Author: Ronald

The Donald Trump Plan: Attack Democrats As Anti Semitic, Anti Israel, And As Socialist

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Donald Trump has a plan to win the Presidential Election Of 2020, attack Democrats as Antisemitic, anti Israel, and as dangerous “Socialists”, equating that term with Communism, in relation to totalitarian dictatorships such as the old Soviet Union, China, North Korea, and Cuba.

This is pure demagoguery, as two thirds of Jewish Americans regularly support the Democratic Party, and many American Jews, while supporting Israel in a broad sense, do not support the hard line view of Benjamin Netanyahu and his right wing government in Israel.

And Socialism is part of American history, as with policies of many Presidents since Theodore Roosevelt through Barack Obama in both the Democratic and Republican Parties.

We are a capitalist nation, and always will be, but Socialist ideas have made America a better place.

The Democrats will have to deal with the manipulation of Donald Trump to overcome these accusations, but the new push of Trump to abolish ObamaCare completely, without any replacement for tens of millions of Americans, should be made the major issue among many others in the upcoming campaign.

The Trump Nightmare Continues As Attorney General William Barr Comes To Conclusion On Mueller Report Not Warranted

Ronald 31 Comments

The Trump Nightmare continues, as Attorney General William Barr comes to a conclusion in just four pages of a statement on the Robert Mueller report, that there is no basis for any charges of Obstruction of Justice, when the Mueller Report stated no such assertion.

It is also stunning, after a two year investigation, that the Mueller report comes to the conclusion that there was no Russian collusion, when there is so much evidence of just that, and so much lying about that issue by Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as well as others who had odd contacts with the Russians during the campaign, including Donald Trump, Jr, alongside convicted Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn and others.

This looks like a cover up going on, and it is essential that the whole report be revealed, as well as Congressional testimony by both Barr and Sessions, as well as Rod Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney General.

Trump will use this situation to become ever more reckless in rhetoric, and more dangerous in using of power, than ever before, and the Democrats have an overwhelming challenge to defeat Donald Trump, who short term has now seen his chances of winning reelection greatly enhanced.

South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg: A New Rising Star In The Presidential Race

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A new rising star in the Democratic Presidential race is South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg (pronounced Buddhajudge) who has been the mayor of this mid sized city/ college town since 2012, and has won both four year terms handily with 74 and 80 percent of the vote in his two races.

We have never had a small city mayor elected President directly, and only three Presidents have been mayors, including Andrew Johnson of Greeneville, Tennessee; Grover Cleveland of Buffalo, New York; and Calvin Coolidge of Northampton, Massachusetts, but with Johnson and Coolidge succeeding to the Presidency upon the death of Abraham Lincoln and Warren G. Harding, and none of them in office as mayor for what is now seven years for Buttigieg.

If Buttigieg were to become President, he would be the second Indianan after Benjamin Harrison to become President, but with six Indianans being Vice President (four Republicans and two Democrats)—Schuyler Colfax under Ulysses S. Grant; Charles Fairbanks under Theodore Roosevelt; Dan Quayle under George H. W. Bush; Mike Pence under Donald Trump; Thomas Hendricks under Grover Cleveland, first term; and Thomas Marshall under Woodrow Wilson. Additionally, William English ran with Democrat Winfield Scott Hancock in 1880, and John Kern ran with William Jennings Bryan in 1908.

Also, if Buttigieg were to become President, he would be the first gay President, and also have a husband, who would become First Gentleman, instead of Bill Clinton, who would have had that title if his wife, Hillary Clinton, had won the White House in 2016.

Additionally, he would be, by far, the youngest President at age 39 and one day old on Inauguration Day, 2021, making him about three years and ten and a half months younger than Theodore Roosevelt, and four years and seven and a half months younger than John F. Kennedy.

Buttigieg is impressive as a successful and popular Mayor of South Bend, who has improved the city during his mayoralty; and as a graduate of Harvard University, he went on to be a Rhodes Scholar at Pembroke College of Oxford University in Great Britain. He also served in the US Navy at the rank of Lieutenant, and was a Naval Intelligence Officer who served in the war in Afghanistan, and is still in the Naval Reserve.

Also of note is that Buttigieg won the competition for the “JFK Profiles In Courage Essay Contest” in 2000, writing about the integrity and courage of then Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders, and traveled to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library to accept the award from Caroline Kennedy, and met other members of the Kennedy family. Buttigieg had been valedictorian of his high school class, and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa at Harvard University, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard with a degree in History and Literature.

George W. Bush Extolls Benefits Of Immigration In Dallas Naturalization Ceremony

Ronald 10 Comments

Former President George W. Bush, who pursued comprehensive immigration reform while in office, extolled the benefits of immigration, as “a blessing and a strength” at a naturalization ceremony in Dallas, Texas, this week, adding to his stature of NOT being like typical Republicans now are in Congress and the Trump White House, spewing hatred and prejudice toward immigrants, and using ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) as an agency which has abused both legal immigrants and undocumented immigrants.

Instead of pursuing truly undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes, ICE has destroyed the lives of such individuals who, other than overstaying their visas or entering years ago without proper documentation, have NOT committed crimes, but whole families are being ripped apart by the order of the Trump Administration.

This is not what Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, or Ronald Reagan promoted as their immigration policies.

Instead, Donald Trump keeps on promoting the bald faced lie that “caravans of immigrants” are coming to America illegally, when the facts are not there, and those undocumented immigrants who come in are mostly women and children, not adult males who are criminals.

George W. Bush adds to his stature by his sentiments, and those of former First Lady Laura Bush, and the nativism now being practiced will be condemned in the long run of history, particularly when First Lady Melania Trump was an undocumented immigrant, but from Eastern Europe, who came in, and was fortunate enough to meet her husband, allowing special dispensation for her parents from Slovenia to pass by the normal restrictions for immigrants to come into America!

Jimmy Carter Becomes Longest Lived President! Hooray! And His Legacy Will Be Remembered In History!

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President Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, became this morning the longest lived President of the United States, surpassing George H. W. Bush, who passed away last November 30 at the age of 94. After 111 more days, Carter is now longer surviving than Bush, who broke the record of Gerald Ford, who broke the record of Ronald Reagan, with all four having reached 93, and Bush and Carter becoming 94 last year.

On October 1, Carter will reach the age of 95, and on October 17, Carter and his beloved wife Rosalynn, will have had a longer marriage than George H. W. and Barbara Bush, with 73 years and about three months duration.

Carter, much vilified, and not appreciated in his time in office, has become much more respected and honored with his longest retired Presidency of 38 years, two months and two days as of today. And his Vice President, Walter Mondale, still survives as well, and they are the longest surviving team in American history, with Mondale past the age of 91, and no other Presidential and Vice Presidential team reaching that age except for Reagan and H. W. Bush.

Carter may have the possibility to reach 100, as he has combated brain cancer for three and a half years, and continued to do good deeds. He is the model of what a President should be like in his conduct in retirement, as well as his basic behavior in office.

He is diametrically opposite of Donald Trump, who is the most horrendous President in his behavior, or at most, ties with Andrew Johnson.

Carter is a truly religious man in his words and actions, while Trump only worships himself, although he has the gall to sign Bibles and appeal to people by literally wrapping himself in the flag at a recent event, taking advantage of the hypocrisy of right wing evangelical Christians who have no issue with his conduct or behavior, while they condemned the moral behavior of Bill Clinton.

Donald Trump Becomes More Mentally Deranged Than Ever With His Weekend Rants On Twitter, And George Conway Calls For Action To Protect America

Ronald 4 Comments

Donald Trump is becoming ever more dangerous, and more mentally deranged than ever, with his weekend and since rants on Twitter, including his disgraceful attacks on Senator John McCain, who passed away seven months ago.

Kelly Anne Conway’s husband, George Conway, a strong conservative attorney, has called for action to protect America, while his clueless wife stays with Donald Trump, defending him against her husband’s attacks. This has led Trump to issue blistering attacks on George Conway.

What kind of person allows his or her employer to attack his or her life partner and defends publicly the employer over the life partner?

One has to wonder about the ethics and morality of Kelly Anne Conway, who has become the laughing stock to anyone who has any sense of propriety.

It is not as if Kelly Anne Conway will be homeless and starving if she were to demonstrate some common sense, denounce Donald Trump, and resign.

But instead, one has to wonder how George Conway would not decide that it is time to divorce a woman who is a disgrace, and has sold her soul to a man not worthy of such loyalty as Donald Trump.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham Has Abandoned His Close Friend, The Dead John McCain, For His Own Political Survival In 2020, Totally Disgraceful

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For many years in the US Senate, it was well known that Arizona Senator John McCain’s closest friend was South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. Few friendships have been more intimate than these two men, often traveling to foreign battlefields, and in unison on just about every imaginable issue.

So it was not surprising that both McCain and Graham were highly critical of the candidacy of Donald Trump for President, and when Trump said McCain was not a war hero for being in a North Vietnamese prison camp under torture for five years, Graham condemned Trump and spoke up for his good friend.

But then, McCain died seven months ago, and overnight, Graham transformed into support for Trump, and it continues even now as Trump attacks the memory of a great Senator, an unseemly action by anyone against a person who has passed away.

Graham has, seemingly, gone off the deep end, and one can wonder if he is now mentally deranged, much like Donald Trump. If he is not, then he is simply a traitor to his friend, allowing Trump to continue to attack McCain, and not criticizing the President.

Could it be because he desperately wants to keep his Senate seat, which he faces election for in 2020, and is afraid to be at all critical of Trump?

Certainly, Lindsey Graham has lost all credibility and is seen as a total disgrace, and a coward!

40 Years Of C Span: Opening Up Congress And American Government To Public Scrutiny And Attention

Ronald 4 Comments

40 years ago today, the cable networks agreed on the establishment of a non partisan channel to cover US Government in the service of the knowledge and enlightenment of the American people.

Over time, three channels developed, one for the House of Representatives, one for the US Senate, and one for History (American History TV).

Not only does C Span cover all proceedings in the House and Senate, but also many other public events, including congressional hearings, lectures and ceremonies, interviews of published scholars, and presentations on all aspects of American history.

But also, coverage of the British, Canadian, and Australian governments in English are telecast, and many foreign policy issues have become part of the mission of C Span, and what cannot be aired on cable is available on videos available through the C Span website.

Many different special series have been aired over time, all educating, informing, and promoting study of American history, government, and politics.

It is hard to imagine how much worse off we would be if there was no C Span, so happy 40th anniversary and many more years of wonderful programming and information.

Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse A Major Disappointment, No Guts Or Principle

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Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse is only 47, is clearly intelligent and scholarly, with a Ph. D. in American history from Yale, having taught at the University of Texas, and been a college President at a small liberal arts college, Midland University, in his home state.

As a fellow historian and professor, this author and blogger has found Sasse impressive and someone I could, while not agreeing with his conservative philosophy, have respect for when he has spoken up against the abuses of Donald Trump.

But now, there is a feeling of total disillusionment, as Sasse refused to vote against Trump on the Mexico Border Wall National Emergency, while 12 Republican Senators and all 47 Democratic Senators voted against Trump, but sadly, no means are available to gain 8 more Republicans and make for a two thirds override of Trump’s veto.

Sasse was clearly knowledgeable about the Constitution of the United States, but has become a coward, unwilling to alienate Trump or his supporters, with his reelection contest coming up in Nebraska in November 2020.

So his reelection, when he is not in danger of being homeless or hungry were he to lose his race, is more important than doing what is right. So personal needs overrule morality, ethics, and facts, absolutely unbelievable.

At one point, this author and blogger saw Sasse as a potential alternative to Trump, not someone I would have voted for but for whom I felt real respect.

That is now gone, and Ben Sasse has struck out, and cannot be believed or trusted ever again!

Birch Bayh, One Of The Best Senators Of Late 20th Century Dead At Age 91, A Truly Creative Legislator Who Should Have Been President

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Former Indiana Senator Birch Bayh, who served in the Senate from 1963-1981, passed away this week at age 91.

Birch Bayh was one of the best United States Senators of the late 20th century, a truly creative legislator who should have been President.

He competed in 1976 for the Democratic Presidential nomination against Jimmy Carter and many others, and he was the favorite of this blogger and author.

This is a man who promoted the passage of the 25th Amendment, providing for an Acting President if the President was incapacitated, and of the appointment and approval of a Vice Presidential replacement when there was a vacancy in that office.

This was the reaction of Bayh and others after John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and with Lyndon B. Johnson having had a serious heart attack in 1955, and with potential successors being House Speaker John W. McCormack (age 73), and President Pro Tempore of the Senate Carl Hayden (age 86).

Bayh also promoted the 26th Amendment, giving 18 years olds the right to vote, and he also sponsored the unsuccessful Equal Rights Amendment, which failed of passage by enough states.

He also sponsored Title 9 of the amended Civil Rights Act in 1972, ending quotas for women in higher education and giving women equal opportunity to participate in sports.

Additionally, Bayh saved Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy when they were both in a small plane crash in 1964.

Bayh was the father of Indiana Governor and Senator Evan Bayh. He won three close races in Indiana, and then was defeated by future Vice President Dan Quayle in 1980.