Tom Cotton

Republican Party, Alarmingly, Going Along With Donald Trump On Russia!

It is mind boggling that large numbers of Republicans in Congress, along with MAGA supporters, are demonstrating a strong pro Russian, pro Putin stance, in alignment with Donald Trump, who has basically invited Vladimir Putin to invade NATO nations that Trump says are not paying enough for their defense!

The refusal of House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, to consider aid to Ukraine in its heroic battle for its sovereignty in the war provoked by Russia two years ago, is outrageous!

But even in the Senate, only 22 Republicans are willing to support Ukraine aid!

Among those who did so are:

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
John Cornyn of Texas
Joni Ernst of Iowa
Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Mitt Romney of Utah
John Thune of South Dakota
Thom Tillis of North Carolina

Among the nearly 30 Republican Senators who refused to support national security interests, including continued support for Ukraine are:

John Barrasso of Wyoming
Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee
Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Ted Cruz of Texas
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Josh Hawley of Missouri
Ron Johnson of Wisconsin
James Lankford of Oklahoma
Mike Lee of Utah
Rand Paul of Kentucky
Marco Rubio of Florida
Rick Scott of Florida
Tim Scott of South Carolina
Tommy Tuberville of Alabama
J D Vance of Ohio

Notice how many of the second list are among the most outrageous, obnoxious members of the Senate, but also including a traditional supporter of national security legislation in Graham, who is now a turncoat, and Tim Scott, who clearly is angling to be the potential Vice Presidential nominee for Donald Trump!

These Senators in the second group are those who have surrendered their ethics, morals, and scruples to cater to Donald Trump, and in so doing, along with the Republican House, they are repudiating the Republican past of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and even the infamous Joseph McCarthy!

The Republican Party, except for a select few, has gone stark raving mad,and repudiated the heritage and traditions of the party started 170 years ago this year!

The need is clear for all sane, principled people to unite in the dissolution of the Republican Party, which has now been infested with MAGA Lunacy that cannot be reversed, and must be overcome by the decent majority of the American population!

The South Dominates In Potential Republican Presidential Contenders!

The American South was the area that revolted against the federal government, and seceded from the Union in 1860-1861, culminating in the American Civil War (1861-1865), with the Republican Party representing the Union cause, and the Democratic Party being dominant in the South.

The South remained strongly Democratic until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed under Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Since then, most of the South has become strongly Republican, and promoters of white supremacy and Christian Nationalism, to the point that most of the potential Republican Presidential contenders in 2024 derive from the South!

These include the following:

Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Marco Rubio, and Rick Scott of Florida
Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott of Texas
Asa Hutchinson and Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Nikki Haley and Tim Scott of South Carolina
Glenn Youngkin of Virginia

These eleven Republicans are not all sure bets to run, but all have been rumored, although some seem to be backing away from doing so.

Other potential contenders come from the Northeast area of the US, including

Chris Sununu of New Hampshire
Chris Christie of New Jersey
Larry Hogan of Maryland

And finally, from the Midwest area of the US, we have such potential contenders as

Mike Pence of Indiana
Mike Pompeo of Kansas
Josh Hawley of Missouri
Kristi Noem of South Dakota
Adam Kinzinger of Illinois

And finally, we have Liz Cheney of Wyoming

The Republican Party Declares War On Law Enforcement And National Security!

The Republican Party, Donald Trump loyalists, and Fox News Channel have declared war on law enforcement and national security, threatening action to destroy the FBI, Department of Justice, and Department of Homeland Security, over the legitimate action of removing national security and other government documents wrongfully taken by Donald Trump to his Florida estate, Mar A Lago, when he left office 19 months ago!

It is shocking to see the reaction of a large slew of Republicans, including, among others:

Rick Scott
Marco Rubio
Ted Cruz
Rand Paul
Josh Hawley
Tom Cotton
Kevin McCarthy
Jim Jordan
Elise Stefanik
Newt Gingrich

They and numerous others are promoting violence and potential civil war, and it is clear that they have become the Fascist Party, with the desire to install Donald Trump as the dictator of the US, with the plan to wipe out these government agencies!

Death threats are emanating, with the fear that top government officials to the highest level, may be subjected to assassination threats, a horrifying thought!

Another January 6th is a possibility, an attack on the US Capitol or other government buildings by an armed mob, with domestic terrorism being inflamed further by Donald Trump and his minions!

Republicans And Veterans: Total Hypocrisy And Disgrace!

The Republican Party loves to wave the flag and talk about “patriotism”, but they are regularly against veterans receiving health care for their sacrifices since September 11.

They just, out of spite, worked yesterday against aid to soldiers exposed to toxic pits and other dangers in war zones, including in Afghanistan and Iraq after September 11.

It is shocking to see even so called “better” Republicans, such as Mitt Romney and Ben Sasse joining with outgoing Senators, such as Rob Portman, Pat Toomey, Richard Burr, Roy Blunt, and Richard Shelby, and all of the usual obnoxious Senators (including Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Rick Scott, and others) to vote against veterans’ health aid!

Only 8 Republican Senators supported the legislation yesterday, including Susan Collins, Shelley Moore Capito, Marco Rubio, Jerry Moran, Chuck Grassley, Lindsey Graham, and two others!

From Nelson Rockefeller (1963) To The January 6 2021 Insurrection: Right Wing Threats

Sixty years ago this week, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller denounced the Right Wing threat working to gain control of the Republican Party, and he fought against Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1964.

Goldwater lost massively against President Lyndon B. Johnson, but the seeds had been planted in a movement that now has become a menace to America under Donald Trump, leading to the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

But even Barry Goldwater was not as extreme as right wing Republicans now are!

If Trump or a Trumpite follower ends up as the Republican nominee in 2024, the concept of American democracy could be dissolved, as the threat of Barry Goldwater sixty years ago has been far surpassed by many Republicans since the 1990s.

Leading potential Republican nominees besides Trump in 2024 include such as Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, and Rick Scott, among others.

The alarm bell has rung, and the question is whether the diminishing band of mainstream Republicans–such as Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Larry Hogan, Chris Sununu, Chris Christie, Liz Cheney, and Adam Kinzinger–many of them far from ideal–can mount a campaign and take the Republican Party back to the center of American politics!

Democrats Need To Follow Lincoln Project Strategy: Go On Attack Against Trumpists!

The Democratic Party needs to follow the strategy of the Lincoln Project, a PAC (Political Action Committee) organization formed in 2019 to fight Donald Trump and his ilk, and continuing to attack Donald Trump and his supporters in public office after the January 6, 2021 Insurrection.

The Lincoln Project has continued to put out strong ads on cable and on Twitter, convinced that is the only way to stop Trump and the people who surround, support, and defend him, and to weaken his appeal.

They also want to undermine any future candidacy by either him or his “copycats”, including Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Tom Cotton and innumerable others.

This is a battle for American democracy, and to revive the reputation of a party which, historically, had great leadership before the present orientation toward authoritarianism!

So Democrats have to stop being “nice guys”, and go on the attack and defend their principles against a party that has rapidly gone downhill toward Fascism!

Disgraceful Display Of Disrespect By Republican Senators Upon Confirmation Of Ketanji Brown Jackson!

The gleeful emotions of Senate Democrats yesterday, upon the confirmation of Kentanji Brown Jackson to become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, was counteracted by the disgraceful display of disrespect by Republican Senators, who walked out as rounds of applause, lasting a full minute, emanated in the Senate chamber.

Only Senator Mitt Romney joined the Democrats to applaud the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson.

It was an embarrassing scene, when all Senators, whether they supported Jackson or not for the Supreme Court, should have shared in the historic nature of her appointment.

It is one thing to oppose a nominee or a piece of legislation, but another to be rude, insulting, and clearly racist and bigoted in nature, as if after 108 white males being placed on the Court, it is somehow unacceptable to have a qualified, competent black female to be added to the Court!

It just adds to the obscene image of the Republican Party which is mostly beholden to the evils represented by Donald Trump!

The memory of the horrendous behavior of Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, and Mike Lee will never dissipate, and all of these Senators will be condemned in the long run of history, as their reputations will lie in tatters!

Success For Ketanji Brown Jackson, As Bipartisan Vote Will Place Her On Supreme Court!

A salute to Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah for crossing party lines to support Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first African American woman on the Supreme Court in its history!

There is no question that these three Republicans are the most moderate, centrist, and reasonable Republicans in a party that is a total disaster otherwise!

Ben Sasse of Nebraska is a disappointment, refusing to support Jackson, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is a total hypocrite and an embarrassment, after having voted for Jackson for two earlier judicial appointments.

And others, including Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee are extremist demagogues!

The Republican Party Is More Horrendous Than Ever!

It is hard to believe, but the Republican Party in Congress is more horrendous than ever before!

A party which used to have a substantial number of moderate Senators in the past has gone totally nuts!

Yesterday, this author and blogger condemned the handling of the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson by Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Lindsey Graham, and Tom Cotton.

Now Marsha Blackburn is added to that list making fools of themselves in the hearings.

But even outside of that issue, now we have Indiana Senator Mike Braun who says that Interracial Marriage, declared constitutional in Loving V Virginia in 1967, should never have been accomplished by the Supreme Court.

This is part of setting constitutional law backwards, along with the threat to abortion rights Roe V Wade (1973), and Griswold V Connecticut (1965), which promoted the constitutional right to sexual privacy and legalized contraception for married couples.

Although Braun now has backtracked, it is clear that leave it to the Republicans, and they would interfere with the privacy rights of Americans, not only interracial marriage, abortion, and contraception, but also gay marriage, if given the opportunity.

This is right wing totalitarianism, denial of basic human rights, and going back to the years before the Warren Court (1953-1969) and forward!

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

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