Arizona

The Ultimate Primary Battle: Trump Vs DeSantis, Florida Presidential Primary, Tuesday March 19, 2024!

The nation is one year away from the ultimate primary battle–the struggle to win the Florida Republican Presidential Primary between two Floridians: former President Donald Trump and Florida second term Governor Ron DeSantis.

While the possibility exists that Trump, if indicted, might be forced out of the race, and that DeSantis might flop in earlier primaries and caucuses before Tuesday March 19, 2024, at this point, it seems highly likely that the battle between the two Floridians will occur, and may decide who is the Republican Presidential nominee in 2024!

And a third candidate, one of a large group, could surprise, and emerge and be the frontrunner in the race.

With both Trump and DeSantis being unwilling to back Ukraine against Russia, a Republican who backs the importance of sustaining Ukraine and the NATO alliance, could suddenly emerge.

It is important to keep in mind that NEVER at this point of a Presidential campaign, has anyone who went to become President, been seen as the likely winner in the past century, so suprises could occur!

March 19, 2024 will be a very big day, as Arizona, Illinois, Ohio and Virginia will also be voting in primaries!

The Ten Greatest Political Villains Of 2022! And An Addendum!

Yesterday, I published a post on the ten greatest Political Heroes of 2022.

So now, it is time to indicate who I believe are the ten greatest Political Villains of 2022!

In no special order, I would list the following:

Republican House Minority Leader, possibly Speaker of the House (hopefully not), Kevin McCarthy of California, who time again and again showed he had no spine, being a supplicant to Donald Trump, and demonstrating no principle or ethics in his crazed desire to be Speaker, two heartbeats away from the Presidency. The thought of him being that close in the line of succession is horrifying, not that there are very good alternatives!

Election Denier, and symbol with clenched fist, Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, who promoted sedition and treason! He faces reelection in 2024 and should be soundly defeated!

Election Denier and most obnoxious Senator (with other competitors), Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who this author and blogger thought in 2016 was the most dangerous Republican running for President, even more than Donald Trump! He faces reelection in 2024 and should be soundly defeated!

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a man who once had some intelligence, but after Arizona Senator John McCain died, has become a total Donald Trump sycophant!

Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, a very unstable and unpricipled excuse for a human being, who, somehow, was able to defeat one of the best US Senators of modern times, Russ Feingold, in 2010 and 2016, and then a very talented Lieutenant Governor, African American Mandela Barnes in 2022. Johnson is one of the worst figures in Senate history!

Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, an obnoxious and unprincipled man who, sadly, is likely to become House Judiciary Committee Chairman in the 118th Congress in 2023!

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who won his third term as Governor in 2022, despite his horrendous policies and lack of compassion, and is likely to pursue a Presidential candidacy for 2024!

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who won a vast reelection victory in 2022, and is seen as the front runner for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2024, despite his intolerant and authoritarian bent, and his high level of arrogance and cockiness, on a multitude of issues. These include the COVID 19 Pandemic; Gay and Transgender Rights; Racial and Religious Minorities; interference in the teaching of History and Literature, and Manipulating School Boards and Libraries; and extreme Gerrymandering of Congressional Districts, which took away two African American seats, and gave the Republicans the control of the House of Representatives in the 118th Congress!

Arizona Republican Gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake, who used the same tactic as Donald Trump, promoting the “Big Lie” about her defeat in the recent elections in her state. She has just been repudiated in court in her attempt to reverse a clearcut victory by her opponent, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. Good riddance to the most obnoxious woman imaginable!

Finally, on this list, former President Donald Trump, the most dangerous and worst US President in American history, twice impeached, and a close ally of totalitarian dictators around the world, willing to overthrow the US Constitution, rule of law, and American democracy. He needs to be prevented from running again for President, and indictment and conviction on the four charges brought against him by the January 6 House Committee is essential, to prevent any future tyrant from taking the kind of actions that this most evil man took! He harmed so many Americans during his term, as well as having the responsibility for the deaths, destruction and violence, in the worst attack on the US Capitol since the War of 1812!

And now an Addendum:

The Supreme Court has become a disgraceful, power hungry, extremist right wing organization!

Chief Justice John Roberts has lost his desired reputation as the leader of his Court, and in particular, Clarence Thomas (appointed by George H. W. Bush) and Samuel Alito (appointed by George W. Bush) have been totally out of control, and both will go down as two of the very worst Supreme Court Justices in American history! The names and reputations of both Bush Presidencies are permanently besmirched as a result!

Arizona And Georgia Key States Now, NOT Florida And Texas!

As a result of the Midterm Elections of 2022, after the Presidential Election of 2020, it is clear that Arizona and Georgia are the key states for the Democrats, although they do not make up for the Republican dominance of Florida and Texas!

But with Pennsylvania and Michigan also becoming more likely Democratic based on recent elections, and adding the Northeast and Pacific Coast, the Midwest states of Illinois and Minnesota, and a few Mountain states, such as Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada, the prognosis for the Democrats in 2024 and beyond, is looking good, in regards to the Electoral College!

Liz Cheney Vows To Do What Has To Be Done To Keep Donald Trump Out Of White House!

Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming was interviewed at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday.

Vice Chair of the January 6 House Committee investigating the US Capitol Insurrection, but defeated for renomination in her home state, Cheney has vowed that she will do what has to be done to keep Donald Trump out of the White House in the Presidential Election of 2024.

She has hinted at running for President, to stop Trump, and willing to support Democrats, even though she does not believe in many of their ideas, but sees Trump as a “clear and present danger” to American democracy.

She plans to campaign for Democrats in states where Republicans are election deniers, including for Katie Hobbs in Arizona and against Kari Lake, one of the wackiest Republicans running for Governor in the midterm elections. Also, she will campaign against Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania, running against Democrat Josh Shapiro for Governor.

And Cheney has said that if Donald Trump is nominated for President in 2024, she will no longer be a Republican!

Republican Party A Threat With “Election Deniers” And “Election Doubters” In 2022 Midterm Elections!

With the Midterm Elections of 2022 on the horizon, the Republican Party represents a threat, due to such a large percentage of office seekers being “Election Deniers” or “Election Doubters”. These can be called the “MAGA” Candidates!

In the US Senate, we have seven Senators who refused to back the Electoral College vote on January 6, 2021, even after the Insurrection took place on that day at the US Capitol. They are not facing reelection this year, but three Senate candidates are “Election Deniers”, and seen as likely to win Senate seats, so making 10 Senators in this category.

In the House of Representatives, there are 118 seated “Election Deniers” and 8 “Election Doubters” in the chamber, running for reelection, and likely to keep their seats in the lower chamber.

In the Governorships, there are 2 “Election Deniers” and 3 “Election Doubters” seen as likely to either keep their seats or win their seats, and this does not include the possibility of Arizona and Pennsylvania being won as well.

Out of 541 Republicans running for office, 199 are “Election Deniers”, and 62 have raised questions about the 2020 election, with 118 candidates refusing to comment at all, with only 74 fully accepting the 2020 election results, and 88 accepting but with some reservations.

Overall, 60 percent of Americans will have an “Election Denier” on their ballots in November!

Nationally, 27 states have “Election Deniers” running, including much of the Midwest, Mountain States, New England, and the South, but also including New York and Pennsylvania!

And Arizona is perceived as the most “rebellious” state of all, regarding the House membership, the Senate race, and also the Governorship!

These statistics come from a report from the website “Five Thirty Eight”, and I thank them for this information!

This is alarming, almost like the Confederate States of America taking over the Governorships and US Congress after the Civil War!

Potential For Democrats To Gain Multiple Senate Seats In Midterm Elections Of 2022

The potential now exists for the Democrats to gain multiple Senate seats in the Midterm Elections of 2022!

With six Republicans Senators retiring, at least three of those seats could go to the Democrats, along with three Republican Senators running for reelection having troubles in their reelection campaigns.

Pennsylvania with John Fetterman; Ohio with Tim Ryan; and North Carolina with Cheri Beasley, all have a good shot to win what have been Republican seats.

Additionally, Florida with Val Demings and Wisconsin with Mandela Barnes could see the defeat of Marco Rubio and Ron Johnson. And the longest serving Republican Senator, Chuck Grassley, running at age 89 for another six year term, also has a tough race from retired Admiral Michael Franken that should not be ignored.

Four Democratic Senators have major challenges to keep their seats—Mark Kelly in Arizona; Raphael Warnock in Georgia; Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada; and Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire.

Also, Mike Lee in Utah has a strong independent, Evan McMullin, trying to defeat this loyal Trumpite, and Democrats are backing him.

Rand Paul in Kentucky has a strong African American opponent in Democrat Charles Booker, and the defeat of Paul would be welcome, but unexpected.

In Missouri, Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine will try to stop Republican Eric Schmitt, another tough race without an incumbent, but Schmitt favored to win.

The possibility of up to a 4-5 seat gain for Democrats is in the cards, if the present trend in polls continues!

Today’s Primaries Are Crucial For The Future

Five states are holding primaries today, and they are crucial for the future.

In Kansas, those who vote can insure the continuation of abortion rights, or make Kansas a backward, oppressive state.

In Missouri, we could end up having a former governor, Eric Greitens, accused of sexual and physical abuse of others, including his former wife and children, become the Republican nominee for the US Senate!

There are primaries for three Republican House members who voted to impeach Donald Trump, one in Michigan, and two in Washington state.

And Arizona looks as if it is on the way to nomination of Republicans who are promoters of the “Big Lie”, that Donald Trump won the Presidential Election of 2020, not President Joe Biden.

This is a scary, troubling time, and could portend greater grief and suffering in the future!

Investigation And Accountability Of Donald Trump Moves Ahead In Multiple Locations!

The investigation and accountability of Donald Trump is moving ahead in multiple locations.

In Georgia, the move is on to form a special grand jury to pursue Trump on his interference with the Georgia Secretary of State, trying to have 11,780 votes found that would win that state for Trump, rather than Joe Biden, who won by 11,779 votes. The phone call between Brad Raffensperger and Donald Trump is clearcut evidence of illegal tampering.

In New York State, and New York City,Trump and his family are being investigated for tax fraud about his properties, and NY Attorney General Letitia James is on the case full time.

With evidence of attempts to send alternative slates of electors for Trump in states Biden won, we are having legal action in Michigan, Arizona, and five other states moving forward.

With the Supreme Court allowing Trump documents from January 6, 2021 to go to the House January 6 Committee (Trump V Thompson), we are learning about all kinds of illegal actions and conspiracies by Trump, his family, and close associates. The House Committee is getting ready to take action against Trump conspirators and the President and his family members as well, holding them accountable for the attack on the US Capitol on January 6.

Afghanistan Crisis May Harm Joe Biden’s Agenda In Congress, And His Public Opinion Support

The Afghanistan Crisis over evacuations may harm Joe Biden’s Agenda in Congress.

After accomplishing so much in his first seven months in office, there are Democrats now who are alienated from Biden, on the issue of infrastructure, with moderates and progressives with different views on timing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill, which has gained Republican support, and the Human Infrastructure bill, with no Republican support.

The issue of Voting Rights legislation is also in trouble, as Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and other states are setting up voting barriers for future elections.

Afghanistan, and the way Joe Biden has dealt with it, has also made some Democrats highly critical of the failure of the Biden Administration to plan removal of Americans and Afghans who helped the war effort on a timely basis, rather than the total chaos and anarchy now occurring at Kabul Airport.

Joe Biden’s public opinion support on his Presidency and on Afghanistan policy has been high, but now there is danger of that support collapsing.

And there are Republicans and right wing talk show hosts who are calling for Joe Biden to resign, or that he should be impeached, although there is no chance of any success on impeachment or conviction, and clearly, no possibility of resignation.

But the situation in Afghanistan muddies the waters dramatically!

56th Anniversary Of Voting Rights Act, Now A Major Crisis Of American Democracy!

On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, supported by Democrats, but also a substantial number of Republicans, who understood that voting rights were the central human right in a nation that was a democracy.

It was a reaction against the denial in the former Confederates states of the South to enforce the 15th Amendment of 1870, which gave men of color the right to vote after the Civil War.

Now, America is again in a crisis, as the Supreme Court cut back enforcement of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, in Shelby County V. Holder, and many Republican states are now claiming voter fraud in 2020, when it did not exist, and are passing all kinds of restrictions to prevent minority voters, young voters, and poor people from their constitutional right to vote.

Texas, Georgia, Florida and Arizona, and their crooked, corrupt governors and state legislatures are trying to fix the results of future elections, by making it impossible or extremely difficult for people to vote, and Texas has seen the Democrats in the state legislature for the past month and more, leaving the state and coming to Washington, DC to promote a restoration of the Voting Rights Act.

These Texas Democrats face arrest and possible imprisonment, which should not be permitted, and instead, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the right wingers in his state and others, should face prosecution for what they are attempting to perpetrate.

H R 1–For the People Act, and H R 4–John Lewis Voting Rights Act, need to be passed into law now!