Month: October 2019

Abandonment Of Kurdish Allies Who Fought ISIS Will Reverberate In History As One Of Worst Blunders Of Any President

Ronald 7 Comments

The decision of President Donald Trump to give license to the Turkish Government to slaughter America’s Kurdish allies is a horrendous blunder, which will reverberate in history, and will, sadly, lead to ISIS attacks on Europe and the United States in the short and long run.

After having successfully neutralized ISIS, which formed in 2014, and with thousands of Kurdish troops in the Middle East sacrificing their lives in the effort, now we see our President abandoning them to slaughter, an action which will make it difficult for any nation or nationality group worldwide to ever trust America again.

Trump’s action also emboldens Vladimir Putin, as now Russia has more involvement in the Middle East than ever before, and it is assured that Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan are turning over in their graves at what Trump has done.

It also insures that Iran will have a greater role in the area, which Trump has been, previously motivated to prevent.

One would think that Israel should be very concerned, as Trump has made their security position much more difficult to insure.

Many Republicans in Congress have finally spoken up against this despicable action, more than any other issue that has arisen to alienate them, and it just further promotes the impeachment move against the President, which now seems much more assured to occur soon.

A Sense That Pete Buttigieg Is On The Rise As A Moderate Alternative To Joe Biden

Ronald 20 Comments

The big winner of the Ohio Presidential debate this past week seems to many to be Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, who is seen as on the rise as a moderate alternative to Joe Biden.

Mayor Pete has been successful in raising large amounts of money in the third quarter, and his debate performance demonstrated his intelligence, his knowledge, and his perception of what Americans want, similar in his understanding of what Americans were looking for as when they voted for Barack Obama in 2008.

He is not promoting “pie in the sky”, massive changes in four years, as Bernie Sanders, and even Elizabeth Warren are doing, knowing full well that the nation is not going to elect a Democratic Congress large enough in majority to do the kinds of path breaking changes that Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson were able to bring about in 1935-1936 and 1965-1966, respectively.

As Pete has said, we first need to recover from the chaos and anarchy of Donald Trump, and to expect the nation to go to the far left, and support a required end of all private health insurance, is simply not reality.

This blogger takes the view that Americans should have a choice of keeping the health care coverage they have, or move toward government control through Medicare, but not force it on everyone over a four year period, and always allow private health insurance as an alternative, left up to the decisions of individual Americans and their families.

A long range goal is extend Medicare in stages, first to those between 50-65, then those in their 40s, then those in their 30s, and continuing on, but again with private insurance allowed if preferred.

And in foreign affairs, Mayor Pete would offer a revival of American respect and responsibility, veering away from the disastrous and reckless diplomacy of Donald Trump, and would restore American rationality and respect among our allies, and recognition that he would not be pushed around by authoritarians as has been occurring with Donald Trump.

A young, dynamic President is needed, and Mayor Pete fills the bill, following in the Democratic Party tradition of John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. A new generation of leadership is required.

John Kasich Comes Out For Impeachment

Ronald 43 Comments

Former Ohio Governor John Kasich has taken a big step and endorsed impeachment of Donald Trump, a big step, which will, hopefully, lead to more Republicans moving in that direction.

The horrible news about the abuses of office, and the collaboration of Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Attorney General William Barr, Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and others in the administration has made the constitutional crisis worse than Watergate and Richard Nixon, and requires action not only in the House of Representatives, but also by Republicans in the US Senate.

To gain 20 or more Republicans to convict Trump still seems like a long shot, but Kasich, one of the few reputable Republicans, hopefully will assist in convincing a “Profile in Courage” by Senators putting the nation ahead of their own personal ambitions and agenda.

We are in uncharted waters, and the future looks extremely scary!

The Most Powerful Woman In American History (Nancy Pelosi) Faces The Most Dangerous President In American History (Donald Trump)

Ronald 6 Comments

When the history of America from 2017 to the present is chronicled, there is no question that it will be acknowledged that the most powerful woman in American history was Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and that she successfully combated the most dangerous President in American history, Donald Trump.

Trump is a bully, a misogynist, and totally out of control, but Pelosi has shown fantastic skills in confronting him, as at the White House gathering on Wednesday, where she told him that he had proved that he was connected to Russia and Vladimir Putin, and would be held accountable for that transgression.

Pelosi has been very careful in the promotion of the impeachment of Donald Trump, and has been criticized by many in her own party for the laid back approach, but Pelosi is simply making the case stronger against Trump by his own actions and utterances.

The outcome of the struggle between Pelosi and Trump is not clear, but it is without doubt that she is a “Profile in Courage”, and she will be so honored in American history long term.

The Two Democrats Who Might Replace Joe Biden, And Both Are From The Midwest Battleground

Ronald 11 Comments

Further thought and analysis on the Ohio Presidential debate of Tuesday makes this blogger and scholar believe that two Midwesterners–South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar—come out as the stars of the debate.

Both were very strong in promoting a moderate center left vision of the Democratic Party, which gives the party a better chance of success against Donald Trump.

Being from Indiana and Minnesota respectively gives either or both a better opportunity to contest the states lost by Hillary Clinton in 2016 by small margins.

So if Joe Biden slips, which seems very possible, both offer an equivalent vision of what Biden stands for, rather than the more leftist Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders.

There are still three and a half months to the first contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, so despite early indications that Biden, Warren, and Sanders have a dominant position, there is still time for alternatives, and the most likely, clearly, are Buttigieg and Klobuchar.

Impressions Of The Fourth Democratic Presidential Debate In Ohio–Eight Of The Twelve Should Continue

Ronald 20 Comments

The Democratic Presidential debate last night showed strong performances right from the beginning by Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar on the subject of health care, challenging Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders on their promotion of Medicare For All.

Joe Biden held his own, which is significant, and Julian Castro and Kamala Harris improved their position. Bernie Sanders looked in good health, and Cory Booker made some good points regarding the need to focus on the record of Donald Trump, more than criticism of some candidates by others.

Totally unimpressive were Tom Steyer, Tulsi Gabbard, and Andrew Yang, and they should drop out of the race, as there are simply too many candidates.

Beto O’Rourke harmed his candidacy by his consistent stand on gun regulation including confiscation of weapons, not a winnable tactic.

In realistic terms, there should be eight Democrats left in the race—Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Julian Castro, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker.

The Total Collapse Of The Reputation Of Rudy Giuliani, From “America’s Mayor”, To Widespread Corruption And Indecency!

Ronald 3 Comments

It is hard to believe that Rudy Giuliani was once “America’s Mayor”, hailed all over the nation after September 11.

In 2008, Giuliani sought the Republican nomination for President, and was perceived as a moderate mainstream Republican with some very liberal views.

But Giuliani flopped badly, after having led the polls in 2007, and being seen as a potential occupant of the Oval Office.

Giuliani has clearly deteriorated mentally and ethically since 2008, having now gone through three wives and divorces, and displaying weird, crazy behavior in recent years, particularly since tying his future to President Donald Trump,

Giuliani is now enmeshed in the Ukraine scandal, and seems likely to be indicted for corruption in his business dealings and in his work for Trump. The man who was once considered a great prosecutor now faces the likelihood of prison time, and disgrace.

It is hard to feel sympathy for Rudy Giuliani, however, as his public and private behavior has become so obnoxious and degrading, and it is obvious that Donald Trump has helped to make him yet another victim of the evil man who is ready to throw anyone and everyone under the bus. Many think Giuliani is mentally deranged and totally unstable, similar to Donald Trump.

It is now urgent that future Presidential contenders undergo mental testing, as any sane person can see that Donald Trump should have been removed from the Oval Office long ago, and by still being there, is undermining the domestic and foreign policy of America, in such a way, that it is likely to be long lasting beyond his time in office.

Donald Trump Foreign Policy A Total Disaster!

Ronald 12 Comments

President Donald Trump has totally destroyed American foreign policy, creating a massive disaster which will impact the nation and the world for long beyond his tenure in office.

He has damaged our relationships with our democratic allies in NATO, along with our alliance with Japan and South Korea.

He has developed a total admiration for authoritarian dictatorships, including Russia, China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, the Philippines, and Brazil.

He has created a situation in the Middle East that is causing disintegration of any hope of stability, by helping Russia, Iran, Syria and Turkey massacre the Kurdish minority that helped the world against ISIS. And he claims to be unwilling to trust Iran on the repudiated Nuclear Deal, but now is helping them and Vladimir Putin to increase their influence in the Middle East, a situation which also endangers Israel.

ISIS now is again a major threat to the world, particularly to our allies in NATO, and Trump seemed to encourage that with his outrageous comments last week, showing lack of concern with that reality. But it will also affect the United States as well over time, and will make it more dangerous for Americans to travel world wide, as ISIS will be out to attack Americans, as well as Europeans.

Trump is totally clueless on foreign policy, and has fired anyone who has any sense of reality on the subject, and now has sycophants working to destroy the Foreign Service and the State Department, a long range detriment to any future President who will follow Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

This is only one of a multitude of reasons why Donald Trump needs to be removed from the Presidency, but will 20 Republicans join 47 Democrats in doing what needs to be done, to rid the Presidency of this menace to the nation and to the world?

Sadly, the odds are strongly against it!

Ohio Debate On Tuesday Will Start Winnowing The Field Of Democratic Candidates For President

Ronald 45 Comments

The Columbus, Ohio debate among 12 Democratic Presidential candidates will likely start the winnowing of the field, which is much too large.

As things stand now, Senator Elizabeth Warren and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg seem like the candidates that are gaining.

Warren is taking support away from Bernie Sanders, who is recovering from a heart attack, and will be watched closely on Tuesday for signs of weariness. Sanders knows Warren is a problem for him, and has pointed out that she is a believer in capitalism, and is not a Socialist, which actually helps Warren’s image.

Mayor Pete is likely the major moderate Democratic alternative to Joe Biden, who has to deal with the issue of his son, Hunter Biden, and Ukranian connections, although it seems clear there is no corruption involved, at least as far as we know at this point. Also, Joe Biden is coming across, sadly, as not quite up to par mentally at times, a very worrisome situation for him. Meanwhile, Mayor Pete continues to make a great impression, including in the CNN gay-lesbian-transgender debate this past Thursday, and has gained a lot of financial support.

Whether Kamala Harris can recuperate from a decline in support is debatable. Beto O’Rourke and Julian Castro have also failed to take off in recent months, and have made some errors that harm them.

While Cory Booker gained enough financial backing to stay in the race, it still seems unlikely that he is going to be a serious candidate for the Presidential nomination.

Andrew Yang has had unexpected good fortune, but still it seems a real long shot that he can get anywhere gaining enough support to move forward.

Amy Klobuchar so far has not made much of a dent, and Tulsi Gabbard and Tom Steyer, in their first debate, do not seem likely to make any real move toward serious contention.

So Tuesday’s debate will likely narrow the field as we move closer to the Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire Primary four months from now.

The Importance Of Social Justice In American Democracy

Ronald 30 Comments

If an advanced modern nation, and one that strives to promote equal opportunity and advancement for all, fails to make social justice its key commitment for the future, then the nation has failed in its mission.

The battle in America is to strive to keep the advancements of social justice fought for over the century from the Progressive Era onward, but presently, we are seeing extremist right wing forces that wish to destroy the reforms and revert America back to the Gilded Age of the late 19th century.

If it was up to right wing forces, labor would have no bargaining rights; racial and ethnic minorities would return to a pattern of denial of their civil rights; women would come under the dominance of their husbands and of religious extremists who wish to deny them the right to control of their own destiny; basic social programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, and assistance to the disabled would be wiped out; and the wealthy would have no accountability to the nation that gave them the opportunity to prosper, and would use every trick possible to avoid paying a fair share of taxes, and would have no concern about the inequities of society, leading to a large portion of the population struggling to make ends meet.

So for a right wing propagandist to say that the Democratic Party is far left, when it is anything but that, is simply a sign of greed, selfishness, lack of compassion and empathy for those not born to wealth, or having unfair advantages in life without any accountability or conscience about the responsibility they owe to America.

The true danger in America is not a far left Democratic party, which does not really exist, but rather a far right, fascist oriented Republican Party, willing to sacrifice the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, and obsessed with an obscene acquisition of wealth for the sake of self aggrandizement.