Month: March 2022

Marking Two Years Of The COVID 19 Pandemic And Loss Of One Million Americans

Ronald 5 Comments

It has now been two years since the COVID 19 Pandemic was declared.

America has lost nearly one million people, two thirds of the entire total of Americans lost in all the wars the nation has fought in 226 years!

A bit more than 60 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated, but there is still stubborn resistance by many Republicans and right wing freaks who deny science, and favor mythology and conspiracy theories.

While the danger is down for now, there is no certainty of the future, and statistics show those who are in the hospitals and dying are overwhelmingly those who deny science.

While those of us who are vaccinated totally and have used masks are in good stead, the reality of new threats of strains of COVID 19, and also other viruses, is still a reality into the future!

Likelihood Of Russian Attack On NATO Ally Poland Increased By Mass Of Ukranian Refugees Going There!

Ronald 4 Comments

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is likely to lead to a Russian attack on NATO ally Poland, increased by the mass of Ukranian refugees going there, more than any other NATO nation.

Additionally, Poland has proposed sending its fighter jets to Ukraine, with the US replacing those jets for Poland, although, at this point, the US has spoken out against such an action, or creating a “No Fly” zone.

To this author and blogger, it seems inevitable that what President Biden and the leaders of the NATO nations fear and hope to avoid, a general continental war in Europe, what is being called World War III, is likely to occur.

Russia has committed war crimes and atrocities, which shake the emotions of all decent people, and at the same time, Russian military forces have been bogged down on the way to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, and other locations as well.

The Ukranians have shown their commitment to democracy, and have displayed their courage, and Vladimir Putin is in trouble, as his own population is slowly learning, despite censorship, of the military disaster that is occurring, with Russia losing more troops in two weeks than the US lost in the many years of the Iraq War.

It seems to this author and blogger that the “die is cast”, and soon America will be engaged in World War III, not by choice, but by necessity, as in World War I in 1917 and World War II in 1941!

The Nightmare Battle For The Republican Presidential Nomination In 2024

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What a nightmare the Republican Party faces in 2024, as trying to find a nominee who is decent, competent, and NOT tied to the disaster of Donald Trump is a long haul!

We begin with Donald Trump himself, who is rapidly losing support, but still has clout in the party, even though he is actually a cancer destroying the image and reputation of the party of Lincoln, TR,Ike, Reagan and George H. W. Bush!

Then we have former Vice President Mike Pence, whose only good deed was counting the Electoral College vote on January 6, 2021 properly and correctly, but there is no way imaginable that he could win the Republican Presidential nomination, and his religiosity is a real turn off to moderate voters.

Then there is a slimmed down former Secretary of State and Central Intelligence Agency Head Mike Pompeo, but his admiration of Vladimir Putin insures he is not going anywhere!

Then we have former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who once had stature and respect, but has lost all of that reputation being so much a lackey to Donald Trump, and at the same time, changing her mind regularly on the former President

Then, we have Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, all of whom are competing with each other to be further Right Wing than the others, including warring on truth, history, racial justice, women’s rights, and gay rights, as well as attacking the concept of masks and vaccinations during the COVID 19 Pandemic.

Florida is unique in that it has three Republicans all ambitious enough to think they should be President, including DeSantis, but also Senators Rick Scott (involved in Medicare Fraud), and Marco Rubio, who was a major critic of Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican competition for the Presidency, but has, like most Republican officeholders caved in and given up all principles in bowing to Trump throughout his Presidency, and refusing to strongly condemn the January 6, 2021 Insurrection!

The Senate is full of Presidential wannabes, besides Scott and Rubio, including Insurrectionist promoter Josh Hawley of Missouri, who put up his fist in support on January 6; Tom Cotton of Arkansas; Rand Paul of Kentucky; Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee; Ted Cruz of Texas; Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; and Tim Scott of South Carolina.

One can add to that list Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

There are also clear anti Trump Republicans, including Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger; Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney; Maryland Governor Larry Hogan; Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse; and Utah Senator Mitt Romney.

FINALLY, LYNCHING IS DECLARED A FEDERAL CRIME, AND LEGISLATION NAMED AFTER EMMETT TILL!

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The crime of lynching, the hanging and butchering of a human being by a mob, most often utilized against African Americans, and particularly in the Southern States, but sadly against other groups, including Jews, Catholics, and Hispanics, and in other parts of America, has existed since the Reconstruction period after the Civil War.

But finally, Congress has passed Lynching legislation, making it a federal crime punishable by 30 years in prison, and the law is named after Emmett Till, the 14 year old lynched in Mississippi in 1955, for the supposed crime of flirting with a white woman, with his body desecrated, and causing shock around the nation.

The vote in the US Senate was unanimous, and only three Republican Congressmen voted against the legislation.

The white woman who lied about Emmett Till making a pass at her is still alive, and she should face prosecution for what became a heinous crime, perpetrated by her now dead husband and another man, both of whom were found not guilty in a disgraceful mockery of a trial in Mississippi in 1955!

The Emmett Till lynching helped to motivate the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

And there is a museum which commemorates the Lynching issue, located in Montgomery, Alabama, the heart of the “Old South”, named the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement To Mass Incarceration!

The Crossroads Of The Republican Party Are At Hand!

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With the strong likelihood that America will be engaging in combat in the near future as allies of NATO against the Russian Federation, politics is totally in disarray.

But for Republicans, who have mostly been slavish to Donald Trump and his “love affair” with authoritarian leadership, including Vladimir Putin most notably, this is the crossroads moment.

The indication is clear to those who have a brain in their head that being still supportive of Donald Trump, as more Republican voters are backing away from their obsequiousness, will cause massive losses in November.

And demonstrating support for a former President who complimented Putin on his invasion of Ukraine, and anyone else who praised Putin openly, is not a winning strategy for 2024 and beyond.

If America goes to war, are we going to have open treason and sedition working to undermine American military engagement, backing authoritarianism rather than democratic values?

What would Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and the masses of Republican officeholders from the end of World War II through the Cold War year have to say if they were here in America in 2022?

Joe Biden’s Public Opinion Ratings Rise In Ukraine Crisis, After Uniting NATO

Ronald 4 Comments

President Joe Biden’s public opinion ratings have risen in the midst of the Ukraine Crisis, and after uniting NATO to its strongest cooperative venture in many years.

The situation is becoming dire, as 1.6 million Ukranian citizens have fled to neighboring nations, and the call is for a “no fly zone” to prevent Russian air attacks on Ukranian cities.

This horrendous foreign policy crisis could be a big boost to Joe Biden and the Democrats, as the 2022 midterm Congressional elections come upon us!

The issue of inflation of gas prices and food prices increasing is concerning, but the international situation should give Biden a boost over the next eight months.

Fortunate That Joe Biden Is President In Time Of Potential World War III!

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Joe Biden has always been underestimated by many people, and he has always come out shining!

Such is the case right now as America, NATO, and the world at large face the threat of World War III.

It seems certain that had Donald Trump been the occupant of the White House right now, America would have abandoned its NATO allies, and Trump would have hailed Vladimir Putin’s attacks and occupation of Ukraine!

This reminds us of the thought of what would have happened had a demagogic isolationist, such as Charles Lindbergh, had ever had the opportunity to gain the Presidency, with his fawning admiration of Adolf Hitler in World War II, until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 ended that worship of the famous aviator for the Nazis.

Joe Biden has had extensive foreign policy background and expertise, with his year as Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, and his eight years as Vice President, not always agreeing with American policy toward the world.

Joe Biden has now become part of the historical trend of Presidents who came to office with domestic reform their priority, but war conditions forcing a change of direction and emphasis.

The future of national security is better with this man of experience and wisdom at the helm!

The Historic Nature Of March 4 In Presidential History

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March 4 is an historic date in Presidential history, as it was the Inauguration Day for every President through the first Inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.

It also was the beginning of the government under the Constitution in 1789, as Congress met for the first time.

The inauguration date was changed late in 1933 by the 20th Amendment, and January 20 became the new Inauguration Day, starting in 1937.

Every Inauguration Day was the day for every President except George Washington at the first inauguration, which was delayed to April 30, 1789 by Washington’s delay in arriving to New York; and also the succession to the Presidency of John Tyler in 1841, Millard Fillmore in 1850, Andrew Johnson in 1865, Chester Alan Arthur in 1881, Theodore Roosevelt first term in 1901, and Calvin Coolidge first term in 1923.

The most historic March 4 inaugurations are considered to be Thomas Jefferson in 1801, Andrew Jackson in 1829, Abraham Lincoln both in 1861 and 1865, Woodrow Wilson in 1913, and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, and Lincoln’s Second Inauguration and FDR’s First Inauguration are considered to have been the times of the two greatest Inaugural Addresses!

America And NATO Nations Must Welcome Ukranian Refugees And Overcome Nativism!

Ronald 5 Comments

The crisis in Ukraine is creating a massive refugee problem, but the answer is that NATO and the United States MUST welcome Ukranian refugees, whether Ukranians or other nationalities, who are escaping the war against Russia, with welcome arms!

Nativism is totally unacceptable, so all of the nations in NATO, including the US, must welcome however many refugees are required, and overcome the hatred and bigotry promoted by Donald Trump and right wing talk radio and cable news stations, including Fox News Channel, One American News Network, and Newsmax!

America has always been a land of immigrants, including people escaping oppression, so there cannot be any attempt to close the doors, but rather accept the responsibility of a decent government and people to admit refugees and help them to recover from the wounds of war in their homeland!

Joe Biden’s State Of The Union Address Inspiring And Motivational On Ukraine And Domestic Agenda!

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President Joe Biden gave an inspiring and motivational speech last night, with his first State of the Union Address before a joint session of Congress.

Biden made clear of our commitment to help Ukraine short of a direct intervention, since Ukraine is not part of NATO.

But US troops and equipment is right next to the Russian border in Poland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, and if Vladimir Putin sends his Russian troops into any of these NATO nations, automatically, the US is in war, which could include nuclear potential!

Biden also emphasized the need for the remainder of his domestic agenda, the “Build Back Better” bill, although he did not use that term.

This speech demonstrated without question that Joe Biden has command of the facts and details, and is perfectly able to make smart and sensible judgments, despite right wing talk radio and Fox News Channel and other right wing cable sites claiming otherwise.

In a time of danger, America and the world are fortunate to have Joe Biden at the helm of leadership!