Fascism

Constitution Day: The Crisis America Faces Under Donald Trump!

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!

Sycophancy Of Trump Cabinet Beyond The Pale!

The word “Sycophancy” means “obsequious behavior toward someone important in order to gain advantage”.

This is the kind of behavior by those who serve or wish to serve a King, an Emperor, an authoritarian dictator of either the Left (Communism), or the Right (Fascism).

It is not the behavior that is acceptable in a democracy, as it encourages lying and deceit, and engaging in corruption and scandal, which undermines the citizens of any nation.

And yet, that is exactly what is occurring during the past seven plus months of the second Donald Trump Presidency.

The Trump Cabinet and other advisers are the most corrupt, disgraceful, and outrageous group of any President in the entire history of the United States.

At televised Cabinet Meetings, they praise Donald Trump in an extreme way as would happen under Joseph Stalin in the former Soviet Union and Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany, as well as other past authoritarian dictatorships and historically, absolute monarchs and Emperors throughout World History.

It is also what goes on around Vladimir Putin in the Russian Federation; Kim Jong Un in North Korea, Xi Jinping in China, and other modern extremist dictatorships.

It is impossible to rank Trump sycophants, as they are all horrendous, obnoxious excuses for human beings.

Whether it is Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, Tulsi Gabbard, or any other woman around Trump, they are all enough to make one shudder in horror.

Whether it is Pete Hegseth, Howard Lutnick, Scott Bessent, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Russell Vought, or any other man around Trump, they are a total disaster.

The same feeling exists around Vice President JD Vance, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as terrible as he is, lying to himself, and complying with Trump, seen as the “least” disgraceful Cabinet member, but not someone to applaud in any sense!

PBS Being Eliminated By Trump, Replaced By “Prager University”, Which Is Despicable Alternative!

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, existent since 1969, is disappearing as a publicly supported entity, due to Donald Trump’s cutting of nearly a billion dollars of public funding for that agency which has been so positive and constructive over 56 years.

PBS will survive due to public support, but many rural stations will be unable to sustain themselves sadly.

Right wing influence is attempting to have a so called “university” which is not such, “Prager University”, propagandize and distort education in schools in many states, with ten states adopting their curriculums to promote their agenda, far from what PBS did.

Its videos, designed solely to promote propaganda and make profits, distort the truth of slavery; deny the reality of climate change and global warming; advocate racism, nativism, misogyny, and homophobia, rather than promote tolerance and acceptance. It also distorts the reality of fascism and advocates creationism, rather than the truth of science.

Its creator, Dennis Prager, undermines the traditional Jewish open mindedness of his faith, in a selfish desire to gain excessive wealth in league with evangelical religious extremists, proving the profit motive more important than basic ethics, morality, compassion, decency, and empathy.

It is important to realize that “Prager University” is NOT a university and does not confer degrees, and is not accredited by any recognized educational body.

Among those involved in video presentation are Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, and Michelle Malkin, which says a lot in itself.

The website promotes against the minimum wage and gun control, and for unbridled, unregulated capitalism.

The states of Florida, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, Montana, Arizona, and Louisiana were the first states to allow “Prager University” to be an official vendor of so called educational material.

And now, Oklahoma has adopted an “ideology test” in league with “Prager University” to screen and withhold teaching certificates in the state from educators applying from “Blue” states to teach in the state, since they are considered “woke”, as if that is a sin.

It should be pointed out that it is hard to imagine any educator outside of Oklahoma lusting to move there, with the narrowminded nature of the Oklahoma Superintendant of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, and the fact of the very low pay nationally of teachers in that state.

Immigration And Customs Enforcement (ICE) Has Become A Pure Dictatorship, Planning Massive Incarceration With No Legal Recourse For Immigrant Victims!

It is totally shocking that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has, by actions of the Trump Administration, become a pure dictatorship, with the aim of massive incarceration of millions of immigrants with no legal recourse to utilize against such action, as the aim is to deport millions over the next few years. This has been revealed in an exclusive exposure by the Washington Post yesterday.

The plans of Kristi Noem, Thomas Homan, Stephen Miller and others in the Trump Administration are moving toward an evil likely even worse than the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II.

This is totally against the Bill of Rights, and is pure Fascism, with the horrid conditions at the new “Alligator Alcatraz” a sign of the mistreatment awaiting the immigrant victims while they wait for deportation, often to nations that speak a different language, and to which they have no personal or family ties.

Breaking up of families and mistreatment that includes lack of sanitation, health care, and malnutrition, all conditions that make for what could be called “internment” camps, but some would say “concentration” camps, is the future, unless somehow, this monstrosity can be deterred.

But legally, it seems at this point like a losing cause, as America descends into a right wing, fanatical dictatorship, even threatening critics who are not immigrants, for their outspokenness in criticism!

Trump Threatens Any Republicans Who Support NPR And PBS: Time For Courage, Conscience, And Principle To Resist!

Donald Trump is on a rampage to eliminate all media reporting of the horrible truths of his first six months in office.

He is trying to eliminate the free media and press through lawsuits of privately owned media, including most notably CBS and ABC; and to wipe out financial support of two institutions that have been crucial in public information and truth—National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), created during the Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson six decades ago.

Both NPR and PBS are great treasures, who have always had citizens contribute to their well-being, including this author and blogger. But there has also, always, been public tax support of the massive positive impact of both agencies, which is a pittance, when one considers federal expenditures.

Trump’s attempt to destroy NPR and PBS, and to promote censorship of major television and cable news, as well as the best newspapers that keep America free (specifically the NY Times and Washington Post, along with the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal), along with other major print media, needs to be resisted at all costs, as the one way to insure American democracy survives the nightmare of Trump authoritarianism!

It is urgent that Republicans in Congress show some courage, conscience, and principle, and resist threats from Trump to oppose any party member who resists his desire to destroy public media that has done so much good for 60 years!

If they do not, on such a small investment as this, then it is time for the Republican Party of history to be declared dead, and admit we have a Fascist party, with elements of Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco, Juan Peron, and even Adolf Hitler!

Checks And Balances, Separation Of Powers, And The Constitution After 236 Years!

The American Constitution, adopted between 1787 and 1789, has gone through multiple crises, including most notably the Civil War, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the Great Recession, and the COVID 19 Pandemic.

Through it all, the basic belief in American democracy and freedom has held, due to strong leadership in Congress and the Presidency.

But now, America faces a very severe threat to our system of checks and balances and separation of powers, as Donald Trump and his Billionaire supporters, and most notably Elon Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, are posing a massive threat and disrupting our economic, social, and foreign policy.

Donald Trump in just 24 days has been acting like a revolutionary leader, creating a whirlwind of constant crises and challenges.

It is difficult to keep up with the chaos which is assisted by MAGA followers and Republicans willing to give up their oversight over the Executive branch.

The role of the news media, the Democratic Party in the states and in Congress, and massive numbers of lawsuits, as well as public demonstrations and support, are the only way to prevent the threat of Fascism.

This is a time to pay attention, and be constantly active in pursuit of the truth, and the abuses of power that are being waged.

This is not a time to turn our heads and ignore what is happening, as that would just insure an authoritarian dictatorship!

107th Anniversary Of World War I Declaration!

On this date, April 6, 1917, America entered World War I, after four days of debate of President Woodrow Wilson’s War Message.

America emerged from an isolationist stance, and finally rejected George Washington’s admonition in his Farewell Address in 1796, warning against “entangling alliances”.

Sadly in the 1920s, and more so in the 1930s, America returned to isolationism, until forced out of that stance by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Despite isolationist elements in the Republican Party after World War II, the US dealt with the Cold War with the Soviet Union by helping to form NATO, now 75 years of success in protecting America and its European allies.

But the battle against isolationism continues, as Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans threaten to end NATO engagement, and embrace authoritarian dictators, just as many of the isolationists in the 1930s embraced Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, and worked to keep America neutral as Fascism advanced.

The Presidential Election of 2024 is another battle between internationalists and isolationists, and it is a battle that must be fought for the national security of America and the promotion of democracy against authoritarian threats.

Time For Liz Cheney To Announce Third Party Conservative Bid For Presidency To Insure Donald Trump Defeat!

Former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, a hero for defying Donald Trump, and losing her Congressional career after the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection, now faces a decision that she should run for President on a third party Conservative line to save the nation from the MAGA Republicans and their attack on the Constitution, rule of law, and American democracy.

Cheney may not agree with Joe Biden, but clearly sees Donald Trump as a massive threat, who would be a total disaster as a Fascist dictator, and there are innumerable conservatives who believe as she does, including many who had worked for Trump in the White House.

Cheney is well aware she could not win the White House, but could insure enough votes to defeat any attempt of Trump to win the Electoral College.

We must all wish her good luck, as she takes on the ultimate challenge to end Donald Trump’s threat to common decency, and insure that he pays the price for his treason and insurrection!

Donald Trump’s Threat To Utilize The Insurrection Act Of 1792 To Establish A Military Dictatorship

Hard to believe, but a law passed under George Washington in 1792 to promote a stable American Republic could destroy the Republic under a demagogue such as Donald Trump 233 years later in 2025 if Trump is able to regain the Presidency a year from now!

The purpose of the law was to overcome internal rebellion, best exemplified by the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania in 1794, but also used by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War; by Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and Grover Cleveland in labor disputes; by Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy to promote Southern integration of schools during the Civil Rights Era ; and by President George H. W. Bush during the Los Angeles riots in 1992.

It is NOT designed to crack down on legal, constitutional right of dissent, including marches, demonstrations, and other displays of nonviolent action, but Trump has stated he would promote mass arrests and deportations upon taking the oath of office on January 20, 2025!

Something must be done to prevent such an outrageous movement toward Fascism, and the destruction of the Bill of Rights, and the first step would be to insure that Donald Trump never gets near the Oval Office again!

Pitiful Second Republican Presidential Debate

Watching last night’s second Republican Presidential debate on the Fox Business Channel was a pure exercise in futility, as it clearly was a pitiful scene of candidates talking over each other and ignoring the moderators.

Chris Christie called Donald Trump “Donald Duck”, for refusing to participate, one of the rare funny moments.

Watching Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis was difficult, as both continued to come across as arrogant, nasty, unpleasant personalities, and both oriented toward Fascism, with DeSantis claiming he would do so much on “Day One”! 🙁

Tim Scott was really weak and ineffective, and Mike Pence’s highlight moment was stating he has slept with the same woman, his wife, for 38 years, a cringy moment from a candidate who is truly someone who showed no courage or principle under Donald Trump, except after former Vice President Dan Quayle, of all people, told Pence that all he had to do was count the electoral votes on January 6, 2021! 🙁

Doug Burgum was more aggressive, but has zero chance of moving forward, while Nikki Haley stood out mostly for showing more intelligence and personality than any of the men, but to believe she will be the Republican Presidential nominee requires a sense of delusion!

Clearly, the Republican Party of Lincoln, TR, Ike, and Reagan is dead!