Month: November 2025

Eight Democratic Senators Caving In To End Government Shutdown, But Will Health Care Be Sacrificed By That Action?

Ronald 6 Comments

The Democratic Party is at a crossroads, now that 8 Democratic Senators caved in, and agreed to open up the government, due to the deleterious effects of the 42 day Government Shutdown over the issue of the Affordable Care Act subsidies.

With government workers not being paid, and SNAP (Food Stamp) benefits not being available, and the aviation system in chaos, and so much else, these eight Senators, including two who are retiring in 2026, and the other six not coming up for election again until 2028 and 2030, chose to gamble on a promised vote on continuing the Affordable Care Act, but without a certainty that it will be restored for 2026.

This author and blogger realizes how difficult this situation is, and disagrees vehemently with this group of Senators, but it is a reality that the Democrats, being the party of the minority, has little control over what the federal government does.

So sadly, we may see the demise of health care for 24 million Americans, insuring more deaths and human suffering, with the issue one that should insure a Democratic takeover in the midterm elections of 2026, particularly after the amazing triumph of Democrats in the recent elections in several states and cities.

It is clear, that these 8 Senators will be condemned in history, and that will be their legacy long term. And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has lost the ability to control his caucus, a tragic circumstance.

But beyond that reality, if Donald Trump is able to rig the elections through his promotion of gerrymandering seats in the House of Representatives, or utilizes ICE and the National Guard and other law enforcement agencies to police election sites, nothing may save the American Republic, just as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States next July!

The nation is in a major crisis with no optimism left that it will work out in a positive manner!

Donald Trump, Aggressor In Foreign Policy!

Ronald 77 Comments

Donald Trump is becoming an international law violator of massive proportions.

In his declining mental state, and being egged on by sycophants, including Pete Hegseth and Stephen Miller, who are very willing to use American military force to impose their views on other nations, we are seeing the constant attacks on boats in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, that supposedly, are involved in drug dealing, but no information is being provided to Senators or Congressmen of key committees that deal with national defense and foreign policy.

So far, 18 boats have been attacked, and about 70 people have been killed, while a few survivors of these attacks are sent back to their home nations, which indicates there is no evidence of them being engaged in illegal actions, as if they were, they would be brought to trial in the United States.

Military and naval forces are growing toward what seems like a likely military attack, maybe even invasion, of Venezuela, with the aim of forcing President Nicolas Maduro from power.

This seems connected also to Venezuela’s alliance with Cuba, with the background plan, possibly, to overthrow the Cuban government, a nation where Raul Castro, brother of Fidel Castro, is still alive although retired, 66 years after the Cuban Revolution of 1959.

And there are hints that the US is ready to invade Mexico over the drug cartel issue, as well.

But outside the Western Hemisphere, suddenly there is a threat against the largest populated nation in Africa, Nigeria, because of religious turmoil, leading to the deaths of Christians, but also Muslims in that nation. Trump is using the Christian nationalist argument to threaten invasion of that nation, which would be a total disater if it were to occur.

Clearly, Donald Trump and his extremist Cabinet and advisers are waging the threat of potential military intervention, while sitting on the sidelines regarding the Russia-Ukraine War, and cozying up to nations that are “Communist” in their history, such as Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, and disrupting the 76 year NATO alliance in the process.

The Threat To Truth In Journalism

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A very significant part of any democracy is a free, uncontrolled journalism and news media that promotes accountability and truth by government.

Sadly, and tragically, there are danger signs that a free, unbridled journalism is rapidly being eviscerated.

Examples are ABC News and CBS News reacting to lawsuits pursued by Donald Trump by caving in, and paying financial damages, when they should have fought it out in court.

Also, CBS News has been compromised by new ownership, catering to Donald Trump and firing many on their staff.

Additionally, the Washington Post under Billionaire Jeff Bezos has changed the nature of editorials and columnists, and many leading figures in that newspaper have resigned.

The Los Angeles Times has also shown signs of conceding to the Trump Administration in many instances, and CNN also has demonstrated willingness to be cautious in its approach to the Trump Administration.

For now, only the New York Times and MSNBC (to be renamed MS NOW on November 15) are resisting pressures by the Trump Administration.

Nancy Pelosi Greatest Woman In American Political History, And Among Top Few Speakers Of The House!

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California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House (2007-2011) and (2019-2023) has announced her retirement at the end of the present term in 2026, after nearly 40 years in the House of Representatives.

There is no way that anyone can deny that Nancy Pelosi is the greatest woman in American political history for anyone elected, as only a few First Ladies (Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama) even come close in influence, and also Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg would be in that category.

Clearly, Pelosi is the best, by far, Speaker of the House in modern times, with only Sam Rayburn, Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, and Henry Clay competing with her for the greatest of all time.

Those three Speakers served 17, 10, and 10 years, respectively, as Speaker, while Pelosi served 8 years.

Her impact was massive, as she helped bring about the Affordable Care Act under Barack Obama, and resisted Donald Trump and his authoritarian impulses in his first term in the White House, and is still actively working against Trump’s dangerous moves in the first year of his second term. Also, she promoted the first gun violence prevention legislation since the early 1990s, during the Presidency of Joe Biden.

Pelosi was subjected to direct threat by the Insurrectionists on January 6, 2021 at the US Capitol, and the hateful rhetoric of Trump helped incite the attack on her husband in 2022.

Pelosi showed great courage and determination in the face of constant attacks by the opposition party in the House of Representatives over her two decade leadership of her party.

She was a master strategist, and had the respect of her caucus, which she was able to lead with great skill.

Not bad for a woman who had five children and did not enter politics until her mid 40s, a true model for women who wished to pursue public service.

The fact that Donald Trump continues to condemn Pelosi even now, says legions about the character of both Pelosi and Trump.

At the same time, the last six Republican Speakers since 1995–Newt Gingrich, Dennis Hastert, John Boehner, Paul Ryan, Kevin McCarthy, and now Mike Johnson, have been steadily getting more outrageously horrendous with each new Speakership!

While Pelosi will go down in history as among the greatest Speakers and Congressional leaders of all time, Donald Trump is assuredly, more every day that passes, adding to the reality of being the WORST President, by far, in American history.

It is causing reconsideration of James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Franklin Pierce, the others Presidents, all around the Pre Civil and Civil War period, who have been rated as the worst Presidents of American history!

Republican Majority In House Of Representatives “Missing In Action” After Seven Weeks Of No Sessions!

Ronald 7 Comments

The Republican Party in the House of Representatives has not been in session now for SEVEN weeks, and Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to swear in Congresswoman Elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona, all to prevent the passage of a resolution to make the “Epstein Files” public!

It is shocking that Mike Johnson has given a tax paid “free vacation” to his party membership, while Democrats are still showing up during the now 37 days government shutdown over the Trump administration denying health care coverage to tens of millions of Americans, and refusing to pay government employees their pay, while expecting them to work.

If there was any better argument for every Republican to lose his seat in the House of Representatives, it is now!

Never has the House of Representatives in modern times had such a long period of no sessions or work, and there needs to be public outcry at the scandalous behavior of Speaker Johnson and the House majority!

Magnificent Victory On All Fronts, And Repudiation Of Trump And MAGA!

Ronald 31 Comments

American Democracy survives, as on Election Day 2025, there was a magnificent victory on all fronts by Democrats, everywhere one looked!

From the victory of a Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City Mayor, to a moderate centrist Democrat Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey elected as Governors, to a 2-1 victory for the Proposition of reapportionment of House seats in California, and even the retention of three state Supreme Court Justices in Pennsylvania, Democrats revived after the tragedy of the Presidential Election of 2024.

The Democratic Party showed its diversity, with a Muslim NYC Mayor, and Women Governors with military background in Virginia and New Jersey!

With all of the disillusionment the Democrats have gone through this past year since Donald Trump was elected, the reality remains that the Democratic Party IS “the party of the people”, of all backgrounds, and its diversity is its strength!

The Republican Party has become a party of sycophants to an authoritarian Fascist dictator wannabe, who is mentally deficient, mean spirited, cruel, heartless, and promoting an attack on democracy and the rule of law.

The Republicans are primarily a party of those who promote racism, nativism, misogyny, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and homophobia, allowing extremist white supremacist Christianity to become its central message, even though Donald Trump is, most certainly, totally irreligious!

Dick Cheney, Most Controversial Vice President, Dies At Age 84!

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Dick Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, under the two terms of President George W. Bush, passed away at age 84 on November 3.

The most controversial Vice President since John C. Calhoun under John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson 170 years earlier, Cheney was termed “Darth Vader” by the multitude of critics, who condemned Cheney and Bush for intervention in Iraq on false premises of “Weapons of Mass Destruction” that were never found, but caused the deaths of about 4,500 American military personnel in a war that lasted for nearly a decade.

Cheney was seen as corrupt in his corporate dealings, and had a tough public persona that caused great anger and vehemence against him.

Cheney promoted the use of torture, including waterboarding, against Muslim suspects, in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Cheney came across as “tough as nails”, harsh, uncompromising, and many observers felt he was more the President in the first term of George W. Bush, than Bush himself.

In the second term, Bush became more assertive, and the role of Cheney declined in influence.

The public image never changed, but ironically, Cheney and his daughter, former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, became the image of a family which resisted the threat of Donald Trump, making Dick Cheney in retrospect seem less evil and threatening by comparison.

The idea that Dick Cheney would actually “cross the aisle” and vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 is a sign of how much the Republican Party had changed from the time of Bush-Cheney to the time of the authoritarian oriented Donald Trump!

Cheney had served as a Wyoming Congressman and Republican Whip in the House of Representatives, after being White House Chief Of Staff to President Gerald Ford, before being a creditable Secretary of Defense under President George H W Bush.

A Truly Divided Nation With No Sign Of Compromise!

Ronald 61 Comments

As America votes in off year elections in just a few states, the recognition is that America is a truly divided nation with no sign of compromise, as we move toward the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Republic, with every indication of Fascist authoritarianism being dominant under Donald Trump!

At present, there are 25 Trump states and 19 Anti Trump states, with only six states really competitive, both in support or opposition to Trump, and in percentages of seats in the House of Representatives.

In the 25 Trump states, 22 of them have Republican governors, and all of the state legislatures and Senate seats, as well.

Only six states really remain “competitive”—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada, a total of 77 Electoral College votes.

In Electoral Votes, the Democrats have 226 from the 19 Anti Trump states and the District of Columbia. The 25 Trump states have 235 electoral votes.

Also, Nebraska and Maine have divided electoral votes, with the Second District of Nebraska often having one electoral vote going to Democrats and the Second District of Maine often having one electoral vote going to Republicans, so they balance each other.

The states that have strongly gone Republican, while formerly competitive, are Texas, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina.

With Texas and Florida still gaining population growth, the likelihood is that both states will have more electoral votes after reapportionment in 2032, which makes the Democrats facing a massive challenge in future elections.

And California, Illinois, and New York are likely to lose Electoral votes, necessitating the need for Democrats to win the six “swing states” that have been in play, but won recently by Republicans, as in 2024!

The Horrors And Fears Latinos Now Face Due To ICE Raids!

Ronald 9 Comments

Tragically, Latinos in America, whether born in America, or naturalized citizens, or those with a “green card”, or those who are undocumented, face the horrors and fear of ICE raids!

This is true in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, and elsewhere, as thousands upon thousands of immigrants who washed cars, shopped for groceries, delivered food, walked dogs, drove their cars and attended schools and jobs, are being summarily arrested and facing deportation!

Mothers and fathers and even teenagers have been separated from their families without notice or knowledge of where such victims are being sent on the way to deportation.

This is a civil liberties crisis unmatched in American history, with an out of control Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency waging massive raids, with a hardline attitude by Kristi Noem, Tom Homan, Stephen Miller, and others, who are acting as authoritarians under their sycophantic loyalty to Donald Trump.

The Supreme Court has bent to the will of the Trump Administration, with six of the nine members of the high Court giving leeway to whatever is occurring, which is violating the Bill Of Rights, and the future will be determined in future cases being argued on the Court.

At the same time, lower courts have often blocked Trump actions, so we have a split judicial system, but with the Supreme Court soon to decide just how far these violations of basic human rights will be implemented long term.

The lives of these unfortunate victims are being upended, as people stay home from work and school, and are unable to pay their bills, and have to depend on others for grocery shopping.

“The American Dream” is being upended, and is, sadly, likely to get worse, under a Supreme Court more extreme than any in a century since the 1920s, as the advancements of the previous Warren and Burger Courts are being upended by the Roberts Court!

42 Million Americans Have Food Stamps (SNAP), Now On Hold As November Begins!

Ronald 9 Comments

Waking up on the first day of November, 42 million Americans are being denied basic federal assistance to insure they have food, a travesty caused by the Republican Party and President Donald Trump, on top of the escalation of premiums for the Affordable Care Act, which if not modified, will lead to millions of Americans without any health care coverage in 2026!

And the irony is that a majority of those who are going without food support and health care coverage are residents of “Red” states, but the Republican Party and Donald Trump have no concern for their own constituents.

SNAP primarily supports children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, and the highest percentage of people who receive these meager benefits are found in Louisiana, the home state of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and second ranking House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

Also high in percentage of people covered by SNAP are the Republican states of Oklahoma and West Virginia,

SNAP households with children are 34 percent; with elderly individuals 33 percent; with nonelderly individuals with a disability 18 percent; and with adults ages 18-49 without either a disability or children with 17 percent. Of course, some households include multiple categories.

Nearly four out of five household in 2023 include a child, elderly individual, or nonelderly individual with a disability.

20 percent of the population in Louisiana, New Mexico, and the District of Columbia receive SNAP benefits, and overall, 12 percent of the American people receive SNAP benefits.

This disastrous situation needs to be resolved NOW! 🙁