News and Politics

Discussion about news and politics

With Pending Government Shutdown, Trump And His Extremist Supporters Are Becoming More Of A Threat Exponentially! :(

Ronald 6 Comments

With the growing likelihood of a government shutdown looming on Tuesday evening, September 30, there is a growing threat exponentially of Donald Trump and his supporters becoming an ever greater threat to all Americans.

Such individuals as Stephen Miller and Thomas Homan on immigration; Russell Vought on the budget; Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard on defense and national security; Kash Patel on intelligence gathering; and Pam Bondi on legal and justice matters, are a growing nightmare that could lead to major disasters in so many ways.

But this is not the time to concede, give up, lose faith,as that will only embolden the authoritarian bent of the Trump Presidency.

It is a reality that a minority of Americans, maybe 35-40 percent are ignoring or supporting what has been happening over the last eight months, but history tells us that Donald Trump will continue to lose public support as the months go by!

Ironic That James Comey Actually “Helped” Trump Win In 2016, And Now Indicted By Trump Administration!

Ronald 4 Comments

There are so many ironies about Donald Trump, but one of the most amazing is that Trump has no regard for someone who, unwittingly, helped him become President.

As head of the FBI in 2016, Comey, a registered Republican, announced an investigation of Hillary Clinton, which he then dropped 11 days later, but the damage was done.

Despite Clinton’s winning the popular vote by 2.85 million votes over Donald Trump, it was not enough to stop Trump in the Electoral College, making him the fourth time that a popular vote loser won the Presidency in the Electoral College.

Trump was not happy with James Comey, and fired him early in his first term, but now is attempting to bring him to a conviction based on flimsy evidence, forcing his politicized Justice Department under Attorney General Pam Bondi to indict him, as has just occurred.

This will be an interesting legal challenge for James Comey, but the odds of Donald Trump seeing a conviction of the former FBI head is quite remote!

It should remind Trump supporters in Congress that Trump will stop at nothing in his quest to be an authoritarian dictator!

Kamala Harris Memoir Burns Bridges, Likely Insures End Of Political Career!

Ronald 2 Comments

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, by publishing a memoir with strong statements about many political leaders she has worked with, is likely burning her bridges, making it highly doubtful that she will ever again hold public office.

History records that once a Presidential nominee has lost election to the White House, the odds are extremely high that such individual will never be President.

There are only six cases of a defeated Presidential nominee going on to be elected President–three before the Civil War, once in the Gilded Age, once in the mid 20th century, and finally, Donald Trump.

Two of the cases–Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump– won the Presidency, then lost, and then returned, so unusual and special cases. In the case of Cleveland, he won in 1884, lost in 1888, and won in 1892. Trump won in 2016, lost in 2020, and won in 2024.

The three before the Civil War were Thomas Jefferson, who lost in 1796 and won in 1800; Andrew Jackson, who lost in 1824, and won in 1828; and William Henry Harrison, who lost in 1836 and won in 1840.

Finally, Richard Nixon lost in 1960, but then won in 1968 and 1972.

So the odds of Harris coming back are very low, but additionally, by being critical of Joe and Jill Biden and the Biden Staff, and stating her reasons for not selecting Josh Shapiro or Pete Buttigieg as her Vice Presidential running mate instead of Tim Walz, has caused controversy and a sense of anger by those individuals and others.

And it is generally well known that Kamala Harris was not an easy person to work for, losing staff regularly in the Senate and the Vice Presidency.

One gets the feeling from her appearance on Rachel Maddow, and on “The View”, that she does not seem to have the “fire in the belly” to compete in another strenuous Presidential campaign.

It would have been easier for Harris to have run for California Governor, with assurance of an easy victory, and a major role in the largest state’s impact in reaction to Donald Trump and the Republican Party, just like Gavin Newsom is now waging.

So it seems clear this is the end of any serious “comeback” by Kamala Harris to national politics.

Instead, she is on a major speaking tour to promote her book, and to spread the argument of strong opposition to the horrors of Donald Trump, but not a formal national or state role in that effort.

Having Outpatient Surgery Later Today, So Will Not Post For Awhile

Ronald 4 Comments

I wanted to let my readers and supporters know that I am undergoing Outpatient Surgery later today, so I will NOT be posting for awhile.

I appreciate your understanding.

Shocking Abuse Of Power: Censorship Mounting In Wake Of Charlie Kirk Assassination

Ronald 56 Comments

The Charlie Kirk Assassination is, shockingly, leading to a massive abuse of power by Donald Trump and his administration.

The latest shock is that comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s ABC late evening program has been preempted indefinitely, because ABC has been threatened at losing its Federal Communications Commission license to operate, if they did not yank his program, due to comments made about Charlie Kirk.

This censorship follows CBS canceling comedian Stephen Colbert’s late evening show, effective in the late Spring 2026, but who can say that Colbert might not be “canceled” sooner than then?

CBS already made a legal settlement with Donald Trump, as did ABC earlier, over Trump’s accusations of unfair treatment. And CNN may soon be linked with CBS as part of a massive media merger, a danger sign for freedom of speech and press, and the First Amendment. Also, Trump has sued the New York Times for $15 billion for what Trump calls their lies about him,

The Washington Post under Jeff Bezos fired a columnist for her comments about Charlie Kirk, and there have been other media people who have been dismissed, and powerful corporate interests are rapidly consolidating control of news media into fewer hands, of billionaire oligarchs.

Additionally, universities are going after professors and staff, in a reaction that is shocking, along with many corporations, dismissing staff for their comments posted in only one week since the Charlie Kirk tragedy.

This unfortunate situation, leading to what looks like a move toward totalitarian control, reminds of the Reichstag Fire in Nazi Germany in 1933, which moved Adolf Hitler toward absolute power over his population.

America is in a constitutional crisis, deeper than ever, as we near eight months of this second Trump term!

How critics and opponents will be able to continue to resist is seen as a living, endless, nightmare!

Constitution Day: The Crisis America Faces Under Donald Trump!

Ronald 100 Comments

Today, September 17, is Constitution Day, celebrated every year in honor of the US Constitution, which was signed by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in PHiladelphia on this day in 1787.

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and the National Archives in Washington, DC are commemorating the history of the Constitution as America is moving toward the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.

It is ironic and sad that as we celebrate these documents, including also the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence, that we are faced by the greatest threat in American history, due to a criminally convicted and twice impeached President, who with his Cabinet and other allies, is in process of destroying the American Republic and American Democracy.

But there is a major reaction by all freedom loving people to resist what is happening, as all of us owe our allegiance to freedom and tolerance of political differences.

We have survived polarized times before, including the combative Presidential Election of 1800, when we had the first transition of power from one group to another, and without bloodshed.

We have survived the tumultuous Civil War; the struggle for racial justice; the Great Depression; the threat of Fascism in World War II; the Cold War with the Soviet Union; and the hotly contested Presidential Election of 2000.

It is hard to see it now, but America will survive Donald Trump, as long as we continue to believe in the Founding Documents of our nation, and insure that we continue to promote resistance to any threat to our historical traditions!

First Amendment Under Attack After Charlie Kirk Assassination: An Out Of Control Abuse!

Ronald 9 Comments

America is in a very dangerous time, as the Charlie Kirk Assassination has spurred Donald Trump and his supporters to promote an attack on the First Amendment—freedom of speech, press, and assembly.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, White House Deputy Chief Of Staff Stephen Miller, and Vice President JD Vance have all declared war on what they call “enemies” of the left, who must be suppressed by government action, although Bondi has backed off somewhat after criticsm even by some Republicans.

This attack on the First Amendment is also causing some media outlets, such as the Washington Post, and even MSNBC, to fire certain commentators, and for some universities, airlines, and other corporations to fire those who have posted on social media, in a manner that their employers have decided is not acceptable.

And Trump has started a $15 billion lawsuit against the NY Times.

ICe (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has also been engaged in abuse of power in their arrests of people who look or speak Spanish, and their rough treatment of those they detain.

These are all signs of Fascism in America, but those who believe in freedom of expression are refusing to back off.

There is NO justification for violence against anyone, but the record shows much more extremism by the RIGHT, rather than the LEFT!

The Growing Threat Of Tech Billionaires On The American People!

Ronald 3 Comments

The reality that millions of Americans are “hooked” on Violent Video Games and Smart Phones, along with Social Media, which dominate their lives daily, and that Tech Billionaires are becoming more aggressive in acquisition of wealth as they manipulate the population, clearly a massive danger sign for American society.

This is particularly true among younger Americans, particularly, but not only, Generation Z, and males, more than females.

Aggressiveness and promotion of hate and conflict is inciting more political and other violence, as shown by the assassin of Charlie Kirk.

Algorithms are poisoning public discourse, private thoughts, and spurring violent actions of all sorts.

Some kind of government regulation seems essential, and young people in particular, need to be encouraged to get off their phones and video games, and partake in other activities that are more socially productive.

Fear And Concern About Safety Of College Campuses After Charlie Kirk Assassination On University Campus!

Ronald 26 Comments

This author, scholar and blogger had the privilege of serving as a college professor of History and Political Science for 53 years, teaching, either full time or part time, at a total of eight different colleges and universities, four in New York from 1972-1989, and four in south Florida from 1989-2025.

Never in those years did the thought of someone speaking before college and university students being assassinated, with thousands looking on, cross my mind.

So the shocking assassination of right wing advocate Charlie Kirk in Utah has hit every person, who believes in dialogue and tolerance of differing views, with a sense of shock and disbelief.

It makes one have to worry that college and university campuses may be in danger of being new battlegrounds of dissidents using weapons to attack their rivals, a situation that is intolerable and horrifying!

Higher education is supposed to be the location for open, challenging debate of ideas, but not a location to set out to eliminate those critical of others, and unwilling to have a civilized dialogue.

It is clear that colleges and universities will have to bolster their law enforcement operations as essential actions, but also a sad commentary on the growing threat of political violence!

It is also essential to listen to Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox, who promoted dialogue and understanding in the wake of the shooting, arguing for the need to tone down the rhetoric and accusations, particularly since the young man who committed the terrible act was from a Republican and Trump supporting family, not from a so called “leftist’ background!

Trump Is Promoting Division, Rather Than Unity, After Charlie Kirk Murder!

Ronald 16 Comments

In past times, when shocking events and tragedies occurred, whoever was President of the United States promoted a sense of unity, rather than division.

Such was the case when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, followed by Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, all under the Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson.

Such was the case when September 11 occurred, under the Presidency of George W. Bush.

Such was the case when Donald Trump faced an assassination threat in 2024, under the Presidency of Joe Biden.

The four former Presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden–all issued compassionate and unifying statements after the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk on this past Wednesday.

But Donald Trump, as usual, is promoting division and threats, and making claims about the assassin, which are totally untrue.

Instead of “lowering the temperature” of the rhetoric, he is escalating the potential of political violence!

The assassin was a straight white Utah Mormon, whose family are Trump supporters, not some liberal or socialist or gay or Muslim or immigrant or Latino or anything remotely related to the so called Left!