Category: Election Interference

Who Would You Rather Run the Nation?

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Who Would You Rather Run the Nation?

I'd rather be Joe Biden than Donald Trump

Who Would You Rather Run the Nation?

Editor’s Note: Over the last couple days most of the political talk shows have been rehashing Joe’s poor debate performance. I think it involved terrible optics. Why did his people allow him to be facing away from the camera? Whoever it was on the presidents team that okay’d the studio lighting should be horsewhipped. And the total incompetent that was responsible for Joe’s make up should be fired.  So much of what happened was visual. In response to all the negative chatter Cate Rees-Hessel and hubby Wes Hessel wants to have a word with you. 

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel with Wes Hessel

 

Winner, and Still Champion…

After the first presidential debate, I must say that I honestly feel President Biden won. Why? Because he actually answered the questions, didn’t whine or insult like a spoiled brat, and he was honest. Would you rather have a slow talker that tells the truth, or a fast-talking felon as president? Yes, it comes down to this.

A Real Leader

Joe had a cold – his voice was a bit soft and raspy, but his answers were solid. He spoke slowly with his stutter, but that has never stopped him from being an effective leader. He has even helped empowered a little boy who has a stammer challenge, because Joe Biden is a good man. He cares about America. Even if you felt his lost his train of thought at times during the debate, many of us need to pause to think in order to give an intelligent answer. Taking a moment to compose yourself is not a sign of weakness, especially when you’re not feeling well from a bad cold – our President got the job done, because he is a professional. “The Donald” was arrogant, spewing the same old hate instead of giving legitimate answers.

Run, Joe, Run…

After the debate, our president said he walks a bit different, does not debate as well, but knows he can continue to run our nation because he is mentally and physically fit. He quipped that he is not a young man – that is stating the obvious – but I truly feel he does not look or act his age at all. When he accepted his victory in 2020, Joe jogged to the podium like a man half his age – that was only four years ago. I can recall President Obama stating that before his presidency he was a much younger man. The office can age a person, but President Biden is still as strong as ever.

Breakfast (Lunch, and Dinner) of Champions

He was on fire when he gave the State of the Union a few months back. One slow talking debate does not mean he is not able to continue being a strong leader. Donald Trump is only three years younger than President Biden. Just look at them – it’s clear Joe is in better shape than Trump, and that’s without the hair and makeup jobs that Trump has used for years. President Biden eats nutritious food, not a diet of junk food; he exercises and does not have the stress of a possible jail sentence like the Donald has.

Running Mate

Joe Biden also has a very capable vice president if Lord forbid something were to happen to him. Kamala Harris is a very capable woman that can run the country well. Trump has not even chosen a running mate – Lord only knows whom our president would be if Trump’s felony convictions or poor diet catch up with him. Rumor has it Marco Rubio may be his choice, and frankly Marco scares me with his extremist mind set and Tea Party-type association.

Just a Number

Age is just a number. Patrick Stewart at 84 is a fine actor, intelligent and powerful and still a little bit sexy. Engelbert Humperdinck is still entertaining audiences live at age 88 with a clear voice, moving about the stage with vigor and grace. Carol Burnett is still on the tube for MTV at 91, and Dick Van Dyke is going strong at 98 years old. And Clint Eastwood is still directing movies at 94. In fact, his recent thriller “Juror #2” should be released around Christmas. The number of capable senior citizens that continue to handle challenging careers is growing.

The Right Choice

I am voting for the silver fox, in the ever so cool Aviators. Joe Biden, is one of the best presidents to ever serve this country. Joe Biden is the first real working man’s president. Joe Biden knows what its like to worry if there will be enough money to make it through the month. He will stand up to terrorists, foreign and domestic. His administration has created a record number of jobs, cares about the environment and women’s rights, including reproductive freedom. Women with unsafe pregnancies that are approaching death’s door before they can get the medical treatment they need, can rely on Joe Biden to save their lives. He will protect the children already on this Earth with nutritious school lunches, quality child and health care.

Clean Up Man

Are prices higher than before Joe Biden took office? Yes, they are because during Trump’s reign of terror, the pandemic raged unchecked, leading to rampant deaths and economic collapse. Americans are back at work now, thanks to the hard work of Joe and Democratic lawmakers, and it’s only a matter of time before prices begin to decline, but only if President Biden remains in office. Trump gives tax breaks to big business and the ultra-wealthy, not caring if Americans can put food on the table.

…vs. Sell His Soul

Maybe you don’t like President Biden, perhaps he is not your first choice for whatever reason, but please recognize he is the only choice, because the alternative(s) is unthinkable: a convicted felon that holds the Bible upside down and then tries to sell them for sixty dollars apiece. A racist that tries to claim a connection to the African American community because he is now a convicted criminal, and wears gold sneakers that he is also peddling. That is the biggest insult to the Black community that I can even imagine. And his claim that immigrants are stealing “black jobs” should outrage us all. And then the rarely mentioned third candidate Robert Kennedy Jr, who is an extremist anti-vaxxer who claims a now dead worm ate a portion of his brain. Oh my. The choice is clear, Joe gets four more years.

What a Leader Looks Like

The real man of God is the one who prayed during his inaugural speech, attends church on a regular basis for worship of the Higher Power, not himself, and does not participate in “locker room talk”. A convicted felon cannot vote, so how can one run for political office? Donald Trump, the person that wants to be president, has lost his right to vote – think about that. He didn’t belong in the Oval Office before, and he certainly does not now.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

President Biden respects women – he wrote the Violence Against Women Act; he respects our military – his son served. He’s created a record number of good jobs, brought unemployment down, is daily working to protect our labor force and our unions. Joe stands up to large corporations, getting them to pay their fair share of taxes. He got insulin capped at $35.00, finally affordable for those that need it to control diabetes. Allowing Medicare (the government) to negotiate drug prices is another big Biden win.

Oh, Sleaze…

Donald Trump brought us the first “lady” with a belly button staple, President Biden brought us a beautiful Doctor of Education, a true lady. There is no doubt about it the Biden’s have brought class and dignity back to the White House. The Trump era had a mice infestation and a chief rat in the Oval Office. Don’t let our nation go back to being the laughingstock we were during the orange monster’s “presidency”. Trump had the audacity during the debate to refer to the Biden era as an embarrassment – this is surely the pot calling the kettle gray. There’s a reason, well, dozens of them, why he wasn’t reelected. Donald Trump promised a bloodbath if he does not win; don’t let that bully scare you, vote blue and the authorities will stop the violence. He promise to be a dictator from day one should on itself be disqualifying.

Democracy in Action

America is a democracy. We have the best economy in the world after the pandemic because Joe Biden took office – he is the clear choice. President Biden promises to stay in the race after this debate, because one debate does not define a President. A record of making a needed infrastructure bill happen, decreasing student loan debt, limiting rent raises for tenants, saving social security for our seniors, these things define a good president. “When you get knocked down, you get back up” – President Biden got right back up; ninety minutes does not define a presidency.

Go, Go, Go, Joe…

I agree with my girl Jill, there is no one I would rather see in the Oval Office than her husband, a President for the people, not a criminal puppet of Vladimir Putin. Let’s go Joe, four more years; there is still more work to be done, and you are the man to do it.

“Go, go, go, Joseph, you know what they say

Hang on now, Joseph, you’ll make it some day

Don’t give up, Joseph, fight till you drop

We’ve read the book, and you come out on top…”

(Go-Go-Go Joseph, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Andrew Lloyd Webber)

 

 

Trump’s a Convicted Felon-Now What?

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OPINION:

Trump’s a Convicted Felon-Now What?

Trump faces numerous civil lawsuits and DOJ criminal indictments.

OPINION:

Trump’s Finally a Convicted Felon – Now What?

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

Time to Serve? Just like my previous article pointed out Mr. Trump has done many things no other “president” in history has done, now we can add being a convicted criminal to his list of sins. Finally, “the Donald” is a convicted felon – thirty-four counts – but what does it mean for the presidential election in November? Some legal experts feel Trump will not get jail time – if he does not do a stint at Club Fed, that’s totally unfair. Other celebrities such as Martha Stewart and Lori Laughlin did their time for far lesser crimes than the orange haired monster. No one is above the law, including a former “president”. He has not been pardoned as former president Nixon was by his Vice President Gerald Ford when he took office after Watergate.

Check A Mirror…

Trump has already rudely commented on Hunter Biden’s conviction, but allow me to point out, Hunter is the son of our president and not running for office himself, not to mention he was convicted on three charges, not thirty-four. The only time a previous president did not attend the inauguration of their successor – no peaceful transfer of power – and then he incited the January 6th insurrection. The Donald promises if the horrific should happen and he is elected into the Oval Office, he will be a dictator from day one. A democracy has no room for a dictator. The United States is the land of the free and the home of the brave, dictatorship has no place here.

All the King’s Horsing…

Unfortunately, the Republican party and Trumpy Dumpty’s followers still want him to run again for the presidency. Ironically, convicted felons lose their rights to vote, so how in the world can one be president? We all learned the basics in civics classes that in order to be elected president, one must be at least 35 years old and born in the United States but what about felonies? I suppose it never came up before because the Donald is the only individual with enough nerve to seek the presidency when he is in the midst of being on trial for 91 felony charges.

Doesn’t Know Which Way is Up

He had the audacity to claim President Obama was not born in the United States. Apparently, old Grumpy Trumpy is also as inept at geography as he is at American History or Biblical knowledge. The imbecile that told the American public to drink bleach as a way to prevent COVID, and that windmills cause cancer, wants once again to soil the Oval Office with his hatred and chaos, this time as a convicted felon. A slap on the wrist is not good enough here. Trump belongs behind bars for a very extended period of time. Lock him up and throw away the key. Lock him up. Lock him up.

Got to Run…

Will he flee the country to avoid jail time? Perhaps his good buddy Putin will give him a place to stay. The orange haired cult leader had to surrender his passport to the court, however his brain washed followers will consider it an honor to help him escape. Would these deluded folks try to break him out of jail, also? Many questions to ponder, but most important is the issue of his being on the ballot for president of the United States as a convicted felon. Will individual states remove him from the slate? A couple have tried and failed due to our MAGA Supreme Court.

Same Song, Second Verse (And Third…)

And what is going on with the Donald’s other trials? What is actually happening in Georgia? Putting off the hearing until the last day of the session for this term seems like Donald is getting preferential treatment, now doesn’t it? Will he face the music in other states? Who will follow in New York’s footsteps and get him on trial for his many crimes? We need to see more convictions, not just for hush money to pay off porn starlets, but for election fraud and his part in the insurrection of January 6th, 2021. An insurrection verdict would allow the Fourteenth Amendment to be invoked. Will right wing “evangelical Christians” the ilk of Robert Morris still canonize the man that is convicted of election fraud and paying off a porn star?  They supported his “locker room talk” when he “grabbed ‘em by the p—-“. My prediction is that they will.

Book ‘Em…

I am a very devout left wing Christian with a Jewish heritage and I see no fruits of the Spirit in Mr. Trump, especially not humility or compassion, and my spouse agrees, and so do most of my friends, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” (Ephesians 5:4 NIV) “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV)

Support This?

This is more than bad morals – Donald Trump is a 34-count convicted felon, completely corrupt, with many more charges against him, yet his followers are still going to vote for him. Claiming he is hated by liberals and loved by his country, the latter is simply not true. If America loved this evil man, President Joe Biden would not have beat him with a record number of votes. Trump is losing favor finally, held in contempt of court, convicted, and recently booed at the Libertarian convention.  Sometime soon might Scott Baio, Roseanne Barr, and Kelsey Grammar may be his only followers? Doubtful but some of his former fans are wising up to his manipulative narcissistic ways.

Let Justice Roll Down

Of course, the gun lobby through the NRA endorsed him shortly before his conviction. His meeting with big oil had Donald making promises to support them should he be elected – nothing has changed. Trump is worse than ever – he is in no way a better man. Will Trump have to pack up his “My Pillow” for a staying in federal prison? It seems only time will tell. The truth has not set him free, but will his freedom be taken from him for his criminal behavior? The questions remain which way the scales of justice will swing. I applaud the jury of his peers that found him guilty, the presiding judge that held him in content for violating the gag order, and the prosecuting counsel. Will the man be in handcuffs, shackled, and incarcerated, we ask ourselves these questions? His conviction is a step in the right direction, but how can we assure he never sees the oval office again? There is only one way: pray, vote, and take political action by volunteering for the Democrats – www.democrats.org.  What can we do? Vote blue…

GOP Eagerly Embraces Trump

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EDITORIAL:

The GOP Embraces Trump

Trump is a criminal. He is dangerous man. Stop him.

EDITORIAL:

Corruption, Bigotry, and Intolerance 

The last thing America needs is another four years of Trump in the White House tweeting crazy ass nonsense 24 hours a day, indicting his enemies, attacking the media, and defaming private citizens from a seat in the Oval Office. Come on America, we are definitely better than this guy.

By D. S. Mitchell

 

The Last Thing America Needs

Donald J. Trump, the last thing America needs in public office, has seen his poll numbers skyrocket among Republicans, as his criminal indictments mount. Trump, the forever grifter, is making millions selling his mugshot on T-shirts. The Grand Old Party of Lincoln has collapsed. What we now have in its place is total acceptance of the unacceptable.  Gun packing white supremacists, torch carrying Neo-Nazi’s, vitriolic officials denying the obvious truth, Joe Biden won the election. When Republican politicians like Liz Cheney, and Mitt Romney can’t talk sense to these crazies, and instead leave the party to become unaffiliated voices; it just proves that today’s Republican Party is not the party of your father-or your grandfather; and certainly not Lincoln.

Against The Trump Plan 

When all the votes for the 2020 presidential election were counted, Joe Biden’s ballot tally totaled 81,283,098 votes, or 51.3% of the vote. Donald Trump only garnered 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 the Mango Mussolini by over 7 million plus votes. Go Brandon!

In MAGA World, The Biggest Flag Wins

But, those numbers were obviously out of sync with Trump’s election plan. Trump demanded recount after recount, all the while inflaming his supporters, convincing them, falsely, that he was the victim of voter fraud, mostly in the black and brown big cities of the country.  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 claims of voter fraud, “bullshit.” But, three years later, I still see signs proclaiming, “Trump Won!” usually accompanied by an oversized American flag.

On A Personal Note

I admit it, I’m angry. The MAGA election deniers have highjacked the American flag, as if it is their private property. Pre-MAGA I would fly the flag in front of my house every President’s Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day (my son’s birthday), the 4th of July, and Labor Day, I no longer display the flag on the above noted holidays, but instead I now keep my treasured flag in a drawer. The last thing I want is for anyone, at anytime, to assume I’m a Trumpie. I am furious that these MAGA lug nuts have so brazenly, as if they are the patriots, stolen the stars and stripes as decor for their civil disobedience. I am convinced these fake patriots are an existential threat to our democracy. It isn’t a far stretch to imagine Trump using armed militias to implement Bashar al-Assad tactics to hold on to power if he is ever returned to the White House.

As It Plays Out

Because of Trump’s lies, our country has grown even more painfully divided. Instead of the bloated orange fruit fly conceding the election, to Joe Biden, like every other loser before him has, Trump chose to create chaos, dissent, and mob violence. Authoritarians do that sort of thing, call the validity of elections into question. 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.

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The Trump Crime Family Under Scrutiny

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OPINION:

The Trump Crime Family Under Scrutiny

91 indictments should be enough to stop Trump's re-election, but so far the leader of the Trump Crime Family seems to feel political push back

OPINION:

The Scandal of the Trump Crime Family

The X-Prez has been the head of a crime family operating in full view and in defiance of law enforcement for decades. Time for the Trump Crime Family to be brought to justice. Let’s start with a Senate Investigative Committee; then we can have dueling congressional hearings. Way past time to ask tough questions about Ivanka’s patent hanky-panky in China, the Trump DC hotel, and Saudi Arabia’s billions warming Jared Kushner’s wallet.

 

By D.S. Mitchell

News Alert

Attention! For those in the country that haven’t gotten the news: Trump was voted out of office. Joe Biden kicked his fat, orange, ass. Trump lost by nearly 8 million votes. Period. Dot.

Disqualified

If Trump is allowed to appear on the ballot and potentially gain a second presidential term it will encourage him and others to continue their attack on our democracy, most likely ending the American experiment. Trump has declared repeatedly he will suspend the U. S. Constitution, he has also suggested women should face criminal charges for obtaining an abortion, and his threats to jail his “enemies” is chilling. The unhinged threats of the head of the Trump Crime Family cannot be ignored. The weaponization of the IRS and the DOJ will allow Trump to destroy the lives of anyone he choses. That’s ‘effin scary. Think about what Trump has said about judges, prosecutors, war heroes, and average citizens; seriously endangering the lives of those he targets. WTF? Since when is it okay for a man with the presidential bully pulpit to attack election workers? It’s clear. Trump’s concept of the presidency is similar to the North Korea model.

91 Felony Charges, to date

Holy shit. Trump is the first president of the United States, in 234 years, to be criminally indicted. 34 felony counts in New York, over allegations that he falsified business records to conceal hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, a porn star. 40 felony counts in Florida for hoarding classified documents and obstructing government efforts to collect them. 4 felony counts in D.C. related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In Georgia, the Fulton County DA has indicted Trump on 13 counts of election interference in that state. These are criminal charges, Trump is also facing multiple civil lawsuits. My goodness, folks, Trump is a walking crime wave. He is totally unfit for office and a group of people are trying to keep this lawless king pin off the ballot.

Groups in Multiple States

Groups in multiple states, both Republican and Democrat, are making efforts to block the twice impeached former president from running for office ever again. The basis of the strategy is to use Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to prevent Trump from running for office. The 14th Amendment is post civil war legislation intended to deal with insurrectionists in the aftermath of the Civil War. Insurrectionists and anyone who had given aid and comfort to insurgents were legally barred from running for office.   How fitting for this Twenty-First century insurrectionist.

Conclusion

Stopping Trump should be the major job  of every democracy loving American. We don’t need an indicted criminal running 0ur government for his personal and family profit. No to Trump. No to MAGA. Save Democracy, vote blue, vote Joe Biden and Kamala Harris 2024.

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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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.

EDITORIAL: Can We Protect The Country From Another Donald Trump?

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EDITORIAL:

Can We Protect The Country From Another Donald Trump?

I don't know if there are enough tools in the toolbox to insulate the presidency from greed and corruption

EDITORIAL:

Can We Protect The Country From Another Donald Trump?

Make no mistake about it, the Trump administration “created an ethics crisis. Our lawmakers must advocate for firm rules to ensure these egregious ethical abuses never happen again.” Robert Weissman, Public Citizen president.

How The F**k Do We Fix This?

Fascinated

Like many other Americans, I’m fascinated with the January 6th Committee hearings. Jumpin’ Jehosafats! What the f*ck? A president of the United States actually tried to overthrow the government with a coup? You mean those folks at the Capitol on 1/06/2021 weren’t just tourists? ‘Fake electors’; did what? Trump grabbed a Secret Service employee by the throat, when the man refused to take him to the Capitol to participate in the riot. Holy Moly. When was the last time you heard a U.S. president support  hanging his Vice President? It’s one bombshell after another, and sadly, there’s more dirt coming.

Until Trump

We as a country have been around since 1776, and in all that time each losing presidential candidate accepted the  loss and stepped aside. That is until Donald John Trump. As an average citizen, with a bachelor’s degree in social and political science, I thought we had laws that would protect us from his ilk. I prayed, but I also sincerely believed, the conflict of interest laws, and ethics regulations, plus long accepted norms governing interactions between the White House and other Executive Branch departments would constrain the orange megalomaniac. Boy, was I wrong, Trump pushed all ethical boundaries to the breaking point.

Constant Assault on Institutions

Even I, the ever grousing cynic, did not realize that size of the holes in the system, When a man, in the most important office in the world is intent on subverting federal ethics laws, as well as ethical norms, both in full view, and behind the scenes; as it stands now, there is little to stop him. A couple years ago Public Citizen News Vol 38, NO.6 November/December 2018 offered some suggestions on policy reforms to guarantee that no future president is allowed to wallow in his own corruption. The article concluded that because of Trump, we have learned how to strengthen the system against future rogue presidents. I’m dubious to say the least. Due to the breadth of his assets, his refusal to divest himself of those assets and his disregard for multiple conflicts of interest norms he shook our government to the core, leaving many of us crying democracy itself is at stake.

Public Citizen Advice

1.) Ethics Abuse: Refusing to Divest Assets. During his time in office, Trump maintained ownership of his worldwide businesses. He was, and remains, a national security risk. His businesses made him vulnerable to the influence of foreign powers and corporate interests. Remember Trump leaving the Kurds high and dry in Northern Syria? All that happened because Erdogan threatened the Trump brand in Turkey. Trump spent a third of his days while in office at a Trump property; all the while garnering free publicity for the Trump brand. His Washington, D.C hotel and bar became magnets for foreign officials coming to DC. It seemed the White House doors were open for anybody with a scheme or a scam.

Can It Be Fixed? The Public Citizen suggested that within 30 days of the presidential inauguration, the president and the vice president should be required to divest all assets that pose a risk of conflict of interest. Well, how do they plan on enforcing that? We watched Trump for four years defy every order he got, from any source. If the matter was sent to the Senate as impeachable there is likely to be nothing done. We watched Trump be impeached twice and he skipped away. I say all candidates must place their assets in a trust, revocable only if they lose the election, or fail to win. Certainly, not after the election, because once in office how do we expel them if they refuse to comply?

2.) Ethics Abuse: Refusing to Release Tax Returns. Unlike all other candidates going back to Nixon, Trump refused to release his tax returns. That action, deprived voters of essential information about his financial ties that might effect his decisions as a president. Often the financial entanglements of candidates are deep, but that makes it even more important for the public to have that information.

Can It Be Fixed? Every candidate should be legally required to disclose his/her most recent 5 years of tax returns within 30 days of becoming a candidate. In addition, financial disclosure forms should specify and include information on assets, income, transactions, and liabilities, as well as details including creditors, investors, and customers, of the public officials’ businesses.

3.) Ethics Abuse: Inauguration Influence-Peddling. Trump’s 2016 inaugural committee raised a whopping $107 million from donors, twice as much as raised by Barack Obama’s inaugural committees. Despite pressure from press and congress the Trump committee refused to divulge where the money went, although later tax filings from the group revealed over $26 million went to a party planner who was an advisor to Melania Trump. That insider dealing looked bad, when it came out, but not surprising.

Can It Be Fixed? There should be a cap of $5,000-the federal contribution limit for an election cycle. Further, while in office, presidents should be prevented from collecting money for libraries or other ‘legacy building endeavors’; or at the very least make those contributions subject to the same rules as candidates running for federal office. Also, the Public Citizen recommended rules and disclosure requirements for legal defense funds set up by executive branch officials.

4.) Ethics Abuse: Hiring Family Members One of Donald Trump’s first actions was to give his daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared, jobs in the West Wing despite a federal anti-nepotism statute that makes it illegal to appoint close relatives to official positions. Trump disregarded the statute claiming he had the authority to fill White House positions, “without oversight.”

Can It Be Fixed? There is already a statute disallowing this behavior, so the statute should be clarified making it clear that it supersedes other laws related to White House employment.

Conclusion

I have a lot of respect for Public Citizen, and I think their ideas have merit, but they are just a starting point. My biggest problem with these recommendations is that there is no bite to the law. It is important to make the candidate comply before they have the power of the office and no means to enforce rules, regulations. Where’s the $25,000 a day fine? Or, the immediate removal from office (no impeachment trial)? How did Trump get away with so much, for so long? One of the reasons is that there has been no immediate consequences for any of his outrageous behavior.

 

45 Reasons To Invoke 14th Amendment On “45”

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OPINION:

45 Reasons To Invoke The 14th Amendment On “45”

OPINION:

45 Reasons To Invoke The 14th Amendment on “45”

 

By Anna Hessel

 History In The Breaking

There is much talk about invoking the 14th Amendment on “The Donald” to prevent him from ever holding public office again.  Senator Amy Klobocher has been instrumental in this fight, as well as Liz Cheney.  Just as a reminder, we must never forget Trump’s disastrous time in office.  Here are forty-five reasons why we must stand firm on stopping the “orange monster” from seeking office again:

The Beginning Of The End…

  1. Trump is responsible for the insurrection on January 6th, 2021 – this is the action that will allow the 14th Amendment to be invoked. He watched the violence unfold on television, doing nothing to stop it, despite being told to end the riot by more than one person close to him.
  2. He caged children at the Mexican border, ripping them from the arms of their parents.
  3. Trump only did one positive thing during his time in office, passing legislation making animal cruelty a felony but he also laughed about pet ownership during a speech and encouraged trophy hunting.
  4. None of us ladies want to be grabbed by the “pussy”.
  5. Trump openly made fun of a disabled journalist, giving license to mock the disabled.

Truth Is Relative

  1. He claims the election was stolen, when in fact Joe Biden received a record number of votes. He claimed victory well before millions of votes were tallied.
  2. He held a Bible he does not read in front of a church he does not attend for a photo op.
  3. Trump is a racist against any non-Caucasian race and encourages white supremacy and “white nationalism”.
  4. He wants to gut Social Security and Medicare; programs that many seniors and disabled Americans rely upon.
  5. Do we really want to see his orange hair, hear his annoying voice, or look at his unpleasant mug day after day, ever again?

Great Waste

  1. His campaign for the White House consisted of a waste of police force hours and foolish grandstanding. He was scheduled to have a rally in Chicago – extra officers were out in place and “The Donald” was a no-show.  He insults Chicago with comments about the number of murders in the Windy City.  His rallies have played the American people for fools.
  2. Trump lies and insults someone nearly every time he opens his mouth – our nation cannot tolerate another four years of this.
  3. He wanted to spend taxpayers money on a dictator’s military parade.
  4. He brought us a “men’s magazine” model as a “first lady”.
  5. His first lady literally stole a speech from a movie character; Elle Woods, in Legally Blonde.

More Highlights

  1. He is a sexist that encourages violence against women. He has taken women’s rights back decades and another four years of the Trumpster would undo all the progress President Biden has made for women’s rights.
  2. He wanted to fist fight President Biden, choosing violence as a way to bully the man who beat him in the election
  3. He refuses to tax wealthy billionaires, wanting middle-class and lower income individuals to foot the bill.
  4. Donald Trump dismantled the pandemic response team that was put in place by the Obama Biden administration. Instead of trusting science, he downplayed the severity of COVID-19, and then encouraged people to drink toxic bleach.  He refused a mask mandate to save lives.
  5. He removed the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Which Way Is Up?

  1. He considers global warming to be a joke, again refusing to listen to science, preferring to rely on fossil fuel companies, dictators and Russian oligarchs for his information.
  2. Trump has encouraged antisemitism in our nation. Millions of Jewish people have been victims of his racism.
  3. He thinks all Muslims are terrorists and spreads this lie.
  4. Donald Trump is ignorant regarding American history. In a 4th of July speech he said Revolutionary soldiers “took over the airports”, then jumped to a War of 1812 reference of “rockets’ red glare” and Fort McHenry.
  5. Cancer causing windmills, need I say any more about this?

Agenda Schme-enda

  1. He is responsible for Postmaster General DeJoy. “The Donald” wants to see the Postal Service privatized.  Please see my article on Louis DeJoy and the reasons our mail is late.
  2. The disgraced ex-president wants to privatize prisons.
  3. His Supreme Court nominees clearly have a right-wing agenda. The appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson will finally balance and counteract this far right mentality in our nation’s highest court.
  4. Donald Trump is a reality television personality, not an attorney. He bankrupted his own businesses and is unfit to run a country.
  5. He is supported strongly by the NRA and will not even consider common sense gun control.

How Not To Do It…

  1. Donald Trump is the first and only “president” or presidential candidate that blatantly refuses to show the American people his tax returns.
  2. He also is the only outgoing “president” to not attend the inauguration of his successor.
  3. He used the Oval Office for his own selfish wants, not for the betterment of the American people.
  4. He refused to allow his private quarters in the White House to be cleaned. There are rumors that there were mice in parts of the presidential residence.
  5. He discourages healthy lifestyles with a diet of fast food and lack of exercise.

Achievements And Accomplishments

  1. Trump’s bill count ranks last. He claimed to have broken President Harry Truman’s legislative record but according to statistics from the Truman library, “The Donald” has not even come close.  He signed less bills than the six administrations before him.
  2. He was removed from Twitter for his abusive tweet storms.
  3. Trump vetoed $741 billion in military spending as well as a three percent pay raise for our military troops.
  4. He insulted the memory of John McCain and made a horrific comment about “shithole countries”.
  5. “The Donald” proudly compared his press briefings to a Mike Tyson boxing match.

More Greatest Hits…

  1. Trump pardoned Blackwater contractors that massacred Iraqi civilians. This war criminals got away with murdering innocent people that included children and women.
  2. He told impressionable young boys at a Boy Scout Jamboree about a hot and wild party he was invited to.
  3. He is homophobic and had trounced the rights of the LBGTQ community repeatedly.
  4. His buddy “Moscow Mitch” McConnell fights the Democrats on every issue, swearing to stop all President Biden’s appointees if he comes back to leadership.
  5. He praises Putin, the man responsible for the war in the Ukraine. Showing himself as “Putin’s Puppet.”

The Answer Is Clear

We must never forget the atrocious behavior of Donald Trump and we must rally to invoke the 14th Amendment to stop him from another reign of terror.  Please support all efforts to see our Constitution used to curtail the Trumpster from seeking office ever again.  The “legacy” of agonistic torment that Donald Trump has left behind must never be repeated.

 

After Trump, Can Love Break Through?

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OPINION: After Trump, Can Love Break Through?

The 1/6 insurrection aftermath is heating up

OPINION: After Trump, Can Love Break Through?

Editor: One year ago thousands of Trump supporters assaulted the U.S. Capitol. January 6, 2021 was one of the most horrific events in U.S. history. There is increasing evidence of behind the scenes maneuvering by Trump and his inner circle to thwart the law and overturn the 2020 election. The work of the 1/6 Select Committee is plowing forward, closing in on the instigators of the insurrection. Donald Trump’s role in the plot to end democracy in the United States is becoming more clear as emails and texts are made public. In the light of the current division in the country Anna Hessel believes it is time to be honest with ourselves, face the truth of what happened on 1/6/2021, bring the culprits to justice, and then move toward healing.

By Anna Hessel

The Crush Of Charlottesville

Back in 2017, I took one of the DNA tests that are so very popular.  Since I was adopted as an infant, my curiosity about my heritage peaked with regularity – I was giddy with surprise to learn that I am multi-racial.  Thrilled that the Lord has chosen to bless me with an interesting rainbow of cultures in a world where racial tensions dolorously abound.  On August 12, I looked on in horror at a group who call themselves ‘nationalists,’ terrorize Charlottesville, VA. One of them drove through a crowd in his Dodge Challenger, injuring 19 individuals and killing Heather Heyer.  Heather was a beautiful young woman, who was a local paralegal.  Little did I know, at the time, this was a foreshadowing of worse things to come.  This hideous act prompted then-former Vice-President  Joe Biden to run for president in 2020. In my opinion, his election is the only good that has come out of this.

Worse Is Yet To Come

On January 6, 2021, a similar, yet even more heinous act of violence occurred at our nation’s Capitol Building.  I find only small comfort in the fact that James Alex Fields, the man responsible for the horrific Charlottesville attack, was sentenced in 2019 to life plus 419 years. The sentence though appropriate does not bring back Heather Heyer.  Nor does it heal the scars, both physical and emotional,  of those who were injured, or who witnessed her murder. This callous disregard for life, an act of cowardice and pure evil, a precursor to the insurrectionists actions one year ago.

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EDITORIAL: Flirting With Nazis Is Dangerous

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EDITORIAL: Flirting With Nazis Is Dangerous

The dark days of the Nazi control of Europe led to the death of millions.

EDITORIAL:

Flirting With Nazis Is Dangerous

A Neighbor’s Nazi Experience

D. S. Mitchell

Martin Hartman is a tall slender man. His thinning white hair is brushed back, his jacket zipped against the winter wind, as he leans against his cane for support. There is a deep sadness in his eyes and a soberness in his demeanor. You can tell he has a story, and he wants to share it. Martin Hartman is my neighbor.

Martin was born in Holland in 1924. Prior to the Depression of the 1930’s, his family had owned a prosperous construction business. His family like many others had suffered during those economically depressed times, but by 1940, the 97-year-old said, the economy “had begun to turn around,” things were looking up he confirmed. The future looked promising.

There had been rumblings of war, but few took them seriously, after all WWI was a mere twenty two years in the past. No one could imagine the world once again plunging into conflict. The next few days would change his life and those of his friends and family forever. “I was 16. It was May 10, 1940. We heard bombing and saw planes. It was the German invasion, and the blitz was over in three days.” The squashing of Holland’s defenses was quick, but far from painless.

After the German invasion, they began barricading city blocks and then sweeping the apartments for young men to fill the military ranks due to troop loss. Hartman describes it, “Gradually Nazism crawled into Holland. Good people were killed, or sent to prison . . . Jews and ministers.”

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