Month: January 2016

Time Has Arrived For Americans To Show They Will NOT Tolerate Donald Trump, Even If They Like Being At Rallies Of A Reality Star!

Ronald 3 Comments

Finally, the beginning of voting for President has arrived, with the Iowa Caucuses tomorrow, and the New Hampshire Primary a week from Tuesday the first indications of what the American people, or at least those who vote, are thinking.

Who would have thought that, seven and a half months since Reality Start Donald Trump announced for President, that he would be leading in Republican polls for the Presidency?

This reality is against the record of Donald Trump, which shows he has no principles at all, except his own aggrandizement!

He thinks the Presidency is a Reality TV show, and it is time for the American people, and particularly the Republicans, to show that they have not totally self destructed, and given in to the appeal of a racist, nativist, misogynist, and an immoral, unethical, ignorant person who would be a total disaster for the party and the nation, were he to win the nomination and occupy the Oval Office next January 20!

If Trump were to win the White House, we would have a full fledged Fascist in office, endangering the Constitution and American democratic values, so he must be prevented from making us wish for George W. Bush or Richard Nixon as an alternative!

Being at a campaign rally for a Reality TV star is one thing, but electing such a despicable human being as Donald Trump to the Presidency is something totally different!

Wipe Out Memory and Statues Of Thomas Jefferson, John C. Calhoun, Jefferson Davis, Woodrow Wilson? NO WAY!

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A major campaign has been mounted to “cleanse” America’s history of political leaders who were racists, people who advocated and owned slaves, and those who promoted segregation and “Jim Crow” after slavery ended 150 years ago.

So the move is on to wipe the name of various major figures off of buildings, and the removal of statues and monuments erected in their honor.

The biggest “villains” in this quest to “correct” the past are President Thomas Jefferson, Vice President and Senator John C. Calhoun, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and President Woodrow Wilson.

There is no question that all four, and others, can be condemned for their beliefs and behaviors.

But if we are to “discipline” them, then should we NOT add eight of the other nine pre Civil War Presidents who owned slaves; and the multitude of political leaders since the end of the Civil War who promoted segregation and racist views in the century and a half since 1865?

So while we are at it, why  not wipe out all American history, instead of recognizing the sins and shortcomings  that exist, as any good history professor will do in class, including this blogger, and also point out the major contributions that these leaders had on the totality of American history?

We cannot wipe out the past, and the move to sanitize it is a massive mistake!  We need to TEACH and LEARN about it, and draw attention to it for present day political leaders, not try to make believe it never occurred in the first place!  The goal should be to demand that today’s leaders stop promoting racism, nativism, and misogyny by exposing their transgressions!

So NO, to the attempt to reconstruct history, and wipe out the past, too common, ironically, to what happens in left wing and right wing dictatorships!

Major Mystery: The Lack Of Traction Of Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s Presidential Candidacy

Ronald 9 Comments

As we await the beginning of actual voting next week and after that, a major mystery remains.

Why did former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley turn out to be a total dud as a candidate?

O’Malley was one of the best Governors in America during his eight years in that position, and he had the charisma, good looks, and youth, that one would have thought that he would be a serious challenger to Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and others of the “older generation.”

After the experience of the “younger generation” backing John F. Kennedy in 1960; Jimmy Carter in 1976; Bill Clinton in 1992; and Barack Obama in 2008, one would have thought that O’Malley would have similar appeal, and without being the first Catholic nominee; the first Southerner since 1848; a flawed candidate with a sex scandal from a small Southern state; and a mixed race African American with little national experience to deal with!

And yet, it was a candidate even older than Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden–Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont—with his declaration that he was a Democratic Socialist; was an Independent who only became a party member when he announced for President; and with a New York Jewish background (not necessarily a plus across the nation), who became the favorite of newer voters, younger voters (under 45), and those who would be thought to prefer someone closer to their age and from a larger and more significant state (Maryland) than Vermont represents.

The lack of traction of O’Malley remains a deep mystery, and one wonders if his run this year will give him an upper hand, despite it being a total flop, if the Democrats lose the Presidency in 2016.

Could it be the beginning of the rise on top of the disaster, if it occurs, of a Democratic defeat this year?

Certainly, no one in their right mind who is a progressive, wishes for failure this year to lead to success later!

But sometimes, repudiation now leads to success later!

Donald Trump Is An Ignoramus On Public Issues, And Refusal To Debate Should Eliminate Him From Presidential Race!

Ronald 1 Comment

Donald Trump is a demagogue, buffoon, jerk, and a coward!

He is also an ignoramus, promising to make everything better, but giving absolutely no details!  He has no clue as to how diplomacy works, or how to deal with Congress and the news media!

He has no knowledge, no background, no depth, no diplomatic skills, and is only focused on his own narcissism.  He is a bully and a braggart who needs comeuppance!

Donald Trump is a danger to American democracy and the Constitution, as he struts like Benito Mussolini; promotes racism and nativism and scapegoating of whole populations of particular ethnic and religious groups; and is backed by the most extreme right wing fanatics and hate groups that exist in this nation!

Trump also praises the leadership skills of dictators, including Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Vladimir Putin of Russia as “models” to admire, making Trump dangerous as a sociopath!

Only those in public life who are “lowlifes” back him, as no decent person would consider putting a person with his lack of any experience in governing, in charge of the military and nuclear weapons!

This man has led an immoral, unethical life, with four bankruptcies and scandal all around him, and he and his wife would damage the image of the President and the First Lady and proper public behavior!

His refusal to debate in tonight’s seventh Republican Presidential debate in Iowa, due to his distaste for Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly, should disqualify him from the Presidency, as it is a hint that he might decide to forego Presidential debates in the fall, and that is something that is totally unacceptable!

Donald Trump should resign from the race if he does not show up tonight at the GOP debate, clear and simple!

If not, the voters, starting next week, should visit their repudiation of this narcissistic moron on him, and send him back to his real estate business pronto!

The “Low Lifes” Come Out Of The Woodwork To Endorse Donald Trump! An Even “Dirty Dozen” Despicable Public Figures!

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Sarah Palin, former Alaska Governor and Republican Vice Presidential nominee in 2008–Willie Robertson of the “Duck Dynasty”–David Duke, former Ku Klux Klan leader–Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio—Jerry Falwell, Jr, evangelical leader of Liberty University–John Rocker, former Atlanta Braves relief pitcher–Ann Coulter, political commentator—Ted Nugent, musician and songwriter who has threatened Barack Obama—Dennis Rodman, former basketball player—Michael Savage, right wing radio talk show host—Phyllis Schlafly, conservative activist—Mike Tyson, former professional boxer.

These are an even dozen of “public figures” who have now endorsed Donald Trump for President, all of them “lowlifes” who no rational, sane person would EVER respect or believe they have ANY legitimacy.

In this group are hypocrites, bigots, racists, nativists, misogynists, abusers of the criminal justice system, religious extremists, right wing political commentators who spew hate, and purely stupid people!

The reader can figure out which categories fit each of this “dirty dozen”, with several having multiple descriptions of those mentioned above.

Anyone who supports Donald Trump after awareness that these disgraces above have endorsed him are people who have lost their minds or never had one, or indeed are people that one is newly learning just how terrible a character they really have!

Beginning Of Rise Of Sanity? John Kasich Rises In New Hampshire Polls, And Is Endorsed By The Boston Globe!

Ronald 1 Comment

Could it be that Republican voters in New Hampshire are starting to show some sanity?

The latest public opinion polls show a steady rise by Ohio Governor John Kasich, easily the most experienced, most qualified, and most sane and stable of the Republican Presidential field.

Understand that this blogger is not saying he is about to vote for John Kasich in the election this fall.

But were a Republican to win the White House, he could not live with any feeling of peace with any other GOP Presidential nominee.

Kasich is the best the Republicans have to offer, and he is a mainstream conservative, with faults like all candidates, but also a sense of how to govern, with his 18 years in the House of Representatives, and being Chair of the Budget Committee for many years.  And now the Boston Globe has endorsed him.

And despite issues and objections, Kasich has been one of the few Republican governors that has not been totally outrageous and disgraceful!

Ohio is still the crucial state for Republican Presidential nominees, and Kasich would have a good chance to win his home state, and maybe, therefore, win the Presidency.

Remember that EVERY elected Republican President (all but Gerald Ford) has won Ohio!

 

Imagine A Three Way Presidential Race Of Three New Yorkers, And Possibly Two Of Them Of Reform Judaism Religion!

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The scenario now exists that the Presidential Election Of 2016 could involve THREE New York residents competing against each other, an idea which seemed impossible to happen even with one candidate since the time of Thomas E. Dewey’s loss to Harry Truman in 1948.

We saw Nelson Rockefeller fail three times in the 1960s to be the GOP Presidential nominee; we saw Robert Kennedy’s tragic campaign come to an end in 1968 by assassination; we saw John Lindsay attempt a Presidential run in 1972 and fail badly; we saw Mario Cuomo flirt with the idea in 1992 and decide not to run; we saw Rudy Guiliani flop badly in 2008; we saw George Pataki also flirt with the idea of running, and when he finally did in 2015, totally flop; and of course, we saw Hillary Clinton fail to stop Barack Obama in 2008.

At the most, it looked like Hillary Clinton would run, as she has again in 2016, and would have a good chance to be the first New Yorker to run for President and actually be the nominee since 1948, but the idea that THREE candidates would all be from New York is amazing, considering the rise of the Sun Belt since World War II, and the slow decline of New York into political oblivion, although still even now the fourth largest state.

But now we have Clinton; we have Bernie Sanders, who is a Vermont Senator, but grew up in Brooklyn, and left for Vermont in 1968, but is still a New Yorker in the way he speaks; we have Donald Trump who is certainly a New Yorker through and through; and we have former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, originally from Boston, but a long time New Yorker, and Mayor from 2002-2014.

So the possibility of three New Yorkers running is very much alive, and if Sanders is the Democratic nominee and Bloomberg, alarmed by Sanders’ candidacy as well as Trump as a possible Republican nominee, does actually run on a third party or independent ticket, we would have two Reform Jews running along with Presbyterian Trump!

Potential Michael Bloomberg Independent Presidential Candidacy Complicates Election Outlook In Massive Way!

Ronald 5 Comments

The revelation that former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg (2002-2014) is considering entering the Presidential race of 2016 as an Independent complicates the election outlook in a massive way.

One could argue that an Independent candidacy will not succeed, as the best any independent or third party candidate has ever done is former President Theodore Roosevelt, running as a Progressive (Bull Moose) party candidate in 1912, ending up second rather than third, and winning six states, 88 electoral votes, and 27.4 percent of the popular vote.

But Bloomberg, the seventh wealthiest billionaire in America by 2015 statistics, and 13th wealthiest in the world with about $41 billion in assets, could upset the apple cart, and could have a real chance to win.

For one thing, as a former Democrat, then a Republican, and finally an Independent, Bloomberg proved he could govern New York City, arguably the second most difficult governing job in America next to the Presidency itself.

And as a social progressive, Bloomberg represents danger to the Democratic party and its reliable 18 “Blue” states, since a three way election could give Bloomberg the balance of power, and possibly lead to him winning some of those states, and denying Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders the Presidency, and indirectly aid the Republican nominee,  Donald Trump or whoever else it is.

And the scenario of no one winning 270 electoral votes is the nightmare, as if that happened, the House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, and having more than 26 states with a Republican majority delegation, would have the final say on who the next President is, as in long ago 1800 and 1824!

The Bloomberg candidacy will be explored later by this blogger, with more detail and analysis, but this is NOT good for the Democratic Party!

Conservative Revolt, But Also Civil War, Against Donald Trump, For The “Soul” Of The Republican Party!

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A full scale revolt, but also a civil war, has emerged against Donald Trump, for the “soul” of the Republican Party, and it insures the massive defeat of the GOP in November!

The National Review, the most prestigious journal in the Conservative community, founded by William F. Buckley, Jr.  in the mid 1950s, has just published an issue calling for the defeat of Donald Trump, and includes many top conservative ideologues, and a few crazies, including Erick Erickson and Glenn Beck.

But others, particularly on radio, including Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, and of course, Sarah Palin, support Trump, while others have avoided taking a stand as of yet.

But it is clear that American conservatism is in deep crisis, all to the advantage of progressives, so just sit back and eat popcorn and drink soda, and enjoy the split that is developing!

If either Donald Trump or Ted Cruz is the GOP nominee, the party is totally doomed, and will die a natural death!

To save the Republican Party, only John Kasich or possibly Jeb Bush can save the future, although each has multiple issues, but they can revive the Republican future.

We shall see what happens, and enjoy a rare moment of triumph in the never ending battle of the Left vs the Right!

48 Hours That Transformed History—January 22-23, 1973!

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Forty three years ago today and tomorrow marks one of the most significant 48 hour periods in American history!

Former President Lyndon B. Johnson passed away at age 64 and the Supreme Court declared the right of women to have abortions in Roe V. Wade on January 22, 1973.

The next day, January 23, 1973, the announcement of an agreement to end the Vietnam War was made.

So we lost our most creative, reform oriented President since Franklin D. Roosevelt; and women gained the right to control their own reproductive lives,;and the war that divided the nation like no other since the Civil War finally was ending.

Today, 43 years later, we have seen attempts to cut back on the Great Society accomplishments by Republicans in Congress, only stopped by the veto of Barack Obama!

We have seen constant attempts to ban abortion, and restrictions put on women’s reproductive rights, a major social issue that will not go away!

And the effects of the Vietnam War still reverberate today, and more recent wars in Iraq and ongoing in Afghanistan continue to cause emotional political debate about commitment of American troops to fight overseas, including against ISIL (ISIS) in the Middle East!

A book about those two days is appropriate by some scholar who can remind us of the tremendous significance that 48 hours of events can have on American history!