Month: March 2011

Senate Tea Party Membership And Their Allies Becoming The New Supreme Court?

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We live in crazy times, where states such as Arizona claim the right to nullification of federal laws and the Constitution of the United States, if they disagree with what the federal government is promoting.

Now we can add to that sad reality the declaration of the Tea Party Senate caucus, and others who have signed on this week, that they will block any bill they deem wasteful or unconstitutional, and prevent any new spending with equivalent fund cuts, but of course continue to promote special interest tax breaks.

Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina gained the backing of Utah Senator Mike Lee, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, and Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, all elected with the help of the Tea Party Movement.

But also joining them were Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, a new Senator who defeated a Tea Party candidate in the primary; Tom Coburn of Oklahoma; John Ensign of Nevada; and again, in a surprise move, making him ever inscrutable, John McCain of Arizona, who seemed to be moving back to the mainstream for a while after his election victory in November.

It is interesting that two other Tea Party backed candidates for the Senate who won–Marco Rubio of Florida and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania–chose not to sign the obstruction pledge.

Constitutional scholars point out that it is the Supreme Court which determines whether or not legislation passed by Congress is unconstitutional, not the US Senate.

So again, the Senate minority, even a small part of it, are determined to obstruct and block action and progress and continue the reputation of the Senate as a legislative body out of control and in need of basic reform!

Correction! Arizona In 2011 Is Both Mississippi And South Carolina!

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The author has already labeled Arizona, with its anti immigration legislation targeted at Latinos and Hispanics, as the equivalent of Mississippi in its treatment of African Americans in the 1960s.

Now, Arizona must also be compared to South Carolina, with its threat of nullification of federal laws and the Constitution, which went on from the 1830s with John C. Calhoun, all the way up to Fort Sumter and the Civil War in 1861!

It is extremely ironic that just as we are about to commemorate the tragedy of the Civil War’s beginning on April 12, we now have the Arizona State Senate passing legislation declaring the power to nullify federal laws and the US Constitution if they do not like what is being done!

This idea of defiance was supposed to be settled by the Civil War prosecution by Abraham Lincoln, and also supposed to be resolved by US National Guard intervention in Arkansas in 1957 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and in Mississippi and Alabama in 1962 and 1963 by President John F. Kennedy!

Now, however, State Senator Russell Pearce of the Arizona legislature is promoting defiance of the federal government, not only on immigration matters and the health care law, but also on anything else that he and his followers believe is unconstitutional!

Apparently, they have learned nothing from history, and the reality that only the Supreme Court can declare actions of the executive and legislative branches unconstitutional!

To advocate anything else is TREASON, subject to prosecution by the federal government if action is actually taken, and if need be, Presidential control of the state National Guard to enforce federal laws and federal court decisions, just as in the South in the 1950s and 1960s!

Anyone living in Arizona should be ashamed of what their government leaders are advocating, a path that would lead to chaos and lawlessness and abuse of power by state outlaws, and it might be necessary at some point to enforce federal law by intervention by Federal authorities!

Hopefully, before we get into that kind of crisis, cooler heads will prevail, as states may not defy the US Constitution and be allowed to get away with it!

This is a warning to Governor Jan Brewer, State Senator Russell Pearce, and other radical right wingers: Shape up or else suffer the consequences of disobedience of constitutional law!

The Ultimate Hypocrisy: Union Busters Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, And Sean Hannity Are AFL CIO Union Affiliated Members!

Ronald 2 Comments

For the past two and a half weeks, since the beginning of mass protests in Wisconsin against Governor Scott Walker’s plan to eliminate collective bargaining for most public employees, the biggest critics of labor rights have been talk show hosts on radio and Fox News Channel, including Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, and Sean Hannity.

All three have made the average listener or watcher think that the public service workers in Wisconsin and nationally–teachers, police officers, firefighters, nurses, librarians, sanitation workers, prison guards and others–are radicals, free loaders, extremists, etc. who are being grossly overpaid and gaining unjust pension and health care plans. They have been supporting the right wing attempt led by the Koch Brothers and other corporate interests to destroy the labor movement, which brought about the growth of the middle class.

But it has been proved that all three talk show hosts are, themselves, members of an AFL CIO Union affiliate, AFTRA, which is the acronym for the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists!

These demagogues make millions upon millions of dollars annually, and spew forth lies and propaganda! They have no shame, and are cocky and arrogant!

They find it easy to condemn teachers, who speak and communicate more hours per week than they do, but actually are having a real effect on young people, preparing them for all kinds of occupations, and also for being better human beings. Where would we be without our teachers, who are often unsung, but have a greater impact on more people than any other profession or field of work?

They find it easy to condemn police officers and firefighters who risk their lives every day! They find it easy to attack nurses who save lives every day. They take for granted the efforts of sanitation workers, prison guards, librarians and others who do important public service every day!

They show lack of respect for those on the government payroll who make our lives better every single day, and are NOT adequately recompensed!

What do these talk show hosts contribute? They promote hate, division, lies, propaganda, deception and confrontation, while enriching themselves with their spewing of “hot air”! They contribute NOTHING positive to the future of America, and they have the gall and hypocrisy to gain benefits from a labor union, and yet condemn labor unions and support corporate attempts to destroy the middle class, in their mad dash to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, and displaying lack of social responsibility to anyone other than their own greed and selfishness!

Presidential Challenges To The Power Of The Supreme Court: From Jefferson To Obama

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As the author reflected on yesterday, the 150th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration as President of the United States and his taking the oath of office from Chief Justice Roger Taney, he thought of the tremendous rivalry which existed between the Taney Court and Lincoln regarding the Dred Scott Case of 1857, which asserted that a slave was property and could be taken anywhere in the nation by his or her slave owner.

And the recognition of rivalry and opposition by many Presidents to the Supreme Court during their terms of office came to mind.

Thomas Jefferson was a great rival of his cousin, Chief Justice John Marshall, and bitterly opposed the Court’s decision in Marbury V. Madison, which established the concept of judicial review. Jefferson also tried very diligently to remove Associate Justice Samuel Chase by impeachment from the Supreme Court, which ultimately failed in 1805.

Abraham Lincoln bitterly disagreed with the Dred Scott V. Sanford case of 1857, and was a constant rival of Chief Justice Taney during the years of the Civil War, as Taney and his Court made efforts to weaken Lincoln’s war powers until his death in 1864, an event applauded by many members of Lincoln’s Republican Party.

Theodore Roosevelt often spoke of the need to transform the Supreme Court, and specifically called for a constitutional amendment to limit the tenure of Supreme Court Justices while campaigning on the Progressive Party line in 1912, and was critical of Supreme Court decisions that he thought were bad for the nation.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was highly critical of Supreme Court decisions that limited the New Deal programs, and advocated a “reorganization” of the Court in 1937, which would permit the appointment of six new Justices, one for each Justice over the age of 70, a plan called an attempt to “pack the Court” by its critics who defeated it.

And now, Barack Obama has been highly critical of the Supreme Court in the Citizens United Case, which certainly both Roosevelts would have joined him in opposing the unlimited power of corporations to contribute to political campaigns, an idea which became law in the Progressive Era, and now has been upended after nearly a hundred years by the John Roberts Court!

So challenges to the power of the Supreme Court have occurred under many Presidents, and most specifically, under those in the past considered to be among our greatest Presidents–Jefferson, Lincoln, TR, and FDR. Barack Obama is joining great company indeed!

March 4: The Ultimate Day In The History Of The Presidency!

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Today, March 4, is indeed the ultimate day for political junkies about the American Presidency!

March 4 was the Inauguration Day for all but 5 of the first 32 Presidents of the United States. Only George Washington (first term delayed inauguration to April 30), and the four Presidents (John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Chester Alan Arthur) never elected President before 1937 were NOT inaugurated on March 4, and since Washington WAS inaugurated for his second term on March 4, you could say four and a half Presidents were NOT inaugurated on March 4!

Of course, Inauguration Day was changed to January 20, via the 20th Amendment in 1933, making that the day of the inauguration, beginning every fourth year in 1937.

Not only was March 4 the Inauguration Day, but also it has been historic several times beyond just the simple fact of the date itself!

Today, 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated President in the midst of a national crisis which would lead to the outbreak of the undeclared Civil War six weeks later!

Also, 78 years ago today, Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated President in the midst of the greatest economic collapse in American history, the Great Depression!

Despite the generally acknowledged greatness of both Lincoln and FDR, there are still heated debates today by those who would condemn the actions these two Presidents took to save the nation!

But March 4 is more than just the historic inaugurations of our two greatest Presidents in 1861 and 1933.

It is also the 210th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson, the first opposition party candidate to be inaugurated peacefully, a marvel in world history.

It is also the 182nd anniversary of the inauguration of Andrew Jackson, the first President truly elected by popular vote of the masses, introducing the concept of democracy!

It is also the 146th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, often regarded as the best ever delivered!

It is also the 110th anniversary of the second inauguration of William McKinley with a new Vice President, Theodore Roosevelt, who within six months and ten days would suddenly succeed to the office of the Presidency, and have a massive impact on the institution and the country that no one could have imagined!

So March 4 is indeed an historic day, clearly the single most significant day of the year in the history of the American Presidency!

Republican Party Doctrine: Life Begins At Conception, And Interest In Life Ends At Birth!

Ronald 1 Comment

The Republican Party is working full scale against a woman’s right to choose, attempting every strategy possible to prevent abortion, no matter what the situation, and badmouthing Planned Parenthood, an organization which only has abortion rights as a small part of its mission to promote family planning, so as to make better parenting of children, which is something very much lacking in America!

So when one analyzes the Republican stand that life begins at conception and every child must be born, no matter what, and then realize that the Republicans now are trying to eliminate ALL aid to poor women and children, due to the budget crisis, one has to wonder how they can look themselves in the mirror!

Leave it to the GOP to try to eliminate all health, education and housing aid for the poor, and basically blaming poor people for being poor, when a large percentage of the poor ARE children born to teenage or 20s women out of wedlock, with the majority of the women being WHITE! This is the 19th century Social Darwinism at its worst being brought back in the 21st century!

So the Republican Party believes life begins at conception, and their interest in life ends with the birth of the child! Now you are on your own, and we don’t want to support you or even care about you, unless of course you kill your child, but no assistance is offered if a poor woman or couple cannot afford the child that is being forced on them by the strange morality of the Republican Party!

The Declining Unemployment Rate, Barack Obama, And The 2012 Presidential Election

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News has just come showing unemployment in February dropping to 8.9 percent, the lowest in nearly two years, specifically April 2009.

192,000 jobs have been added, a healthy sum, and private employment is rising, with public employment, ironically, dropping because of Republican governors cutting workers in their insane refusal to consider tax increases, thereby causing service delays and dangers that will start to impact the average citizen very soon.

There are economic prognostications now emerging that forecast that the unemployment rate will continue to decline over the next year and a half, and that it will be close to 7 percent by the time of the Presidential Election of 2012.

If that does indeed occur, then Barack Obama will be reelected President in November 2012 by a substantial margin, and with the GOP in disarray right now, and no one really strong yet emerging, the economy will be likely to decide ultimately that Obama will be a two term President!

The Danger Of The Westboro Baptist Church Decision: Violence Is Now Likely!

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The father of the fallen Marine, who sued the Westboro Baptist Church for disruption of his son’s funeral with anti gay hate demonstrations, now must pay court fees to the Reverend Fred Phelps, a damn shame after having suffered through having to see his son’s memory distorted by the presence of police, sheriffs, swat teams, and emergency vehicles to prevent violence.

So because of a so called church that promotes just the opposite of what religion is supposed to do, the taxpayers are stuck with a tax burden, and a family has to endure what no one wants at a funeral of a loved one, a disruption of one of the worst moments of anyone’s life!

The Marine’s father warned what is obvious: There will eventually be bloodshed as relatives of a fallen soldier will go after the Reverend Fred Phelps and his relatives with guns, and innocent bystanders at a funeral could also become victims.

As the father of the Marine said, the eight Supreme Court Justices showed no common sense in their decision.

And they forgot the basis of the Schenck V. US case of 1919, that there is no such thing as total freedom of speech, if it presents a “clear and present danger” to others. To live in an idealistic world view about the First Amendment right of freedom of speech is going to provoke more bloodshed and violence, and at some point, it will be recognized that the Supreme Court did not do the responsible thing in this case!

Fox News Channel And Avoidance Of Conflict Of Interest In the Republican Presidential Contest

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Fox News Channel loves to say that it is “fair and balanced”, and yet it employs numerous GOP leaders who are considered possible Presidential candidates for 2012.

So, in order to keep their image of “neutrality”, Fox News Channel has suspended the contracts of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum for 60 days, since both are clearly moving toward open candidacy. On May 1, if they have not clearly stated that they are not running for the White House, their contracts as commentators for the station will be ended.

It is fascinating that former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee have not been also suspended from their million dollar contracts with Fox News Channel.

The rationale is that neither has taken obvious steps toward a Presidential candidacy, even though both are among the top three in polls, sharing that with former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

Palin seems obviously unwilling to give up her unique position of being able to gain attention, but yet not give up her opportunity to strike it rich as a personality and celebrity. It is clear that she is not about to give up her lucrative income for an uncertain and difficult trek toward the nomination.

Huckabee has made it clear that he does not know whether he could raise enough money to compete with the expected nearly billion dollar investment by the Obama campaign for 2012, and has stated that it will not be easy to defeat a sitting President. So now that he has accomplished making “real money” for the first time in his life, he is reluctant to give it up, and who can blame him or Palin?

So with two of the top three in the polls very likely to bow out of the race, who gains? It seems to the author that Mitt Romney, former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty are the beneficiaries of these developments.

Gingrich and Santorum seem unlikely to benefit, as both are controversial and polarixing and have problems appealing to the center of the political spectrum, which is essential in the fall campaign of 2012. Both are extremely outspoken and divisive characters.

At the same time, Donald Trump, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul and Haley Barbour will also have trouble for different reasons, so it seems likely that Romney, Huntsman, and Pawlenty are the candidates to watch, and none are connected to Fox News Channel.

The Wisconsin Capitol Demonstrations: Men, Women And Children To Be Honored For Their Principles And Sacrifices!

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Conservative talk show hosts on radio and Fox News Channel have been portraying the men, women and children involved in the Wisconsin Capitol demonstrations for the past two weeks as “losers”, “slobs”, “radicals”, “left wingers”, “free loaders”, and many other insulting and disrespectful terms.

The fact that 70,000 to 100,000 people at a minimum have been dedicated to these peaceful protests, marches and demonstrations, and have sacrificed their salaries, their comforts, and their peace of mind to commit themselves to a cause they believe in, and that they know is justified and moral, is extremely inspiring!

If these people were not certain of the righteousness of their cause, the retention of collective bargaining, they would not be spending two weeks on the cold floor of the state Capitol in Madison. It is not something they would recommend to anyone, but just like the marchers for civil rights in the 1960s, the woman suffragettes in the early 20th century, and the abolitionists in the preCivil War period, they will not give up, and even if they lose for now, the battle will go on until the dastardly evil intent of Scott Walker and the Republicans is repudiated by the voters!

Already, polls indicate both in Wisconsin and nationally that the demonstrators have an overwhelming public support for the continuation of collective bargaining for public service workers who have devoted their careers to a commitment to service for the citizens of their states!