Joe Biden

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer Should Retire, For Secure Survival Of Liberal Wing Of Court

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It was very disappointing news that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has announced he has no plans to retire, as he reaches age 83 on August 15.

Breyer has served long and well on the Supreme Court since being appointed by Bill Clinton in 1994.

Already he is one of the longest serving Justices in American history, 25th longest of a total of 115 Justices who have served.

His arguments for remaining on the Court are that he likes being the Senior Justice of the liberal wing, and that his health will determine how long he stays.

But he fails to recognize that health can change rapidly, and when one is in his or her 80s, he or she needs to consider the impact of a sudden death, as with Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s sudden passing, which led to a rapid appointment of a Justice (Amy Coney Barrett) who was rammed through in record time, instead of leaving the appointment to the winner of the Presidential Election of 2020.

With a Court now more conservative and right wing than it has been since the 1930s, it is alarming to think that Breyer is gambling the effect on the liberal wing of the Court by refusing to retire.

Joe Biden should be given the opportunity to replace him, but if even one Democratic Senator dies before 2023, then the Republicans will take control of the US Senate, and prevent any Biden nominee.

And if the Republicans win the Senate in 2022, then Joe Biden will be denied any appointment, even if a vacancy, as Mitch McConnell denied Barack Obama the opportunity to replace Antonin Scalia with Merrick Garland in 2016!

Voting Rights Repressed In 17 GOP States And Counting, As Joe Biden Gives Strong Speech At The National Constitution Center In Philadelphia!

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Joe Biden gave a stirring speech at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia yesterday, condemning the attack on the most basic right every American should have—-the right to vote.

The 15th, 19th, 23rd, and 26th Amendments, along with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were designed to insure that no state could deprive anyone who is a citizen and at least 18 years of age, of the right to vote.

But 17 states (Southern and Western and Republican controlled) have made it more difficult for many Americans, particularly young, disabled, poor, or people of color to vote, including the following states:

Florida
Georgia
Alabama
Louisiana
Arkansas
Texas
Oklahoma
Kansas
Iowa
Indiana
Kentucky
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
Wyoming
Idaho
Montana

Republicans currently control both chambers of 30 state legislatures, and the number of states that are attempting to add to this list is alarming.

Texas Democrats have left the state, and face the possibility of arrest and fines when they return, but the idea that this could happen makes the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, practically a dictator of Fascist orientation.

But the Democrats have every right to fight against the authoritarian bent going on in Texas and elsewhere.

The only way to stop this is national legislation, as with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which has now been emasculated by the right wing Supreme Court, which has gone way beyond normal limits.

The John Roberts Court has brought us back to the 1930s!

It is urgent for the Democrats to unite and end the crisis in Texas and elsewhere by passage of (HR 1) For the People Act, and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, (HR 4)!

Six Months Since January 6 US Capitol Insurrection

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It has been six months since the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

Over 500 seditionists and traitors to the US Constitution have been arrested for the domestic violence, bloodshed, and destruction they perpetrated on the cradle of American democracy, and they need the full effect of law enforcement to be brought upon them.

The investigation of what happened that day is moving ahead whether or not Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell and the Republican Congressional members want it to procede.

Those members of Congress or their staffs who collaborated in the events of that day need to be prosecuted and expelled from Congress.

White supremacy must be eliminated from the halls of Congress, and Donald Trump needs to be indicted for insurrection, treason, and sedition, and be shown in handcuffs, and sentenced to federal prison, as in the same disgraced company of such traitors as Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr, Jefferson Davis and others in the American past!

A salute to Republicans Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois for being supportive of the January 6 House Committee creation, and Cheney’s accepting membership offered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi!

Enhanced defense and readiness for the US Capitol is essential, due to the right wing threats of more violence, due to the QAnon promotion of the crazy idea of Donald Trump returning to the Presidency in August.

And greater protection is required of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, their families, and the same for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and other Democratic and Republican members of Congress who have expressed loyalty to the Constitution and rule of law!

Joe Biden And The True Meaning Of Patriotism: Get Vaccinated!

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President Joe Biden gave a memorable Independence Day speech from the White House last evening.

It was truly inspiring, and showed that Joe Biden knows how to deliver a message of unity and patriotism in a manner which he will be remembered in the long run of history.

Joe Biden is a man of great compassion, empathy, decency, sincerity, and dignity, and exudes optimism about the American future, that democracy will survive, and that the threat of white supremacy and hatred will be overcome.

One gets the feeling that Joe Biden will go down history in the same way of uniting the nation at a difficult time that George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt at other times of threat to the American nation.

And Joe Biden gave us a closing message:

If one is truly patriotic, one would get the COVID 19 vaccinations to protect themselves, their family members, their friends, their neighbors, and even strangers, as vaccination is the way to preserve, protect and defend America and the world!

There is no justification, none, for being selfish, self centered, egotistical, and uncaring about others, and all such people need to be ostracized as disgraces to the human race!

The Long List Of Tragically Flawed, Unpatriotic Republicans Who Might Run For President In 2024!

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Already, just six months since the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection and early successes of President Joe Biden, we are witnessing early hints of the large group of potential Republican candidates for President in 2024, who have demonstrated they are tragically flawed and unpatriotic, and would seem to be unable to be seen as legitimate alternatives for the White House. These Republicans continue to back Donald Trump, and promote the “Big Lie”!

The list is so long, but here is a list of such disgraces who think they are entitled to be President, despite their sedition and treason six months ago. Also, there are many others who through their continued support of the authoritarian Fascist Donald Trump, complicates any of these characters deciding to run whether or not Trump decides to try again for President, and in so doing, is promoting white supremacy, violence and bloodshed!

How does one list a group of 16 individuals who are the absolute worst Republicans in any sense of order? But here goes:

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Texas Senator Ted Cruz
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley
Florida Senator Rick Scott
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
Texas Governor Greg Abbott
Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton
Florida Senator Marco Rubio
Utah Senator Mike Lee
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott
Former Vice President Mike Pence
Fox News Channel Host Tucker Carlson

And here is a list of 6 less objectionable and more reasonable potential candidates in no special order:

Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan
Utah Senator Mitt Romney
Former Ohio Governor John Kasich
Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney
Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger

Celebrating The Real Meaning Of July 4–Promotion Of Freedom, Equality, And Democracy!

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Independence Day–July 4–is a holiday to celebrate the promotion of Freedom, Equality, and Democracy!

The 245th Independence Day is a sobering day, as the Republican Party is trying mightily to cover up the Fascist authoritarian attempt of Donald Trump and his treasonous and seditionist supporters to destroy the Constitution and rule of law, as they did on January 6, 2021, with the US Capitol Insurrection.

The Republican Party is also trying to destroy the ability of people of color to vote, something enshrined in the Constitution by the 15th Amendment in 1870, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The right wing Supreme Court, with five of the six conservatives appointed by Presidents who lost the popular vote, and the sixth one (Clarence Thomas) accused of sexual abuse, along with Brett Kavanaugh, has also worked to destroy the Voting Rights Act.

And the danger exists that if one Democratic Senator is unable to vote on any legislative action or were to pass away, the possibility of the Democrats losing control of the Senate to Mitch McConnell is a horrifying reality.

And were Stephen Breyer to continue to ignore the need for his retirement from the Supreme Court, to insure that Joe Biden can select his replacement before the midterm elections, the threat exists that the Republicans then, if not sooner, would gain control of the Senate, and we could face a 7-2 Court, instead of a 6-3 Court!

On this 158th Anniversary of the third and last day of that turning point of the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, the tremendous sacrifices of the three day battle which insured the eventual victory of freedom over slavery, let us NOT forget that the battle to preserve freedom, equality and democracy goes on!

The Horrors Of Donald Trump Keep Growing With New Revelations

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The horrors of Donald Trump keep growing with new revelations, including:

Trump was on the brink in June 2020 of using the Insurrection Act of 1807, allowing for martial law.

Trump was on the brink of having COVID 19 patients sent to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.

Trump allies were involved in an attempt to run a Joe Biden campaign bus off the road in central Texas in late October.

Trump was investigating journalists through their emails and phone logs, who had criticized him, and had plans to prosecute them.

Trump wanted to prosecute Congressmen Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell of California for their work on the House Judiciary Committee in investigating Trump.

Trump looked at the Justice Department as his private law firm and defender, not the independent department it is supposed to be.

Trump was nonchalant about the January 6 Capitol Insurrection, and was clearly enjoying mayhem, and did not take any action to end it for four hours, while Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi were in danger, and realize they were the top two in the line of Presidential succession after Trump.

Many new books and revelations are coming out, and the Trump Organization, and potentially Trump and his children face the likelihood of indictment in New York City, New York State, Washington DC, and Georgia, on financial charges, and the promotion of the “Big Lie”, trying to change the election results that saw Joe Biden become President.

He is still promoting conspiracy theories, specifically in Arizona and Georgia, undermining belief that elections are being administered fairly, and trying to change the future election system in many states, undermining faith in American democracy!

Joe Biden And Infrastructure: Showing Proof Of Bipartisanship, But Also “Reconciliation” Tactic Being Used

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This is a defining moment on the issue of infrastructure, as it appears that enough Republican Senators have agreed to back a $1 trillion plan on roads, bridges, railways, and broadband.

Clearly, the disaster in Surfside, Florida, where a condominium building collapsed, causing a major loss of life, and demonstrating the danger of global warming on buildings near waterways and coast lines, makes infrastructure projects, long needed, an urgent matter.

But additionally, there is a need for spending on “human infrastructure”, including child care, education, and health care, part of Joe Biden’s American Families Plan, which few if any Republicans will support.

So clearly Budget “Reconciliation”, where the 50 Democratic Senators plus Vice President Kamala Harris together will be enough to pass such larger spending priorities.

Certainly, the bipartisan deal is essential, but the Human “Infrastructure” in some form of legislation, is essential.

Political maneuvering and some compromises will be unavoidable to keep all Democrats in support of the broader legislation in some form.

Mike Pence Stands Up For His Role In Presidential Election Of 2020 At Reagan Library: A Moment To Be Praised!

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This blogger and scholar is no fan of former Vice President Mike Pence.

Pence’s hardline right wing Christianity is distasteful to the extreme, and the thought that he, after being a total sycophant to Donald Trump, might become President, is a monstrous nightmare.

But on January 6, 2021, Pence did his duty to uphold the Electoral College vote that clearly demonstrated that Joe Biden had won the Presidential Election of 2020.

He did the same thing as Richard Nixon did in 1961; Hubert Humphrey did in 1969; and Al Gore did in 2001; and also what Nelson Rockefeller did in 1977, Walter Mondale did in 1981; Dan Quayle did in 1993; Dick Cheney did in 2009; and Joe Biden did in 2017.

Pence defended his role in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum last night, and he faced the threat of being lynched by the Capital Insurrectionists, with his own boss, Donald Trump, unwilling to intervene or care about the health and safety of his loyal lieutenant.

Donald Trump deserves life in prison for his treason and sedition, and lack of concern for human life on that day, and in many other cases over his destructive four years in the Oval Office.

So while not supportive of any future for Pence, he should be saluted for doing his constitutional duty, as other Vice Presidents have done throughout American history!

Mike Pence Has No Political Future

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Former Vice President Mike Pence was booed and called a “Traitor” at a “Faith And Freedom Coalition” right wing conference over the weekend.

This demonstrates how far right wing many Republicans have become, as they are tied to former President Donald Trump, and are angry that Pence did what he had to do on January 6, 2021, to certify the victory of Joe Biden in the Presidential Election of 2020.

The fact that Pence was in danger of being hanged on the day of the Capitol Hill Insurrection makes one ever more shocked at how he is now being treated, as if his life being in danger was not important!

It is clear that the chances of Pence to run for the Presidency, be the nominee, and have any chance to win, is less than Zero at this point!

Mike Pence, with his extremely narrow religious views should never get near the Oval Office in any case, but it is clear that he needs to give up the idea of having a political future, and instead, just write, lecture, and be on corporate boards, where he can become extremely wealthy, but his Vice Presidency has made certain that his office seeking career is over!