Imagine!

From the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.... a showcase of a most beautiful song (by John Lennon) that wouldn't be a highlight in most countries, including the US: "Imagine there's no heaven...no hell below us...imagine all the people living for today...nothing to kill for...and no religion too"

Trump Can't Play the Victim Card When He's Been Encouraging Political Violence All Along.

 

Let's NOT forget HOW we got to this point, while condemning the assassination attempt.

Political violence as an acceptable means has been repeatedly endorsed by Trump and many of his cohorts and supporters. Let's see if prez Biden says he loves the shooter, that there are "good people on both sides." Or whether the president can order to take Trump out..... Of course, this will be an "official act" as per SCOTUS. He can also pardon anyone, and can free the "hostages" ....those who may be arrested in taking Trump out.

 

Obviously, I am NOT serious about any official or unofficial act that uses violence to achieve a political goal. But those on the fascist right who have been using dehumanizing language and threats for revenge, and hunt Dems, and, and... must be held accountable. We, on the progressive side, would strike anyone off any list of potential leaders if they bragged about shooting someone on Fifth Avenue and be proud that they'd not lose any support... Tsk.

 

Actually I want Trump to be alive to experience another humiliating defeat [if the Dems get their act together and choose another prez candidate] in this election. I'm looking forward to enjoying watching Trump face justice in the months after the election. I'm enjoying how Trump's lawyer and buddy, Giuliani is going down.

The Supreme Court's Conservatives are Unhinged Opening the Door to Authoritarianism

 You better vote for whomever Dem runs against Trump, because Trump would have no limits on his "official acts." The 5 con majority on SCOTUS, (even Barrett couldn't support this) decided that evidence of corruption or illegality were part of an "official act" such evidence cannot be used to prosecute a president. In what country you may ask.....

 

 

The Democrats Cannot Be Like the Other Party... They Must Be Smarter in Order to Save Our Democracy.

I'm tired of the arrogance of anyone who thinks of themselves as more important than the values they represent, especially when they can do the right thing and exit the stage before the events overtake them and their legacy is destroyed. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Joe Biden, Sonya Sotomayor come to my mind today.

Well, if they were listening to me... First, the Dem players who can force Biden out have to agree he should go. However, the timing and the how could play out indirectly. After polls show Biden's appeal with the persuadable voters is abysmal (which is the case now), the would-be successors pledge support for Biden as they have done after his terrible show.  But in private, they'd tell him otherwise. No one wants to appear as a backstabber publicly. Why? Because it may make JB less likely to bow out, and they'd also want to be in prime position for the 2028 election--if it happens! So, Biden will decide "on his own" sometime this month (July) to pass the torch to a new gen of Dems after having saved our democracy! The convention can pick the nominee, preferably by ranked choice ballot.

It's a ridiculous argument some Dems are making now that Biden rebounded... that it was just a bad night for him... that he's raised tens of millions $ after the "debate". That money came from people who will vote for Biden and the party's candidates. But, BUT, this is not how the election will be decided. It's a small minority of voters (the vast majority of voters are already committed and won't change) who do not think Biden deserves another term. When it mattered (June debate) he couldn't deliver. When Obama lost his first debate nobody was questioning his cognitive ability or his age! Joe had only one task: to convince the voters he could be president, now and in the future. Optics matter more than citing some numbers and esoteric policies (he fumbled those too). Bernie Sanders is one year older than Biden but have you seen him recently? He's feisty and a very clear communicator. All of us we'd be talking about different topics today had Bernie faced Trump in the debate!

 

In the best case scenario the few voters who are up for grabs and don't like both candidates may not vote for Drumpf but they can also stay home, which would be bad for Dems. TURNOUT is the key in this election as it was in 2020...   Oh, and Biden took those 3-4 must-win states by a few thousands of votes! He cannot afford to lose any votes this year! Not showing up because they don't like Biden will also mean all Dems down ballot will suffer. Control of Congress is at stake too in addition to a myriad of other state and local races.

 

If they were still listening.... Biden can perform another great act: convince Justice Sotomayor (age 70 and not in good health) to retire now! The Dems can replace her before they lose the Senate--as this is likely given the map this year for them. If the Repubs win the Senate, the Dems can forget about getting anyone to the SCOTUS. In an ingenious twist, Biden nominates Kamala Harris to the SCOTUS.   This would be a masterful move imho.

Anybody Can Have a Bad Debate but not Prez Biden at this point. The Stakes are Very High.

 

You know it was a terrible night for Biden when almost anyone else--especial those on the deep Dem bench--could have done better on the debate even without any preparation. The contrast between the two candidates couldn't be greater but Joe failed to communicate that to 50 million voters who watched the debate. Granted, most had already made up their minds and won't change, but the uncommitted and all those who will get their news later were not convinced to vote for the president again.

My goodness, who prepped him? In his closing statement he didn't even mention abortion rights--one of the most important issues in this election! At times he fumbled, was incoherent, couldn't be heard, and the optics--oh, yes the optics everyone learned about the Nixon-Kennedy TV debate--were horrible. He looked very old and out of it.

 

Biden's handlers cannot spin this, I don't think. What was a whisper, now it's an open demand for Joe's withdrawal. I'm happy to see the "liberal media" reports what we all saw--unlike the faux news on the other side. The Dems must show that they have the guts to do the right thing, which will be another big contrast to the R party's eagerness to support a felon and the worst of the worst.

Joe must release his delegates--the sooner the better--and he can go into retirement on Jan. 20th, 2025 as the best president in my lifetime.

 

This is a similar situation like the RGB and the Supreme Court. She refused to step down after several serious health issues despite being on the court for a long while and being part of a progressive legacy. She made herself bigger than what was at stake. In the end, just before she died, she wished someone like her would replace her on the SCOTUS. He successor has been making sure that her legacy is being erased. Biden must realize that Trump CANNOT be president again and do what he can to prevent that. Believing sycophants or letting his ego guide him will likely prove to be disastrous.

 

 

 

 

GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS! An Al Capone moment for the Donald

Maybe this is an Al Capone moment, but there was (still is actually) a question about the US justice system has some modicum of equal justice. Since he declared his candidacy, Trump demeaned everyone he didn't like, including the institutions that hold our system together. Attacking the legitimacy of those who can check the unlawful, the crooks & liars is a known tactic in the authoritarian's play book.
In the same sense, Trump is running to destroy all those checks & balances.

Trump is now a convicted felon. We didn't need this verdict--on top of all the other verdicts (like sexual assault, business fraud, etc. etc)--to figure out who Trump is. But, we have to be asking this question every single day: Why should anyone vote for a convicted felon?

As to the punishment, any other person would be send to prison, had they violated 10 gag orders (many about personal attacks on judge, jurors, et al, intimidation, incitement, etc.), prior conduct, lack of remorse, recidivism, and obstruction of justice.

Have a Good Memorial Day and Don't Forget What it Means

 

You mean, we're not celebrating "those losers" [as per Trump] on Memorial Day? What are we to make those veterans who support Trump? Or, the law & order people? Tsk.
 



FROM 4 STAR Army GENERAL H.R. McMaster, hired by Trump as his National Security Advisor: "[Trump's] failure to condemn white supremacy “gives space to these groups that foment hatred and intolerance.”
 
FROM Dan Coats, hired by Trump as his Director of National Intelligence (two photos, sorry): "He doesn't know the difference between the truth and a lie."
 
FROM 4 STAR Navy Admiral William McCraven, Commander, US Special Operations, Seal Commander who took out Osama bin Laden and coordinated the capture of Sadaam Hussein: Trump's comments "may be the greatest threat to democracy in my lifetime."
 
FROM 4 STAR ARMY GENERAL Barry McCaffrey. He received three Purple Heart medals for injuries sustained during his service in the Vietnam War, two Silver Stars, and two Distinguished Service Crosses—the second-highest United States Army award for valor. He was inducted into United States Army Ranger Hall of Fame at the United States Army Infantry Center :[Trump] "is a serious threat to USA national security."
 
CIA Director Gina Haspel, Trump's CIA choice: Haspel said Trump's post-election behavior was 'insanity' and he was 'acting out like a 6-year-old with a tantrum."
 
Of course there are dozen of others in the Trump administration who have revealed his dangerous incompetency. But, most Republicans don't have the integrity to oppose him. Even N. Haley's "totally unhinged" Trump is now better than Joe Biden's "catastrophe"... 

American Democracy in Crisis. Who's to Blaim?

So, did you hear that 1 in 5 Americans thinks that president Biden is responsible for the Supreme Court taking away women's constitutional right to abortion? So what about the other 4 in 5 Americans, you ask. Well, another 2 live in an alternative universe, where Trump won in 2020 and that he's being prosecuted by Biden's judges!

Most Americans believe the economy is bad, when economic indicators, like inflation, wages, unemployment show otherwise. Likewise with Americans believing there's a "carnage" out there (as Trump and Fox claim) when crime has fallen to historical low levels.

Yeah, everyone has opinions and nowadays this is also taken as reality in some circles. But, to have Supreme Court justices believing in non-reality and proudly displaying such opinions strikes at the core of the court's legitimacy and impartiality.

You guessed it, I'm talking about Alito and Thomas (I can't call them justices) whose conduct has been disgraceful and utterly corrupting of our judicial system. These canks who supported the insurrection, the Big Lie, and Xtian nationalism, and other crazy notions, didn't have the integrity to recuse themselves when relevant cases came to the SCOTUS. This crisis is further exaggerated by the intentional court delays that benefit Trump and further defraud American voters who should know where the Republican presidential nominee is a convicted felon before this critical election.

Yes, president Biden and his party, the reliable news media, and everyone in position to disseminate accurate information have an important task in this election, because campaigns rely on getting a party's base to come out and vote--they rarely change opinions to make people change their votes. They have to make connections between a candidate or a party and the voters. Biden and the Dems have a lot to be proud of in terms of actual and sequential public policies, but many Americans aren't aware of.

And, yes, the alternative--Trumpism and that Republican party--is NOT acceptable. Unfortunately, the so-called "liberal media" are too cautious and are falling back to the days of equal distance in order to appear fair and balanced. But the world and reality don't always exist at the mid point, like between the flat earthers and the sane ones.

 

Pence is a Very Sinful Man Who Faciliated Evil by Abetting Trump's Crimes

Better late than never? But most of those who have come out against Trump kept QUIET when they should have come out as soon as they realized how dangerous he was/is. Indeed many of them facilitated this madness we've been going through by empowering this malignant man.

Most of them didn't discover who he is after Jan. 6th 2021, unless they're idiots with the worst political judgment. They are now against him because he is a LOSER! I bet you if he was still president they'd still be kissing his ass.

Of course if someone is in a cult it's hard to appeal to them. So for them it doesn't matter that his faithful VP, Pence, (who survived Trump's mob who wanted to hang him) just said he won't be endorsing him.

There are dozens of Trump's inner circle (he chose the BEST as he often bragged) have now come out against their former boss. None of them spoke when it mattered, like during Trump's impeachment(s).

- Chief of Staff, and the Chief of Staff to the CoS.
- Two Defense Secretaries
- Two Homeland Security Secretaries
- Two National Security Advisors
- Three communications directors
- White House and personal lawyers
- Numerous state and local Republican elected officers
- And, 60 courts that threw out his false claims about stolen election
- And,....

When Image is More Important than Substance. Or, how to not evaluate politics

When president Roosevelt died a few months after his fourth inauguration, no one said they regretted voting for him. At age 63, on his last day alive, he was better than any Republican that ran against him. The true, essential job of a president is making decisions. FDR made many, most beneficial to the people (here and abroad), and steered the country in troubled times.

 

You never know all the crises that may arise during a president's term. Some are already known, like Putin's threats, but a pandemic like Covid may appear. What we knew about Trump's dangerous incompetence before the election was in full effect during Covid. Hundreds of thousands of Americans died because of it. But, "those emails"...

 

 

The NYT and other liberal media have been a lot more critical, with many more stories, about Biden's age and frequent faux pas than Trump's more frequent and much more ridiculous statements. It's a repeat of 2015-16 when far more stories appeared about Hilary Clinton's minor infraction with the emails than her adversary's dangerous incompetence.

The Most Courageous & Difficult Act: Peace!

 Please see this NYT piece:

 Choose peace--the opposite of revenge

 

Beautifully written. And this from a Palestinian doctor who's lost family members to this long conflict: "“The only real revenge for murder,” he said, “is achieving peace.” Cursed be they who cry out: Revenge. We choose life."  

 

All this violence serves those who want violence as a way of life & death.

A Butterfield Moment... [If only more Republicans had the decency of Butterfield and Hutchinson]

When I was a polisci student I remember my professors saying that our institutions would most probably protect us from authoritarian rule. Well, I now say it wasn't the institutions, not alone anyway. We've been lucky, so far, with the former president's attempts to destroy our democracy and any institution that stood it his way.

 

But, it was a few people who decided to do the right think, that is, have allegiance to the Office of the President and the Constitution, instead to ..Nero. But Nero is back and if elected it'll be revenge time and he won't allow anyone but a stooge and a lackey to be in positions of power--no guardrails for democracy.

 

We owe gratitude to Cass Hutchinson for testifying under oath (and more to come in the criminal cases agains the former guy). She also said that she has guilty for being COMPLICIT up to Jan. 6th. Many of the people in the previous admin. who are now revealing how malignant the Trump admin. was, had been part of the problem. They were enablers of the worst politics could produce and empower all the way to the White House. 

 

There is NOTHING new we've learned about Trump that we didn't know before. Yes, we have more details that he committed many more crimes, and he conspired to defraud the United States, the voters, and our democracy.

 

So, anyone who enabled this malignacy to spread far and wide in our society has to carry this guilt to their grave.

 

 

I appreciate Chris Christie, the only one on the debate stage among the Republican candidates the other day for saying Trump should be "voted off the island." But, Christie was an enabler too. I would like to ask him, when did he realize he was helping an arsonist and doing it for many years... Trump's character and actions were in display, at least when he entered the Republican politics by challenging the legitimacy of Barak Obama. Remember that? It's easier to go after someone when you (Christie) think he's a loser and will inflict another humiliating defeat to your party.

> By the way, I don't get what those Republican were debating on stage. If they thought that any of them is better for the presidency, they had to show or say so. But, other than Christie, they would support Trump for the presidency even if he is a convicted fellon! A fellon who conspired to overthrow democracy nontheless. Yeah, those Republicans... and their party, which still says that the Jan. 6th violent insurrection was "a legitimate politcal discourse."  In what universe?.... Tsk.

Choices, choice, Choices... Elections Have Consequences!

As I've debated countless times about the incredibly important decision of choosing a president, let's remember that life isn't only about 1 issue, generally speaking. A president and a party in power make a million decisions about policies, hire or appoint people in vital positions, promote certain values and steer the country into a certain direction.

 

For the last several years, we have one politically responsible party--yes, it's the Dems--and one anti-democracy, anti-science, anti-environment, religiously nutty parry--the Repubs.

 

 

Biden promotes workers' rights, and has passed pro-environment/science important bills. The Chinese are hoping Trump will win and kill anything that's "green" ecologically, including electric cars. He wants to get votes from the auto industry workers, and he'll get some as many people are known to vote against their economic interests.

 

Speaking of China and its leadership has been open about it: they'll keep building coal-fired plants until 2050. By 2030, they'll built 300 of them. OK, the Chinese poeple don't have a choice, but in the US we get what we deserve over all*. No?

 

 

*except when a state is gerrymandered to prevent the majority from being the ..majority, and when access to the ballot is restricted. Republican state governments now want to decide themselves--not the voters--who should win their state!

How Democracies Die

This is not just MAGA, it's the Republican Party's responsibility too

We all have our preferences, priorities and values. When it comes to public policy and electing representatives to lead the government, we can debate the issues. Reason and evidence should guide our important decisions. But before we have a conversation, we have to agree about the rules of logic, and evidence.

Likewise, if democracy is to survive, the major participants have to agree about the fundamentals of the game. One such rule is to accept the peaceful transition of government. The system has to have legitimacy, at least among those major players and teams that participate. There's no point having elections if the result is not respected by the participating major parties.

But, how about when there's cheating? Yeah, that would be very bad if it affected the end result of an election. The outcome of an election, wouldn't be legitimate then. However, false allegations, big lies, and unsubstantiated claims are equally harmful. There isn't a shred of evidence, for example, that the 2020 election was stolen, or fraud changed the outcome. 

When democracies die, there are many assassins, and most often among them are those established leaders that empower the murder of democracy. The Republican party [The RNC] has failed to condemn the Big Lie and the big liar. Actually, it has said that the Jan. 6th (2021) violent insurrection against the US Capitol was a "legitimate political discourse"!!!

That's why, in my view, anyone who agrees with this is dis-qualified from holding public office.

"During the first Republican debate of the 2024 presidential primary campaign last month, Donald Trump’s rivals were asked to raise their hands if they would support his candidacy, even if he were “convicted in a court of law.” Mr. Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election wasn’t just a potential criminal offense. It also violated the cardinal rule of democracy: Politicians must accept the results of elections, win or lose.

But that seemed to matter little on the debate stage..." [source: NYT 9/8/23]

How Democracies Die, by Levitsky and Zimblatt. A must-read book.

A Simple Approach to Education and Politics

As the new school year commences, education is under attack in our country. Who's attacking education? Isn't education a good thing? True education is learning HOW to think, not just absorb information. To learn history, what actually happened in the context of the time. To recognize that education is not a casual and superficial attempt to obtain a degree of some sort. It's about training your brain to obtain wisdom.

When students ask me what my political views are, I say that I support education, science, the environment, and, of course, the democratic principles that allow for free voting, free expression--which includes the individual pursuit of happiness--legitimacy of institutions, and peaceful transitions of power! 

 

Federal Indictment: Defendant Trump Conspired to Defraud the United States!

 "The Defendant, Donald J. Trump, did knowingly combine conspire, confederate, and agree with co-conspirators, known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to defraud the United States." From the indictment unsealed Aug. 1st, 2023.

This is one of the most important moments in our history (until the verdict is announced). The only president who conspired to overthrow a legitimate election (the most fair and open) and subvert our democracy. 

A Patriotic Message on the Fourth of July 2023

What's the meaning of the 4th of July nowadays? Love of the flag, bbq and the fireworks?... Or, the misguided and vile patriotism of the MAGA people? 

 

Back when, I learned about the Declaration of Independence and the new ideology of liberalism, the formation of a new nation with all its pitfalls and imperfections; and of the struggles to get to this point in history. I don't want to live in the fantasy of American exceptionalism and ideals of the Dark Ages--all of which are still very relevant, surprisingly in this 21st c. I don't want to see leaders who give permission to people to be free from the obligations of common decency!

 

Happy 4th! May you grow closer to independence and freedom--both start in your mind...

 

A patriotic message on the Fourth 

The Swamp Creature speaks...

Oh, yeah... (I posit sarcastically) Let's elect a young swamp man because the other guy is a dinosaur.

 The latest bright idea from the swamp (FLA) creature:

Question: Are you in favor of eliminating any agencies?

DeSantis: We would do education, commerce, energy, and the IRS. If Congress won’t go that far, I’m going to use those agencies to push back against woke ideology… pic.twitter.com/cAoZIXfESu
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 28, 2023

 

Most Republicans Exhibit Classic Cultist Behavior

 

It's one thing not to admit you were wrong because you lack integrity or courage, and another not to realize how foolish you've been. Everything we knew, suspected, reported, shown, exhibited, court-ruled, etc, about Trump has been verified, and most by people in his inner circle, and the courts--more of them to rule in the next couple years.

 

Every defense of this indefensible vile human being has collapsed other than the cultist devotion of Republicans. He's by far the front-runner in that anti-democracy party even after ALL the revelations about his actions.

 

The latest: we now have the recording in which he admits having top-secret docs and showing them to casual people (no security clearance) while laughing about handling national security docs. "Bring in some cokes".... He continues to cross the country on a campaign of blatant lies. Any legit news media should begin their coverage by saying... here's a dangerous liar who has been endangering our country. This must be acknowledged, over and over again--there's no middle ground between the sane and the insane.

 

He's "writing" a book and selling it to the gullible wingnuts. The title, "If I Did it".... 

 

We're Witnessing an Act of Sedition--A Fitting End to the Criminal Trump Administration

Too many Republicans, the base and elected leaders, are attempting to overthrow our democracy. They have been attacking the legitimacy of our institutions--the glue that keeps the country together. At least the visible ones, those who lead this cult, have earned a badge of shame disgrace (they're shameless) for the rest of their lives. Those in Congress, they should be remembered as usurpers, and plotters of a legislative coup d'etat. Today there's a firewall to stop this, but it may not be there in the future. Imagine in the House was controlled by the Repubs. Conceivably both Congressional chambers can reject the legitimate results of an election!

What we saw this morning was to see a standing ovation for those objecting to the certification of the Electoral College results. Yeah, just like a banana republic, where the absurd, the anti-democratic assaults receive standing ovation by elected officials in the US Congress who have taken an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States!

Joe Biden will be the next president of the US, and Kamala Harris the next VP, but 160 Congressional Republicans are putting the country through a sh*t show, because they can. Remember, they place their cult above any allegiance to the constitution, and democracy. They want to overturn the legitimacy of the election. They don't believe Dems can win elections that's why they have been attacking the legitimacy of Dems since the Clinton years. The transformation of the Republican party began with the election of R. Reagan, with the religious right, the conspiracy advocates, the anti-science, anti education, anti-civil rights/democracy, people taking control of the party. It's been 40 years in the making. They created a monster they cannot control now.

How can you even engage someone in dialogue/debate when they are not rational, don't follow logic, and they have "facts" based on crazy conspiracy theories and a rabid belief the other party can't possible win elections or trusted in government? Well, you know the answer....

Yet, Trump and this election revealed some ugly truths about America, and about the weaknesses of our system. Both are endemic and won't be fixed soon. The first ugliness is embedded in our society. How could this happen that this caricature of a president, who until this moment is debasing our democracy and institutions, came to be given the light of day for far too long.

....

At this hour, 2pm EST, the US Capitol has been stormed by Trump protesters. We're witnessing another violent attack by the Trump cultists. He spoke earlier to them and egged them to take back their country, while many Republicans inside were attempting a legislative coup. This is insane, and disgusting, but entirely predictable since 2016.

 

 

We Have to Accept the Facts: The Republicans are Hostile to Reality, Reason, and the Foundational Ideals of American Democracy!

Lots has taken place in the last several months, most notably the election and seemingly the end of a national nightmare/embarrassment, though Trump and his minions are still attacking our institutions and our democracy. But, we did avoid greater damage by making him the biggest loser, and by exposing him for what he is--an immature, petulant, malignant, dangerous autocrat, and most indecent person.

Yet, we have a problem. Not only such a person was able to back into the presidency, but there are so many Americans who are so divorced from reality that think he's great, and that he's been cheated out of a second term! This is in the face of reason and evidence. But, this is the product of a long cultivation of the Republican party's base that has turned people into cultists. The party itself, since Ronald Reagan (1980s), has been hostile to science,the environment, education, and reason! There's no wonder why so many Americans openly wear their ignorance and prejudice as badges of honor!

A second attribute of the "GOP" is its disdain of democratic values--what the American experiment in government aspired to be: of, for, by the people! The main core, base and leadership, of the Republican party has turned into a fanatical cult, which holds that those who have opposite views are "un-American" traitors, and that the Democratic party is does not have legitimacy to hold power, even if voters actually prefer it. The Republicans have been challenging the legitimacy of every single Democratic president or presidential candidate starting with Bill Clinton! 

I hope that the Biden-Harris team realizes this, and that they fight fire with fire. They should not have to plead for acceptance; they must assert and exhibit it. I'm tired of hearing "we have to reach across the aisle"! I do want cooperation and exchange of ideas, where debate is based on reason and facts. But, how can you reason with people who have "alternative facts" and think you're not even legitimate to sit at the table with them? 

Here's a great NYT Op-Ed, Dec. 16th, 2020:

By Paul Krugman

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Republicans spent most of 2020 rejecting science in the face of a runaway pandemic; now they’re rejecting democracy in the face of a clear election loss.

What do these rejections have in common? In each case, one of America’s two major parties simply refused to accept facts it didn’t like.

I’m not sure it’s right to say Republicans “believe” that, say, wearing face masks is useless or that there was widespread voter fraud. Framing the issue as one of belief suggests that some kind of evidence might change party loyalists’ minds.

In reality, what Republicans say they believe flows from what they want to do, whether it’s ignore a deadly disease or stay in power despite the voters’ verdict.

In other words, the point isn’t that the G.O.P. believes untrue things. It is, rather, that the party has become hostile to the very idea that there’s an objective reality that might conflict with its political goals.

Notice, by the way, that I’m not including qualifiers, like saying “some” Republicans. We’re talking about most of the party here. The Texas lawsuit calling on the Supreme Court to overturn the election was both absurd and deeply un-American, but more than 60 percent of Republicans in the House signed a brief supporting it, and only a handful of elected Republicans denounced the suit.

At this point, you aren’t considered a proper Republican unless you hate facts.

But when and how did the G.O.P. get that way? If you think it started with Donald Trump and will end when he leaves the scene (if he ever does), you’re naïve.

Republicans have been heading in this direction for decades. I’m not sure whether we can pinpoint the moment when the party began its descent into malignant madness, but the trajectory that led to this moment probably became irreversible under Ronald Reagan.

Republicans have, of course, turned Reagan into an icon, portraying him as the savior of a desperate, declining nation. Mostly, however, this is just propaganda. You’d never know from the legend that economic growth under Reagan was only slightly faster than it had been under Jimmy Carter, and slower than it would be under Bill Clinton.

And rapidly rising income inequality meant that a disproportionate share of the benefits from economic growth went to a small elite, with only a bit trickling down to most of the population. Poverty, measured properly, was higher in 1989 than it had been a decade earlier.

Anyway, gross domestic product isn’t the same thing as well-being. Other measures suggest that we were already veering off course.

For example, in 1980 life expectancy in America was similar to that in other wealthy nations; but the Reagan years mark the beginning of the great mortality divergence of the United States from the rest of the advanced world. Today, Americans can, on average, expect to live almost four fewer years than their counterparts in comparable countries.

The main point, however, is that under Reagan, irrationality and hatred for facts began to take over the G.O.P.

There has always been a conspiracy-theorizing, science-hating, anti-democratic faction in America. Before Reagan, however, mainstream conservatives and the Republican establishment refused to make alliance with that faction, keeping it on the political fringe.

Reagan, by contrast, brought the crazies inside the tent.

Many people are, I think, aware that Reagan embraced a crank economic doctrine — belief in the magical power of tax cuts. I’m not sure how many remember that the Reagan administration was also remarkably hostile to science.

Reagan’s ability to act on this hostility was limited by Democratic control of the House and the fact that the Senate still contained a number of genuinely moderate Republicans. Still, Reagan and his officials spent years denying the threat from acid rain while insisting that evolution was just a theory and promoting the teaching of creationism in schools.

This rejection of science partly reflected deference to special interests that didn’t want science-based regulation. Even more important, however, was the influence of the religious right, which first became a major political force under Reagan, has become ever more central to the Republican coalition and is now a major driver of the party’s rejection of facts — and democracy.

For rejecting facts comes naturally to people who insist that they’re acting on behalf of God. So does refusing to accept election results that don’t go their way. After all, if liberals are servants of Satan trying to destroy America’s soul, they shouldn’t be allowed to exercise power even if they should happen to win more votes.

Sure enough, a few days ago the televangelist Pat Robertson — who first became politically influential under Reagan — pronounced the Texas lawsuit a “miracle,” an intervention by God that would keep Trump in office.

The point is that the G.O.P. rejection of facts that has been so conspicuous this year wasn’t an aberration. What we’re seeing is the culmination of a degradation that began a long time ago and is almost surely irreversible.

The Relation Between Radicals, Moderates, and Conservatives

 NYT columnist David Brooks explains, in this OpEd,  that the "radicals" don't bring change; it's the moderates that do.

What is it that makes a person "conservative"? I think it's personality, it's the go-to, default, setting for the individual. Brooks has been a conservative, and as he says in his piece, over the years he moved right on certain issues that are more emotional (family, country, etc), and moved left on issues that can be rationally analyzed, like social programs, justice, etc.   For the same reason I don't like religion, I don't like conservatives..... and, I came to this by thinking and learning. The more I did the more ..radical I became in opposing conservatism and religion. They're both go hand in hand, most of the time, and they both want to hold progress back. By progress I mean positive change, not destructive radicalism.

Brooks says, " The people who come in their wake and actually make change are conservative radicals. They believe in many of the radicals’ goals, but know how to work within the democratic framework to achieve them."  He calls "radicals" those who aren't really radicals but are more vocal advocating for a sensible, more just society--which is already in place elsewhere. That's not ..radicalism, unless you compare it to a big mass in the US that is very conservative.  In this sense it's the ..perceived moderates (like Biden) or the "conservative radicals" as Brooks labels them, that facilitate change, because of the big mass who's afraid of "socialism".  But, yes, the envelope has to be pushed by the radicals in order for the moderates to have a chance of implementing reform.

Voting by itself is not enough. Activism and movements are necessary to stir up the status quo and usher new choices. These assaults on the status quo may be seen inconvenient or even threatening to many Americans, but they're important in accelerating change.

Biden's VP Choice Won't Change the Dynamics of the 2020 Election. Any Sensible Adult is Preferrable to the Dangerous, Incompetent, Most-Indecent Current President

 

Biden will announce his VP choice this week, after months of speculation and "advice", which advice is mostly what the "adviser" wants but not based on any evidence that such choice is a "must" or "will bring more votes to the ticket." There's no evidence to suggest that VPs bring any significant boost. They're part of the narrative about the main actor, and even that it's mostly discussed among the elites.

I'm mostly annoyed by those people who proclaim they won't vote for Biden because their preference (Sanders, Warren, or whomever else) didn't get the nomination. Above all, if they are not sufficiently motivated to vote to remove the most dangerous and unqualified president, then they're part of the problem, every problem they want to solve through politics. I question the judgment of such people, especially when they want to talk politics or analyze a situation.

If you're not motivated enough to vote this vile president out of office, along with his kakistocracy regime, then I don't care about your concerns. This is not normal times, and we shouldn't normalize Trump's behavior as another flavor of politics; he's so far out. And, to those who argued, in 2016, the DJT and HRC were more or less the same, you should refrain from making important political decisions. Also, if you don't vote to throw this spoiled child out, then you are NOT a progressive, for you're setting the country to continue sliding backward.

 

Now, I don't think there are many people who will not vote because of a VP choice, as they aren't that many who do vote for a ticket because someone is the VP-designee. I'm talking about significant numbers who can swing a national election, or even a state. I'm not saying it's impossible, but there isn't evidence that this has happened in the last 100 years.

For me, Biden's VP will be the next president, and therefore I want to see a competent person, who has political experience, preferably executive, someone who has won a serious election. My first choice would be Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, and, secondly, Kamala Harris.  But, the bottom line is that I'd vote for Biden, even if he was in a comma, and his VP choice was any sensible adult.

When Credulity, Uncritical Mind, and Perverted Love are Desirable Qualities

 

It's a sad day when Biden has to put out a statement re-affirming his faith (credulity, uncritical mind, ignorance on display), because some moron (DJT) made a gibberish statement that Biden has " no religion, no anything, hurt the Bible, hurt guns, hurt God..."

So, in a village where so many people are infected with a virus of the mind, proclaiming blindness, ignorance, and love for someone whom you fear, is considered an obligatory statement and positive attribute for any politician who wants to lead.... tsk. We're still so backward and primitive.

If Only We Had a Clue that Trump Would be so Bad.... (just kidding). Fortunately, We Have a Choice What to Do

How much more do you need to see in order to reject Trump as unfit to hold public office, that he doesn't have the temperament, maturity, sense of duty, expertise, leadership qualities, and just about everything a president of the US should have? And, how much more do you need to see to realize how unkind, uncaring, obtuse, vindictive, megalomaniac, egotistical, and destructive Trump is?

Even though it's good to see more and more Republicans denounce him, but with a few exceptions--those conservatives or Republicans who opposed him when he was a candidate and after he won the GOP nomination (indeed, very few)--everyone who voted and became an apologists for him shares part of the blame for this awful situation we're in today as a country. These supporters and apologists did not want to see; they were willfully ignorant, because the signs, the facts were there well before the election.

Yes, we need all the votes and voices in opposition to Trump and his cohorts, but we have to examine why this childish malevolent actor became president of the US. It's a systemic problem, especially with the Republican party, which also gave us another worst president, GW Bush in recent years.  Trump's political trajectory was made possible by a party that supported the worst kind of populism, myths, vile leaders, and has an ideology fit for the Dark Ages.

I'd like to think that the majority of Republicans aren't racists, but if someone is a racist, his party is the Republican party. There is a reason why the tea parties appeared after the first black president was elected. There is a reason why many white voters left the Democratic party after Obama was elected. There is a reason why Trump's racist rhetoric has agitated and mobilized individuals and groups who are white supremacists, xenophobes, and bigots of all stripes.

So, we have some systemic problems in our society. From the way we elect the president (Electoral College, not the majority of the voters), to the racial and economic divisions within our country, to the way the law and its instruments of power operates.  Some myths die hard--like the American dream--even if there's proof that many are illusions, or mass delusions.

Understandably many Americans are stressed, and have various degrees of financial insecurity. Our democracy, and most of our institutions--the glue that keeps our society together--have been losing legitimacy. Our social safety net needs to be expanded and strengthened. Perhaps COVID19 exposed the holes and weaknesses of our system and there will demands (and actual policies) to improve on the quality of life for the average American. We were, still are pioneers in many ways, but we've fallen behind other western democracies in terms of quality of life.

Only ideal candidates need apply, or, how some people help bring bad outcomes

The output of a very disturbed mind

Meanwhile on the progressive side of the political spectrum, there are those who are exhibiting Trump-like petulance: my way or the ..highway. These persons fail to understand--as they did in 2016--progress in life doesn't exist in an ideal form.

There are many forces, actors, and ideas that oppose progress. There always have been. These forces also vote, hold public offices, and have financial interests. It's prudent that we realize this, be realistic about it.

We have to examine the practical, and how close it is to our values. Of course I realize that sometimes there are only awful choices. Yet, this is not the case this year, nor it was in 2016, in my opinion.  Remember, that the ideal shouldn't be the enemy of the practical. I will vote for Joe Biden because it'll be good for the country--far better than the alternative.

There are those, like some "Bernie or bust" people, who are contemplating sitting out this election or waste their votes, again, on a minor party. The fact is that the next president will either be a Dem or a Repub. Likewise, our representatives in the Congress (House and Senate) will be Dems or Repubs. No minor parties are represented in Congress; same for state legislatures. This is the system we have, at least for now.

He may not have been my first choice among those who ran, but Joe Biden will probably be one of the most progressive presidents we've ever had. The party and key constituents have moved to further to the left and will influence his policies. He will restore dignity in the presidency. He will be a leader working with other heads of state not praise dictators while trying to emulate them.

He will have competent people in his administration. Science and the scientific approach/methodology will be officially supported and advanced. There will be no crime family at the White House to use the country as an emolument platform. The Attorney General will not be the president's personal lawyer, and there will be progressive judges appointed. I could go on and on, but the point is, don't reject someone because he is not perfect, or he has not attained perfection like you... especially when the choice is between your non-ideal but far better candidate and four more years of Trump along with the withering of our republic/democracy.