Kamala Harris

Dick Cheney, Most Controversial Vice President, Dies At Age 84!

Ronald 1 Comment

Dick Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, under the two terms of President George W. Bush, passed away at age 84 on November 3.

The most controversial Vice President since John C. Calhoun under John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson 170 years earlier, Cheney was termed “Darth Vader” by the multitude of critics, who condemned Cheney and Bush for intervention in Iraq on false premises of “Weapons of Mass Destruction” that were never found, but caused the deaths of about 4,500 American military personnel in a war that lasted for nearly a decade.

Cheney was seen as corrupt in his corporate dealings, and had a tough public persona that caused great anger and vehemence against him.

Cheney promoted the use of torture, including waterboarding, against Muslim suspects, in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Cheney came across as “tough as nails”, harsh, uncompromising, and many observers felt he was more the President in the first term of George W. Bush, than Bush himself.

In the second term, Bush became more assertive, and the role of Cheney declined in influence.

The public image never changed, but ironically, Cheney and his daughter, former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, became the image of a family which resisted the threat of Donald Trump, making Dick Cheney in retrospect seem less evil and threatening by comparison.

The idea that Dick Cheney would actually “cross the aisle” and vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 is a sign of how much the Republican Party had changed from the time of Bush-Cheney to the time of the authoritarian oriented Donald Trump!

Cheney had served as a Wyoming Congressman and Republican Whip in the House of Representatives, after being White House Chief Of Staff to President Gerald Ford, before being a creditable Secretary of Defense under President George H W Bush.

Four Democrats, Straight White Christian Men, May Be Best Alternatives For 2028!

Ronald 5 Comments

In a time of so much division and conflict in America, it is noticeable that most of the potential Democratic Party Presidential contenders are perceived as having disadvantages in a time of white Christian nationalist extremism taking over the Republican Party, encouraged by Donald Trump.

The following list of 20 potential Presidential contenders is quite revealing, as we have the elections next week in NYC, New Jersey, Virginia, and the California vote on reapportionment of Congressional seats.

So we have potential Presidential contenders who are females—Kamala Harris, Gretchen Whitmer, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Klobuchar.

So we have potential Presidential contenders who are African Americans or Latino or Asian ethnicity—Wes Moore, Cory Booker, Raphael Warnock, Stephen A. Smith, Ruben Gallego, Ro Khanna.

So we have potential Presidential contenders who are Jewish—JD Pritzker, Josh Shapiro, Jared Polis, Jon Ossoff, Josh Green.

So we have potential Presidential contenders who are gay—Pete Buttigieg, Jared Polis.

And then, we have white male “straight” Christian Presidential contenders—Gavin Newsom, Andy Beshear, Chris Murphy, Mark Kelly.

One could argue that in the present political climate, the latter four names—all white male “straight” Christian contenders—might be the best bet moving forward, although saying that is tragic, as it should not matter if one is a female, a racial minority, Jewish, or Gay individual.

Other than Barack Obama, the sad truth is that no woman, racial minority, Jewish, or gay politician, has been able to break through to this point, a sad commentary on American life!

Republican Vice Presidents Since 1969—Vance The Worst Of The Worst Since Spiro Agnew! :(

Ronald 4 Comments

In the past 56 years, we have had six Republican Presidents—Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H W Bush, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump.

In that same period, we have had eight Republican Vice Presidents—Spiro Agnew, Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, George H W Bush, Dan Quayle, Dick Cheney, Mike Pence, and JD Vance.

It is well recognized that three of these six Republican Presidents are rated higher than the other three—meaning Ronald Reagan, George H W Bush, and Gerald Ford.

George W. Bush, Richard Nixon, and Donald Trump are in the bottom third, with Trump nearly at the total bottom.

When one looks at the eight Republican Vice Presidents, only Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, and George H W Bush are seen as above average.

Ranking the remaining five is ranking as much lower and far worse in performance, with Spiro Agnew seen as the bottom, but with Dan Quayle and Dick Cheney seen as not much better, and with Mike Pence just slightly above them.

And then, there is the present Vice President, JD Vance, who in seven months has managed to cause outrage by his utterances and his actions, making one fear the thought that he might be the successor to Donald Trump.

At age 41, if Vance became President by succession before the summer of 2027, he would be the youngest President in American history, as Theodore Roosevelt was 42 years and 10 and a half months of age when he succeeded the assassinated William McKinley in September 1901.

Compared to his predecessor, Mike Pence, Vance has managed to be much more controversial, and makes one at least admire Pence for having strong convictions, including refusing to accept Donald Trump’s assertion that he should support a rejection of the Electoral College results in the Presidential Election of 2020.

This led to the threatened hanging of Mike Pence by the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrectionists, who had set up a noose outside the building.

One cannot be sure that Vance would be any improvement on Donald Trump, as he is clearly totally unprincipled and insensitive in his statements and actions, and therefore, cannot be trusted as a potential future Commander in Chief.

Vance should be promoting the preservation of American democracy, but seems more interested in supporting the authoritarianism of Donald Trump, which presents a dire threat to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

By comparison, the Democratic Party has had four Vice Presidents since 1969—Walter Mondale under Jimmy Carter; Al Gore under Bill Clinton; Joe Biden under Barack Obama; and Kamala Harris under Joe Biden.

While the view of Harris is too recent to be reliable, any estimation of the significance of Mondale, Gore, and Biden makes it clear that they are the top three Vice Presidents of modern times, and arguably, of all time!

Totally Disillusioned By Lisa Murkowski, Who Caved In And Caused Budget Bill To Pass Senate! :(

Ronald 12 Comments

This author and blogger is fully aware of the pressures brought on by the feeling of “party loyalty”, as that is the nature of politics.

But the idea that Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who has often demonstrated a sense of independence and sincere conviction, would allow herself to vote for the Trump “Big And Beautiful” Budget bill, just because a few details favored her home state, is a sign of the true disaster the nation is facing in 2025 from Trump authoritarianism.

Murkowski made it clear she did not like the details of the bill in broad terms, so why did she lower herself to gain an image of being weak, unprincipled, and afraid of Trump?

If we cannot count on even Lisa Murkowski, the “last great hope” of mainstream Republicanism in the past ten years, to show courage and determination, then it leaves us with a feeling of hopelessness!

After all, her colleague, Susan Collins of Maine, who sometimes shows weakness and indecisiveness, came through in opposing this bill, so why could not the two women, who generally represent the little bit of decency left in the national Republican Party in Congress, team together and show they are jointly “profiles in courage”?

The hope is that the House of Representatives will reject the Senate bill, and will change it dramatically, and maybe then, Murkowski can join Collins and a few others, and stop this disgraceful, outrageous legislation dead in its tracks, with the help of a few House members, most notably Don Bacon of Nebraska, who is not running for reelection, and represents one of a few House districts won by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, alongside Bacon’s victories.

Are There Enough GOP Votes To Kill “Big And Beautiful Bill” Attack On Medicaid?

Ronald 19 Comments

It is still possible that a few Republican Senators and or Republican House members could kill the “Big and Beautiful Bill” of Donald Trump, and in the process, save Medicaid!

ALready, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul have made it clear that they will not support the legislation, Tillis because of the Medicaid cuts that would affect so many North Carolinians, and Paul, because he does not want to add trillions to the National Debt, already 36 Trillion!

But what about Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and Maine Senator Susan Collins, who have both expressed dismay at the Medicaid cuts, that would hurt so many of their constituents?

And also, similar thoughts have been expressed by Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, and also, to some extent, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran.

In the House of Representatives, with Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon deciding not to run again for his Omaha seat, and already seen as the most moderate, centrist Republican who might refuse to support such legislation, since his seat was won by Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024, there could be another vote.

California Congressman David Valadao has also spoken out against Medicaid cuts, and is one of two Republican Congressmen to have voted to impeach Donald Trump in the second impeachment effort following the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie and Ohio Congressman Warren Davidson haver voted against the House bill already, and New York Congressman Nick LaLota, Maryland Congressman Andy Harris, and Texas Congressman Chip Roy all have different reservations.

Also, the members of the Republican House Freedom Caucus are not guaranteed in any sense to support the complicated legislation.

This horror of a bill will do such heavy damage to the American people at large, while the corporations and Billionaires will gain major tax cuts that will add many trillions to the national debt.

It is a repudiation of much of the mid 20th century “Great Society” of President Lyndon B. Johnson, a totally horrendous attack on common decency and compassion for those among us less fortunate!

Shocking Diagnosis On Joe Biden: Time For Compassion And Unity!

Ronald 6 Comments

The revelation on Sunday that former President Joe Biden has stage 4 Prostate Cancer, and that it has metatasized to his bones, is a shock and a time for compassion and unity, as well as prayers for his recovery, which although daunting, is a possibility.

Even President Donald Trump and Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene have found it possible to send their good wishes and avoid the constant attacks they have unleashed on Joe Biden, while he was President, and now as a former President.

This author and blogger has seen Joe Biden as the most compassionate, decent, empathetic political leader, bar none, since the tragic death of Hubert H. Humphrey a long 47 years ago, in 1978.

At that time, I looked around and saw Biden as the best model to replace Humphrey, and wished for him to become President, with him unable to accomplish this goal in 1988 and 2008.

But I was thrilled when Barack Obama made Joe Biden his Vice President, and their relationship and interaction was only surpassed in American history before and since, by Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale from 1977-1981.

Looking back now, it is clear that had Joe Biden somehow won a second term, he would, most likely, be forced to resign, and Kamala Harris would have become President.

If only Joe Biden had realized, at his age, that it was time to retire, and had done so earlier, the nightmare America is living through in the present, could have been avoided.

That is the tragedy of a man who wanted the best for his nation, but yet, may have blundered in not realizing his age and mortality earlier than July 2024, when he announced he would not run, and was replaced by Harris.

In any case, let all of us pray for Joe Biden’s recovery, and many more years of life in retirement!

The 2028 Democratic Presidential Race Has Begun!

Ronald 3 Comments

Here we are just 114 days since the second Trump Presidency began, a constant barrage of actions and abuses of power, far surpassing Franklin D. Roosevelt in actions, and Richard Nixon in abuses of power.

But also, already, there are clear cut signs of Democratic Presidential activity for the 2028 Presidential election beginning.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had a massive crowd in Iowa last night, amid hints of his planning to run, although he made clear that it was too early for such action to begin now.

Illinois Governor JD Pritzker has thrown down the gauntlet to Donald Trump and the Republicans, with aggressive rhetoric and calls for mass resistance.

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy has been actively speaking out on the abuses of Trump, and going into Republican congressional districts with Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost to bring pressure on Republicans who could make the difference in the pasaage or failure of Donald Trump’s plans for a “beautiful” budget bill.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has emphasized how he has been able to accomplish goals as a Democratic Governor in a Republican controlled state legislature.

Hints are starting to be dropped that New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is flirting with the possibility of running for President.

Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego is giving combative retorts to Republicans who are undermining the rights of Latinos, and observers see him potentially running for President.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, after his amazing 25 hour personal filibuster against the Trump Administration, is perceived as likely to announce a run for the Presidency.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee in 2024, is also making speeches as he travels around Midwest states and Republican Congressional districts.

Kamala Harris, the Democratic Presdidential candidate in 2024, is weighing whether to run for the California Governorship, which she would have the edge for, or instead, to try another run for the Oval Office.

This is just a list of the most obvious cases of “hints” of plans to run, but there are many other potential candidacies, including, in no special order:

California Governor Gavin Newsom
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
Maryland Governor Wes Moore
Colorado Governor Jared Polis
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock
California Congressman Ro Khanna
Former Chicago Mayor and Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel
Former Rhode Island Governor and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo
Sports Media Personality Stephen A. Smith
Corporate Leader Mark Cuban

This potential list of 22 contenders may have others join it, once the Midterm Elections for Congress and the Governorships are resolved!

The Hidden Victims Of Donald Trump’s Economic Disaster!

Ronald 3 Comments

As the effects of Donald Trump’s fixation on protective tariffs as a major part of his economic policies take hold, there are many hidden victims, who will suffer the most.

With escalating prices on all kinds of consumer goods, not just dolls or pencils, as stated by Trump in his Meet The Press interview that aired on Sunday, there will be massive suffering and spreading poverty across America.

Many of the white working class people who thought Donald Trump would be preferable to a mixed race woman as President (Kamala Harris), will suffer mightily, as many will lose their jobs, will lose their homes, will be unable to purchase basic “groceries”, including eggs, so much emphasized in the campaign in 2024.

But also, African Americans and Latino Americans will suffer mightily, as they lose opportunities to move ahead, with the attack on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), which will affect educational opportunities, and employment prospects.

Additionally, many of “Generation Z”, already having difficulties moving ahead toward independence from their family upbringing, will have to endure the uncertainty of their futures, in an economy which is moving toward a severe recession, if not a Second Great Depression.

With a national government headed by billionaires, the oligarchy that controls so much of the American economic future, having no concern except their own greed, selfishness and further aggrandizement, a revival of the “Gilded Age” of the late 19th century will lead to further exploitation and great human suffering.

And internationally, the nation will be under the greatest threat since World War II, as isolationism, which helped to bring about the horrors of that war, will put American national security at risk.

It is sad to write this “gloomy” essay, but this author and blogger senses that this is the future of America in the age of Donald Trump, and with no certainty that it would be improved once Trump leaves office, if he does, by January 20, 2029, if not sooner!

Inspirational Members Of Congress Fighting Trump

Ronald 10 Comments

At a time when the Democratic Party has very low public opinion ratings, after the disappointing loss of Kamala Harris to Donald Trump, and the loss of three Senate seats, there are a group of inspirational members of the party in both houses of Congress who are actively campaigning in Republican districts, and speaking out with force against the terrible and tragic effects of Trump.

They include the following in the House of Represenatives

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
Jasmine Crockett of Texas
Maxwell Frost of Florida
Robert Garcia of California
Ro Khanna of California
Jamie Raskin of Maryland

In the Senate, they include:

Cory Booker of New Jersey
Chris Murphy of Connecticut
Adam Schiff of California
Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Bernie Sanders of Vermont

Some of these members, many of them very young, are seen as the long term future of the party, and some are perceived as potential presidential contenders in the future, including

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Ro Khanna
Cory Booker
Chris Murphy

Of course, there are others, including state governors who are making clear of their pursuit of challenging the actions of Donald Trump, including

JB Pritzker of Illinois
Andy Beshear of Kentucky
Wes Moore of Maryland
Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania
Jared Polis of Colorado

So in the midst of difficult times, there are hopes for the future, as the “bench” of the Democratic Party is strong and vibrant!

Trump’s Victimization Of Ethnic Groups–Haitians, Venezuelans, Palestinians, And More!

Ronald 20 Comments

Donald Trump has been on a campaign to victimize various ethnic groups, most notably Haitians, Venezuelans, and Palestinians.

Trump claimed that Haitians were eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio, during the 2024 Presidential campaign, asserting so in his debate with Kamala Harris.

Trump has ended Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, and for Venezuelans, and is promoting the myth that all Venezuelan immigrants are members of gangs or have committed criminal acts, a great distortion of the truth.

Now young Venezuelan men, many of whom are not gang members or criminals, have been deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcment (ICE) to the horrendous superprison in El Salvador, a nation with horrendous human rights violations.

The Israel-Gaza War has led to victimization of all Palestinians, and to the deportation of some, and a lack of concern by Donald Trump at the massive losses of women, children, the elderly, as Israel continues what is seen by many observers as a promotion of “ethnic cleansing”.

Those of us who are not Haitian, Venezuelan, or Palestinian, should not sit easily and think we are safe from loss of our civil rights, as really, all Americans who dissent at what is going on could, one day, face similar horrendous circumstances!