Category: Opinion

OPINION: Trump A Criminal Candidate

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OPINION:

Donald Trump, Criminal Candidate

Trump desperately wanted to hold onto power despite substantial loses at the ballot box.

OPINION:

Donald Trump, Criminal Candidate

D. S. Mitchell

The Biggest Flag Wins

When all the votes for 2020 presidential election were counted, Joe Biden won 81,283,098 votes, or 51.3% of the vote. Donald Trump won 74,222,958 or 46.8% of the vote. Miscellaneous other candidates captured a meager 1.8% of the vote. In other words, Joe Biden, kicked Trump’s butt, besting Trump by over 7 million votes. But, those numbers were obviously against Trump’s plan. Votes were counted and recounted and lawsuit after lawsuit brought by Trump challenging the election were dismissed. Everyone from the bloated and lawless Bill Barr to Cybersecurity Director Chris Krebs called Trump’s claim’s of voter fraud, “bullshit.” But, still you see signs saying, “Biden Lost!” usually accompanied by an oversized American flag.

As It Plays Out

We should be celebrating that more people turned out to vote in the 2020 election than at any other time in history. But, we aren’t. In fact, because of Trump’s lies our country is more divided than ever. Instead of the bloated orange fruit fly conceding the election, to Joe Biden like every man before him has, he chose to create chaos.

More Violence and More Lawsuits

In 2016 the Trumpers told us “elections have consequences” as we progressives huddled in our fetal positions, terrified of a Trump presidency. It is now 2023 and those same Trumpers are telling us that despite Trump’s staggering loss both in the Electoral College and the popular vote we libs should sit down and shut up, ‘because it’s obvious Trump won’. If Trump becomes the Republican nominee in 2024 I am sure we will see more armed election observers,  more lawsuits, more threats of violence, more white supremacist saber rattling, and more talk of Trump as a lifetime president.

Is It That Bad?

A majority of Americans,  especially Black, Brown, Native Americans, Asians, and other marginalized communities, who are at the mercy of this country’s historic, systemic, police abuse and seemingly incurable racism, voted Donald Trump out of office. I want us to celebrate that so many Americans voted to oust his criminal ass, but there is much need for introspection and intense soul searching about those who continue to feverishly support him in his fight to propagate the big lie. My god the brazen fucker is running for president again.

A Cup Of Coffee

I’m ready this morning to have a cup of coffee, eat an apple and reflect on why more than 74, 000,000  Americans would chose a man like Donald Trump to lead this country? His incompetence and stupidity is legendary. We’d already seen the chaos in operation, day after day, over four years in office. Some close to him have called him a “fucking moron.” These words come from those who know him best, yet these voices are ignored by his minions. Or should I be calling them cultists.

Nothing Moves His Base

For the last several days I’ve scoured old newspaper and magazine articles putting together a list of the known criminal activities of Donald Trump. Although well-known to his followers, his criminality seems to have no effect on their loyalty or their intoxicated enthusiasm. Monster flags whipping off the back of pickup trucks advertise their loyalty to Trump, not the United States. Wake up guys. Trump is a fraud and you, his small donors, are his biggest suckers. Recent reports indicate $40 million dollars of donor money has been spent so far this year on Trump defense attorneys. Get real, please, Trump and his whole crew belongs in Sing-Sing, not the Oval Office.

The Habit Of Corruption

Trump is no stranger to corruption and criminality. He has been embedded in it his entire life. As President, he took it to a new level. The Trump administration was without a doubt the most corrupt presidency in American history. No wonder he keeps screaming “fake news” when responding to reporter’s questions. Trump desperately needs to undermine the legitimacy of the fourth estate.  Donald John Trump has so much to hide.  If his devout followers would listen to the information that is available everywhere, they would drop him like the proverbial  hot potato. But, for some reason they are both deaf and blind to the truth. Truth matters, and Trump couldn’t find truth with both hands. Just to refresh the reader on Trump’s criminal history:

It All Started With Daddy Trump

1.) Donald and his father blatantly participated in housing discrimination against people of color and they were sued by the Justice Department.
2.) The Mafia and Donald worked together through the construction trades in New York city.
3.) He hired undocumented Polish workers to rehab the Trump Tower and then refused to pay them.
4.) Trump was fined $750,000 for anti-trust violations during his attempt to take over a rival casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

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OPINION: 46 Is Marvelous

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OPINION: 46 Is Marvelous

Joe Biden is a Marvelous #46

OPINION: 46 Is Marvelous

46 Marvelous Things our Marvelous 46th President Has Done

 

By Anna Hessel

While some viciously attack Joe Biden I’ve been counting what #46 has done for America.

  1. Joe beat Trump’s butt with the most votes received by any U.S. presidential candidate in U.S. history.
  2. Joe’s working at saving the soul of our nation from MAGA and other far-right Republicans, he’s gotta ways to go, if you ask me, but he’s on it.
  3. #46 has continued President Obama’s legacy of inclusive diversity.
  4. As Vice President under President Obama, Biden spearheaded the fight to bring affordable healthcare to more people. President Biden continues to fight for affordable healthcare, expanding and improving the program whenever possible.
  5. Together, back in 2008, Obama and Biden saved the U.S. auto industry.
  6. joe sponsored, and has continued to fight for and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act.
  7. On Joe’s first day in office he re-entered the Paris Climate Agreement.
  8. Our average Joe from Scranton, PA met with King Charles III and billionaire philanthropists regarding financing climate change measures.
  9. The brand new president Biden rehired Dr. Fauci and worked tirelessly to get COVID vaccines in the arms of millions of Americans, helping to end the pandemic.
  10. Joe gave Americans a COVID relief package immediately upon taking office, and (actually) worked to send out stimulus checks. Thanks, Joe, I bought a set of desperately needed tires for my car.
  11. Our Joe gave us our first female Vice President a woman of color and our first Second Gentlemen.
  12. 46 has come out fighting for student loan relief, and despite SCOTUS’ rejection of his administration’s first attempt to erase some portions of student debt he is working on a different method of loan relief.
  13. Class and dignity have returned to the White House with a beautiful Doctor of Education as our First Lady.
  14. Joe Biden acts like an actual man of God, not someone that just holds a Bible in front of a church which he didn’t attend for a photo op. President Biden prayed for our nation during his inaugural address – his sincerity is humbling and refreshing.
  15. A mammoth infrastructure plan; a plan to fix roads and bridges, railways and airports that have been allowed to deteriorate for at least the last 50 years.
  16. Respects our military – a proud serviceman’s father-who is honored to lay wreaths and flowers on the graves of those lost in our wars, not insult them as “suckers and losers.”
  17. An empathetic Joe gave his personal cell phone number to a little boy that stutters, an affliction that has plagued the president and told the boy to call anytime just too talk.
  18. He has lowered everyday expenses for U.S. families with the Inflation Reduction Act and the Child Tax Credit legislation.
  19. U.S. veterans who have been exposed to toxic situations, like the Iraq burn pits, and contaminated water at Camp LeJeune, are receiving services and benefits like no other time in history.
  20. Bidenomics have rescued the U.S. economy from  disaster without padding the pockets of the 2%.
  21. Made in America means more than ever.
  22. Unemployment is at an all-time low – more people are employed than ever before.
  23. President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, providing statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages.
  24. Lower prescription drug and healthcare costs.
  25. Made all vaccines under Medicare Part D free. Last year a shingles vaccine series of 2 shots cost $300. Yahoo.
  26. Joe has fought for reproductive freedom, not advocating abortion but realistically understanding the need for choice.
  27. Advocating for climate change, creating as many as nine million jobs in the process.
  28. Helping households to lower their energy costs.
  29. Joe Biden is instrumental in pulling the NATO countries together to assist the Ukraine during this Russian initiated war.
  30. Joe has the most diverse staff and cabinet in U.S. presidential history.
  31. President Biden’s is the most accomplished presidency in history, passing more bi-partisan legislation than any previous president.
  32. Joe backed and signed the strongest common sense gun safety bill to make it to a president’s desk in decades, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
  33. 46 has made the most significant investment in mental health in three generations.
  34. Government driven sensible investment in manufacturing and industry in the rust belt, an investment not seen since immediately post WWII. The pandemic proved we need manufacturing in the United States.
  35. Postal reform to undo the damage caused by DeJoy and bring long term stability to USPS.
  36. Our guy Joe, quickly released oil from the national strategic reserve to reduce the price of gas.
  37. Established a national monument (s) honoring Emmett Till and his mother Mamie Till‑Mobley.
  38. Made Juneteenth a national holiday.
  39. CHIPS and Science Act is an effort to stimulate chip manufacture in the United States. It’s  a proactive move in case the mainland Chinese invade Taiwan; protecting the U.S. economy from a potentially devastating collapse that a shutdown in manufacture of chips would cause world wide.
  40. Brought home former Marine *Trevor Reed by sending convicted drug smuggler and Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko to them. *Trevor Reed was recently wounded volunteering in Ukraine.
  41. Everyday Joe firmly stands up to Republicans with grace and dignity.
  42. Despite much vitriol President Biden concluded the conflict in Afghanistan, withdrawing all U.S. troops from harms way after 20 years in that country.
  43. Joe will never stop fighting to preserve voting rights for all citizens.
  44. Joe is patient and steady and is working hard to unify the American people.
  45. The Biden’s have brought adorable pets back to the White House. A cat and a dog.
  46. And lastly, let’s face it, Dark Brandon is sexy…

OPINION: Trump Wants A Lifetime Presidency

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OPINION:

Trump Wants A Lifetime Presidency

Trump faces numerous civil lawsuits and DOJ criminal indictments.

OPINION:

Trump Seeks Lifetime Term

By D. S. Mitchell

 

Fun At The Rogue

I dropped my friend at a meeting and headed to my favorite beach hang out, delighted to have time to take a few minutes to dangle my feet in the Rogue River, watching joyous children and fat Canadian geese play in the river’s shallows.

A Near Fatal Head Rush

Somewhere between deciding on a wading spot and navigating down the hillside to the chosen spot on the riverbank my mind switched from several hours of planned childish playtime to panic over the impending 2024 Presidential election. I had a head rush that nearly knocked me down. Fuck. The thought of  Donald J. Trump moving back into the White House threatened to send my heart into a fatal dysrhythmia.

My Mom Called It Kinky

I had to tell myself to take some slow deep breaths. OMG. I flashed on hour-after-hour, day-after-day, week-after-week, of endless chaos with United States diplomacy being carried out via Twitter, now X, by an orange “pussy grabbing,” “tax dodging” grifter. I remember waking up to the doddering, demented marmalade colored president threatening war with ‘Rocket Man’ Kim Jung Un. A short time later, the world  was given a lesson in whip lash diplomacy when Trump embraces the fat little tyrant in some kinky, twisted, ‘love letter’ absurdity.

Alabama Sharpie

Sharpie-gate was another outrageous time and money waster. In this scandal Trump overrode the weather experts and changed the predicted trajectory of hurricane “Dorian,” to  extend all the way to Alabama, when in fact, all indicators suggested a sharp turn north, avoiding Alabama completely. This load of Trump BS caused a shift of resources and manpower from the needed areas to those of less to no need.

Clown Show

The problem was that the Trump Clown Show went on 24-7 never seeming to even consider a slow down. It was one efin’ hair pulling, jaw grinding, moral absurdity, to the next. John McCain was one of Trump’s most frequent targets for insult. The Trumpster went out of his way to insult and disparage the senator before and after the man’s death. I was no McCain fan, but Trump’s attack’s on a dead man were inappropriate and disgusting.

“Suckers And Losers”

But, his disrespect didn’t stop with McCain, but rather extended to all those who are currently serving in the military, or those who previously served, or even those who died in the service of this country, calling them “suckers and losers.” What an appalling statement from a president of the United States about the men and women that protect the American people, and the very ground we walk on, with love and courage every single day in dangerous places around the world.

It Got Worse By The Day

Exhaustion set in quick, numbness soon followed. Trump was like the proverbial horse in the hospital. Total insanity. We went from one disgusting chaotic episode to another. The biggest jaw dropper to me personally, probably because I’m a retired RN, was when Trump suggested people drink bleach to kill the Corona Virus. Which of course, unfortunately led to several folks trying that suggestion. Then his second option to combat the virus was for everyone to try a round of Hydroxychloroquine. Once again sending several dumb asses to the hospital.

How About A Second Go-Around?

I think it’s well understood by all Americans that X-prez Donald Trump is actually now running to become America’s first “lifetime president.” I don’t think there are any of us that truly believe Trump will leave the White House alive if he ever comes back into power.  All you folks out there who plan on voting for Trump, keep in mind, a second Trump presidency will end democracy in America.

Potential Results

Trump will pardon the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, and those thugs will become his SS. “The Art of the Deal” will become required reading, available on Amazon, $9.99, but no worries you can take it off your taxes.  The sale of government oil leases will skyrocket, as investors scramble to squeeze every drop of oil from the planet. Under Trump all government backed electric projects will be put on hold. The EPA will be dissolved. It will become illegal to teach Climate Change in any U.S. school. The United States will withdraw from NATO. But, I’m not saying anything that anyone doesn’t already know.  The  question becomes who will succeed melon head and under what circumstances? It’s getting scary. Let’s stick with Joe & Kamala. A steady ship. A predictable course.

12 Reasons Trump Was A Flop & Joe’s Not

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OPINION:

12 Reasons Trump Was A Flop & Joe’s Not

Joe Biden won the largest victory in U.S. history

OPINION:

12 Reasons Trump Was A Flop & Joe’s Not

By Anna Hessel with Wes Hessel

We are admitted President Joe Biden supporters. We just wanted to take a couple minutes to thank Joe for not being Donald Trump and point out 12 reasons Trump was a flop and Joe’s not.

COVID Catastrophe

  1. COVID was out of control during the Donald‘s limp excuse for a presidency. He denied the severity of the illness, having fired the pandemic preparedness team put in place by the Obama-Biden administration. Millions died, the economy shut down; life was on hold, and we all suffered. Once President Joe Biden was sworn in he immediately arranged for free vaccines, free COVID tests, and we all received the highest amount of stimulus payments since COVID began. He  instituted a needed mask mandate during the first portion of his administration to arrest the spread of the disease. Now, although COVID still exists, it is far less severe, now it is closer to the flu that the Republicans claimed it was, when it was actually deadly. Life is finally nearly normal again. Thank you, President Joe Biden.

The Real Illegal

  1. Jack Smith currently has Trump federally indicted, facing thirty-seven counts in the (1)stolen documents case, not to mention the recent (2)guilty verdict in E. Jean Carroll‘s civil defamation and sexual abuse case, and (3) AG Alvin Bragg in NY city is after him for the Stormy Daniels payoff. (4) Latitia James the NY state AG has filed a $250 million dollar civil suit against Trump, family and company alleging wide spread fraud. (5) Fani Willis, Fulton County, Georgia, DA is amassing evidence for her looming criminal election interference case against the former president, indictments expected in August 2023. And, (6) Jack Smith again, looks like he has been busy investigating the January 6th events orchestrated by Trump. And if that’s not enough to keep Trump busy there is (7) Jack Smith‘s fake electors investigation.
  2. Trump instigated an insurrection. Trump invited the insurrection because he didn’t want to let go of power. He couldn’t admit he was a loser. No other president in history has done anything like this. In the United States; the loser steps aside for the victor.

The People Have Spoken

  1. President Biden received more votes than any other presidential candidate in history, yet Trump is still claiming the election was stolen from him. He tried to claim victory before the votes were even counted. Trump tried to discredit or invalidate the votes of 80 million Americans.

An A– And Class

  1. Forty-five decided to skip President Biden’s inauguration. Trump left his vice president to attend, skulking out of D.C. like the coward he is.
  2. The Donald held up a Bible he does not read in front of a church he does not attend. To worsen the image, he held the Bible upside down. Joe Biden, however, went to church before he was inaugurated, and said a sincere prayer during his inaugural address.
  3. Trump wanted to waste taxpayers’ money on dictator-style military parades, but Uncle Joe is a military serviceman’s father and placed wreaths and flowers on graves.
  4. Forty-five gave our nation the first staple in her belly button first woman. Silicon free, Mrs. Biden is a beautiful, gracious, an accomplished educator with a doctorate in education. There is no comparison between the two. Notice I was unable to use the word ladies here, since I only consider Dr. Biden a lady. President Biden is also responsible for the first female Vice President Kamala Harris, a woman of color and class. Our First Gentleman, Doug Imhoff, is a fine man of Jewish faith, strong in a world of sickening anti-Semitism.
  5. During the Trump regime, there was rioting in the streets, a global pandemic, and rampant racism, not to mention sexism and other blatant discrimination, but Joe Biden respects all races, all religions, all genders, and all sexual preferences equally. Joe served as second in command under our first black President, they helped to make America great together. Saving the auto industry and passing the ACA (Obamacare) health care bill are just two of their very many outstanding accomplishments. Joe also respects women – our President is responsible for the Violence Against Women Act. Forty five “grabs ‘em by the p—-“.
  6. The Bidens have have been married nearly 45 years – Joe is a widower who has loved wholly two women, separately, never cheating on either; Trump has committed adultery on a number of occasions yet the right wing “Christians” worship the Donald; as a liberal Christian, I worship God, and respect President Biden. These same Trumpster lemmings have overturned reproductive freedom, when in fact many of these men impregnate women without any responsibility, expecting them to carry pregnancies, and raise children with no support at all. A child should never be abused by circumstance, that’s not pro-life. It does take a village to raise a child for eighteen years, which “pro-birth” Republicans don’t want to acknowledge.

The Right Way, Not The Right-Wing Way

  1. The Donald is strongly supported by the far right gun lobby. Joe is all about sensible gun laws, against assault rifles, and a proponent of universal background checks. With gun violence destroying families and neighborhoods we need a man like President Biden to end the slaughter.
  2. Forty-five’s dictator buddy, Vladimir Putin has declared war on the Ukraine, and invaded a sovereign country for no legitimate reason. While Trump is hiding out in his bunker, our President is visiting the Ukraine because he is a man of compassion and courage. It makes no sense to me why President Biden’s approval rating is between 41-49% depending on the poll, in my view he saved the country. He ran against 45, beat him handily thus stopping the Trump madness. I can go to church, the library, the hairdresser, theaters, shopping for groceries, no longer having to shelter in place or, in most cases, wear a mask anymore in public. Unemployment is at a low, and most of our nation has medical care, not just a moneyed few. America is back working and thriving. The war in the Ukraine, and the Chinese economic collapse has caused inflation; President Biden does not set gas or food prices, he is trying his best to rebuild our economy. America’s welcoming arms are open wide again. Our nations citizens are working, living once again without fear of a deadly pandemic. We are back in the Paris Climate Agreement, the threat of climate change’s potential future devastation recognized, because we have a President that listens to science while still trusting the Lord. I personally thank God for President Biden. He has my full endorsement for his re-election campaign. My spouse and myself, we are a proud Biden-Harris household. God bless our President and God bless America…Go to Biden Victory Fund and support Joe and Kamala with some hard cash to build a better America.

Universal Basic Income: A Realistic Solution

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OPINION:

Universal Basic Income: A Realistic Solution

OPINION:

Universal Basic Income: A Realistic Solution

By Ross Turner

Not a New Idea

During times of turbulence and upheaval, ideas that were once thought fantastical suddenly seem quite rational.  Such is the case of Universal Basic Income (UBI). UBI is also known as a “basic income guarantee.”  The concept first appeared in the book ‘Utopia” by Thomas More published in  1516. The idea has been revived more than once over the centuries. In the early 1920’s British philosopher, essayist and social critic, Bertrand Russell wrote of the advantages of such a system. But it has only been in the last fifty years with the advent of technology, the internet, robotics, and Artificial Intelligence that there been a true necessity and demand for it.

UBI May Be an Idea Who’s Time Has Come

The idea, at its core, is to give every citizen a regular, untaxed sum of money regardless of employment status or income.  The thought is that this will raise the poorest recipients out of poverty and help the overall economy by boosting consumers’ purchasing power and economic mobility.  Many people, however, have a negative visceral reaction to “handing out” free money, worrying that people will stop working, or worrying about how to pay for such a program in the first place.  First, let’s look at why something like Universal Basic Income will be needed in the very-near future.

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Trump Stuck in the Mud

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OPINION: 

Trump Stuck in the Mud

Trump put on a disgusting show last night at the CNN Town Hall

OPINION:

Trump Stuck in the Mud

By D.S. Mitchell

A Real Train Wreck

Anyone that knows me knows my total disgust of anything and everything, Trump. So, some may wonder why I would waste an hour watching the CNN Donald Trump Town Hall last night.  Frankly, I just wanted to confirm that all the character traits that originally made me loath the man were still applicable. I didn’t need the hour to confirm my original assessment, but I hung around, just because as with all train wrecks it’s hard to look away.

Friendly Audience

He had a handpicked pro-Trump audience in New Hampshire. The crowd laughed and cheered at his attacks on E. Jean Carroll who had just the day before, won a $5 million lawsuit against the ex-president for sexual assault and defamation. Hopefully, Ms. Carroll isn’t done yet because this guy hasn’t learned anything about defamation. I believe she has grounds for a second defamation case against the disgraced, twice impeached, pro-sexual assault, ex- president.

A Vivid Reminder 

If nothing else, last night gave us a vivid reminder of what another term of a Donald Trump presidency would look like. I don’t know about anyone else but I’m way, way, past the chaos, shame, hatred, cruelty, lies, corruption, and total dysfunction this man brought to the White House. I’m ready to see this aberration gone into the dark night, never to be seen or heard from again.

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OPINION: Mass Shootings Terrorizing America

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OPINION:

Mass Shootings Terrorizing America

No other country in the world has the gun violence seen in the U.S. It could be because there are more guns than people.

OPINION:

Mass Shootings Terrorizing America

By D. S. Mitchell

 

Nothing New

Only four months into 2023 and there have been 195 mass shootings in America. The recent rash of mass shootings has shaken the nation. Rightfully so, such a wanton loss of life is unacceptable in a civilized society. Sadly though, it is difficult to be surprised. Spree killings have been as much a feature of American culture as baseball and apple pie, reaching all the way back to the days of Howard Barton Unruh.  Howard  was an American mass killer, sometimes classified as a spree killer. Unruh  shot and killed 13 people (including three children) during a 12-minute walk through his neighborhood in the fall of 1949, in Camden, N.J. He was 28 years old.

A Couple Years Later

Charlie Starkweather is another twentieth century mass murderer that blazed across the pages of American newspapers with his 14 year old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate.  Charles Raymond “Charlie” Starkweather went on a multi-state killing spree killing eleven people in Nebraska and Wyoming between December 1957 and January 1958. He was 19 years old. He killed ten of his victims between January 21 and January 29, 1958, the date of his arrest. I just wonder how many victims Charlie would have had if he’d had access to an AR-15? The point being, America has a gun problem and it is nothing new.

Powerful NRA Lobby

The latest Fox Gun Poll showed more than 75% of Americans support banning assault weapons and many other gun restrictions. The primary opposition to gun control laws in the United States are the gun manufacturers. The NRA has served as an arm of gun manufacturers for years, successfully masquerading as a citizen 2nd Amendment right’s group. The NRA and its bought and paid for wing of the Republican party have formed a powerful voice in Congress, effectively shutting down nearly all efforts to legislate gun control. One of their more ridiculous cries has been the case of “what-aboutism”

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OPINION: ADOPTION IS NOT THE ANSWER

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OPINION: ADOPTION IS NOT THE ANSWER

Adoptee tells story that contradicts the standard antiabortionist rhetoric.

OPINION: ADOPTION IS NOT THE ANSWER

Adoption Is Not the Alternative to Abortion*

*An earlier version of this article was published here July 12, 2022.

By Megan Wallin-Kerth

Ludicrously Simplistic

With the overturning of Roe many conservative talking points have come to the forefront; for, let’s just say, reconsideration. Most of these I’ll leave for others to debate, but one really gets under my skin, because—unlike the hundreds of other thoughts, some more sensible than others—this refrain is ludicrously simplistic and yet very familiar to me. You’ve probably heard it too, at least a hundred times. Here’s a hint: What’s the oh-so-wonderful alternative to abortion?

Adoption.

Always. Without fail. Rarely a dissenter. And yet, how many people shouting this have actually adopted a child? And of those, how many adopted the kids who are considered “difficult to place?”

For those willing to admit that they know diddly-squat about the adoption process or the foster care system, I’ll give more context.

Color Preference

Most infants, particularly white infants from healthy but low-income mothers (think high school or college students), are placed easily into homes that are generally also white, generally middle class or upper middle class, and have usually passed several levels of intensive screening (varying in different states) prior to becoming a parent through adoption. Those are the facts. White babies usually get sent to somewhat affluent white homes. Babies from other backgrounds sometimes linger for longer times, or often get adopted into homes where their culture of origin is, if anything, a sidenote. Add identity crisis to abandonment issues.

Age Matters

However, infants of any monetary, cultural or ethnic background truly have it much easier than children: The children who are taken away from their natural parents after they’ve already started to reach the stage of being toddlers or even older children have a more challenging path ahead.

Loss and Grief

First, they have the grief and loss that comes with being torn from the parents and family system to whom they are already well acquainted, as well as the customs, traditions, sense of belonging and additional factors that make up one’s feeling of being “home.” They lose it all, and yet they are expected to accept the culture of a new household, family structure, and repeatedly relay their trauma to a constant barrage of social workers and therapists who make it clear that the events which occurred “need to be discussed.” (That need, mind you, is more to provide quotes for said figures to use while testifying about the child’s best interests in court, quite ironically.) What’s not always clear to those kids is that none of it is their fault. Not a single bit of it.

Ill Prepared

Many of those kids are there because their parents were ill-prepared, young, poor, or impacted by trauma or drug-abuse. Some of them were likely told not to get an abortion, because that would be throwing away the “gift of life.” Not all of them wanted their children, but most of them probably wanted to do right by them. However, wanting to do the right thing and being able to successfully carry out the responsibilities of parenthood are entirely different.

Mental Health Conditions

It should be no surprise these kids are more likely to be diagnosed with a slew of mental health conditions, ranging from attachment disorder to ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). They are more likely to have trouble regulating their emotions. They are more likely to come from families with histories of trauma or self-medication with drug-use. They are more likely to have been witness to domestic violence. And they are all victims of a system that is primarily run by well-intentioned but vastly undertrained and overworked case managers, many of whom get burnt out quickly if they truly care about the children under their broadly defined supervision.

Sad Outcomes

Lastly, the longer a child stays in foster care, the more they face several unfortunate facts: Adoption rates are lower, foster homes are increasingly scarce (and often resort to abusive or coercive methods to control trauma-based behaviors), and it’s not uncommon at all to age out of the system with no solid support. It’s also likely that those with severe trauma—and corresponding behavioral issues stemming from a lack of care—will end up incarcerated, filling jails and prisons. And let’s not even get into the number of failed adoptions, where families commit to adoption and change their minds (this happened to me and another family member), sometimes going so far as to relinquish parental rights after the whole matter has been legally confirmed.

Not So Fast

This is the true nature of the so-called alternative to abortion. People do not understand what they are presenting. It is not a world of lollipops and s’mores. It is not the fairytale full of compassion and hope that we have been indoctrinated to believe when we hear the word “adoption.” It is rather a dysfunctional and overburdened system.

When The Time Is Right

Furthermore, those stating that they would “love to be foster parents once the time is right for their family” should also take heed of the fact that doing so is a sacrifice to any children already in your home, whether biological, adopted or foster. It requires everyone in that household to possibly shift expectations, routines, etc.—and to frequently practice more emotional regulation if the child coming in has some emotional struggles themselves (and spoiler alert: many of them will).

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OPINION: Republicans Fear Merrick Garland

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OPINION: Republicans Fear Garland

OPINION: Republicans Fear Garland

By Wes & Anna Hessel

 

Champion of Justice

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland is again seeking to bring justice to our nation, this time  by facilitating the FBI search and seizure of alleged classified documents from Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago residence. Much to the chagrin of Republican party, the files were said to have been taken from the White House upon Trump’s departure.

Justice Delayed

Mr. Garland, a Chicago native and Harvard graduate, should be an associate justice of the Supreme Court, but the obstructionist right-wing GOP controlled Senate, lead by Mitch McConnell, in March 2016 refused to even take up the then Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s nomination by President Obama.  This maneuver continued on until the nomination expired in January 2017, leading to the Republicans seizing the spot vacated by the late Justice Scalia to be filled by their extremist nominee Neil Gorsuch.

Obstruction of Justice

The Republican Party have now made Attorney General Garland their newest Public Enemy Number One, demanding his immediate resignation.  The GOP insists that they will investigate Merrick should they regain their control of Congress.  We must strenuously prevent this miscarriage of justice from occurring.  Mr. Garland, with his consistent record of protecting our nation and democracy, in no way deserves this treatment.

Capitol Crimes

Donald Trump’s involvement in the January 6th insurrection is chilling, at best.  Barring the very justified actions of the Justice Department would serve to let Trump quite literally get away with murder.   “The Donald”’s blatant refusal to intervene in the invasion of the U.S. Capitol makes him culpable for the deaths of those who lost their lives as a result of this heinous violent attempt to stop the peaceful Constitutional transfer of power to the rightfully elected Joseph Biden.

Pursuit of Justice

Attorney General Garland’s heroic efforts include adroitly standing up to a slew of Republican attacks.  He has masterfully led the investigation of Mr. Trump’s lies and crimes, with a courageous pursuit of truth regarding this vile attack on our democracy.  Merrick is quoted as saying, “We intend to hold everyone, anyone, who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6th…accountable.”  We must support our Attorney General Merrick Garland in the prosecution of “45”, so that Trump will be banned from ever holding or even running for public office again.

No Just Cause

“The Donald”’s and his allies’ attempts to overturn the 2020 election must not remain unpunished.  As Mr. Garland fearlessly pilots the Justice Department’s examination of Trump’s involvement in the riot, the Republican Party is making every effort to halt this investigation.  Marjorie Taylor Greene has gone so far as to file articles of impeachment against our Attorney General.

Buy The Lie

Mr. Garland has stated that he, “personally approved”, searching Trump’s home in Mar-A-Lago.  There were 147 GOP members who voted to try to overturn the legal election results of 2020, including Ms. Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz, and Josh Hawley.  Apparently they buy into the lie that the election results were “stolen”, when in fact President Joe Biden had received the most certified votes of any presidential candidate in history.

Justice Served

And Merrick Garland has strongly demonstrated his lifelong quest for justice, beginning his illustrious career as a federal prosecutor in 1989.  His first prominent action was as one of the trio of the lead prosecution for the cocaine possession case of former Washington D.C. Mayor Marion Barry.  As Deputy Assistant Attorney General during President Clinton’s term, Mr. Garland oversaw the prosecution of such critical cases as the bombings in Atlanta during the Olympics and the “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski.

Boots On The Ground

He began leading the prosecution of the horrific truck bomb attack on the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in person on-site, and was the federal government’s primary attorney during the preliminary hearings for the two main co-conspirators, Terry Nichols and Timothy McVeigh.  Deputy Assistant Attorney General Garland was then integral in the selection of the team for their trial, and even garnered accolades from then-Governor of Oklahoma, Frank Keating, a Republican.

“Well-Qualified” Jurist

In September of 1995, President Clinton nominated Merrick for the eleventh seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.  Republicans in the Senate refused to bring his nomination to vote over an argument of whether that seat needed to be filled in the D.C. federal circuit, despite a highest possible “well-qualified” rating of Mr. Garland by the Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary of the American Bar Association.

Try, Try Again…

When Clinton was reelected, he renewed Merrick’s nomination in January 1997.  On March 19th when it was put to a vote, Mr. Garland was confirmed with the significant margin of 76-23, even with continued Republican Senate control.  The GOP Senators primarily voted for confirmation, amongst them Jim Inhofe, Susan Collins, Orrin Hatch, and John McCain.  His opponents were all Republican, with the likes of Jeff Sessions, Chuck Grassley, and Mitch McConnell.  He was elevated to Chief Judge of the district in February of 2013.

Stand Up And Be Counted

It is imperative that Attorney General Merrick Garland receives the support of the American people in his relentless pursuit to bring Donald Trump to justice.  The Editorial Board of the New York Times has called on Mr. Garland to prosecute Trump if there is “sufficient evidence”.  That there is such evidence is obvious, so we need to stand with the Times board and our U.S. Attorney General in pursuing Trump for his crimes.

OPINION: What’s In A Name?

  By , , , , ,

OPINION: What’s In A Name?

OPINION: What’s In A Name

The Brett Favre legacy is not looking good, as he faces scrutiny over welfare fraud

By D. S. Mitchell

Say His Name

What do you think of when you hear the name Brett Favre?  Until a week ago, I never thought of Brett Favre one way or another. I’m more into basketball, myself. I knew he had played in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, and I’d obviously seen pictures of the old dude, he was a football icon.

The Internet

From the internet I found the following statistics. In the 15 years spanning 1992-2007, Favre was synonymous with the Green Bay Packers and was their most legendary quarterback. During that time, he led the team to two Super Bowls and became the first and only NFL player to win three consecutive AP MVP awards.

  • 3× Associated Press MVP (1995, 1996, and 1997; the last shared with (Barry Sanders)
  • 11× Pro Bowl pick
  • 6× First- or Second-team All Pro choice
  • 1990’s NFL All Decade Team
  • NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
  • Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame (2015)
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame (2016)

Lots of It

I then looked up his financials, on the internet of course. It is estimated from his player contract days with Green Bay alone, Favre earned more than 140 million dollars. This apparently, does not include money from other teams he played for, or endorsements and licensing fees. His net worth today is estimated to be well over 100 million dollars. So why does a guy with buckets of money need to steal from welfare recipients? The answer of course is that he did not ‘need to steal’ money from anybody. But, Mr. Favre with a 100 million dollars in the bank decided it would be okay to steal from starving kids in his home state of Mississippi.

Conclusion

Put away the Brett Favre jerseys and the Green Bay Packer pendants from his glory days and call out Brett Favre for what he is, a cheat, and a liar, and possibly a criminal. Brett Favre used his power and influence to redirect money from Mississippi welfare recipients to the construction of a new volley ball stadium, at his alma mater, Southern Mississippi. Just so you understand this, Brett Favre, millionaire football icon, decided it would be okay for a bunch of impoverished kids in Mississippi to miss a couple meals, so his daughter could play volleyball in a fancy new stadium.

**Mr. Favre states he repaid the 1.1 million he diverted from poor kids. But, he didn’t pay back interest. If the scam had not been uncovered, I’m sure Mr. Favre would have not repaid  a nickel. I think it is time that the U.S. government hold states accountable for delivering welfare money to those most in need, not rich football icons.