Month: December 2022

Republican Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler A Hateful Homophobe!

This past week, the Congress approved the protection of same sex marriage and interracial marriage, insuring protection of the marriages or future marriages of people, who, sadly, face many so called “good Christians” promoting hate and discrimination and denial of a basic human right to marry who one loves!

We saw a displapy of pure hypocrisy and viciousness by Missouri Republican Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, who became teary eyed, claiming that Christianity and people of faith were being threatened by such action, to prevent a right wing Supreme Court from taking away a basic right, as they did in June on abortion rights!

Now her gay nephew has denounced her rightfully, as Hartzler put on a display that embarrassed her and demonstrated her vicious nature, an aunt who should be ashamed of herself, because she is trying to promote theocracy, rule of religious views over a nation based on separation of church and state and freedom of religion.

The fact is that religious institutions, including schools, are being state supported, while promoting discrimination, and that should not be permitted.

Thank goodness this excuse of a so called “religious” woman is leaving Congress, as she gave up her chance for reelection to pursue a Senate bid in Missouri, but failed to accomplish her goal. Good riddance is the best statement to make on this woman!

The Republican Party Has Gone Fully Racist, Nativist, Misogynistic, Homophobic, And Willing To Ignore Anti Semitism In Its Midst!

In the past, we had elements of racism, nativism, misogyny, homophobia, and anti Semitism emerge among some members of both political parties.

But now, as the Republican Party is about to take control of the House of Representatives in January, the party that once was graced by Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and George H W Bush, has gone fully racist, nativist, misogynistic, homophobic, and ignoring elements of anti Semitism in its midst!

What used to be veiled and secretive is now openly displayed, with no sense of shame or embarrassment!

This shows up every day by the utterances or actions of those who admire Donald Trump, and Republican politicians who overlook his extremist behavior and promotion of hatred and violence and inciting domestic terrorism!

Members of the Republican Party in Congress and in many states accentuate their narrow mindedness and willingness to ignore the Constitution and Bill of Rights!

As things stand, the party is in its death throes long term, as those who are conservatives but have decency in their veins, are abandoning what has become an extremist right wing party!

So we have individuals such as Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Larry Hogan, and a small number of others in the party who still uphold common decency.

But the cancer of Donald Trump and his supporters permeate the party, and the disaster of Kevin McCarthy as the likely Speaker of the House, or being replaced by someone even more horrendous, make clear that the party, as we once knew it, is in its death throes.

It must be replaced by a respectable, dignified Conservative Party, that does not promote as part of its plaform the evils of racism, nativism, misogyny, homophobia, and anti Semitism!

Kyrsten Sinema Becomes Independent, 11th Since The 17th Amendment Passage In 1913!

Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced today that she is becoming an Independent, making for three Independents, all of whom will still caucus with the Democratic Party.

The other two Senators are Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, who have been Independents in the Senate for 16 years and 10 years respectively.

Altogether, Sinema becomes the 11th US Senator since the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, calling for popular vote for the Senate, to become an Independent for a substantial period of time.

Sinema is unreliable in her vote, with an early progressive background two decades ago, but much more conservative once she came to the House of Representatives in 2013, and the US Senate in 2019.

But on most matters, the Democrats are in a better position with 51 Senators including three Independents than the present 50 Senators and two Independents.

It is clear that the Arizona Senate race in 2024 will be a three way race, of Independent Sinema, Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego (who was planning to challenge her for the nomination), and a Republican opponent.

So Sinema could keep her Senate seat theoretically with less than a majority of the vote in a three way contest!

A Great Advantage For Democrats In Senate In The 118th Congress!

With the gain of one seat by Democrats in the US Senate, the political equation changes dramatically!

Now there will be one more Democrat on every Senate committee, rather than an even number.

No longer will Vice President Kamala Harris be needed regularly to break Senate ties.

No longer will it be essential that both Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona be in on every vote, and with both of them facing reelection in 2024.

It will be easier to gain judicial confirmations, very important for the future of the courts, and were a Supreme Court Justice leave the Court, it could create a more balanced Court.

If there was a vacancy or party switch, the Democrats would still control the Senate.

Legislation will be easier to pass the Senate, although it likely would fail to gain support of the narrowly majority Republican House of Representatives.

Finally, keeping the control of the Senate will be very difficult in 2024, as only 10 seats are Republican controlled, and will be hard to gain, so the Democrats have to work to find a way to avoid more than a one seat loss.

Some of the Republicans running for reelection in 2024 are particularly despicable, and Democrats need to find viable candidates to fight them, and hopefully, defeat them, including

Ted Cruz of Texas
Rick Scott of Florida
Josh Hawley of Missouri
Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee

It is time to start recruitment of Democrats in Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Tennessee to attempt to gain at least one or two Republican seats in 2024!

At the same time, at least 3 Democratic Senators are likely to have a rough time in 2024, including Manchin and Sinema, along with Jon Tester of Montana, and Sinema is likely to have an intraparty battle with Ruben Gallego, 7th District Congressman.

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!

Raphael Warnock Wins Full Term In The Senate, Another Repudiation Of Donald Trump!

Senator Raphael Warnock won a full term in the US Senate tonight, overcoming the challenge of former football player and Republican nominee Herschel Walker, and repudiating Donald Trump once again!

With a 51-49 Democratic US Senate in the 118th Congress, the committees will have a Democratic edge in membership, and this will make legislation and other actions much easier to accomplish, than the 50-50 Senate that was in play in the present 117th Congress.

So this victory added to the very successful Midterm Elections of 2022 for the Democratic Party!

Trump’s Call For Suspension Of The Constitution Is Beyond The Pale!

Donald Trump has been controversial and dangerous since he announced for President in 2015, but now he has gone beyond the pale, by calling for suspension of the US Constitution, a clear power grab by a dangerous Fascist authoritian personality!

Trump leads a dangerous cult of about 30 percent of the American people, who are willing to overlook all of his outrageous statements and actions, and he and his group are a menace to the rule of law and American democracy’s survival!

And yet, so far, Republican leaders have not reacted to his lawless call for suspending the Constitution that has been in effect since 1789!

Every Republican must be put on the record as to their reaction to Trump’s call for suspension of the Constitution, and no one who accepts his assertion should be allowed to hold public office!

The time for tolerance is over, and Donald Trump must be held accountable for his crimes and promotion of violence, and face prosecution NOW!

And if his supporters choose to cause more violence, then it must be met with swift reaction by all law enforcement agencies!

From The Greatest Modern Speaker Of The House To A Total Disaster In The Making!

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (2007-2011) and (2019-2023) will go down as the greatest modern Speaker of the House, with so much accomplished under her leadership particularly in the first two years of the Barack Obama Presidency (the 111th Congress), and the first two years of the Joe Biden Presidency (the 117th Congress).

The only other Speakers of the previous 20th century who would rank on her level of greatness would be Sam Rayburn (1940-1947, 1949-1953, 1955-1961), and Thomas “Tip” O’Neill (1977-1987).

When Pelosi gives up the gavel on January 3, 2023, she will have been the fifth longest serving Speaker of the 54 individuals who have held that office, only outdone by Rayburn, Henry Clay, O’Neill, and John W. McCormack.

Now, sadly, a Republican will take over the Speakership of the 118th Congress, most likely Kevin McCarthy of California, who is a unmitigated disaster, totally subservient to the evil 45th President, Donald Trump, who is a Fascist authoritarian demagogue, who still threatens the survival of American democracy.

Newt Gingrich Says Republicans Have Underestimated Joe Biden

Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who did more to divide America and cause “bad blood” in American politics than anyone in the past 30 years, has published a blog post stating that the Republican Party has underestimated Joe Biden tremendously.

He is critical of Biden demonizing Republicans in the recent midterm election, an example of hypocrisy on Gingrich’s part, as he became the true demonizer of the opposition in a poisonous manner, and now cannot handle a similar tactic by the Democrats, who finally stood up and fought back against Republican lunacy and extremism!

Gingrich makes clear that it will be difficult to stop Biden from a second term in the Presidency, and that Republicans have to figure out a different strategy and approach, as what they have done has failed.

This seems like an admission that Donald Trump has brought down the Republican party on all levels, which is certainly reality!

But of course, Gingrich feels a need to point out Biden’s shortcomings, including his speaking difficulties due to stuttering, occasional lapses of memory, and what Gingrich calls “strange behavior” and “personal flaws”.

Gingrich is good at attacking others incessantly, but failing to see his own shortcomings and foibles, which compared to Biden, are much more massive in nature!

Changing The Primary System For The Presidency Makes Total Sense!

After years of the Presidential primary system every four years being controlled by Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada, the Democratic Party and President Joe Biden are promoting a massive change to reflect reality about states and influence.

The plan proposed by Joe Biden would put South Carolina first, followed by a joint date for Nevada and New Hampshire, and then Georgia and Michigan, with Iowa left out of the equation with its outdated caucus system.

Of course, Iowa is upset, and New Hampshire is also unhappy, as they wish to go first, and might still arrange for a primary, due to state law, a week before the beginning of the primary season, but that could lead to refusal to seat delegates chosen in an unauthorized earlier primary.

No plan will please everyone, but this sounds like an excellent reorganization, although Republicans may not follow the same plan.