my leisure.

But today, I am embarrassed by my privilege, by the fact that most days I simply take my freedom for granted–like it’s owed me. In truth, it is an accident of birth–nothing I’ve earned. I was born in America. I’m white and my parents were well educated. Their hard work allowed me to be well educated as well. Little was ever required of me. All my problems are first world problems. Even though I have never earned as much as the average or median income for a woman in the United States today, I live comfortably. Comfortably, and far, far away from homelessness, civil unrest, or the ravages of war.

Recently, I listened to The Daily. The topic was Gaza, specifically Netanyahu’s threat to evacuate the city of Rafah where Ghada al-Kurd (one of the people speaking on The Daily) was trapped. The problem with evacuating Rafah is that the Palestinians in the city have nowhere to go. Rafah is surrounded by the sea, Egypt, Israel, and the war. Of additional concern is the lack of aid and the people’s inability to find basic necessities. Ghada’s father died a week ago because he couldn’t get his diabetes medication and he starved to death.

A day later the topic on The Daily was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and 45’s alarming comment about allowing Russia to do whatever it wants to our NATO allies should they not, pay up. The problem with the former president’s description of the situation is that there are no dues for NATO countries, not to mention the fact that, Ukraine is an ally but does not belong to NATO. Our aid in Ukraine could mean the difference between stopping Putin in his tracks or fighting a much larger, deadlier, and costlier conflict later. War is no less devastating to the people of Ukraine than the people in Gaza, their need for aid is no less urgent. But the Republicans in the House don’t seem to care.

So, why should we send aid to Gaza and Ukraine? Most who already agree say it’s because that’s who Americans are. We’re a beacon of freedom, the shining city on the hill, caretakers of the masses, and comfort to the downtrodden. Until the MAGA crowd started calling people who care about others snowflakes and suckers we liked our white hat image. In fact, not long ago Republicans liked it too because it sold weapons and the need for a big military–some of their favorite talking points–with donors and their once-upon-a-time base. Since 45 arrived on the scene however, the military and veteran’s groups aren’t quite so pro-Republican. Nor should they be. 45 has never respected their service or their sacrifice. He’s attracted to people like Putin and Netanyahu because they already do whatever the hell they want and he wants to be like them when he grows up. I think we should send aid to Gaza and Ukraine because it’s the right thing to do and is in our best interest.

If I had President Biden’s ear, I would tell him as much. I would insist the US stop objecting to the UN’s resolution calling for a cease fire in Gaza. I would ask him to press Congress for military aid for Ukraine. I would encourage him to send as much humanitarian aid to both places as he legally can. I would urge him to stop US military and financial support for Israel until they have a cease fire and put an honest two state solution on the table. Why? BECAUSE Innocents are being terrorized, slaughtered, and orphaned. BECAUSE War is not a solution. BECAUSE The United States should not play a part in the religious right’s march toward some apocryphal end of the world. And, BECAUSE we must support our allies or stand completely alone.

Americans need to remember the principles on which we stand–freedom, democracy, justice, and self government. These are the values with which we engage the world.  As we look at Gaza and Ukraine, and our involvement in these situations we need to remind ourselves that support for Palestinian is not support for Hamas. Being anti-genocide is not anti-semitic. Stopping Putin’s take over of Ukraine is in our long term best interest. Demanding a cease fire in Gaza and more help for Ukraine are NOT counterintuitive. Each expectation ultimately supports peace and a cessation of aggression against innocent people. Each holds close the principles America espouses.

Age, part 2

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How to avoid the “Chicken Littles” in your life. | by Brett Lechtenberg | Medium

In part one of But It’s the Age Thing, I wrote about character differences between the current president and the former president. I also acknowledged that both men fit the old category and implied that based on the old status, President Biden might not seem all that exciting. Now, you don’t need to take my word for it but exciting isn’t always a good thing. With all the chaos swirling around 45, we could actually do with a little less excitement. That said, it’s time to leave the former president behind (Please God may that be prophetic.) and focus on President Biden’s fitness for office.

The first age post was supposed to be a look at both candidate’s achievements but that piece took a turn toward character rather than track record. So, let’s take time now to look at President Biden’s accomplishments and also at a few of the people who have helped him get to this point.

Most of what the Biden Administration has accomplished isn’t sexy but it has impacted people. In addition to numerous economic gains over the past three years, such as lowering unemployment, adding 750 thousand manufacturing jobs to the work force, and overseeing the biggest infrastructure investment since FDR, Biden worked with Congress to increase overtime pay for nearly 3.5 million workers. The Biden administration, through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,  focused attention on eliminate junk fees–those extra charges associated with airlines, ticket sellers, and cable companies–and pressured credit card companies to reduce their exorbitant late fees and penalties. Additionally, in 2021 Biden signed an executive order to promote competition, take on monopolies, and increase fairness and transparency in the meat and poultry industries. In other words, the president uses whatever areas of government are willing to work with him to get things done.

In other areas of American life, President Biden’s team has worked to make us safer, to ease the nation toward green energy ideas and resources, to give us greater body autonomy, and to help citizens be less burdened by debt. Biden established the office of Gun Violence Prevention which set aside $286 million dollars for student wellness and mental health professionals in schools. He pushed the Inflation Reduction Act through Congress which slated $20 billion dollars for climate smart agriculture practices. He cleared a path for over the counter contraceptives to be available from local drug stores, making birth control more accessible and more equitable, and helping health care decisions to remain private. Finally, Biden took on the issue of Student Debt. When the court stopped him from out right canceling student debt, he refused to give up and ended up reviving a program started under Bush, which coupled student loan debt forgiveness with public service. Between its inception and Biden’s election a whopping 7000 people had taken advantage of that program. Since Biden reinvigorated it, nearly 800 thousand people have received school loan debt forgiveness through PSLF. Honestly, I’ll take those kind of results over sexy any day.

Okay.  So the Biden Administration has had some fairly significant accomplishments, but isn’t this post supposed to be Age, part 2; what’s the sub-text? How does any of the above address the age question?

To get to that answer I want to answer another question first: Biden did not pledge to be a one term president. When he first started this gig back in 2020, he and those around him thought one term would be enough to transition away from the Trump years, but Biden intentionally made no promises. Some saw his role then as getting the country back on its feet and ready to hand off to a younger generation with more innovative and progressive ideas. They counted on his gentlemanly likability to comfort voters and his experience to give them confidence. Three years in, however, the threat of Trump still looms large. Plus, President Biden sees his job as not yet done. And so, he announced running for a second term and the people around him didn’t push back.

Frankly, with all the brouhaha surrounding Biden’s age I’m reminded of the Chicken Little cartoon I watched as a kid. In it Chicken Little ran around yelling, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” His hysteria put everyone else in an unnecessary state of panic. But our country doesn’t need to worry that the sky will fall on President Biden’s watch without him, and those around him, noticing; this President surrounds himself with intelligent, capable, hard working men and women of integrity, who are not afraid to confront him with the hard truths.

Biden’s cabinet consists of people who not only know how to do their jobs but who, in the worst case scenario, would be able to keep the country running during a transition of power. His Vice President, Kamala Harris, has a resume as long as your arm. Merrick Garland, his Attorney General, has already shown he can separate loyalty to the country from his respect for the President. The Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense, and Jeff Zients, Biden’s Chief of Staff, are each experienced leaders. The fact that none of the 15 members of Biden’s cabinet have left is rare, especially compared to the last administration. It also indicates that the members of his cabinet have a good working relationship with the President.

Finally, and again in the worst case scenario, our Constitution makes provisions for the smooth transition of power should the President become incapacitated or unable to faithfully execute the duties of the Presidency. Interestingly enough, one of these provisions was actually considered after the January 6th insurrection. 

Chicken Littles may make for a bit of excitement. They don’t, however, contribute to anything of substance. When we embrace our system of checks and balances and when we focus our energy on problem solving over taking credit, we find solutions that better serve the whole. These are the ways you can count on the Biden Administration working. And this is why the American people do not need to worry about the President’s age.

 

But It’s the Age Thing

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In his return monologue on the daily show Jon Stewart reminded us, “The stakes of this election don’t make Donald Trump’s opponent less subject to scrutiny. It actually makes him more.” So yes, President Biden, at 81 years and 3 months, is the oldest person to run for president in the United States–ever. His run, as Stewart pointed out, breaks the record he set the last time he ran. And lately, age is making headlines–ad nauseam. When the special prosecutor questioned whether or not the President remembered his son’s death, Biden came out swinging, only later to say Mexico when he meant Egypt. A mistake.

Of course, the American people have the right to ask questions, voice concerns, and wonder what impact aging has on President Biden’s ability to do his job. Still, let’s keep the issue of age in perspective. Especially when, at 77 years and 8 months, Trump is actually the second oldest person to ever run for the office. The two men are exactly 3 years 7 months and 6 days apart, which classifies both as old. 

Could the question of age have been raised earlier? Well, it actually was, sort of, but obviously not by the right people, or enough of the right people, to matter. Though Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, and Nikki Haley are giving it the old college try, they haven’t had the support of their parties and aren’t attracting too many voters. And so, we basically have two, aging white men, running for re-election. And, if we make it to November 5, 2024, without armageddon happening, one of these men will be the next president of the United States. 

So, what actually separates these two candidates? It’s a long list.

When 45 was president, his greatest achievement was the 2017 $1.5 trillion dollar tax cut. The package passed by Congress and signed by the former president cut the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and ultimately increased the deficit by $7.1 trillion dollars (or 33.1%). It also cut individual tax rates. However, individuals making over $45,000 still had–have–a higher tax rates than corporations and their cuts (unlike those for corporations) will expire in 2025. As a result of tough trade talk and tariffs initiated by 45, foreign markets for farmers began to dry up. To off set the problem he created, his USDA directed billions in subsidies to American farmers. Fulfilling his “less government oversight” promise, 45 signed a huge bank deregulation bill. He shortened timelines for environmental reviews and reduced the scope of their inspections. He also repealed transparency safeguards that protected workers from sexual harassment in companies receiving federal contracts. Meanwhile, he didn’t build the wall his promised he’d build. And although he curtailed legal immigration on the southern border, he did not deport even as many undocumented immigrants as President Obama. Then came Covid-19. 45’s denials, down playing, and out of the box “cures” didn’t make the virus go away. His actions and inaction did, however, contribute to the deaths of over a million Americans.

Fortunately, the scientific community was able to fast track their research and develop a vaccine in spite of the conspiracy theorists and naysayers. Once in charge, President Biden’s team was able to get the vaccines into the hands of medical professionals across the country. With the help of front line workers–health departments, medical personnel, teachers, and other essential workers, most Americans embraced safety protocols and took the necessary measures to take care of one another. The fact, that two years and three months after this brutal virus claimed over 4100 American lives in a single day, the President was able to lift the National Emergency, speaks to the Herculean efforts on the part of the Biden administration.

And yet, few Americans seem willing to remember how uncertain and terrifying the world felt on January 6, 2021 when a nation, already ravaged by a deadly virus that was killing thousands of Americans a day, watched as the President of the United States–Donald J. Trump–encouraged protesters to march to the Capitol, to fight like hell, to stop the count, and to take back…

What?

Trump’s closest advisors, his family, and 64 courts told him he’d lost the election. People on both sides of the aisle begged him to stop lying to the American people, to concede the election, and to help facilitate the 225 year tradition of a peaceful transition of power. Instead, the former president watched with pride while his followers erected a gallows, stormed the Capitol, hunted for Nancy Pelosi, chanted “Hang Mike Pence”, and attacked Capitol police. He waited two and a half hours before telling the insurrectionists they were “very special” people but needed to go home. The defenders of our democracy were knocked down and beaten with flag poles; sprayed with pepper spray and other irritants. Some were called racial slurs. Others suffered traumatic brain injuries and still others have PTSD. One man was blinded. Another had a heart attack. In all, five people died within 36 hours of the attack and 4 officers died by suicide during the next seven months. To this day, Donald Trump continues to deny the election results and refuses to take responsibility for any of the events on January 6th.

If there is any justice in the world, Donald J. Trump will be held accountable for his part of the January 6th insurrection. Until that happens (and results in a prison sentence for Mr. Trump) the American people need to take a long hard look at the behavior and character differences between these two men. The former president surrounds himself with sycophants and cowards. He’s afraid to be challenged, unwilling to share the spotlight, and makes every decision based on his own self interest. Joe Biden, on the other hand, seeks the ideas and wisdom of others. He leads from a place of principled convictions and at the same time takes responsibility for his actions. He’s motivated by a sense of service and a love for that which is greater than himself. Now I’m not saying he doesn’t have an ego; he was certainly insulted when the special prosecutor accused him of forgetting Beau’s death. Yet that flair of self-righteousness can be over looked by anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one.

What should never be over looked is the narcissistic through line that drives Donald Trump. His crude humor, his rabble rousing, his self congratulatory rhetoric, and his dangerous lust for power should have the entire country on edge. And, the unwillingness of the majority in his party to do anything other than kiss his feet should have us lining up to vote for Biden and a Congress that will get things done. Anyone, who cares about the Red White and Blue, and anyone who has been keeping tabs on the current lay of the land has. No. Other. Choice.

 

 

 

The Price We’ll Pay

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    The current Republican front runner recently told a story at a South Carolina pep rally. The punch line was: “You gotta pay your bills.” The sinister reveal in his story however, is that if this candidate ever reaches the White House again he hopes to undo the NATO alliance. In spite of the backlash he’s received (We all know how he likes attention–negative or otherwise.) he’s repeated the message.

    The importance of the NATO alliance cannot be overstated. It literally keeps every member state safe from foreign aggression, including the United States. In fact, the only time this commitment has actually been called upon was after 9-11 when our NATO allies came to the defense of the United States. The fact that the Ukraine was a NATO partner but not yet a full member (though there were talks of their status changing) may account for the timing of Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine.

    But back to the campaign trail. Congress was so unnerved by 45’s earlier threat regarding NATO and concerned by his current candidacy, they enacted a law this past December requiring a super majority in the Senate or a full act of Congress before a president could pull out of NATO. The danger, however, isn’t completely resolved since a determined president could do a lot to undermine our relationship with NATO without actually pulling out of the agreement. And the former president has doubled down on his negative rhetoric, which at best is ironic.

    As dangerous as 45’s disregard for NATO is, it’s not the only problem with the former presidents story. His punch line: “You gotta pay your bills” is truly the height of hypocrisy. 45 loves to be the best at everything he does–or in this case doesn’t do. And the former president has a very long history of not paying his bills. His campaign didn’t pay their bills to several of the cities he visited the last time he campaigned. His political PACs are currently footing the bill for his personal legal troubles. Hundreds of individual workers have stated that they were never paid for the work they did for him as a private citizen. And, his businesses have declared bankruptcy at least 4 times. Although some of this was known the last time he ran for office, it didn’t stop people from voting for him. It makes one wonder if Republicans actually like people who shirk their responsibilities, not to mention those who throw their friends to the wolves.

    To focus attention on these two pretty serious character flaws in the Republican’s presidential candidate, I think it would be funny if for the rest of the campaign audiences at Democratic event started a call and answer chant, yelling–Hey 45! from one side of the room and Pay your bills! from the other side of the room. It’s not quite as simple as Lock HIM up! which may also eventually apply, but I’m sure the Dems could get the hang of it.

No Door Number 3

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    The show Let’s Make a Deal always ended the same way. Winning contestants got to choose between Door Number 1, Door Number 2, or Door Number 3. Only one had the grand prize–a car, a family vacation, an entertainment center–something sparkly and new and exciting! For Americans, the upcoming election is not Let’s Make a Deal. For all intents and purposes we only have two doors. Some may look for a third, but any door labeled number 3 is a deception, a trap door to the worst “prize” this country has ever faced. Still, people keep looking. Why?

    Well, behind Door Number 1 is an aging white cis male; a career (slightly left of center) politician; who scores about a 5 on the sparkly, new, and exciting barometer. Yes, at 80, he’s physically slowing down. Even so, at 77, I’m fairly certain the Republican front runner couldn’t beat him in a foot race. But that’s not where the right wants you to focus your attention, is it? The “concerns” his detractors spotlight call into question President Biden’s mental fitness. The man speaks slowly, he sometimes stutters, and he uses quaint phrases like, the fact of the matter is or here’s the deal. But, the fact of the matter is–President Biden has always talked that way; it’s not a new development showing some kind of diminished capacity. Besides which, if we actually compare the two, I’m certain the Republican front runner, who has trouble putting a grammatically correct sentence together without the help of a speech writer, has numerous memory lapses and pronunciation gaffs we could highlight.

    Behind Door Number 2 is a man who doesn’t care if he makes enemies of our allies. In fact, at a rally in South Carolina on Saturday (2.10.24) 45 repeated a story he told in 2020 about a NATO ally asking him whether or not, as President, he would defend a NATO ally that hadn’t met a certain financial thresh hold. The former president bragged about telling this ally, “NO. I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them [Russia] to do [to you] whatever the hell they want.” This isn’t 45 being tough; this is 45 being reckless.

    Behind Door Number 2 is a man who has already proven he will gladly put his own interests ahead of the countries. After whining about the southern border crisis for years, he ordered Republicans in Congress to kill the bipartisan bill that actually addressed the problem. The bill, hammered out by James Langford–republican, Chris Murphy–democrat, and Kyrsten Sinema–independent, would have added 1500 border security agents, given the president the power to close the border, and heightened the standards for asylum. Why did 45 want to kill the bill? Because he wants to campaign on immigration.

   Behind Door Number 2 is a man who lies and cheats and breaks the law to get what he wants, often bragging about it or making exceptions for himself in the process. In May 45 was found liable for sexually abusing Jean Carroll. And, in January he was ordered to pay $83 million dollars to the same Jean Carroll after continuing to defame her character. Last September he was found liable for fraud in a New York civil case. In addition, the former president has 80-plus indictments still waiting for litigation, not the least of which are charges for his part in the January 6th insurrection: 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–our rights–as voters!

    In order to shift the focus away from the Republican candidate’s legal problems, some may point out that President Biden was recently investigated after classified documents were found in his home and private residence. The details his detractors tend to leave out are that as soon as the documents were discovered by people on Biden’s team, the proper authorities were contacted and the documents were turned over to the DOJ. Biden was investigated by a special prosecutor and on February 5, 2024 the special prosecutor announced that no charges would be filed. By way of contrast, in June, a Florida federal grand jury charged Mr. Trump with 1. the unauthorized retention of national security secrets and 2. obstruction of efforts by the government to retrieve the files. In August of 2022, a literal raid was conducted at Mar-A-Lago to retrieve the classified documents the former president refused to return. Trump’s trial date has been set for May 20, 2024.

    When picking between Door Number 1 and Door Number 2 in November, my hope is that Americans will see the difference between substance and appearance, leadership and chaos, integrity and a sham. My hope is voters will understand that our democracy is literally on the line Because even though what’s behind Door Number 1 might seem old to some, boring to others, and overly cautious to the rest of us, the man behind Door Number 2 is worse. Unlike the flat tire that isn’t great but doesn’t actually hurt anything if Let’s Make a Deal contestants choose the wrong door, if Americans picks the wrong door the boobie-prize waiting for us is dangerous. A proven criminal and a wanna-be dictator, he’s already shown us he won’t respect the law, doesn’t care what’s in the Constitution, and could literally not care any less about the American people.

    Still wishing for Door Number 3? The outraged, progressive part of me doesn’t blame you. I was born in an era when women were not allowed their own bank accounts, still needed their father’s or husband’s permission to get a credit card, couldn’t take out a loan without a male co-signer, and could be fired for becoming pregnant, even if they were married. So, I understand, at least to a small extent, what it means to be denied rights enjoyed by others. The reality in today’s America is that Black, Indigenous, People of Color, religious minorities, and LGBTQ communities continue to experience more unacknowledged bias and discrimination than I ever have. I do not begrudge the frustration, anger, and despair felt by so many, in a country that should know better. I agree Americans deserve Door Number 3!

    But, there is no such door.

    Not in this election. Not when the country is so divided and disinformation rages unchecked. Not when the Middle East is broiling and Russia and China stand poised ready to pounce as soon as Americans fail to pick wisely. Every issue Americans care about–climate change, immigration reform, body autonomy, health care inequities, the atrocities in Gaza, the national debt, public education, securing a living wage, support for the military and their families, voter suppression, criminal justice reform–has a better chance for a positive outcome under the current administration and a Democratic Congress than it has had under the former administration and a Republican Congress. Governing–keeping one eye on the current situation while keeping another eye on the future and working alongside your opponents to get things done–is much harder than blindly doing whatever you want in the moment because it makes you look good or the crowd cheer.

    Behind Door Number 1 we have a selfless Leader. Behind Door Number 2 we have a Despot. And behind Door Number 3–no matter what you tell yourself you’re choosing–is a trap door that sends the country right back to Door Number 2. Americans must choose wisely.