Dick Cheney

More Widespread Presidential Corruption In Next Four Years Than At Any Time In American History! :(

The United States has had many periods of political corruption on the national level in its nearly 250 year history.

It is clear that at least six Presidents–all coincidentally Republicans–have presided over high levels of corruption.

In the Gilded Age 1870s, under President Ulysses S. Grant, there was the first example of a widespread corruption, generally called the Credit Mobilier Scandal, but encompassing much more than that specific scandal. However, there is no indication that Grant personally was involved, but he is criticized for having made poor choices for appointees to various cabinet and other positions. The corruption helped to lead to the Civil Service reform bill known as the Pendleton Act of 1883.

Approximately a half century later, under President Warren G. Harding in his brief less than two and a half year administration, the most prominent scandal was known as the Teapot Dome Scandal, but the level of corruption was much greater than just that, with three key Cabinet and other appointees involved in major scandals. Additionally, and not known at the time, Harding had his own personal scandals, and he was judged the worst President of the 20th century, due to his incompetence and poor judgment. His successor, Calvin Coolidge, cleaned up the scandals, instead of trying to cover them up.

Until the time of Donald Trump, clearly, under President Richard Nixon in the 1970s, there were more scandals and abuse of power, most famously known as the Watergate Scandal, than any other President. Nixon was the first President who was clearly involved on a personal level in many of the scandals and indictments of his Presidency. The fortunate development, however, was that his own Republican Party held Nixon accountable, as he faced impeachment, and he resigned from office, succeeded by Gerald Ford, who elevated the level of the Presidential office.

During the 1980s, under President Ronald Reagan, there were a whole series of scandals, with the best known being the Iran-Contra Scandal, but with Reagan claiming no knowledge, and apparently not directly involved in them, but plenty of indictments and some convictions, with Reagan giving the excuse that he was not aware of malfeasance, and being given a pass, as many observers thought there were signs of mental deterioration in his second term. Reagan’s personal popularity also aided him in overcoming accusations, as suggestions of moving toward impeachment did not have much support.

Then, under George W. Bush in the early 2000s, there were plenty of examples of abuse of power, particularly surrounding the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, but also the indictments of many people appointed by Bush, and also, the perceived abuses of power by Vice President Dick Cheney. But suggestions of impeachment were pushed to the side, despite much conflict and concerns at the time.

Despite all of these earlier Presidential scandals, it has been much greater under Donald Trump in his first term, with him being impeached twice; inciting the US Capitol Insurrection of January 6, 2021; facing indictments on four different cases after leaving office; being convicted on one set of charges involving financial matters; and yet, protected by the Supreme Court in Trump V US in July 2024, giving him ability to evade responsibility for his actions.

And now, in his second term, Trump is abusing power in ways far greater than his first term, and yet, so far, he seems to be moving toward authoritarian control, and American democracy is in crisis, as he looks to go after his enemies, and purge what he calls “the deep state”!

Trump’s use of pardons and clemency, and his setting a record for massive executive orders, along with many incompetent appointments, and indication that he plans to disobey any federal court orders, is an alarm bell of troubles ahead!

Some readers of this blog entry might think it is unfair to label these six Republican Presidents as scandalous, and ignore Democratic Presidents.

But the record, at most, shows comparatively minor “scandals” under Democratic Presidents, nothing on the level of these six Republican Preaidents, with Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden having nothing substantial occurring during their administrations, despite Republican attempts to besmirch them. And Bill Clinton’s major scandal was his private love life, which was exposed and reprehensible, but does not match the government corruption under the six named Republican Presidents above.

And notice, not included as having major scandals are Republicans Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush.

Early Estimation Of Potential Republican Presidential Nominees In 2028

The Washington Post just published an article on ten potential Republican Presidential contenders to succeed Donald Trump in 2028.

It is a literal horror list!

At the top of the list are Vice President JD Vance, and Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump, Jr.

Vance, already, in six weeks, has compiled a public persona that has not gone over well in public opinion polls, and makes earlier Republican Vice Presidents look better by comparison, including not only broadly respected Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush, but also far less impressive Vice Presidents, including Dan Quayle, Dick Cheney, and Mike Pence. Only Spiro Agnew, at this point, would rate lower than Vance.

Trump Jr. is not a very smart or impressive individual, who clearly has been harmed over his life by the parental abuses his father visited upon him, with many stories of their difficult relationship.

Once we go beyond these two top contenders, we have Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as number 4; and Kristi Noem, former South Dakota Governor and now Homeland Security Secretary as number 8—both having many negatives in their public record.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio (formerly Senator from Florida) as number 5 and Nikki Haley (former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador) as number 6, are comparatively more palatable, but one cannot accept that either really has a great chance for the future. Rubio surving in the Cabinet for four years seems unlikely, and Haley has aliented Trump supporters by her fierce campaign against Trump in 2024.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp at number 3 was a major Trump critic in the past, and outgoing Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin at number 7 did not meet the expectations of many that he was a major player.

Finally, at the bottom two slots of ten listed are former Fox host Tucker Carlson at number 10, and enterpreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (who is running for Ohio Governor in 2026) at number 9. Needless to say, they are both obnoxious beyond the pale, and make everyone else on the list comparatively palatable.

This is an indication of how horrendous the future of the Trump dominated Republican Party looks at this moment in 2025.

But the question is can the Democratic Party recover and offer a real alternative in the future?

Any chance of the survival of the American Republic beyond Donald Trump is a real question, without a clear-cut answer!

Comparing Republican And Democratic Vice Presidents Since 1961!

America has had a total of 50 Vice Presidents in its history since 1789.

Fourteen of those Vice Presidents have served since 1961, with eight being Republicans, and six being Democrats.

Asssessing their significance, and perceptions of their performances, there is no comparison that would rate the Republicans as superior to the Democrats, and in fact, the differences are massive!

The eight Republican Vice Presidents include in order of service in the office:

Spiro Agnew
Gerald Ford
Nelson Rockefeller
George H W Bush
Dan Quayle
Dick Cheney
Mike Pence
JD Vance

The six Democratic Vice Presidents include in order of service in the office:

Lyndon B. Johnson
Hubert Humphrey
Walter Mondale
Al Gore
Joe Biden
Kamala Harris

Nobody in their right mind would claim that the Republicans come anywhere close in background, image, and significance to the Democrats.

Only Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, and George H W Bush are looked upon in a positive way, while all six Democrats “shine”, and particularly Walter Mondale, Al Gore, and Joe Biden.

LBJ and Humphrey do not look as “good” as Vice Presidents because their Presidents chose not to utilize their talents adequately, which is a criticism of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Harris had the extra disadvantage of being unique, as a woman and mixed race Vice President, in a country where there is still misogyny and racism, sad to say.

But the remaining five Republican Vice Presidents are really horrendous, with Spiro Agnew and Dan Quayle clearly so, and with Dick Cheney, while certainly competent, perceived as “Darth Vader”, overly autocratic and seen in a negative light.

And Donald Trump’s two Vice Presidents are perceived in a negative light, but already, JD Vance in just six weeks appears far worse than Mike Pence!

In any scholarly ranking of Vice Presidents, the top three Vice Presidents in history would be in order–Walter Mondale, Joe Biden, and Al Gore.

And in any scholarly ranking of Vice Presidents, the bottom three would include in order—Spiro Agnew, Dan Quayle, and likely JD Vance!

The fact that Dick Cheney and Mike Pence would be rated above these three disastrous Vice Presidents, is quite a testimony to how horrendous Agnew, Quayle, and Vance have been to the office, with Vance “accomplishing” this failure in six weeks and by his statements and viewpoints expressed making the possibility of his succeeding Trump in the future as quite scary, to say the least!

Shocking Confrontation Of Trump And Vance With Zelenskyy In Oval Office Indicates “Sellout” Of Ukraine And Europe!

In an event that will reverberate for the long term future, Donald Trump and JD Vance had a shocking public confrontation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine in the Oval Office yesterday, repudiating US support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, which began with a massive invasion by Vladimir Putin’s military forces three years ago.

Nothing like this incident has ever occurred before, and certainly, not in the public eye for all to witness.

It made clear that Trump is abandoning the close relationship the US has had with European democracies since World War II, and instead is embracing a close friendship with the aggressor, and major threat to world peace, Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation.

This presents a threat to the survival and viability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which has keep peace and stability for 75 years since 1949.

Shockingly, most Republicans are backing Trump and Vance in their “ambush” of Zelenskyy, and the idea that Vice President Vance would interject himself in the confrontation so directly, was beyond the pale, clearly designed to promote his own Presidential candidacy to succeed Trump in 2028.

Vance has now made himself the most despicable Vice President in modern times, surpassing Spiro Agnew and Dick Cheney in being a confrontational second in command.

All good, decent people will support Zelenskyy and Ukraine, and reputiate the despicable, corrupt, and authoritarian orientation of both Trump and Vance, and of their sycophants in the Cabinet and elsewhere in the US government.

And already, people who had been strongly anti Russian for good reason historically and contemporarily, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and others have clearly decided that they will advance their own agendas, and give up their principles.

If Rubio in particular had any guts or ethics, he would resign, but that clearly is NOT going to happen.

America is in a very dangerous time in so many ways, and this after less than six weeks in office in the second Trump Presidency.

There is a lot of “buyer’s remorse” apparent among voters, who allowed themselves to be bamboozled by a man who was already impeached twice, had 86 indictment charges in four cases, and was convicted on 34 felony charges of those counts for falsifying business records in New York State.

The anarchy and chaos being promoted in both domestic and foreign policy is mind-blowing, and puts the US in a very dangerous condition for the future under Donald Trump!

Another Disastrous Republican Vice President In A Long Line!

The Republican Party has had an amazing ability to find a group of horrendous, often unqualified, Vice Presidential nominees, many of them becoming Vice President of the United States, in the past six decades since 1964.

Barry Goldwater in 1964, himself a highly controversial Presidential nominee, selected New York Congressman William E. Miller, totally unqualified to be a heartbeat away, to be his Vice Presidential running mate. Thank goodness Goldwater lost to Lyndon B. Johnson and his highly qualified Vice President, Hubert Humphrey.

In 1968 and again in 1972, Richard Nixon had Spiro Agnew as his Vice President, until he was forced out due to scandal and resignation in October 1973. Agnew was a true nightmare, and the thought that had he not been forced out, that he would have been President in 1974, was a literal nightmare scenario!

Fortunately, Nixon appointed Gerald Ford as his Vice President to replace Agnew, a blessing, and Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller, former NY Governor and three time Republican Presidential contender as his Vice President, both appointed under the 25th Amendment.

When Ford selected Senator Bob Dole as his Vice Presidential running mate in 1976, while controversial for his utterances, Dole was at least qualified for the Vice Presidency, as was George H. W. Bush for the eight years of Ronald Reagan.

But then came Dan Quayle as Vice President under George H. W. Bush, a man who came across as not very bright and a bit terrifying to imagine him succeeding to the Presidency, when Bush had a heart issue, that thankfully was resolved successfully, and lived on to 2018.

In 1996, losing nominee Bob Dole had former Congressman and Housing Secretary Jack Kemp as his running mate, not horrible but not preferable to Al Gore, Bill Clinton’s two term Vice President.

Then, George W. Bush had Dick Cheney of Wyoming as his Vice President, certainly competent, and actually having a great impact in the first term of Bush, but seen as very arrogant, nasty, and corrupt, and having great responsibility for the Iraq War, based on false information.

Then, an all time low was Sarah Palin as John McCain’s Vice Presidential running mate in 2008, the most scary and incompetent running mate in modern history, making even Dan Quayle look better.

This was followed by Mitt Romney in 2012 having Paul Ryan, later Speaker of the House, but seen as similar in right wing extremism to Cheney.

And then we had Mike Pence under Donald Trump, dutiful and obedient, but seen by many as a religious extremist, and yet repudiated by Trump, who endangered him at the time of the January 6 Insurrection for failing to stop the Electoral College Vote Count, and by Trump not calling off the mob attack that was threatening Pence’s life.

And now, we have JD Vance, who quickly is demonstrating how right wing extremist and undiplomatic he is on his first involvement in international affairs, along with his divisive domestic comments. His connection with powerful technology executives, including Peter Thiel, and Elon Musk, is totally horrifying!

The thought that Vance, at age 40, is a heartbeat away from the Presidency is terrifying!

Liz Cheney, Kamala Harris At Ripon, Wisconsin: Birthplace Of Republican Party 170 Years Ago, And Now In Crisis!

Today is a very momentous day, as former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is campaigning for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in Ripon, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the Republican Party in 1854!

Cheney and Harris do not agree much on policy, but Cheney and many other conservatives and Republicans are supporting her election because of the threat posed by Donald Trump’s attempt to return to the White House in the elections next month.

Trump is an existential threat to American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law, and Cheney has sacrificed her political career in opposing Trump after the US Capitol Insurrection of January 6, 2021, which caused five deaths of law enforcement officers and injuries to more than 140 other law enforcement personnel.

This is true patriotism in the best sense, and Cheney and many other conservatives and Republicans who are showing principle will be remembered in a positive way in American history for the long run!

Republicans Opposing Trump Grow Massively!

The number of Republicans who oppose Donald Trump’s Presidential campaign has grown by leaps and bounds.

This includes staff who worked for Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney.

It also includes many who worked for Donald Trump, including Cabinet level officials and other White House officials.

It includes former Vice President Mike Pence and people who worked for him.

It includes former Vice President Dick Cheney, his daughter, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, and former Congressman Adam Kinzinger.

It includes Cabinet level officials under other Presidents.

It includes former Republican Senators and some sitting Republican Senators (Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins), and also includes two former Republican Speakers of the House (John Boehner, Paul Ryan), and numerous other past members of the House of Representatives.

It also includes many Republican Governors past and present; state and local officials; and many conservative commentators including SE Cupp, George Conway, David Frum, Jonah Goldberg, Bill Kristol, and George Will among others.

Of course, not all of the above are actually backing Kamala Harris, although many are, but they are vehement in opposition to Donald Trump returning to the White House!

Liz Cheney And Dick Cheney Endorsement And Vote For Harris A Major Moment!

The decision of former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, to endorse and vote for Kamala Harris in November is a major turning point, joining with former Congressman Adam Kinzinger and others in understanding the threat of Donald Trump.

No one can doubt that these individuals are traditional conservatives and Republicans, who, while not agreeing with Democrats on many issues, are patriotic enough to do the right thing.

There is a need for people like the Cheneys and Kinzinger across America to follow their lead .

It is also time for those called “RINOS” by Donald Trump, but are really the true Republicans, to come to support of Harris for the future of the American Republic!

This would include such figures as the following:

The Bush Family members, specifically George W. Bush and Jeb Bush in particular

Senator Mitt Romney
Senator Lisa Murkowski
Senator Susan Collins
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

JD Vance: Another Horrendous Republican Vice Presidential Nominee!

The Republican Party, historically, has often selected horrendous Vice Presidential nominees, and unfortunately, some of them end up as Vice President, making one concerned even more than normally, about the health and safety of the Republican President.

JD Vance of Ohio adds to a list of such nominees, including:

William E. Miller, running mate of Barry Goldwater in 1964
Spiro Agnew, running mate of Richard Nixon in 1968 and 1972
Dan Quayle, running mate of George H. W. Bush in 1988 and 1992
Sarah Palin, running mate of John McCain in 2008

Also, others, such as Jack Kemp, running mate of Bob Dole in 1996; Dick Cheney, running mate of George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004; Paul Ryan, running mate of Mitt Romney in 2012; and Mike Pence, running mate of Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, while all “qualified” and experienced, had many negative aspects to their candidacies.

The only exceptions one could claim were fully qualified and acceptable were Nelson Rockefeller as Vice President to Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush as Vice President to Ronald Reagan, and also Bob Dole as running mate of Gerald Ford in 1976.

And now we have JD Vance, who has only served 18 months as a Senator from Ohio, and who has completely changed his views on Donald Trump from what they were in 2016. And Vance comes across as a MAGA extremist who is unwilling to support Ukraine in its war with Russia; wants no exceptions for rape or incest with a total ban on abortion; and is clearly perceived as a “mini Trump”, who could carry on the Trump views in the future Republican Party.

And realize Vance called Trump a potential Adolf Hitler eight years ago, and now embraces him! If that is not a danger sign to voters, then such voters have no principles or conscience!

Kamala Harris Would Be Favored, If Joe Biden Decided To Withdraw: So What?

If Joe Biden were to decide to withdraw as a candidate, after the disastrous CNN Presidential debate five days ago, it is clear that Vice President Kamala Harris would be favored to be the Democratic Presidential nominee against Donald Trump.

So what is this author’s and blogger’s response, as Harris is perfectly capable of being President, and arguably more so than a number of recent Vice Presidents or Vice Presidential candidates.

Would any rational observer say that Spiro Agnew, Dan Quayle, or Mike Pence were better qualified, or that Dick Cheney, with his authoritarian qualities, would have been a preferable choice? And what about Sarah Palin, who was a potential threat to be Vice President?

Most of the opposition from the right wing about Harris is based on her gender and race, as she proved to be perfectly qualified as San Francisco District Attorney, California Attorney General, and California US Senator.

While there would be those who would prefer alternatives, Harris is a hearbeat away from the Presidency already for three and a half years, and is perfectly capable of being President, and doing a good job of upholding the Constitution, American democracy, and the rule of law, and certainly far better than Fascist authoritarian Donald Trump!

Harris would unify African American women, racial minorities in general, and white progressives and moderates who would see Donald Trump as “a clear and present danger”. She would perform very well against Trump in a debate format, as well.

Her Vice Presidential running mate could be Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who has proved he could win a “Red” State more than once; or Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, leader of a crucial “swing state”.