US Senate

50th Anniversary Of Gerald Ford Becoming President

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In the midst of commemorations of the 50th Anniversary of the Richard Nixon resignation from the Presidency, not as much attention is devoted to the accession of Gerald Ford to the Presidency for the next two years, five months and 11 days, as the only President NOT elected President or Vice President.

Ford was approved to be Vice President under the recently enacted 25th Amendment to the Constitution, upon the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, arguably the most corrupt, scandalous, and obnoxious Vice President in the history of that office.

Agnew’s involvement in scandals, corruption, and in attacks on the news media and common decency, was horrifying, and it was a great sense of relief that he was forced out in October 1973.

The selection by the compromised President, Richard Nixon, at a time when the Watergate Scandal was metastasizing, was a relief as Ford, the House Minority Leader, was well respected and admired by members of the House of Representatives and the Senate in both political parties.

Ford conducted himself honorably as Vice President for about eight months from early December 1973 until his elevation to the Presidency on August 9, 1974.

And while Ford would lose election for a full term to Jimmy Carter in 1976, looking back on Ford, it seems clear that he has been underestimated in history, and deserves a better shake from the American people and Presidential scholars.

His wife, Betty Ford, was a major contributor to the history of First Ladies, often considered the “best” Republican First Lady of modern times.

While many would not agree with all of Gerald Ford’s views and stands on issues and policies, he comes across as the most decent Republican President in the past six decades!

50 Years Since Richard Nixon Resignation In Watergate Scandal!

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It has been a full half century since President Richard Nixon resigned, due to the Watergate Scandal, and the clear abandonment of his Republican Party in the House of Representatives and Senate to support him in his quest to avoid an impeachment and conviction.

Now, a half century later, we have a former President who is far worse than Richard Nixon, with far fewer accomplishments, and facing the likelihood of being incarcerated in Federal prison for his crimes on January 6, 2021, when he incited the US Capitol Insurrection.

Trump is desperately attempting to come back to the Oval Office, and his party has sold its soul, with most Republicans bending the knee to him, despite his massive corruption, two impeachments, four indictments and 34 convictions so far.

Even Richard Nixon, were he alive, would be astounded by the massive crimes and sins of Donald Trump!

Should Kamala Harris Go “Radical”, Or Stay Safe In VP Selection?

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With the controversial JD Vance making waves in a negative way, and undermining Donald Trump, the question arises, with about a week until the decision on the Vice Presidential nominee for Kamala Harris, whether Harris should go “radical”, or stay safe in her selection.

If Harris were to choose to go “radical”, then Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan or Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation, will be selected, as choosing a woman or a gay male would be seen as “radical”.

A less “radical choice” would be Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania, or JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, as both are Jewish, and already with a potential Jewish First Gentleman Douglas Emhoff.

If Harris chooses to go traditionally, then the choice would be among Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina; Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky; Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota; or Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.

There is also the issue of age, as Kelly, Walz, and Cooper are older than Harris, and Pritzker is only months younger, while Buttigieg, Beshear, Shapiro, and Whitmer are much younger, so any of them could be Presidential material after serving as VP under Harris.

Sad, But Essential That Joe Biden Step Aside!

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As a strong and loyal supporter of Joe Biden for many years, it is a sad moment that now this blogger and author strongly believes that Biden must step aside and endorse Kamala Harris as his successor.

Biden should finish his term, but give all his efforts to the promotion of Harris to be the 47th President of the United States.

Harris has been a loyal and dedicated Vice President, and the criticisms of her are primarily racist, sexist, and misogynistic, as she is, clearly, perfectly qualified to be the next President of the United States.

The latest public opinion polls demonstrate that Biden is behind Donald Trump in every “swing state”, as well as in trouble in states that should not be in play, including Virginia, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Colorado, and Minnesota, and the Second District in Nebraska.

The thought of Donald Trump and JD Vance as the next President and Vice President is horrifying, but it could be even worse with the Democrats losing the US Senate and failing to regain the House of Representatives majority, which otherwise seemed likely.

No one man can be seen to be allowed to use his ego over the needs of his nation, his party, and all of the American people.

So by Sunday night, Biden needs to address the nation and announce his withdrawal, and endorsement of Kamala Harris.

It is only a bit more than 100 days to the election, and six months to the inauguration, and the nation needs to see a unified Democratic Party fighting for a decent future, and preventing an extremist right wing government under Trump, and long term, the much more dangerous JD Vance!

Potential VP Picks For Trump Contrast With Kamala Harris

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There has been relentless criticism over the years of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Critics have said she is not bright, that she laughs too much, and that she is difficult to work with.

What it comes down to, however, is that she is a mixed race woman of India and Jamaica ancestry.

Harris has had great experience as District Attorney of San Francisco, California Attorney General, California US Senator, and now the 49th Vice President.

If suddenly called upon to assume the Oval Office, she would be far better qualified by experience and accomplishments than many of her predecessors.

When one examines the potential VP choices of Donald Trump, none match her experience, intelligence, and concern for average Americans.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York is a lightweight sycophant, abandoning her once moderate views.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott lost all respect when he said he “loved” Trump, while Florida Congressman Byron Donalds has made a fool of himself, in trying to justify “Jim Crow” racism. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is an embarrassment to be on the list at all.

Ohio Senator JD Vance, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton are among the worst MAGA Republicans in the Senate.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, mostly unknown nationally but very wealthy, is also on the list.

This list makes former Vice President Mike Pence look great, but unlike Pence, they are all willing to bend to every whim and fancy of Donald Trump.

Republicans In Congress Plan Wrecking Ball On Democrats, Presaging Civil War!

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The Republican Party at large, in both the House of Representatives and Senate, are planning a “wrecking ball”, open revenge on Democrats, due to the felony conviction of Donald Trump.

The Republican Party is declaring war on civility, and advocating open insurrection against the Constitution, the judicial system, and the rule of law, and this is being led by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and the multitude of MAGA Republicans.

In so doing, unstable American right wing extremists are being incited to rise up in rebellion, with the potential for mass bloodshed and violence throughout the nation.

The likelihood of a new wave of assassinations of public leaders, as occurred in the 1960s, but on a much greater scale, is becoming a reality, as we commemorate today the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, two months after the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968.

This level of threat is a clarion call that could make for a level of violence reminiscent of the pre Civil War period in the 1850s.

This is no laughing matter, as the breakdown of law and order would also endanger America’s position in a world with major threats from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.

70th Anniversary Commemoration Of Brown V Board Of Education!

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The single most significant Supreme Court decision of the 20th century occurred exactly 70 years ago on May 17, 1954, when the Supreme Court, in an unanimous 9-0 decision, declared segregation in public education was unconstitutional, reversing the segregation decision in Plessy V Ferguson of 1896 after 58 years.

The fact that Chief Justice Earl Warren (1953-1969) was able to gain unanimous support on this case, including Southern members of the Court who were comfortable with segregation, is what made Earl Warren the greatest Chief Justice after John Marshall (1801-1835).

It also makes one very downcast and depressed at what has happened at the Supreme Court in recent decades, particularly since Donald Trump made three right wing appointments to be Supreme Court Justices, adding on to the two Presidents Bush who gave the nation the horrendous Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

Chief Justice John Roberts, also chosen by President George W. Bush, has been a great disappointment, unable to keep the Court balanced, and now containing two Justices totally out of control, arrogant, nasty, abusive, and not concerned about ethics and common decency.

This, along with the attack on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), and a reversal of Affirmative Action, has been not only promoted by this right wing dominated Supreme Court, but also by actions of Republican Governors Ron DeSantis of Florida, Greg Abbott of Texas, and a whole slew of other Republican governors nationwide.

This includes working to deemphazize African American history in educational curriculums, working to wipe out all of the advancements of the Civil Rights Movement after World War II for the next few decades.

Action must be taken to reverse this bigoted, right wing extremist agenda, and it begins by insuring Joe Biden wins a second term, and that, somehow, Democrats win the House of Representatives, and retain control of the US Senate.

This is a massive challenge that anyone who believes in fairness, and common decency, must engage in for the future of America as a shining beacon of change and tolerance.

Mitt Romney Totally Wrong On Idea Of Trump Pardon!

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Retiring Republican Senator Mitt Romney is totally wrong on his idea that President Joe Biden should have pardoned Donald Trump at the time of the four indictments against the former President.

Romney has opposed Trump, refusing to vote for or support him, and he was one of the Republican Senators voting to convict Trump twice on impeachment charges in 2019 and again after the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection.

But now, he says that Biden should have taken action to pardon Trump, comparing it to Gerald Ford doing so with Richard Nixon in 1974.

This is preposterous and ridiculous, and to compare Trump to Nixon is a distortion of history.

Yes, Nixon was corrupt and engaged in criminal action, but NOT on the level of Donald Trump!

There are many who still feel Nixon should have been prosecuted, and that his pardon helped to cause the defeat of Ford in the Presidential Election of 1976.

But the rule of law, despite what Ford did a half century ago, requires that any public official be held accountable.

Most notably, this is a man who committed the incitement of the Insurrection at the US Capitol, which led to deaths and injuries; and took government documents illegally to his private residence; and also interfered in state government and state electors regarding the vote count in the Presidential Election of 2020.

The Presidency needs to be reigned in so that the image of an Imperial Presidency, where the Chief Executive is not subject to the laws everyone else is, is put to rest for eternity.

The Presidency is NOT a dictatorship, but an office responsible to the American people!

Six Months To Presidential And Congressional Elections

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It is precisely six months to the Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024, and polls indicate an extremely tight race for both the White House and control of both houses of Congress.

However, the fact that Donald Trump is unleashing lunatic statements and authoritarian threats daily, and is mired in a courtroom four days a week, are negatives that are affecting independent voters and undecided voters.

And abortion rights is seen as a definite loser for Trump and Republicans, as the vast majority of those polled, and particularly among women, clearly want women to control their own bodies and destinies.

The issue of the Israel-Hamas War, while creating problems for Joe Biden in Michigan, in particular, seems likely to calm down, as Muslims and Arabs voting for Donald Trump would not promote a different policy, as Trump has a record of working to persecute Muslims and support Israel.

The economy, and particularly inflation, is an issue, but one must remember that Trump did promote the largest tax cut and increase of the national debt for any one term President, and the economy was in free fall due to his inability to deal with the COVID 19 pandemic adequately.

The fight for control of both houses of Congress will be a bitter one, with the likelihood that both houses will have very small margins of the majority, with the House of Representatives likely to go Democratic, but the US Senate likely, at this point, to swing Republican.

So federal judge appointments and more environmental executive orders are crucial for the Democrats and Joe Biden to accomplish in the next six months.

And constantly reminding Americans of the danger to American Democracy cannot be emphasized enough.

May 4, 1970 Anniversary: A Sobering Moment Recalled

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It is now 54 years since the National Guard, called onto the campus of Kent State University in Ohio by Republican Governor James Rhodes, opened up fire on student demonstrators against the war in Vietnam, and specifically, the invasion of Cambodia.

Four students were killed, including Jeffrey Miller, who was shot in the back while walking far away from the student demonstration, and led to the infamous photograph of a young girl weeping over his body as his blood drained out. Nine students were also wounded, and one was paralyzed for life in this tragedy.

The idea that it was appropriate to call in military forces to a college or university campus, now being promoted by many Republicans, including Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, is an example of how nothing has been learned from that horrendous tragedy.

This tragedy only emboldened President Richard Nixon, as many Americans believed in so called “law and order”, and the fear is that the present college campus demonstrations regarding the Israel-Hama War might only embolden Donald Trump and his followers in the upcoming Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024.