Donald Trump

90th Anniversary Of Social Security: Republicans Still Wish To Destroy This Landmark Legislation!

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Today marks the 90th Anniversary of the Social Security Act of 1935, arguably the greatest single accomplishment and legacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal.

Behind major European nations (Great Britain, France, Germany) in bringing about this legislation, Social Security provided security and a safety net to elderly, widows, orphans, children, and the disabled, to insure a basic standard of living.

It was not designed to provide an entire sense of security for anyone, but an important part of protecting families and those no longer working or able to work, of a minimal coverage of protection.

From the beginning and until the present, the vast majority of Republicans have been against Social Security, and we still have in 2025 those conservatives and Republicans who term Social Security “A Ponzi Scheme”, which is totally inaccurate.

The danger, however, is that Social Security may run out of ability to provide full benefits, including cost of living adjustments by the early 2030s, unless Congress agrees to raise the amount of income that is taxed to cover the payments.

There is no reason why all income, not just wages, should not be taxed, but the Presidency of Donald Trump and the MAGA Republican mentality represents a dire threat to the long term survival of the program.

The American people need to be educated and informed of the crucial need to elect Democrats who will continue to promote this wonderful legislation that has made the lives of tens of millions of Americans more dignified, whether in retirement, or in families that have disabled members, or have lost a wage earner.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore MSNBC Jen Psaki Interview An Inspiration, Emerging As Sensational Presidential Possibility In 2028!

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Maryland Governor Wes Moore appeared on Jen Psaki’s evening show on MSNBC on Tuesday evening, and it was a true revelation.

Already impressed with Moore before now, this author and blogger was “blown away” by Moore’s tough stand on the issue of Donald Trump using the National Guard in Washington, DC, and calling out the President for his lies about crime statistics.

His 20 minute interview was masterful, and one sensed, whether he intends so or not, that Moore has been catapulted into the Democratic Presidential field for 2028!

There will be a multitude of potential candidates over the next few years, but Moore certainly drew attention by his assertiveness and toughness, and reminds one in many ways of former President Barack Obama.

As a Governor and with a military record one can be proud of, Moore has advantages in both areas of expertise, that even Obama did not have.

And having had one African American President, there is no reason why the nation cannot, 20 years after the election of the first African American President, have a repeat scenario once again of a man who would do the nation proud, and help to revive American democracy!

Trump Taking Over Washington DC Is A Total Scam!

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Another stop toward totalitarian authoritarianism is in process, as Donald Trump has declared an “emergency”, and has deployed National Guardsmen in Washington, DC, on the false premise that crime is a major problem in the nation’s capital, which has actually seen a major decline in criminal activity in recent years.

This is pure propaganda, designed to have the White House advocate “law and order’, and without any involvement by Congress, and no power of the District of Columbia government to do anything about it.

This scam is designed to promote fear and trepidation among Americans, as the plan is to take over control of other cities around the nation, such as Chicago, New York, Baltimore, and others, just like the takeover of Los Angeles from June onward.

The fear is that demonstrations or marches of citizens could lead to military confrontations, rather than normal police interaction, as is normal practice.

What if a situation arises such as the infamous Kent State Massacre of May 1970 in Ohio, that led to the death of four people and wounding of ten others, due to overreaction of National Guardsmen to student demonstrations on the university campus?

Is Donald Trump The New Neville Chamberlain Of Appeasement?

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Eighty Seven years ago, in October 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain made a deal with Nazi Germany’s dictator Adolf Hitler, to hand over, peacefully, part of the nation of Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland), to avoid possible war, without consulting that nation.

Less than a half year later, Germany seized the rest of Czechoslovakia, and then in September 1939, World War II began.

Chamberlain went down in history for the act of appeasement, making it clear for all time that one does not give in to a dictator, in the thought that doing so will prevent future conflict.

Rather, one must stand strong and be willing to defend freedom and democracy.

Generations of students have been taught this lesson, but now, Donald Trump seems ready to kowtow to Russian Federation dictator Vladimir Putin at the upcoming Alaska Summit this Friday, over the issue of the continuing assault on Ukraine since February 2022.

European nations in NATO and President Joe Biden have supported and supplied Ukraine with the ability to resist the Russian invasion, which has been brutal, but now Trump seems ready to hand over a portion of Ukraine to Putin, rewarding an aggressor, whose intention is to conquer all of that nation, in his bid to restore the former Russian Empire.

Trump, already perceived as overly willing to favor Russia, including the reality that Putin wanted Trump elected in 2016, and collaborated in bringing that result about, is ready to commit appeasement, undermining the international order, and with no concern for Ukranian democracy.

Already, the horrendous mistreatment of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office meeting in February was disgraceful beyond belief, and with Vice President JD Vance another disgraceful appeaser in his own right, joining in the assault on Zelenskyy before the entire world.

Vladimir Putin KNOWS he has the number of Donald Trump, and international stability is in danger, as all Trump wants is to win the Nobel Peace Prize, no matter what harm it does to democracy around the world.

If anything, Trump should win an award for the Appeasement Prize as the successor to Neville Chamberlain, whose reputation in history lies in tatters!

A Time To Celebrate: 17 Years Of “The Progressive Professor”, But Also A Time To Mourn The Demise Of The American Experiment! :(

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Today, August 11, marks precisely SEVENTEEN years of this author and blogger publishing commentary on this blog, “The Progressive Professor”, that was created in 2008, with the support and encouragement of my older son, David Feinman, who knew I had a passion to share my thoughts on American history, government and politics with others!

In those 17 years, there have been to date 8,550 articles published, and 28,532 comments made by my readers and followers. The comments added have been invaluable, and have, immensely, improved the whole concept of the blog, so I wish to thank all of those individuals who have committed themselves to contributing their thoughts and ideas, to the benefit of all those who read the blog daily.

In the present political climate, one cannot be certain that there will be a continuation of the blog long term, as these are dangerous times to be expressing thoughts, many of them critical, of events and personalities.

We may be witnessing the collapse of American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law, and we may not survive the Presidency of Donald Trump, with the ability to restore what we had over nearly 250 years–an evolving nation with many faults which moved toward “a more perfect union”.

That has been destroyed by a quarter century of deceit and right wing extremism, motivated from the time of the Presidential Election of 2000, when Al Gore was denied the Presidency in favor of George W. Bush by a Supreme Court which showed it had no principles other than promoting aggrandizement of the nation by the wealthy.

Barack Obama came along and gave us hope of recovery, but faced great and fierce opposition, and the right wing extremist factions worked to, once again, undermine the American experiment by denying Hillary Clinton the Presidency in 2016 in favor of Donald Trump, who had ill intentions from the beginning.

Donald Trump worked at destroying the American Republic, and the nation was only, miraculously, saved in 2020 by the good fortune of Joe Biden coming along at the right time.

But the right wing forces attempted a coup d’etat, an Insurrection, NOT as some people claimed just a “riot”, but now being wiped out as if it never happened, as those who were involved in criminal acts have been “exonerated” by Trump pardons.

But the “disease” promoted by Trump and minions–the spreading of nativism, racism, misogyny, and homophobia by religious extremists—managed to convince gullible and poorly educated Americans to vote in 2024 to overcome and destroy the Republic that they did not fully appreciate, a shocking development.

Now, the rest of us are forced to suffer the ignorance, stupidity, and bias of ill informed and ill educated people, and are seeing our civil liberties destroyed.

Personally, having retired completely from teaching at the university level after 53 years, this author and blogger is, fortunately, continuing to give lectures to adults and senior citizens in South Florida, but it is difficult to predict what will happen in the short run and long run regarding this blog.

I just wish to hope for the best for myself, and all those who read my blog, as we move forward to chart whatever the future brings, which at this moment, does not look promising.

The future seems, sadly, likely to see the promotion of authoritarianism; the collapse of the economy with destructive tariffs; and the triumph of evil in international affairs, as witnessed by the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Gaza War.

Thanks again, for your support and encouragement, to all those who read and contribute to this blog.

Gerald Ford, Succeeding Richard Nixon 51 Years Ago, Saved The Presidency!

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Gerald Ford, the 38th President, succeeded Richard Nixon 51 years ago, and saved the Presidency.

Appointed Vice President under the 25th Amendment, and approved by both houses of Congress in a bipartisan manner, Gerald Ford was the right person to be next in line after the resignation of the corrupt Spiro Agnew in October 1973, in the midst of the crisis of the Watergate Scandal, that eventually brought Richard Nixon to resign from the Presidency.

Ford was a 25 year member of the House of Representatives, and Republican House Minority Leader for nine years, when he was elevated to the Vice Presidency.

Ford handled himself in an appropriate manner, in his 8 months as Vice President, and he represented basic decency and honesty as the successor to Richard Nixon.

His wife Betty stands out as the most outstanding Republican First Lady in her public role in modern times, and while Ford was only President for less than two and a half years, he elevated the office for the future.

We could only wish that Mike Pence in the first Donald Trump term, or JD Vance now in the second Trump term, had the principles, decency, and ethical and moral standing that Gerald Ford presented.

Ford was not perfect, of course, and two of his young aides at the time, later, sadly, became highly controversial, under President George W. Bush. Dick Cheney as Vice President, and Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense, did not do appropriately by their offices, with both seen as abusing power. But this was a quarter century after they were aides under Ford.

Ford also took the controversial action of pardoning Richard Nixon, still a center of debate as to the wisdom of such action. Certainly, it helped to lead to Ford’s defeat by Jimmy Carter in the Presidential Election Of 1976.

At the same time, Ford appointed one of the best modern Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, with Justice John Paul Stevens, who served the third longest on the Court in its history at 35 years, and retiring at the age of 90, second oldest in retirement. Unfortunately, present Republican appointments, all six of them, by Presidents George H W Bush, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump, have been major tragedies and disappointments.

Ford also signed the Helsinki Accords in 1975 with the Soviet Union, marking a move toward detente in the Cold War.

Overall, this author and blogger would say that Ford was the most decent modern Republican President, since the time of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

His historical reputation, and that of his wife, as a decent Presidential couple, shines a half century later.

51 Years Since Richard Nixon Resignation

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Today, August 9, marks the 51st Anniversary of the resignation from the Presidency of Richard Nixon, due to the Watergate Scandal.

A half century ago, his Republican Party had true principles and convictions, and their leadership made it clear in a visit to the White House that Nixon was on the road to being easily impeached by the House, with minority Republican support, as well as the Democratic Party majority, and that he would be unable to gain 34 Republican votes to save him from conviction in the US Senate.

Sadly, today, the Republican Party is owned totally by Donald Trump, with only a very few principled Republicans who have opposed him at any time.

THe Republican Party has lost its conservative principles and its soul, and the nation is in the process of the development of a Fascist authoritarianism, which endangers the US Constitution, American Democracy and the rule of law.

Donald Trump Ending Labor Union Protections For Federal Employees: A Total Disgrace! :(

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Donald Trump is in process of ending all labor union protections for federal employees, marking the biggest negative reaction since the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 was passed over President Harry Truman’s veto in 1947 by the Republican 80th Congress.

That action and the later Ronald Reagan firing of air traffic controllers in 1981 were among the lowest moments of organized labor history.

But federal government employees were able to protect their interests over the decades since then, but now a mortal blow to not just federal employees, but really all workers across the nation, has been dealt to the right of workers to organize.

The irony is that many members of labor unions stupidly, and with some bias toward racial minorities, supported Donald Trump in 2024 despite his felony convictions, two impeachments, and the inciting of the US Capitol Insurrection of January 6, 2021.

This is yet another attack on American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law!

Rachel Maddow Makes Clear: Authoritarianism Has Arrived Under Donald Trump! :(

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On Monday evening, the great Rachel Maddow on MSNBC made the clear announcement that Authoritarianism has arrived! 🙁

It is no longer an issue of whether it is occurring, or is in process.

When one looks at the multitude of events and statements over the past six plus months, America is in dire straits in so many ways.

The Republican Party in Congress and the majority of the Supreme Court are in unison with most of what is being perpetrated by Donald Trump, his Cabinet, and others.

While there is opposition still existing, we have seen caving in by many law firms, corporations, and even more troubling, by several leading universities, and even concessions by ABC and CBS, and the end of the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, which helped support public televsion and radio since 1969.

This is the most depressing time in American history, and may be ranked historically as the most dangerous times since the threat of Fascism and Nazism in World War II.

It is hard not to be in despair, and a sense of fear has spread, as ICE agents arrest and detain people without just cause, and most having no criminal record of any kind.

Nativism, racism, misogyny, homophobia all are having their heyday! 🙁

American democracy is facing unprecedented challenges, and American national security is endangered, as America’s relationship with the world, including its long time allies, is endangered by the highest tariffs in a century, and a sense of lack of reliability of the nation to the world around it.

But, as Rachel Maddow makes clear, it is not a time for just despair, but rather for determination to resist in every way possible, including NOT allowing the naked attempt of Republicans to fix the 2026 Congressional elections and Congressional and Presidential Elections of 2028 and beyond.

There is widespread outrage being openly expressed all across the nation, and courage and principle must continue to be utilized in an active resistance!

The Voting Rights Act 60th Anniversary: Now Under Attack By Texas Republicans And Donald Trump

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Sixty years ago tomorrow (August 6, 1965), President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the momentous, monumental Voting Rights Act into law, ending a history of voting discrimination, denying African Americans and other racial minorities and poor people the right to vote.

This only came about after decades of violence and intimidation, particularly in the American South, and it was glorious that it was a Southerner, a Texan, Lyndon B. Johnson, who brought about this massive reform, with the support of a strong Democratic controlled Congress, but with many Republicans also joining in to support the legislation.

It is extremely sad that we are now witnessing a racist and authoritarian President, Donald Trump, attempting to promote what is clearly an attempt at a coup d’etat, advocating the diluting of voting rights of these various groups through extreme gerrymandering, which could lead to five seats gained by the Republican Party in Texas.

The battle to retain the hard fought voting rights gained, is one that must be pursued without compromise!