The point that is currently holding up plans for ABC’s September 10 presidential debate is whether the candidates’ microphones will be muted when it is the other’s turn to speak.
I watched an interview today with the author of the Rolling Stones article that generated the first headlines about the GOP's voter suppression efforts. In that interview, the issue was raised of violence being used to create the chaos needed to stop the certification if the court challenges by the GOP turned out to be not sufficient.
When he mentioned violence, I immediately thought of the "Brooks Bros Riot" that took place during the 2000 Florida recount process. That very loud demonstration outside the offices where votes were being re-counted was organized by a group of Republican operatives including Roger Stone.
I firmly believe the GOP will resort to violence in an attempt to cause the chaos required to slow the certification process in enough states to cause that process to miss various deadlines (as happened in Florida).
I do not think lawyers like Marc Elias are capable of dealing with this threat and hope the Justice Department and Biden Administration overall are developing plans to do so!
Trump's real plan for regaining power is now clearly not to win the election but to stage a coup that succeeds where the one he launched on Jan 6th 2021 failed!
Here is the wikipedia article about the Brooks Brothers Riot...
I agree with you 100%. Judge Luttig put out a call to lawyers across the country to get involved in the election process. I, sadly, also believe this election will involve violence. Cleaning up this unholy mess of voter suppression laws, state to state will take decades.
It will take decades unless Kamala can win big and cause a Democratic landslide, leading to major changes in voting and campaign financing law, possible if the filibuster is eliminated once and for all. We need humongous voter turnout on election day.
It will take decades unless there is a Democratic landslide, major changes in law, AND a change in philosophy.
In addition to saying what she said in her DNC acceptance speech, Kamala Harris can improve the situation significantly by explicitly stating the idea merely implied in her words, and that is that the rule of law is NOT the ultimate arbiter. Instead, it is a means to an end, and the ultimate arbiter is adherence to the moral "treat others the way you would want to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot" principle. I would not be saying this if I didn't think it was dangerous to stay silent.
If Republican support for Trump seems rational to you, you don't need to read this. But if it appears to be irrational, I'll do both sides a favor by explaining "MAGA" logic. If America is based on the rule of law, and if the people with political power who write the laws are serving an exclusive interest that excludes me, then they are a threat, and you don't have a reasoned dialogue with a threat. You neutralize a threat.
They want a Christian nation? Tell them great ... you do too based on the Gospel message, which is that Christianity is based on the moral principle (although you'd never guess that it is if all you did was observe the behavior of the misnamed Evangelical movement).
My point is that both sides are making the same mistake. Both sides start with the context-independent moral principle, then both sides create rules for how to adhere to that principle in specific contexts, then both sides forget and start violating the principle by imposing familiar rules in novel contexts in lieu of acknowledging that a novel context requires a novel rule based on the familiar moral principle.
This is where I usually get the "false equivalency" counterargument. Here's my preemptive counterargument: Bad is bad. Saying "it's okay for me to be bad but not them because they're better at it than me" is not a valid argument. Make an explicit commitment to the moral principle, and then the false equivalency argument is valid.
Note that there is only one alternative to the moral principle, and that is the immoral "do unto others before they do unto you" principle. "Which principle are you adhering to?" is a question I keep asking myself whenever I have an opinion that conflicts with others, including all of the above.
When slavery was overturned, it was codified into law. It wasn’t left to the states. Neither should abortion nor voting rights be left to the states. States can have all the spitting on the sidewalk laws they want, but when it comes to the bodily autonomy of half the population and voting, those need to be federally mandated.
Agreed, big time. Turning abortion rights over to the states was a cynical and calculated move by a far right, christian nationalist leaning Supreme Court. They know that red states (like TX, where I worked in repro health for so many years) are gerrymandered all to hell and controlled by fanatical far right legislators. And they are not remotely troubled by our huge maternal mortality rate.
Hope, I am sure they are aware of the maternal and infant mortality in Texas and I am also sure those legislators and other officials are totally OK with that thinking those who die or suffer will be people of color, poor people, or in some other way expendable. Disgusting!
In addition to agreeing with you, I will add the following.
There is too much reflexive acceptance of the idea that the abortion issue is separate from other issues like the economy, crime, and immigration. And it's a bunch of hogwash. We are either treating one another with mutual respect, or someone is attempting to impose unilateral control, and the control mechanism is only variable.
The idea that the rich should make all the important decisions, the idea that laws don't apply to them, the idea that immigrants are poisoning the blood of our nation, the idea men can make laws to control a woman's body, the idea that it's okay to rape, these are all different control mechanisms. But they're all the same in that they are all different ways to tear our society apart.
I apologize for spewing, but I feel much better now. ~ :0)
James, OMG! That was an excellent assessment of what is going on. Putting all these pieces together into one puzzle is a great way to look at things. And, pushing all of it is rich mostly white men who have been privileged all their lives and claim they aren't, but totally act as though they are, believing they have the right to control everyone's life but have no controls on their own, just like toddlers want, except that their tantrums are destructive and there are no parents around to take them off for a nap when they get out of control and become a danger to themselves and others.
We have a whole process including the courts to create laws that apply to the country as a whole. National laws are created when a situation exists where having different laws in our states creates problems. Abortion is one. So are civil rights, federal taxes and immigration.
James, my eyes glazed over a bit when I first read your comment, but today I re-read it and I basically agree with you. However, I think the "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" moral principal most likely precedes Christianity, and is certainly not limited to Christianity or any religious belief at all. The problem is that not all children are taught this or exposed to it, so some folks grow older without actually growing up and learning to think empathetically, and this is a problem for any society or other human group enterprise because the obvious -- almost unavoidable -- alternative to an empathetic instinct is violence.
Clearly, when the President of the United States is utterly devoid of empathy, the nation is in great peril, as recent events have borne out.
Trump is the archetype for the unempathetic leader, but happily and luckily for us, Kamala Harris is his total opposite in terms of empathy and everything else we need and expect in a leader. Our moment in history is unusual, if not unique, and it is up to us not to blow it.
You are correct that the moral principle is not limited to Christianity. The first documented and widely distributed expressions are roughly 2,500 years (aka 100 generations) old, and Christianity is only 80 generations old. The first “authors” include names familiar to us like Socrates, Confucius, Buddha, the Hebrew prophets, and the Hindu mystics.
You are correct that it is not limited to religion. The moral principle is the foundation of democracy, science, and even capitalism. The idea that capitalism is based on the immoral principle is both a function of naïve cynicism and historically inaccurate … per Adam Smith’s book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759).
Your idea—that folks who are not taught and exposed to the moral principle grow older without growing up—is very insightful. Morality and maturity are two words expressing the same meaning. I wish more people understood this. Too many confuse maturity with sophistication. Both are important traits, but knowing about one trait tells you nothing about the other. Furthermore, children who are taught and exposed to the moral principle have been immunized against the authoritarian impulse (not 100%, but neither was the COVID vaccine, and it still worked).
Defeating Trump in November is of existential importance, but also insufficient. We need an inclusive vision of the future for which a November victory is merely a milestone. I have an idea. My idea is we teach 5th grade teachers to teach the 1st scientific principle, which also happens to be—and not surprisingly when you think about it—the moral principle. When that becomes the highest priority for 5th grade teachers (and why not?), then future generations as children are immunized against the authoritarian impulse in much the same way as past and current generations as children are immunized against polio.
James, please do not conflate Evangelical with Christian Nationalist. One of the important things Andra Watkins is doing is using her personal knowledge of White Christian Nationalism, together with what she knows about Project 2025 to explain how the CNs influence Project 2025. Here are links to two of her articles. One explains what CNs believe, and the other explains how The New Apostolic Reformation (NARs) have different End-of Days beliefs. Understanding those beliefs is important to understanding subtexts in Project 2025, and to understanding why certain things are in there to appeal to these groups.
I ma reading Project 2025 in a book club and reading The Department of Education with Andra Watkins explanations of End-of-Days beliefs helps me understand the fuller implications of defunding the Department of Education and public education, as well as the colleges. If you do not expect to live much longer on this Earth, or for your children to, then you do not need to care about what public schools offer. In fact, in preparing your children for their fate, you do not want them to be tempted by other children's lives, so they must be homeschooled. Look at how this behavior is to be rewarded through the Department of Education.
I don’t think I’m conflating Evangelical with Christian Nationalist. I have one basic assumption. Christianity is based on precisely two moral principles documented in the Gospel, and Jesus commands us all to adhere to those two principles in every context. Logically, anyone who adheres to those principles and identifies as Christian is a real Christian, and anyone who violates those principles and identifies as Christian is a hypocrite.
First principle: when my heart (intuition) conflicts with my mind (logic), in lieu of following one or the other, I must resolve the conflict. Second principle: when my opinion conflicts with my neighbor’s opinion, in lieu of following one or the other, we must resolve the conflict.
Jesus’ words and deeds are always consistent with those two principles. Refer to Matthew 7:12 & 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 6:31 & 10:25-37, John 14:12 & 15:12. Does that make Jesus infallible? Can you think of a single context where adherence is a bad idea? I can’t.
The way I see it, we are attached to reality if we adhere to those principles in every context, and we are otherwise detached from reality.
The founding principles of all the world’s great religions and science are different, and they are the same. Specifically, the words are different, and the meaning is the same.
I divide Evangelicals in two. One group are the real Evangelicals like Brian McLaren, author of Faith After Doubt (2021), Dr. Russell Moore, author of Losing Our Religion (2023), etc. And there are EVINOs (Evangelicals in name only), those who violate the principles while identifying as Evangelicals.
The subject that interests me is how EVIONOs and Christian Nationalists are the same. They are the same in that they are both detached from reality. The subject that interests you is how they are different. They are different because they departed reality in different directions. Both subjects are important. And either subject informs the other.
James, I am atheist so do not know the bible passages to which you refer. However, even in the Christian Nationalists there are different factions, such as NAR. I do not see Christian Nationalists as Christian from what I understand of the teachings of Christ. Not love you neighbor if they are not White. I read that a man who was for Governor DeSantis said, "Christ was too woke!" However, after reading Andra Watkin's piece on the Curse of Ham that is being taught in some CN churches, but not all, I understand the racism that is taught, and used to justify the discrimination and hatred towards non-Whites.
I don't know how many CNs buy into this racism. I have read that according to a Wheaton College study there about 30-35% of Americans, or 90-100 million are Evangelical Christians. According to a Purdue Policy Research Institute (out of Purdue University) about 1/3 of Americans are Christian Nationalists or sympathetic with the ideas. So it does seem there is a lot of overlap. However according to this Purdue Study, it looks like Evangelical Christians are a subset of CNs.
It is an interesting study, because Evangelicals are a subset of CNs, not the other way around. CNs are in higher percentages in red states than in Blue States. So, clearly they are driving policy in their states. Also, looking at the gerrymandering, they are not above cheating for getting what they want. In fact, it seems they are being taught that our laws and constitution do not matter as long as they serve God's purpose and the person interpreting that for are the pastors.
This is off topic but I plan to soon start a movement to commit to, in the time of Trump’s passing, to toss human excrement at his grave site. If hundreds of thousands commit, the family might just send his remains to some deserted island off Scotland and that would be just fine with me. But if he is buried here, there is no doubt I will exercise my right as an American citizen (I believe I have this right) to toss my fecal matter at the burial site of the worst president in US history. I was just preparing a sample to send for testing and it seems the morning version is a hardier variety which I’m likely to use in the hopefully near future.
I readily apologize for being on the gross side this morning. But Trump is the grossest thug ever to hold public office. I already drew up a “People’s Petition to Keep Donald Trump’s Portrait Out of the White House.”
Sorry, Bill, you don't have any right to dump your dumps on a grave unless it's on your own property. And, yes, Trump is gross, but I didn't need to read this with my breakfast this morning, either.
Well I heartily apologize to you and your breakfast. I never said I had a right… oops I did say I had a right didn’t I. I was just poking fun at Americans that constantly talk about rights. Rights to kill others. Rights to prevent rights of women to determine their futures. So I declare this right and I won’t reiterate this right since by now you might be eating early dinner and I have no intention of having you accuse me of regurgitation.
lol back at ya. I’m just trying to inject a little humor gross as it might be. And to be candid, I was inspired this morning when I took a stool sample to send in the mail for a colonoscopy test. Which gives me another idea about using the US mails to send greetings to Mar-a-Lago.
@JamesRCarey--- what about those of us who do NOT want a Christian nation? Beginning with the premise of a Christian nation completely blocks our freedom to believe or NOT to believe in the religion of our choice. It blocks out any other way of life by determining Christianity to be "the way" which is in direct opposition to the rest of your point about how we ought to be compelled to treat one another.
Religion needs to get out of the way of politics, as to date imposing one's religious beliefs (choice, marriage etc) has not bode well for strengthening our freedoms.
I do appreciate your commitment to looking at your own self and questioning if your values and strategies are aligned. That we can all do more of!
I agree. I don't want any kind of Christian nation (or Jewish nation, or Muslim nation, or Buddhist nation, etc.). It's not that we can't incorporate ethical values that may have sprung from religions—but we cannot codify things into law that are based in religion. Separation between church and state is part of what our country is built upon.
Not just turnout, but solid up and down the ticket to VOTE BLUE. It is not perfect but it will preserve democracy right now over a fascist autocracy. Also we do not need a repeat of the no business accomplishment of the past 2 years with a house majority and slim majority in the Senate. These must be strong wins in congress as well as ,la/Walz landslide.
Thank you. There is a response to violent opposition to progress that has been used in the past. I am, of course, referring to the non-violent demonstrations of the civil rights movement led by Dr. King. I am beginning to believe it will take an outpouring of support for change modeled after what Dr. King did... not just an overwhelming level of voter turnout... to fight back against the violent forces planning to assault an unsuspecting public. Kamala Harris was born in 1964 to civil rights activist parents. I wonder if she is thinking of calling for peaceful marches - not just people voting - to demonstrate America's commitment to turn the page on MAGA GOP's hate and division based way of governing... of governing by fear?
She may not have to make a public request. However, those peaceful protests would, without doubt, be fouled by outside instigators, just like the Floyd protests were. Very sad state of the nation.
Well, it seems that the Republicans did not infiltrate the Gaza protestors in Chicago to stir up violent confrontation. So, they may start to feel overextended too, in all the dirty they are doing. Public knowledge of Project 2025 is making more and more grass roots American organizations crop up in opposition to what is in that nasty piece of doctrine. My Project 2025 Democrats Abroad book club will be discussing Chapter 8, Media Agencies today. I am glad that the Harris/Walz campaign is already suing the Republicans for their election fraud.
Carla, while they may be necessary, I fear that such demonstrations will bring about threats of violence and limit participation (or will occasion violence.)
I WILL participate, so long as required and I am able. We must not allow fear of violence to become larger than our fear of Republican plans to overthrow a legitimate election.
I view it as stolen, a stolen election is not a win, but a complicit court is a win. A hanging chad is a specious reason to throw out a ballot, and brother dear helped in Florida.
John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett were involved in the 'Brooks Brothers Riot.' Clarence Thomas helped decide Bush v Gore stopping the vote and deciding the election for GOP candidate Bush. Of course, Thomas, along with the extremist Leonard Leo (Charles Koch et al) Supreme Court majority have given Trump immunity.
I think Joyce Vance called it a Judicial Coup. That is what SCOTUS with these true believers in the Christian Nationalist and New Apostolic Reformation are in place to do.
I am reading different discussions of their End-of-Days beliefs, and since there was a Guardian article about CUFI we started discussing the beliefs about Israel from this group, since they have 10-11 mil and are pushing policy. The discussion is whether Jews that support the Republican Party because of its End of Times beliefs which tie them to Israel, really realize that in the end they are supposed to convert to Christianity to be saved, or else perish with the rest of us. https://politicalresearch.org/2020/07/09/end-times-antisemitism
Given that Alito is tied to NAR and Thomas, Coney Barrett, Kavanaugh, don't know about Roberts, are tied to CS, we have to understand that they have no allegiance to our constitution or our laws.
"The next U.S. presidential term could be the most consequential in Israel's history: Israelis and Palestinians can't afford Trump's blank check to Netanyahu once again.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens during an event on combating antisemitism at Trump National Golf Club, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Bedminster, N.J.
Israel's Jewish supremacists are counting hard on Donald Trump. The increasingly unhinged ex-president might not be far off when he boasts, "I have done more for Israel than any president."
But for which Israel?
A self-proclaimed "master" of deals, all Trump did was hand Benjamin Netanyahu's Israel a blank check to intensify its occupation of the West Bank, solidifying the prime minister's legacy of subjugating the Palestinians and leaving them with the grim choice of submission or resistance. We all saw how that ended on October 7.
Trump's "pro-Israel" legacy – which includes recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, and pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal – allowed Netanyahu to pull off the political stunts he needed during Israel's years-long electoral crisis.
In a new attack ad aired Monday, Trump blamed Hamas' October 7 massacre on Joe Biden's Middle East policy (someone might want to remind him who he's running against). The ad on X featured an image of Trump with Netanyahu, and wrapped up with Trump threatening, "When I'm back in the White House, our enemies will know: If you spill a drop of American blood, we will spill a gallon of yours."
Gallons of blood in the Middle East? Israel's far right is paying close attention.
To understand the pro-Israel Trumpworld, just look at his former ambassador to Israel and West Bank settlement cheerleader David Friedman. His forthcoming book, "One Jewish State," could probably just as easily be called "Apartheid."
After Kamala Harris delivered a balanced speech at the Democratic National Convention, acknowledging both Israel's right to defend itself and Palestinians' right to freedom, Friedman frantically attacked the latter. He wrote that Palestinian self-determination is a "code word for Jews living in Judea and Samaria, their Biblical homeland, [to be] evicted in favor of Palestinians."
Friedman is pushing for the annexation of the West Bank and led a fundraising group that funneled tens of millions of dollars to the settlement of Beit El. His motives are clear; he doesn't need his head examined to understand why he supports a boss who casually uses antisemitic tropes.
Pro-Israel Trumpists, along with Israel's far-right settlers, are desperate to keep the White House away from a Democratic president who recognizes Palestinians as human beings who deserve rights and citizenship in their own land.
The next presidential term could be the most consequential in Israel's history. Will the United States, with its Western allies, guide Israel and Palestine toward a diplomatic solution, or will it allow Israel to resettle Gaza and fight on multiple fronts, all in the name of a vision of Jewish supremacy that is becoming official Israeli policy?
It was no surprise that settler minister Itamar Ben-Gvir broke protocol – if he ever adhered to it – to enthusiastically endorse Trump in a Bloomberg interview last month. He dismissed Biden's departure as "no big loss," after claiming in May that Hamas loves the Democratic president. When Trump doubted the viability of a two-state solution in a Time magazine interview that month, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised his "courage and integrity."
The Netanyahus, too, were all smiles with the former president. At Mar-a-Lago last month, they carefully kept their heads still to avoid nodding in agreement as Trump assailed Harris for challenging Netanyahu on the devastation in Gaza. Israelis and Palestinians can't afford Trump's blank check to Netanyahu once again."
Yes! However, as I have read, [In]Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was so against Gore being president that she refused to let all the votes be counted in Florida. Can you imagine? That allowed Bush to appoint toxic people to SCOTUS, and now we have the mess we have. So, every vote counts and we the people should learn from that, that if SCOTUS does not follow the law we should insist on their removal from the Justice Department and the President. That is what we have to be asking of Joe Biden, and if he is anything like my husband, who needs time to get used to the idea, we need to be writing him now asking that he accept the peaceful transition of power if it does not involve SCOTUS overturning the election.
What bothers me most is the arrogance and willfulness of "those" people. I did not know that about the "Riot." It seems that should have been a factor during their eligiblity hearings., and disqualified them all.
Yes, Kavanaugh should have been asked about his participation in Bush V Gore during his confirmation hearings… a missed opportunity by Harris, which just proves she’s human (“to err is human; to forgive is divine”)
The current Floriduh Fascist, Ron DeSantis has obscured what we had in Jeb Bush and how the Bush Dynasty stole that presidential election. This state has really gone downhill since Lawton Chiles, and the Red cancer has metasticized into once Blue Miami-Dade county.
The early civil rights movement protests (John Lewis et al) were well planned, focussed, and reliant on self discipline. The lunch counter protests were rehearsed to 'desensitize' Black protestors to White violence. White allies (much to their great discomfort) had to verbally and physically abuse their Black colleagues so that they could remain calm and overcome reflexive 'fight or flight impulses.' Passive resistance is neither intuitive nor easy.
When the beret and bandoliers Che wannabe Black Power crew (Kwame Ture at the time Stokely Standiford Churchill Carmichael, et al) took over the movement veered to protest as a segregated street theatre of self expression and threats of violence.
BLM seems to have reclaimed both the early civil rights movement strategy of Black leadership and White alliance, of ,if not technically 'non violence', an embrace of peaceful protest, and involvement in the electoral process.
The most important heritage of the early civil rights movement is its focus on voting. Racist right wing religious extremist Republican voters have used unity at the ballot box to win government power and then eliminate civil rights protections. While many on the Left have mistakenly come to view voting as an individual exercise in self expression instead of a joint exercise in taking power. This delusion of purity tests, pipe dreams, and Pied Pipers is again being exploited by Putin allied Trump enabler Jill Stein, who is again on the swing state Wisconsin ballot. (RFKJR has explicitly allied himself with Trump. Cornell West has some traction.)
We can start this minute writing postcards to Wisconsin voters. And signing up for other outreach to Wisconsin and other states.
Yes, I am writing 200 postcards to Swing State Wisconsin. The only answer is to overwhelm the MAGA with Blue Votes. Stories out of Texas, Georgia and Arkansas are indeed scary.
Carla, I did get involved & it is very easy. I am now an authorized Election Worker in California as well as 'Active' in the ABA.
I am informed I will receive a 3 digit stipend$ for the more than 12 hours of work on 11/5/2024. There is even some talk of 'hazard pay' even though I'm not expecting any hassles whatsoever working on Election Day in my Northern California County.
🎶 We all can be heroes just for 1 day🎶 that's 11/5/2024!
Time for some Nick Drake: 🎶 I could'a been one of these things first.🎶
Yes, in times past I was a poll worker in tiny, Greenwood, CA (El Dorado County)...and received $100. Big deal. The most important thing was that I was there. YOU are a hero. Thank you for being there.
I will be working the election in Brazil, IN on 11/5/2024. I expect 95% of those that vote in my country to vote for tffg! I pray I am wrong. He will not get my vote! And I pray the people currently running and destorying our state of Indiana are voted out and don't infiltrate our State and National government (like Jim Banks)! I pray for the biggest Blue Wave in Indiana's history! We have a whole lot of Christians and ignorant people living in this Red state and hopefully, we can change it this year!
Thank you! I will go to my town hall today and see if they need help. Although my sleepy little town usually has the same crew of people checking us in to vote.
I read the powers to be would rather us vote on the first day early voting starts. Is there any truth to this. If so why?
It sure isn't that much in Indiana. We start at 5am and are there until all is cleared and machines and paperwork are on the way to the courthouse! Most generally is it by 7:30pm! A very long day!
I have served as a poll volunteer in Ohio to ensure people who wanted to vote could vote. I too am concerned about possible violence by Trump’s groupies.
Well it has been decades in the making. Listen to Rachel Maddow's podcast Ultra. Blew my mind! I had no idea this has been going on at least foe 100 years, esp. with Joe McCarthy and Nixon.
Steve I had a personal insight into the Florida Gore/Bush election controversy. Warren Christopher was the head of the Gore legal team.
He was a highly competent, gentlemanly lawyer, who was Under Secretary of State during President Carter’s final days of seeking to rescue our hostages.
I worked with Christopher on a committee. He was gracious in his double breasted suit. I would enjoy him as a dinner partner. I would never want him as back up in a street fight.
James Baker [George H. W. Bush’s dynamic Secretary of State] was in sharp contrast. He was a take-no-prisoners-Texas lawyer. When he was in a fight, he wanted to win at whatever the cost. He was also vain.
He was the instigator of the Brooks Brother incident [a number of well-dressed agitators from New York City created highly publicized incidents at vote counting stations]. Baker was also the mastermind of a convoluted series of legal maneuvers that resulted in a rushed and unprecedented Supreme Court decision.
I heard that Baker had been extremely angry that Al Gore, during the presidential campaign, had personally attacked Baker for his actions as Bush’s SecState. I also heard that this was why he had offered to lead the Bush team in the Florida electoral fight.
I personally had the opportunity to ask Baker whether this was true. He looked me straight in the eye and replied “Yup.”
All of these weak egoed toxic men are like that. We need to be raising our boys to be more like Walz. Well, Baker's team won the battle but not the election. Let us hope our party has learned from that. The Harris-Walz campaign seems clear eyed about how they are facing. In this her background as a prosecutor must help, and his as a teacher. I know as a teacher, even though my inner city time was about 9 years, I still have dealt with all kinds of parents and children, so I know what is out there and what to avoid.
Yes they did win the election, with the SC in collusion. And the USA still suffers from that debacle. The Republicans only learned to be more duplicitous
Good for you in confronting him. He correctly assessed that neither Christopher nor Gore were confrontational, but I think in Harris we have picked someone who won't back down. Let's support that.
Baker's team won the DECISION for Bush, which put him in the White House--Dubya didn't win the popular vote. In a complete and honest recount, Bush would have lost Florida, and thus the election.
T L Three news agencies did their own recount. My recollection is that the outcome was split. I recall that because of a confused ballot, in one major county Pat Buchanan got a surprising 2900+/- votes, which would have been the ballgame for Gore. Also, Ralph Nader was a spoiler with his votes.
Behind every political kerfuffle lies a foreign influence hoping to bring the US to its knees. It's interesting how many of the instigators were found to be Putin's puppets for a buck or two or oil reserves.
Thank you for this Keith. I always blamed Baker for that Florida fiasco, before I learned of Roger Stone’s contribution. Together they made the election irrelevant. Just more dirty tricks. And so it was all through the W/Dickie nightmare.
Keith Wheelock, thank you for providing this historical witness statement.
My one and only encounter with James Baker III consisted of being thrown against the wall of the corridor by Secret Service men while the Secretary of State passed. This was during a meeting in Lisbon in the early 1990s when Baker berated European politicians for what he saw as their cowardly failure to stand up to Serbian strongman Milosevic et al who had turned the Yugoslav military against Croatia and all comers. He bluntly deflated European expectations that America would pull their chestnuts out of the fire for them. The meeting was attended by the likes of Karadzic... and I for one felt that Baker was giving Europe's politicians a well-deserved drubbing. In this vile brawl, all they had shown themselves capable of was to take sides...
Despite his commanding role in this dirty business that resulted in severe and lasting damage for the US and the world, Baker seems positively admirable by comparison with today's MAGA rabble of cowardly thugs.
Peter It was good to have James Baker on your side. He was masterful in dealing with Russian Foreign Minister Sheparnazee (check sp), while President Bush and Gorby managed the end of the Cold War.
Unfortunately, the George W. Bush administration that James Baker and the then Supreme Court shoehorned into power was distinguished by greed, hubris, oppression at home and abroad, and the grossest incompetence, especially in the key areas of foreign and defense policy.
Because of these bunglers who were too clever for their own good, Americans have still not understood either the strategic purpose of the 9/11 assault on America or its real effects on the world and on the standing of the USA.
And now we have seen an even deadlier update of 9/11 in the Hamas atrocity on October 7th last year and the subsequent reactions of Netanyahu, doing exactly what his enemy expected and wanted of him -- the conman manipulator out-manipulated.
I know this is a truth that may not be pronounced. And yet it must be. At this turning point in world history, lucidity is of the essence when facing an axis of demented criminals, from Putin to his chosen and well-prepared tool, Donald Trump.
There is still a long way to go, a long, hard struggle awaits us all.
We owe it to ourselves to overcome the forces of organized crime and to emerge into the sunlight in 2026.
Well said, Peter! I agree. Sometimes, we can't see the instigating 'forest' for the 'trees' of political infighting. Kamala's prosecutorial background will give her the edge, but, my god, what extraordinary greed pervades the world!
Thank you for these personal reflections. That’s quite a life you’ve lived!
I remember Warren Christopher’s appearances on TV during the recount and remember saying to myself “Why is he so intellectual? Where’s the fire in his belly?” (Something like that) He and his team’s failure to understand who they were fighting (Were Democrats really so ignorant back then?) is one if the greatest political missteps in modern history. The wood would be a very different place if Gore had become POTUS. Of course, Gore was terrified to run as an environmentalist (which I learned by attending a Democratic Leadership Council annual conference in DC where Gore began his campaign by being literally afraid to be seen with his book “Earth in the Balance” which I brought with me to get him to sign). So, he has to take some responsibility for the race being so close (he didn’t even win his home state of Tennessee!). Ugh! Such a sad period in our political history… and one which we MUST NOT LET HAPPEN AGAIN!
Lastly, here’s the interview I watched. Thanks again for your comment …
Steve I never had the opportunity to meet young Senator Al Gore. As a Foreign Service Officer in Chile, I did sit next to the old Senator Gore at a small dinner. He was a fascinating ‘progressive’ from Tennessee.
What we didn’t discuss seriously was Vietnam. After my Congo m16/.45 hostage experiences, I was prime meat for Vietnam. I twice rejected invitations from our Saigon ambassador to join him.
Elder Al Gore lost re-election in 1970 in part because of his anti-Vietnam stance.
In 2000 candidate Al Gore didn’t win TN and Clinton didn’t win ARK.
DJT only 'WINS' by Cheating... He has no Ethical Constraints... He even tried to steal his Father's fortune when he developed Dementia... He Cheats on his Taxes, in Business, on his Wives, and in Golf... He is Feral, and is getting Desperate, with Legal Troubles & possible Prison in his Future... Prepare For The Worst, Hope For The Best...
“He even tried to steal his Father's fortune when he developed Dementia.” And of course, he mocked his father, too.
Cheating on taxes, cheating on your wives—no big deal, “everybody” does it.
But kicking your father when he was down and helpless, your father who preferred you over his other children and bailed you out time after time—that is pretty impressive shabbiness, even for a Trump. Would his supporters care about it if they were aware of it?
Can we say, Steve, Marc Elias may be "capable of dealing with this threat" but at the same time may also be overwhelmed by the scope of Trump and Republican organized criminality?
Biden & Harris need their lawyers to advise how to be ready with the military to manage any Republican voter suppression or dirty Republican tactics. Don’t wait and then put out fires…figure there will be trouble and strategize now.
I think the current administration is bidin' their time until just before the election. Then at that time, the DOJ will unleash the dogs in the form of dire warnings of the extreme consequences of violence from Nov through January. FAFO.
Let's not forget the future plans of our current Vice President.
Yes. Thus Judge Luttigs call. And it would take more than just the lawyers… they need a citizen team to help them witness. If you’re at the polls and you see something not right, contact the lawyer on your team.
I don’t necessarily agree with Judge Luttig politically, but at the same time I do admire his commitment to constitutional government and his ability to call Trump out for what Trump is, a wannabe dictator.
Marc is aligned with the Harris-Walz attorneys. He said they are a brilliant team and feels that between his staff and theirs, they will win the cases.
Marlene & Kathy, I fear that even with "a brilliant team" the outcome of many of the election legal cases will depend almost entirely on what judge they try their cases before. We have seen the bizarre contortions our SCOTUS go through to accomplish their goal!
John, you know that might be true except that Elias and his staff have joined about 100 other Harris-Walz lawyers who are strategizing each move these judges and election deniers will make. I have to have some faith that they will prevail.
I understand this point. But my point is that “taking people to court” lets them engage in their criminal behavior first… does not stop their criminal acts. It’s reactive not proactive. We must find a way to PREVENT the GOP from stopping the vote certification process!
However, if you see his Democracy Docket, he and his team are doing really well and winning a lot of cases. It means he is over his learning curve of how to do this too.
understand this point. But my point is that “taking people to court” lets them engage in their criminal behavior first… does not stop their criminal acts. It’s reactive not proactive. We must find a way to PREVENT the GOP from stopping the vote certification process!
If I were to select a lawyer to take charge in an election certification imbroglio, it would be Kamala Harris. Read her book, “The Truths We Hold.” She has the track record to show that she knows how to get in the face of powerful men. She is good at selecting teammates that fight to the finish.
I happen to agree. Trump is telling us that’s what will happen. He doesn’t need the votes. Why? Because they have plans to disrupt the entire process, delay it and see that it ends up being decided in the House chamber.
Any civil war instigated by MAGA to install Trump’s ChristoFascist autocracy will finally be won or lost between a politically divided US military. How many in the US military place allegiance to the protection of the US Constitution above loyalty to their superior officers who may be fully signed up to an ideologically sympathetic extremist GOP.
The right's priming for a civil war has intensified since 2020 and they're ready to go. (I wonder who was behind the decisions to blast Fox News onto military bases?)
Trump could reduce himself to a blubbering blob of BLECCH and the right wing will still try to install him as our next president.
These are some of the reasons that the US is an aspiring democracy and not a full democracy. We need to fight for mandatory voter registration. In the EU I live in a country that has mandatory registration, but not mandatory voting. That is also a part of some countries, and people get fined if they don't vote. The reason Germany, my other home can register everyone automatically, because if you live here for more than 3 months, you have to register yourself and where you live. You have to register either as a primary residence or a secondary residence. That includes registering your citizenship status, so they have knowledge of everyone from every age, and when you turn old enough to vote, in the EU election one could vote at 16, they know where people are, because if you move you have to register where you live. That is common in European countries, so there is a keeping track of people. Then you get information about voting in the mail about 1-2 months before the election. You can also sign up for a mail in ballot, but must initiate that yourself. Growing up in Chicago, which has been infamous for voter fraud in the Democratic machine, I can see how vote fraud can happen. A lot of it was just buying votes, or forcing Union members to vote-by-mail and turn in their ballots to vote. It is a citywide effort, but does not transcend to the whole state. The machine also taught people to "pull the lever" to vote straight democratic ticket, which I grew up knowing not to do. It is why I consider myself an Independent. I would vote Green if it were a viable alternative in the US government. As it is, I am a member of Democrats Abroad with others who think like me. The greenest party is my party. During the pandemic I started regularly writing to politicians, and that has carried on. It does seem dangerous to go out and vote now a days if you are a democrat. I am reading more and more articles how right wing militia go out and intimidate and kill people. They are who do border patrols under the guise of citizen action. We need to be getting these militias under control, and the opposite will happen under Trump. Still, I feel like the letter that Republican Lawyers wrote in support of Harris that I read about yesterday, where they say that they may not agree on everything but they agree on the fundamentals of rule of law and democracy which they feel she will protect and Trump won't. We can thank Joe Biden for establishing this difference, and it appears that the DNC was a job interview, which Kamala passed with flying colors. Viva la Kamala!
I believe it was Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who famously stopped the Florida recount from continuing. If it had continued, as was later revealed, Gore would have been the victor.
Heather’s letters routinely include some historical nuance that I have been unaware of before reading her letters. Her letters also generate thoughtful comments from the large group of readers she has attracted. Your Wikipedia link to the Brooks Brothers riot in 2000 is such a comment. Thanks for providing it.
Thinking back to 2000 when I was fully engaged in running a business and with minimal time available to pay attention to politics, I was blissfully unaware of the seeds of the future right wing bent for a portion of our populace. I do regret missing the signposts in the fog during that period.
I also agree with you 100%. The Orange Felon and the billionaires who back him will resort to every last cheat in the fascist’s playbook to claim victory in the election. Yes, the Supreme Court will simply declare the election results “fraudulent” if Kamala wins, and then rule that Rump should be president. And yes, the MAGAts will use violence to suppress any protests that might ensue.
Who's to stop SCOTUS?? Their 6-3 majority taunting us with their Prez Immunity decision magnifies the unaccountibility of this demonstrably corrupt group of men.
Two participants in the Brooks Brothers ’riot’ stand out: Matt Schlapp and Roger Stone. Wherever Republican skullduggery occurs, these two execrable meat-bags are sure to be stinking up the place.
They have proved over and over that they are capable of the most heinous actions. And that a bit of collateral damage is no big deal. Be prepared Dems. Glad some have noticed
Violence is a way of communication with today's GQP. Ever since the Tea Party took over the GOP, it's been sliding all downhill. And regardless of what Rand Paul had said in 2019 about the Tea party being dead, what has taken its place is far worse than a group of people demonstrating with signs of grossly misspelled words to communicate their feelings. The rank lack of intellect inherent within the Tea Party has now turned to dangerous volatile actions by too many in the Trump world. I fear something more than the DOJ will be needed to nail down Trump's political coffin.
We've put up a page on our non-profit where people can check their voter registration status with their official State website, and also have collected and provide election protection information.
We'll continue to evolve the page with new information as it becomes available.
Thank you! I will post your link to our Indivisible website and Facebook and will encourage our mail list to contact anyone they know in any state to check their voter status and re-register if they’ve been purged.
You might be interested to know that our core work is developing a hate-free, ad-free trusted civic social network built for civic action and education. Our mission is to replace Facebook and the unfortunate toxic cesspool Twitter has become under Elon Musk -with a subscriber-supported people’s social network that will not sell or share our subscriber information with marketers or sinister political operatives.
George, are you going to make that website mobile friendly? The large majority of people access websites via smart phones. A website implemented in Google Sites or SquareSpace automatically reads well on a smart phone. I’m sure other platforms also do so.
Gary, our main platform is web and native mobile (https://social.civ.works). I haven’t directed as much time to the static site, but that is a super important recommendation and I will work on it tomorrow.
Thanks Gary, I checked on an Apple iOS phone and the page rendered properly (it’s using responsive web). I will look on android. I was worried that the 3 column layout was causing issues. I also notice there is an AMP plugin I can use for the civ.works static web site. I do want to make it as easy and as accessible as it can be for all while we continue to add content to support voters and voting rights.
George, getting into the tech weeds, when I scroll down to Kansas, the left column stops and the two right columns continue. The left column displays as one line listings while the other two columns display as three lines each, and alignment is off. I’m on an iPhone XR using IOS 17.6.1. I can’t upload a screen shot here but wonder if the anomaly is caused by my font size settings? Can I go to either of your links and send an email with a screen shot?
Thanks Anne-Louise. We'll do all we can on our side while hoping the DOJ takes care of election deniers and government officials who continue to try to subvert the election process through purges, intimidation, and harassment.
Heather's today trenchantly summarizes the treachery, criminality, and lies that rule Republicans.
In a parallel occurrence, Lawrence O'Donnell's today recounts why so many in rural America still root for their ocult leader. His tariffs on Chinese imports occasioned reciprocal actions by China, so U.S. farmers cannot export their grain there. But, no problem, the orange felon arranged for the U.S. income from tariffs -- $28 billion of it -- to go directly to farmers in Iowa and nearby grain states. They don't have to work at all, just collect money paid for in higher costs by other Americans.
It's that way across the spectrum of this party -- 1) welfare for the rich in tax reductions for billionaires; 2) freedom for corporate predators to hurt American health, workplace safety, and the environment by the Clarence court curtailing federal agency oversight; and 3) the welfare for Trumpies as Lawrence O'Donnell cites.
Power, an aphrodisiac -- for those organized to lie, cheat, and criminally war on American rights.
Several months ago the Biden administration put a tariff of 100% on Chinese EVs. Today the Canadian government has done the same. I wonder how China will retaliate?
The U.S. Navy has guaranteed world peace -- at least on the seas -- since WWII. China wants to kill the hegemony by which the U.S. has had so much power. One way -- its primary way -- of doing this has been to help prop up neighboring dictators, the little fat boy with the bad haircut in North Korea, and the murderer, assassin, and genocidalist in Russia.
Add in Hindi nationalist Modi, Hungarian nationalist Orban, the far-right settlers' favorite nationalist Netanyahu, and they've all got themselves a nice little club, with U.S. Republicans frothing to join.
I am thrilled that the momentum has recently shifted so sharply from Trump to Kamala/Coach. Recent polls show this reflected in a wide diversity of groups. It makes me feel great.
BUT we are over 70 days away from November 5th.I am reminded of when I engaged in sailing team races. We would be exhilarated by a wind shift that provides us an advantage. HOWEVER, we never became complacent. We sought to maximize our advantage, fearing that another wind shift could bring failure.
In recent presidential elections, polls have been an uncertain indicator. Especially when the focus is on seven ‘swing states’ where a few thousand votes could make the difference, having unused bullets in your guns on November 5th would be inexcusable.
The Kamala/Coach ticket can provide a significant boost to House and Senate candidates, The Senate is especially important, since a Democratic Congress would permit President Harris to enact critical tax, social, and infrastructure legislation.
I am also reminded of my college crew days. The cox would strain to get every ounce of energy from us eight grunts. When we were ahead, he would insist on a power 20 or 40 at over 40 strokes/minute so that we would be exhausted (and triumphant) at the end.
Whatever the other crews did, we were focused on doing our best.
Run and work as underdogs for another two months to assure that we will win (and win big?) on November 5th.
LET’S HAVE NO GAS LEFT IN OUR TANKS ON NOVEMBER 5TH!
Keith, wonderfully said! What encourages me is to hear our son, who has reluctantly voted for Clinton and Biden, excited about Harris and sending us links to articles praising Walz. He says that his buddies are equally excited about this ticket.
JD Good news, from family, friends, and most recently Kamala/Coach, continue to provide me sparks of youth, though my carburetor needs a partial overhaul.
Keith, reminds me of my competitive windsurfing days…we must keep tacking upwind until we can round the buoy that brings us downwind to the finish line!
Wow, it really does smell like Reconstruction has risen on the back of this turd-pile of a human. Super important to support not only Harris-Walz (and all the down-ballot Democrats) but also places like Democracy Docket https://www.democracydocket.com/ who are working every day to save our democracy.
Voter registration is really not a political question for the most part, except that in the US it is considered a problem to keep a comprehensive citizen register. In Europe and many other places, it is quite common that all eligible citizens get a voting card sent to them automatically, without need to apply for it. A county or state that does not have a reliable register and process for identifying voters is not considered well managed.
The postcard writing I’ve been doing has been to encourage people to register and to check their status. We need to get people aware that they can check their own voter status. vote.org
Thank you for your efforts! We need to do everything possible to balance our activity and donations with the obscene wealth and avarice on the other side.
In last night's dream, Donald Vladimir Trump steps aside, confesses to all crimes outlined by Jack Smith and, in a plea bargain, lives out his golden-toilet years in exile at Mar-a-Lago, knowing that any public statement by him is a one-way ticket to Guantanamo.
Lady, I agree that Stephen Miller and his ilk are actually steering this car, with 45 sitting in the back seat with a paper map and yelling that they’re not listening to his demands.
Stephen Miller’s group is clogging up the courts. Those behind Project 2025 will reduce Con45 to a figurehead at best. My guess is he’ll be taken down under the 25th.
Gail, and then we will have JD Vance, who will sign a nationwide ban on abortion and contraception. He will also float a national ban on no-fault divorces.
Greg I had a similar dream. In mine, first RotoRotor had to come in and flush all the top secret documents our of the Mar a Lago toilets as well as all of the gunk that Dufus Donald slabs on his hair and face.
He probably would like that deal. It would allow him to play golf all day and throw parties for dictators, while staying out of jail, which I believe is the only reason he is running for president.
You cannot write this history without including how the John Roberts Supreme Court eviscerated Title VI of the Civil Rights act turning state animus and racism free to create all these formerly blocked undemocratic maneuvers.
It is why there are certain rights and liberties outlined in the Constitution and amendments that should be protected and guaranteed by federal/national law and not left to the states. When states like TX, GA, NE and many others can impose extremist policies against their citizens, we are no longer the United States of America.
They don't care there is no "for" there, if they are voting AGAINST a pluralistic society that is fair and freely successful for black, brown and red people.
While I am greatly concerned by all of the Trumpublican voter shenanigans, I must confess that these days Trump is providing me great pleasure.
After President Biden’s June 27th debate debacle, Trump thought that he was riding his gilded escalator to electoral heaven. Then, when grazed by a bullet, he felt anointed as the second coming of Jesus Christ.
What possibly could go wrong?
OOPHS! A miracle. President Biden, putting country over self, stepped down and Kamala/Coach are the young, vibrant candidates.
Now Trump is being hoisted on his own petard—the presidential debate. He whined that it was not fair for Biden to be replaced by a younger candidate whose Blackness he questioned. He also questioned Kamala’s intelligence, her crowd turn out, and bluntly stated that he was more beautiful than her.
BUT there was the scheduled September 10th presidential debate. Was it possible that this youthful Black female whippersnapper could skewer the fact-free bloviator in a national debate? [My response—absolutely.]
So now the Great Pretender is between a political rock and hard place. If he proceeds with the September 10th debate, he’ll end up as sliced sushi. If he seeks to slither out of the debate, he will reveal to the country that he is a chicken-s++t bully.
Trump, what will it be—sliced sushi or chicken s++t?
lol my husband just called me off the porch to view the new Harris ad. It shows Con45 endlessly bloviating while overlaid with the sound of clucking chickens. I love the new breath of fresh air!
The Trump campaign seems to be deflating before our eyes. It's not surprising, since the Harris and Walz team have turned the table on Trump's team. As someone recently crudely put it: Trump is not in this for the sake of the country; he's in it to stay out of prison. He's lucky he has a legitimate reason to raise money, but how much is siphoned off to cover his Armada of legal bills?
I just looked up the Arkansas Supreme Court decision about the abortion ballot measure. It was a 5-2 decision with the Chief Justice John Dan Kemp and Justice Karen Baker dissenting. What a politically scandalous decision. Meddling on the order of Gore v. Bush.
Is there a difference between the security and traceability of a mail-in ballot vs a voting- machine generated ballot? If so, voters need to know which is more verifiable. With mail-in and early-voting, as well as Election Day voting options, voters need to know their best choice to be sure their votes are counted. Also, can voters verify their individual votes on line?
Another question is, why wait until Election Day if there is even a chance of violence at the polls? We have a much more convenient time frame to vote early by mail or in person!
If we're lucky they will stay home. In 2016 there were several 4'x8' Trump signs and huge Trump flags by this time in the election cycle. Now there is exactly ONE in our town of about 2000. There are 3 Kennedy signs but they are all in the same yard of my neighbors who are huge anti-vaxxers because their son is on the spectrum and they can't blame themselves for his poor diet or the formula they fed him. (See "Deep Nutrition" by Dr. Catherine Shanahan M.D.).
Dr. Shanahan gets deep into the organic chemistry of damage to our DNA which she proves with science , caused by vegetable oils and sugars. As a GP and an ER doctor she has seen first hand the results of these two toxins.
This is my one fear or this election, not that Harris/Walz will lose either the popular vote or the electoral college - but that the parties of trump, heritage and federalist have already in place their plans to prevent the honest result from being put into effect by any criminal means at their disposal. It is difficult for honest people to think like criminals but that's what all our law enforcement agencies must do from October 1, 2024 until at least February 1, 2025. You can be damned sure (some of it is already in the public domain via Project 2025 and public statements from Kevin Roberts and Donald Trump) that the magats are prepared.
Recently doubling down on eradicating democracy---
"Leave it to the states," by partisan design, is destroying "United" and attempting to replace it with a North American Balkans--all under the thumb of a small, obscenely wealthy ruling class.
“This constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore.
A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong. And such a people, deprived of the power to think and judge, is, without knowing and willing it, completely subjected to the rule of lies.
With such a people, you can do whatever you want.”
— Hannah Arendt, German historian and philosopher (1906–1975)
I watched an interview today with the author of the Rolling Stones article that generated the first headlines about the GOP's voter suppression efforts. In that interview, the issue was raised of violence being used to create the chaos needed to stop the certification if the court challenges by the GOP turned out to be not sufficient.
When he mentioned violence, I immediately thought of the "Brooks Bros Riot" that took place during the 2000 Florida recount process. That very loud demonstration outside the offices where votes were being re-counted was organized by a group of Republican operatives including Roger Stone.
I firmly believe the GOP will resort to violence in an attempt to cause the chaos required to slow the certification process in enough states to cause that process to miss various deadlines (as happened in Florida).
I do not think lawyers like Marc Elias are capable of dealing with this threat and hope the Justice Department and Biden Administration overall are developing plans to do so!
Trump's real plan for regaining power is now clearly not to win the election but to stage a coup that succeeds where the one he launched on Jan 6th 2021 failed!
Here is the wikipedia article about the Brooks Brothers Riot...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks_Brothers_riot
I agree with you 100%. Judge Luttig put out a call to lawyers across the country to get involved in the election process. I, sadly, also believe this election will involve violence. Cleaning up this unholy mess of voter suppression laws, state to state will take decades.
It will take decades unless Kamala can win big and cause a Democratic landslide, leading to major changes in voting and campaign financing law, possible if the filibuster is eliminated once and for all. We need humongous voter turnout on election day.
Blue tsunami. https://www.fieldteam6.org/
It will take decades unless there is a Democratic landslide, major changes in law, AND a change in philosophy.
In addition to saying what she said in her DNC acceptance speech, Kamala Harris can improve the situation significantly by explicitly stating the idea merely implied in her words, and that is that the rule of law is NOT the ultimate arbiter. Instead, it is a means to an end, and the ultimate arbiter is adherence to the moral "treat others the way you would want to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot" principle. I would not be saying this if I didn't think it was dangerous to stay silent.
If Republican support for Trump seems rational to you, you don't need to read this. But if it appears to be irrational, I'll do both sides a favor by explaining "MAGA" logic. If America is based on the rule of law, and if the people with political power who write the laws are serving an exclusive interest that excludes me, then they are a threat, and you don't have a reasoned dialogue with a threat. You neutralize a threat.
They want a Christian nation? Tell them great ... you do too based on the Gospel message, which is that Christianity is based on the moral principle (although you'd never guess that it is if all you did was observe the behavior of the misnamed Evangelical movement).
My point is that both sides are making the same mistake. Both sides start with the context-independent moral principle, then both sides create rules for how to adhere to that principle in specific contexts, then both sides forget and start violating the principle by imposing familiar rules in novel contexts in lieu of acknowledging that a novel context requires a novel rule based on the familiar moral principle.
This is where I usually get the "false equivalency" counterargument. Here's my preemptive counterargument: Bad is bad. Saying "it's okay for me to be bad but not them because they're better at it than me" is not a valid argument. Make an explicit commitment to the moral principle, and then the false equivalency argument is valid.
Note that there is only one alternative to the moral principle, and that is the immoral "do unto others before they do unto you" principle. "Which principle are you adhering to?" is a question I keep asking myself whenever I have an opinion that conflicts with others, including all of the above.
When slavery was overturned, it was codified into law. It wasn’t left to the states. Neither should abortion nor voting rights be left to the states. States can have all the spitting on the sidewalk laws they want, but when it comes to the bodily autonomy of half the population and voting, those need to be federally mandated.
Agreed, big time. Turning abortion rights over to the states was a cynical and calculated move by a far right, christian nationalist leaning Supreme Court. They know that red states (like TX, where I worked in repro health for so many years) are gerrymandered all to hell and controlled by fanatical far right legislators. And they are not remotely troubled by our huge maternal mortality rate.
Hope, I am sure they are aware of the maternal and infant mortality in Texas and I am also sure those legislators and other officials are totally OK with that thinking those who die or suffer will be people of color, poor people, or in some other way expendable. Disgusting!
In addition to agreeing with you, I will add the following.
There is too much reflexive acceptance of the idea that the abortion issue is separate from other issues like the economy, crime, and immigration. And it's a bunch of hogwash. We are either treating one another with mutual respect, or someone is attempting to impose unilateral control, and the control mechanism is only variable.
The idea that the rich should make all the important decisions, the idea that laws don't apply to them, the idea that immigrants are poisoning the blood of our nation, the idea men can make laws to control a woman's body, the idea that it's okay to rape, these are all different control mechanisms. But they're all the same in that they are all different ways to tear our society apart.
I apologize for spewing, but I feel much better now. ~ :0)
James, OMG! That was an excellent assessment of what is going on. Putting all these pieces together into one puzzle is a great way to look at things. And, pushing all of it is rich mostly white men who have been privileged all their lives and claim they aren't, but totally act as though they are, believing they have the right to control everyone's life but have no controls on their own, just like toddlers want, except that their tantrums are destructive and there are no parents around to take them off for a nap when they get out of control and become a danger to themselves and others.
We have a whole process including the courts to create laws that apply to the country as a whole. National laws are created when a situation exists where having different laws in our states creates problems. Abortion is one. So are civil rights, federal taxes and immigration.
James, my eyes glazed over a bit when I first read your comment, but today I re-read it and I basically agree with you. However, I think the "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" moral principal most likely precedes Christianity, and is certainly not limited to Christianity or any religious belief at all. The problem is that not all children are taught this or exposed to it, so some folks grow older without actually growing up and learning to think empathetically, and this is a problem for any society or other human group enterprise because the obvious -- almost unavoidable -- alternative to an empathetic instinct is violence.
Clearly, when the President of the United States is utterly devoid of empathy, the nation is in great peril, as recent events have borne out.
Trump is the archetype for the unempathetic leader, but happily and luckily for us, Kamala Harris is his total opposite in terms of empathy and everything else we need and expect in a leader. Our moment in history is unusual, if not unique, and it is up to us not to blow it.
You are correct that the moral principle is not limited to Christianity. The first documented and widely distributed expressions are roughly 2,500 years (aka 100 generations) old, and Christianity is only 80 generations old. The first “authors” include names familiar to us like Socrates, Confucius, Buddha, the Hebrew prophets, and the Hindu mystics.
You are correct that it is not limited to religion. The moral principle is the foundation of democracy, science, and even capitalism. The idea that capitalism is based on the immoral principle is both a function of naïve cynicism and historically inaccurate … per Adam Smith’s book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759).
Your idea—that folks who are not taught and exposed to the moral principle grow older without growing up—is very insightful. Morality and maturity are two words expressing the same meaning. I wish more people understood this. Too many confuse maturity with sophistication. Both are important traits, but knowing about one trait tells you nothing about the other. Furthermore, children who are taught and exposed to the moral principle have been immunized against the authoritarian impulse (not 100%, but neither was the COVID vaccine, and it still worked).
Defeating Trump in November is of existential importance, but also insufficient. We need an inclusive vision of the future for which a November victory is merely a milestone. I have an idea. My idea is we teach 5th grade teachers to teach the 1st scientific principle, which also happens to be—and not surprisingly when you think about it—the moral principle. When that becomes the highest priority for 5th grade teachers (and why not?), then future generations as children are immunized against the authoritarian impulse in much the same way as past and current generations as children are immunized against polio.
James, please do not conflate Evangelical with Christian Nationalist. One of the important things Andra Watkins is doing is using her personal knowledge of White Christian Nationalism, together with what she knows about Project 2025 to explain how the CNs influence Project 2025. Here are links to two of her articles. One explains what CNs believe, and the other explains how The New Apostolic Reformation (NARs) have different End-of Days beliefs. Understanding those beliefs is important to understanding subtexts in Project 2025, and to understanding why certain things are in there to appeal to these groups.
https://project2025istheocracy.substack.com/p/what-is-a-christian-nationalist
https://project2025istheocracy.substack.com/p/what-is-the-new-apostolic-reformation
I ma reading Project 2025 in a book club and reading The Department of Education with Andra Watkins explanations of End-of-Days beliefs helps me understand the fuller implications of defunding the Department of Education and public education, as well as the colleges. If you do not expect to live much longer on this Earth, or for your children to, then you do not need to care about what public schools offer. In fact, in preparing your children for their fate, you do not want them to be tempted by other children's lives, so they must be homeschooled. Look at how this behavior is to be rewarded through the Department of Education.
I don’t think I’m conflating Evangelical with Christian Nationalist. I have one basic assumption. Christianity is based on precisely two moral principles documented in the Gospel, and Jesus commands us all to adhere to those two principles in every context. Logically, anyone who adheres to those principles and identifies as Christian is a real Christian, and anyone who violates those principles and identifies as Christian is a hypocrite.
First principle: when my heart (intuition) conflicts with my mind (logic), in lieu of following one or the other, I must resolve the conflict. Second principle: when my opinion conflicts with my neighbor’s opinion, in lieu of following one or the other, we must resolve the conflict.
Jesus’ words and deeds are always consistent with those two principles. Refer to Matthew 7:12 & 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 6:31 & 10:25-37, John 14:12 & 15:12. Does that make Jesus infallible? Can you think of a single context where adherence is a bad idea? I can’t.
The way I see it, we are attached to reality if we adhere to those principles in every context, and we are otherwise detached from reality.
The founding principles of all the world’s great religions and science are different, and they are the same. Specifically, the words are different, and the meaning is the same.
I divide Evangelicals in two. One group are the real Evangelicals like Brian McLaren, author of Faith After Doubt (2021), Dr. Russell Moore, author of Losing Our Religion (2023), etc. And there are EVINOs (Evangelicals in name only), those who violate the principles while identifying as Evangelicals.
The subject that interests me is how EVIONOs and Christian Nationalists are the same. They are the same in that they are both detached from reality. The subject that interests you is how they are different. They are different because they departed reality in different directions. Both subjects are important. And either subject informs the other.
James, I am atheist so do not know the bible passages to which you refer. However, even in the Christian Nationalists there are different factions, such as NAR. I do not see Christian Nationalists as Christian from what I understand of the teachings of Christ. Not love you neighbor if they are not White. I read that a man who was for Governor DeSantis said, "Christ was too woke!" However, after reading Andra Watkin's piece on the Curse of Ham that is being taught in some CN churches, but not all, I understand the racism that is taught, and used to justify the discrimination and hatred towards non-Whites.
https://project2025istheocracy.substack.com/p/christian-nationalists-and-the-curse?utm_source=publication-search
I don't know how many CNs buy into this racism. I have read that according to a Wheaton College study there about 30-35% of Americans, or 90-100 million are Evangelical Christians. According to a Purdue Policy Research Institute (out of Purdue University) about 1/3 of Americans are Christian Nationalists or sympathetic with the ideas. So it does seem there is a lot of overlap. However according to this Purdue Study, it looks like Evangelical Christians are a subset of CNs.
https://www.prri.org/research/support-for-christian-nationalism-in-all-50-states/
It is an interesting study, because Evangelicals are a subset of CNs, not the other way around. CNs are in higher percentages in red states than in Blue States. So, clearly they are driving policy in their states. Also, looking at the gerrymandering, they are not above cheating for getting what they want. In fact, it seems they are being taught that our laws and constitution do not matter as long as they serve God's purpose and the person interpreting that for are the pastors.
This is off topic but I plan to soon start a movement to commit to, in the time of Trump’s passing, to toss human excrement at his grave site. If hundreds of thousands commit, the family might just send his remains to some deserted island off Scotland and that would be just fine with me. But if he is buried here, there is no doubt I will exercise my right as an American citizen (I believe I have this right) to toss my fecal matter at the burial site of the worst president in US history. I was just preparing a sample to send for testing and it seems the morning version is a hardier variety which I’m likely to use in the hopefully near future.
I readily apologize for being on the gross side this morning. But Trump is the grossest thug ever to hold public office. I already drew up a “People’s Petition to Keep Donald Trump’s Portrait Out of the White House.”
Don't forget people, the People, put him there. our Constitution, our Supreme Court. And the People may again.....it's close, too close.
We are just getting word that Kamala Harris is coming out in favor of some border wall. Oh my God I’ve been hoping to hear this from her.
Better yet, maybe a portrait can still hang; instead, simply show the back of his head. I'll be happy to sign either one.
Why would we defile St. kilda or one of the Hebrides?
To get rid of him that’s why.
Sorry, Bill, you don't have any right to dump your dumps on a grave unless it's on your own property. And, yes, Trump is gross, but I didn't need to read this with my breakfast this morning, either.
Well I heartily apologize to you and your breakfast. I never said I had a right… oops I did say I had a right didn’t I. I was just poking fun at Americans that constantly talk about rights. Rights to kill others. Rights to prevent rights of women to determine their futures. So I declare this right and I won’t reiterate this right since by now you might be eating early dinner and I have no intention of having you accuse me of regurgitation.
All is forgiven because this is funny and I will put up with much for funny :-)
And I don’t care if I’m arrested. My fist will raise in the air and I will yell, “fight…fight…fight…”
lol
lol back at ya. I’m just trying to inject a little humor gross as it might be. And to be candid, I was inspired this morning when I took a stool sample to send in the mail for a colonoscopy test. Which gives me another idea about using the US mails to send greetings to Mar-a-Lago.
@JamesRCarey--- what about those of us who do NOT want a Christian nation? Beginning with the premise of a Christian nation completely blocks our freedom to believe or NOT to believe in the religion of our choice. It blocks out any other way of life by determining Christianity to be "the way" which is in direct opposition to the rest of your point about how we ought to be compelled to treat one another.
Religion needs to get out of the way of politics, as to date imposing one's religious beliefs (choice, marriage etc) has not bode well for strengthening our freedoms.
I do appreciate your commitment to looking at your own self and questioning if your values and strategies are aligned. That we can all do more of!
I agree. I don't want any kind of Christian nation (or Jewish nation, or Muslim nation, or Buddhist nation, etc.). It's not that we can't incorporate ethical values that may have sprung from religions—but we cannot codify things into law that are based in religion. Separation between church and state is part of what our country is built upon.
Not just turnout, but solid up and down the ticket to VOTE BLUE. It is not perfect but it will preserve democracy right now over a fascist autocracy. Also we do not need a repeat of the no business accomplishment of the past 2 years with a house majority and slim majority in the Senate. These must be strong wins in congress as well as ,la/Walz landslide.
Is it still possible to have humongous voter turnout????!!!
💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
Thank you. There is a response to violent opposition to progress that has been used in the past. I am, of course, referring to the non-violent demonstrations of the civil rights movement led by Dr. King. I am beginning to believe it will take an outpouring of support for change modeled after what Dr. King did... not just an overwhelming level of voter turnout... to fight back against the violent forces planning to assault an unsuspecting public. Kamala Harris was born in 1964 to civil rights activist parents. I wonder if she is thinking of calling for peaceful marches - not just people voting - to demonstrate America's commitment to turn the page on MAGA GOP's hate and division based way of governing... of governing by fear?
She may not have to make a public request. However, those peaceful protests would, without doubt, be fouled by outside instigators, just like the Floyd protests were. Very sad state of the nation.
Well, it seems that the Republicans did not infiltrate the Gaza protestors in Chicago to stir up violent confrontation. So, they may start to feel overextended too, in all the dirty they are doing. Public knowledge of Project 2025 is making more and more grass roots American organizations crop up in opposition to what is in that nasty piece of doctrine. My Project 2025 Democrats Abroad book club will be discussing Chapter 8, Media Agencies today. I am glad that the Harris/Walz campaign is already suing the Republicans for their election fraud.
Carla, while they may be necessary, I fear that such demonstrations will bring about threats of violence and limit participation (or will occasion violence.)
I WILL participate, so long as required and I am able. We must not allow fear of violence to become larger than our fear of Republican plans to overthrow a legitimate election.
I view it as stolen, a stolen election is not a win, but a complicit court is a win. A hanging chad is a specious reason to throw out a ballot, and brother dear helped in Florida.
John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett were involved in the 'Brooks Brothers Riot.' Clarence Thomas helped decide Bush v Gore stopping the vote and deciding the election for GOP candidate Bush. Of course, Thomas, along with the extremist Leonard Leo (Charles Koch et al) Supreme Court majority have given Trump immunity.
I think Joyce Vance called it a Judicial Coup. That is what SCOTUS with these true believers in the Christian Nationalist and New Apostolic Reformation are in place to do.
https://project2025istheocracy.substack.com/p/what-is-a-christian-nationalist
https://project2025istheocracy.substack.com/p/what-is-the-new-apostolic-reformation
I am reading different discussions of their End-of-Days beliefs, and since there was a Guardian article about CUFI we started discussing the beliefs about Israel from this group, since they have 10-11 mil and are pushing policy. The discussion is whether Jews that support the Republican Party because of its End of Times beliefs which tie them to Israel, really realize that in the end they are supposed to convert to Christianity to be saved, or else perish with the rest of us. https://politicalresearch.org/2020/07/09/end-times-antisemitism
Given that Alito is tied to NAR and Thomas, Coney Barrett, Kavanaugh, don't know about Roberts, are tied to CS, we have to understand that they have no allegiance to our constitution or our laws.
From Haaretz
David Issacharoff
26 August 2024
"The next U.S. presidential term could be the most consequential in Israel's history: Israelis and Palestinians can't afford Trump's blank check to Netanyahu once again.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens during an event on combating antisemitism at Trump National Golf Club, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in Bedminster, N.J.
Israel's Jewish supremacists are counting hard on Donald Trump. The increasingly unhinged ex-president might not be far off when he boasts, "I have done more for Israel than any president."
But for which Israel?
A self-proclaimed "master" of deals, all Trump did was hand Benjamin Netanyahu's Israel a blank check to intensify its occupation of the West Bank, solidifying the prime minister's legacy of subjugating the Palestinians and leaving them with the grim choice of submission or resistance. We all saw how that ended on October 7.
Trump's "pro-Israel" legacy – which includes recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, and pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal – allowed Netanyahu to pull off the political stunts he needed during Israel's years-long electoral crisis.
In a new attack ad aired Monday, Trump blamed Hamas' October 7 massacre on Joe Biden's Middle East policy (someone might want to remind him who he's running against). The ad on X featured an image of Trump with Netanyahu, and wrapped up with Trump threatening, "When I'm back in the White House, our enemies will know: If you spill a drop of American blood, we will spill a gallon of yours."
Gallons of blood in the Middle East? Israel's far right is paying close attention.
To understand the pro-Israel Trumpworld, just look at his former ambassador to Israel and West Bank settlement cheerleader David Friedman. His forthcoming book, "One Jewish State," could probably just as easily be called "Apartheid."
After Kamala Harris delivered a balanced speech at the Democratic National Convention, acknowledging both Israel's right to defend itself and Palestinians' right to freedom, Friedman frantically attacked the latter. He wrote that Palestinian self-determination is a "code word for Jews living in Judea and Samaria, their Biblical homeland, [to be] evicted in favor of Palestinians."
Friedman is pushing for the annexation of the West Bank and led a fundraising group that funneled tens of millions of dollars to the settlement of Beit El. His motives are clear; he doesn't need his head examined to understand why he supports a boss who casually uses antisemitic tropes.
Pro-Israel Trumpists, along with Israel's far-right settlers, are desperate to keep the White House away from a Democratic president who recognizes Palestinians as human beings who deserve rights and citizenship in their own land.
The next presidential term could be the most consequential in Israel's history. Will the United States, with its Western allies, guide Israel and Palestine toward a diplomatic solution, or will it allow Israel to resettle Gaza and fight on multiple fronts, all in the name of a vision of Jewish supremacy that is becoming official Israeli policy?
It was no surprise that settler minister Itamar Ben-Gvir broke protocol – if he ever adhered to it – to enthusiastically endorse Trump in a Bloomberg interview last month. He dismissed Biden's departure as "no big loss," after claiming in May that Hamas loves the Democratic president. When Trump doubted the viability of a two-state solution in a Time magazine interview that month, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised his "courage and integrity."
The Netanyahus, too, were all smiles with the former president. At Mar-a-Lago last month, they carefully kept their heads still to avoid nodding in agreement as Trump assailed Harris for challenging Netanyahu on the devastation in Gaza. Israelis and Palestinians can't afford Trump's blank check to Netanyahu once again."
Seems Gore actually did win Florida and that election...
That is true.
Yes, he did 😢
Yes! However, as I have read, [In]Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was so against Gore being president that she refused to let all the votes be counted in Florida. Can you imagine? That allowed Bush to appoint toxic people to SCOTUS, and now we have the mess we have. So, every vote counts and we the people should learn from that, that if SCOTUS does not follow the law we should insist on their removal from the Justice Department and the President. That is what we have to be asking of Joe Biden, and if he is anything like my husband, who needs time to get used to the idea, we need to be writing him now asking that he accept the peaceful transition of power if it does not involve SCOTUS overturning the election.
"Viva Venezuela!" The Repugnant president who spoke of "shithole nations," with the help of the Supreme Coup, has turned the United States into one.
If he wins we will become the little Russia: Republican Union of S***h*** States In America.
Consider the immunity decision as one more example of the ability to F'n rationalize ANYTHING.
"Follow the usual suspects" has become a guide, in addition to, "follow the money". The two are frequently entwined.
What bothers me most is the arrogance and willfulness of "those" people. I did not know that about the "Riot." It seems that should have been a factor during their eligiblity hearings., and disqualified them all.
Yes, Kavanaugh should have been asked about his participation in Bush V Gore during his confirmation hearings… a missed opportunity by Harris, which just proves she’s human (“to err is human; to forgive is divine”)
The current Floriduh Fascist, Ron DeSantis has obscured what we had in Jeb Bush and how the Bush Dynasty stole that presidential election. This state has really gone downhill since Lawton Chiles, and the Red cancer has metasticized into once Blue Miami-Dade county.
The early civil rights movement protests (John Lewis et al) were well planned, focussed, and reliant on self discipline. The lunch counter protests were rehearsed to 'desensitize' Black protestors to White violence. White allies (much to their great discomfort) had to verbally and physically abuse their Black colleagues so that they could remain calm and overcome reflexive 'fight or flight impulses.' Passive resistance is neither intuitive nor easy.
When the beret and bandoliers Che wannabe Black Power crew (Kwame Ture at the time Stokely Standiford Churchill Carmichael, et al) took over the movement veered to protest as a segregated street theatre of self expression and threats of violence.
BLM seems to have reclaimed both the early civil rights movement strategy of Black leadership and White alliance, of ,if not technically 'non violence', an embrace of peaceful protest, and involvement in the electoral process.
The most important heritage of the early civil rights movement is its focus on voting. Racist right wing religious extremist Republican voters have used unity at the ballot box to win government power and then eliminate civil rights protections. While many on the Left have mistakenly come to view voting as an individual exercise in self expression instead of a joint exercise in taking power. This delusion of purity tests, pipe dreams, and Pied Pipers is again being exploited by Putin allied Trump enabler Jill Stein, who is again on the swing state Wisconsin ballot. (RFKJR has explicitly allied himself with Trump. Cornell West has some traction.)
We can start this minute writing postcards to Wisconsin voters. And signing up for other outreach to Wisconsin and other states.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/all-volunteer-ops
https://fieldteam6.herokuapp.com/getting_started
Yes, I am writing 200 postcards to Swing State Wisconsin. The only answer is to overwhelm the MAGA with Blue Votes. Stories out of Texas, Georgia and Arkansas are indeed scary.
Thank you!
HOPE HOPE HOPE
In Army Ranger School... 'Hope Is Not A Plan'... Sorry...
Carla, I did get involved & it is very easy. I am now an authorized Election Worker in California as well as 'Active' in the ABA.
I am informed I will receive a 3 digit stipend$ for the more than 12 hours of work on 11/5/2024. There is even some talk of 'hazard pay' even though I'm not expecting any hassles whatsoever working on Election Day in my Northern California County.
🎶 We all can be heroes just for 1 day🎶 that's 11/5/2024!
Time for some Nick Drake: 🎶 I could'a been one of these things first.🎶
Yes, in times past I was a poll worker in tiny, Greenwood, CA (El Dorado County)...and received $100. Big deal. The most important thing was that I was there. YOU are a hero. Thank you for being there.
Excellent! You’re absolutely correct! We can all be heroes. Thank you!
I will be working the election in Brazil, IN on 11/5/2024. I expect 95% of those that vote in my country to vote for tffg! I pray I am wrong. He will not get my vote! And I pray the people currently running and destorying our state of Indiana are voted out and don't infiltrate our State and National government (like Jim Banks)! I pray for the biggest Blue Wave in Indiana's history! We have a whole lot of Christians and ignorant people living in this Red state and hopefully, we can change it this year!
Thank you! I will go to my town hall today and see if they need help. Although my sleepy little town usually has the same crew of people checking us in to vote.
I read the powers to be would rather us vote on the first day early voting starts. Is there any truth to this. If so why?
My understanding is that the earlier we vote allows resources to get out the vote to get funneled to less likely voters.
Bryan here it is $300 in some counties, for a really full day with a non-paid training session.
It sure isn't that much in Indiana. We start at 5am and are there until all is cleared and machines and paperwork are on the way to the courthouse! Most generally is it by 7:30pm! A very long day!
I have served as a poll volunteer in Ohio to ensure people who wanted to vote could vote. I too am concerned about possible violence by Trump’s groupies.
😬😡
Thank you. FYI this is the interview I watched …
https://youtu.be/84BrtcFz36w
Well it has been decades in the making. Listen to Rachel Maddow's podcast Ultra. Blew my mind! I had no idea this has been going on at least foe 100 years, esp. with Joe McCarthy and Nixon.
There are a bunch of republicans sitting in prison. I think that may have a chilling effect on their attempts at violence.
Thank you. This is the interview I watched …
https://youtu.be/84BrtcFz36w
Thank you!
Carla, you are right about fixing voter suppression to take decades, so we need Harris-Walz so we can get the process started on January 21, 2025.
Steve I had a personal insight into the Florida Gore/Bush election controversy. Warren Christopher was the head of the Gore legal team.
He was a highly competent, gentlemanly lawyer, who was Under Secretary of State during President Carter’s final days of seeking to rescue our hostages.
I worked with Christopher on a committee. He was gracious in his double breasted suit. I would enjoy him as a dinner partner. I would never want him as back up in a street fight.
James Baker [George H. W. Bush’s dynamic Secretary of State] was in sharp contrast. He was a take-no-prisoners-Texas lawyer. When he was in a fight, he wanted to win at whatever the cost. He was also vain.
He was the instigator of the Brooks Brother incident [a number of well-dressed agitators from New York City created highly publicized incidents at vote counting stations]. Baker was also the mastermind of a convoluted series of legal maneuvers that resulted in a rushed and unprecedented Supreme Court decision.
I heard that Baker had been extremely angry that Al Gore, during the presidential campaign, had personally attacked Baker for his actions as Bush’s SecState. I also heard that this was why he had offered to lead the Bush team in the Florida electoral fight.
I personally had the opportunity to ask Baker whether this was true. He looked me straight in the eye and replied “Yup.”
All of these weak egoed toxic men are like that. We need to be raising our boys to be more like Walz. Well, Baker's team won the battle but not the election. Let us hope our party has learned from that. The Harris-Walz campaign seems clear eyed about how they are facing. In this her background as a prosecutor must help, and his as a teacher. I know as a teacher, even though my inner city time was about 9 years, I still have dealt with all kinds of parents and children, so I know what is out there and what to avoid.
Yes they did win the election, with the SC in collusion. And the USA still suffers from that debacle. The Republicans only learned to be more duplicitous
Linda Sadly, Baker’s team did win the election for George W. Bush.
Good for you in confronting him. He correctly assessed that neither Christopher nor Gore were confrontational, but I think in Harris we have picked someone who won't back down. Let's support that.
Baker's team won the DECISION for Bush, which put him in the White House--Dubya didn't win the popular vote. In a complete and honest recount, Bush would have lost Florida, and thus the election.
T L Three news agencies did their own recount. My recollection is that the outcome was split. I recall that because of a confused ballot, in one major county Pat Buchanan got a surprising 2900+/- votes, which would have been the ballgame for Gore. Also, Ralph Nader was a spoiler with his votes.
The infamous "butterfly ballot." It was Pat Buchanan who got the votes by mistake.
So did the GQP staffers who ran down to Florida to picket.
Behind every political kerfuffle lies a foreign influence hoping to bring the US to its knees. It's interesting how many of the instigators were found to be Putin's puppets for a buck or two or oil reserves.
Thank you for this Keith. I always blamed Baker for that Florida fiasco, before I learned of Roger Stone’s contribution. Together they made the election irrelevant. Just more dirty tricks. And so it was all through the W/Dickie nightmare.
Keith Wheelock, thank you for providing this historical witness statement.
My one and only encounter with James Baker III consisted of being thrown against the wall of the corridor by Secret Service men while the Secretary of State passed. This was during a meeting in Lisbon in the early 1990s when Baker berated European politicians for what he saw as their cowardly failure to stand up to Serbian strongman Milosevic et al who had turned the Yugoslav military against Croatia and all comers. He bluntly deflated European expectations that America would pull their chestnuts out of the fire for them. The meeting was attended by the likes of Karadzic... and I for one felt that Baker was giving Europe's politicians a well-deserved drubbing. In this vile brawl, all they had shown themselves capable of was to take sides...
Despite his commanding role in this dirty business that resulted in severe and lasting damage for the US and the world, Baker seems positively admirable by comparison with today's MAGA rabble of cowardly thugs.
Peter It was good to have James Baker on your side. He was masterful in dealing with Russian Foreign Minister Sheparnazee (check sp), while President Bush and Gorby managed the end of the Cold War.
I think it was Shevarnadze.
Unfortunately, the George W. Bush administration that James Baker and the then Supreme Court shoehorned into power was distinguished by greed, hubris, oppression at home and abroad, and the grossest incompetence, especially in the key areas of foreign and defense policy.
Because of these bunglers who were too clever for their own good, Americans have still not understood either the strategic purpose of the 9/11 assault on America or its real effects on the world and on the standing of the USA.
And now we have seen an even deadlier update of 9/11 in the Hamas atrocity on October 7th last year and the subsequent reactions of Netanyahu, doing exactly what his enemy expected and wanted of him -- the conman manipulator out-manipulated.
I know this is a truth that may not be pronounced. And yet it must be. At this turning point in world history, lucidity is of the essence when facing an axis of demented criminals, from Putin to his chosen and well-prepared tool, Donald Trump.
There is still a long way to go, a long, hard struggle awaits us all.
We owe it to ourselves to overcome the forces of organized crime and to emerge into the sunlight in 2026.
Well said, Peter! I agree. Sometimes, we can't see the instigating 'forest' for the 'trees' of political infighting. Kamala's prosecutorial background will give her the edge, but, my god, what extraordinary greed pervades the world!
Thank you for sharing. What a first row seat you had. And what a travesty.
Wow, Keith! Love your stories.
Thank you, Keith, for your reports on some of the more interesting things you got to do.
Thank you for these personal reflections. That’s quite a life you’ve lived!
I remember Warren Christopher’s appearances on TV during the recount and remember saying to myself “Why is he so intellectual? Where’s the fire in his belly?” (Something like that) He and his team’s failure to understand who they were fighting (Were Democrats really so ignorant back then?) is one if the greatest political missteps in modern history. The wood would be a very different place if Gore had become POTUS. Of course, Gore was terrified to run as an environmentalist (which I learned by attending a Democratic Leadership Council annual conference in DC where Gore began his campaign by being literally afraid to be seen with his book “Earth in the Balance” which I brought with me to get him to sign). So, he has to take some responsibility for the race being so close (he didn’t even win his home state of Tennessee!). Ugh! Such a sad period in our political history… and one which we MUST NOT LET HAPPEN AGAIN!
Lastly, here’s the interview I watched. Thanks again for your comment …
https://youtu.be/84BrtcFz36w
Steve I never had the opportunity to meet young Senator Al Gore. As a Foreign Service Officer in Chile, I did sit next to the old Senator Gore at a small dinner. He was a fascinating ‘progressive’ from Tennessee.
What we didn’t discuss seriously was Vietnam. After my Congo m16/.45 hostage experiences, I was prime meat for Vietnam. I twice rejected invitations from our Saigon ambassador to join him.
Elder Al Gore lost re-election in 1970 in part because of his anti-Vietnam stance.
In 2000 candidate Al Gore didn’t win TN and Clinton didn’t win ARK.
DJT only 'WINS' by Cheating... He has no Ethical Constraints... He even tried to steal his Father's fortune when he developed Dementia... He Cheats on his Taxes, in Business, on his Wives, and in Golf... He is Feral, and is getting Desperate, with Legal Troubles & possible Prison in his Future... Prepare For The Worst, Hope For The Best...
Prepare for the worst, resist, resist, hope, show determination. This deadly political disease must be eradicated.
“He even tried to steal his Father's fortune when he developed Dementia.” And of course, he mocked his father, too.
Cheating on taxes, cheating on your wives—no big deal, “everybody” does it.
But kicking your father when he was down and helpless, your father who preferred you over his other children and bailed you out time after time—that is pretty impressive shabbiness, even for a Trump. Would his supporters care about it if they were aware of it?
Thank you. This is the interview I watched …
https://youtu.be/84BrtcFz36w
Can we say, Steve, Marc Elias may be "capable of dealing with this threat" but at the same time may also be overwhelmed by the scope of Trump and Republican organized criminality?
Biden & Harris need their lawyers to advise how to be ready with the military to manage any Republican voter suppression or dirty Republican tactics. Don’t wait and then put out fires…figure there will be trouble and strategize now.
I agree.
I think the current administration is bidin' their time until just before the election. Then at that time, the DOJ will unleash the dogs in the form of dire warnings of the extreme consequences of violence from Nov through January. FAFO.
Let's not forget the future plans of our current Vice President.
Harris’ team seems to be on it.
https://open.substack.com/pub/roberthubbell/p/harris-walz-campaign-goes-on-offense?r=emzqx&utm_medium=ios
Yes. Thus Judge Luttigs call. And it would take more than just the lawyers… they need a citizen team to help them witness. If you’re at the polls and you see something not right, contact the lawyer on your team.
I don’t necessarily agree with Judge Luttig politically, but at the same time I do admire his commitment to constitutional government and his ability to call Trump out for what Trump is, a wannabe dictator.
Marc is aligned with the Harris-Walz attorneys. He said they are a brilliant team and feels that between his staff and theirs, they will win the cases.
I’ve been supporting Marc Elias/Democracy Docket and CREW because they are fighting back!
https://www.democracydocket.com/
https://www.citizensforethics.org
Jay Kuo suggested contributing to LULAC for those that want to help with nefarious stuff going on in Texas.
https://lulac.org/contribute/
There are valid concerns about the violence, although to preserve my sanity here in MAGA-ville,FL I’m working to GOTV!
“When We Fight, We Win “ ( hopefully BIGLY!)
✍️📲💲🚶♀️
🪧🇺🇸
Marlene & Kathy, I fear that even with "a brilliant team" the outcome of many of the election legal cases will depend almost entirely on what judge they try their cases before. We have seen the bizarre contortions our SCOTUS go through to accomplish their goal!
And, as we've learned with Trump's legal shenanigans, lawyering takes TIME! The wheels of justice grind s-l-o-w-l-y. I hope all are nimble enough.
John, you know that might be true except that Elias and his staff have joined about 100 other Harris-Walz lawyers who are strategizing each move these judges and election deniers will make. I have to have some faith that they will prevail.
I have too, Kathy.
I understand this point. But my point is that “taking people to court” lets them engage in their criminal behavior first… does not stop their criminal acts. It’s reactive not proactive. We must find a way to PREVENT the GOP from stopping the vote certification process!
However, if you see his Democracy Docket, he and his team are doing really well and winning a lot of cases. It means he is over his learning curve of how to do this too.
understand this point. But my point is that “taking people to court” lets them engage in their criminal behavior first… does not stop their criminal acts. It’s reactive not proactive. We must find a way to PREVENT the GOP from stopping the vote certification process!
The scope of their duplicity is oceanic
Don't underestimate Mark Elias. There's reason why the Harris-Walz campaign hired him as teir chief election law litigator.
If I were to select a lawyer to take charge in an election certification imbroglio, it would be Kamala Harris. Read her book, “The Truths We Hold.” She has the track record to show that she knows how to get in the face of powerful men. She is good at selecting teammates that fight to the finish.
I happen to agree. Trump is telling us that’s what will happen. He doesn’t need the votes. Why? Because they have plans to disrupt the entire process, delay it and see that it ends up being decided in the House chamber.
No. He wants it decided by the Supreme Court, thus is it packed. That is cause for a revolution with the military involved.
Any civil war instigated by MAGA to install Trump’s ChristoFascist autocracy will finally be won or lost between a politically divided US military. How many in the US military place allegiance to the protection of the US Constitution above loyalty to their superior officers who may be fully signed up to an ideologically sympathetic extremist GOP.
The conundrum at the core of the struggle.
Right back to the ideological roots of the US Civil War of individual/state rights versus the collective responsibilities of The Constitution.
And around and around we go…
The right's priming for a civil war has intensified since 2020 and they're ready to go. (I wonder who was behind the decisions to blast Fox News onto military bases?)
Trump could reduce himself to a blubbering blob of BLECCH and the right wing will still try to install him as our next president.
I read yesterday in Jay Kuo's substack about how Texas' AG is terrorizing voters. https://open.substack.com/pub/statuskuo/p/texas-is-terrorizing-voters?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&comments=true
These are some of the reasons that the US is an aspiring democracy and not a full democracy. We need to fight for mandatory voter registration. In the EU I live in a country that has mandatory registration, but not mandatory voting. That is also a part of some countries, and people get fined if they don't vote. The reason Germany, my other home can register everyone automatically, because if you live here for more than 3 months, you have to register yourself and where you live. You have to register either as a primary residence or a secondary residence. That includes registering your citizenship status, so they have knowledge of everyone from every age, and when you turn old enough to vote, in the EU election one could vote at 16, they know where people are, because if you move you have to register where you live. That is common in European countries, so there is a keeping track of people. Then you get information about voting in the mail about 1-2 months before the election. You can also sign up for a mail in ballot, but must initiate that yourself. Growing up in Chicago, which has been infamous for voter fraud in the Democratic machine, I can see how vote fraud can happen. A lot of it was just buying votes, or forcing Union members to vote-by-mail and turn in their ballots to vote. It is a citywide effort, but does not transcend to the whole state. The machine also taught people to "pull the lever" to vote straight democratic ticket, which I grew up knowing not to do. It is why I consider myself an Independent. I would vote Green if it were a viable alternative in the US government. As it is, I am a member of Democrats Abroad with others who think like me. The greenest party is my party. During the pandemic I started regularly writing to politicians, and that has carried on. It does seem dangerous to go out and vote now a days if you are a democrat. I am reading more and more articles how right wing militia go out and intimidate and kill people. They are who do border patrols under the guise of citizen action. We need to be getting these militias under control, and the opposite will happen under Trump. Still, I feel like the letter that Republican Lawyers wrote in support of Harris that I read about yesterday, where they say that they may not agree on everything but they agree on the fundamentals of rule of law and democracy which they feel she will protect and Trump won't. We can thank Joe Biden for establishing this difference, and it appears that the DNC was a job interview, which Kamala passed with flying colors. Viva la Kamala!
This was also reported by the Washington Post.
Gift link
https://wapo.st/4dVGCgY
That is horrible.
You are so right about so much…
I believe it was Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who famously stopped the Florida recount from continuing. If it had continued, as was later revealed, Gore would have been the victor.
And in an interview she later regretted that vote. And should. She changed history, our country and the Climate Change mess (and others) we are in.
She didn’t regret soon enough
Heather’s letters routinely include some historical nuance that I have been unaware of before reading her letters. Her letters also generate thoughtful comments from the large group of readers she has attracted. Your Wikipedia link to the Brooks Brothers riot in 2000 is such a comment. Thanks for providing it.
Thinking back to 2000 when I was fully engaged in running a business and with minimal time available to pay attention to politics, I was blissfully unaware of the seeds of the future right wing bent for a portion of our populace. I do regret missing the signposts in the fog during that period.
I also agree with you 100%. The Orange Felon and the billionaires who back him will resort to every last cheat in the fascist’s playbook to claim victory in the election. Yes, the Supreme Court will simply declare the election results “fraudulent” if Kamala wins, and then rule that Rump should be president. And yes, the MAGAts will use violence to suppress any protests that might ensue.
Who's to stop SCOTUS?? Their 6-3 majority taunting us with their Prez Immunity decision magnifies the unaccountibility of this demonstrably corrupt group of men.
The Buck Stops There.
Said it before: I don't think anyone or anything can stop them. The GOP and Heritage Foundation played their long game well...
Two participants in the Brooks Brothers ’riot’ stand out: Matt Schlapp and Roger Stone. Wherever Republican skullduggery occurs, these two execrable meat-bags are sure to be stinking up the place.
They have always been busy with the most creative evil. Think Al Franken, in my opinion.
Steve: I strongly suspect you are correct. Take a look at Thomas Edsall's Opinion Piece in THE NEW YORK TIMES, "Trump Isn't Finished," 08/21/2024. <https://nytimes.com/2024/08/21/opinion/trumps-second-term-2025.html>
Page not found.
Try this one.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/21/opinion/trump-second-term-2025.html
They have proved over and over that they are capable of the most heinous actions. And that a bit of collateral damage is no big deal. Be prepared Dems. Glad some have noticed
I read an article in the Guardian about FBI informant Joe Moore's book predicting "far-right violence". Jamie Raskin wrote the book's forward. https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/aug/25/joe-moore-white-robes-broken-bandages-kkk
They haven’t been quiet about it,
Wasn't John Roberts part of that tragic ploy?
I believe Brett Kavanaugh was.
Violence is a way of communication with today's GQP. Ever since the Tea Party took over the GOP, it's been sliding all downhill. And regardless of what Rand Paul had said in 2019 about the Tea party being dead, what has taken its place is far worse than a group of people demonstrating with signs of grossly misspelled words to communicate their feelings. The rank lack of intellect inherent within the Tea Party has now turned to dangerous volatile actions by too many in the Trump world. I fear something more than the DOJ will be needed to nail down Trump's political coffin.
Thank you Professor Richardson.
We've put up a page on our non-profit where people can check their voter registration status with their official State website, and also have collected and provide election protection information.
We'll continue to evolve the page with new information as it becomes available.
https://civ.works/voter-rights/
Thank you! I will post your link to our Indivisible website and Facebook and will encourage our mail list to contact anyone they know in any state to check their voter status and re-register if they’ve been purged.
Thank you Gary!
You might be interested to know that our core work is developing a hate-free, ad-free trusted civic social network built for civic action and education. Our mission is to replace Facebook and the unfortunate toxic cesspool Twitter has become under Elon Musk -with a subscriber-supported people’s social network that will not sell or share our subscriber information with marketers or sinister political operatives.
Worked like a charm, thanks so much. Paxton hasn’t messed with me yet.
Oh glory, when, I’m in.
George, are you going to make that website mobile friendly? The large majority of people access websites via smart phones. A website implemented in Google Sites or SquareSpace automatically reads well on a smart phone. I’m sure other platforms also do so.
Gary, our main platform is web and native mobile (https://social.civ.works). I haven’t directed as much time to the static site, but that is a super important recommendation and I will work on it tomorrow.
If not, I could recreate it in SquareSpace but can’t get to it for a few days.
Thanks Gary, I checked on an Apple iOS phone and the page rendered properly (it’s using responsive web). I will look on android. I was worried that the 3 column layout was causing issues. I also notice there is an AMP plugin I can use for the civ.works static web site. I do want to make it as easy and as accessible as it can be for all while we continue to add content to support voters and voting rights.
George, getting into the tech weeds, when I scroll down to Kansas, the left column stops and the two right columns continue. The left column displays as one line listings while the other two columns display as three lines each, and alignment is off. I’m on an iPhone XR using IOS 17.6.1. I can’t upload a screen shot here but wonder if the anomaly is caused by my font size settings? Can I go to either of your links and send an email with a screen shot?
Excellent move!
Thanks Anne-Louise. We'll do all we can on our side while hoping the DOJ takes care of election deniers and government officials who continue to try to subvert the election process through purges, intimidation, and harassment.
We need to be able to RELY on the DOJ to do so...
To do what they are there for?
(Spreads hands)
Thank-you!
Heather's today trenchantly summarizes the treachery, criminality, and lies that rule Republicans.
In a parallel occurrence, Lawrence O'Donnell's today recounts why so many in rural America still root for their ocult leader. His tariffs on Chinese imports occasioned reciprocal actions by China, so U.S. farmers cannot export their grain there. But, no problem, the orange felon arranged for the U.S. income from tariffs -- $28 billion of it -- to go directly to farmers in Iowa and nearby grain states. They don't have to work at all, just collect money paid for in higher costs by other Americans.
It's that way across the spectrum of this party -- 1) welfare for the rich in tax reductions for billionaires; 2) freedom for corporate predators to hurt American health, workplace safety, and the environment by the Clarence court curtailing federal agency oversight; and 3) the welfare for Trumpies as Lawrence O'Donnell cites.
Power, an aphrodisiac -- for those organized to lie, cheat, and criminally war on American rights.
Several months ago the Biden administration put a tariff of 100% on Chinese EVs. Today the Canadian government has done the same. I wonder how China will retaliate?
Like D4N, I'd not known this, either, Annie.
The U.S. Navy has guaranteed world peace -- at least on the seas -- since WWII. China wants to kill the hegemony by which the U.S. has had so much power. One way -- its primary way -- of doing this has been to help prop up neighboring dictators, the little fat boy with the bad haircut in North Korea, and the murderer, assassin, and genocidalist in Russia.
Add in Hindi nationalist Modi, Hungarian nationalist Orban, the far-right settlers' favorite nationalist Netanyahu, and they've all got themselves a nice little club, with U.S. Republicans frothing to join.
Interesting.. I'd not seen that Annie.
Annie, here’s a link outlining Trudeau’s reasoning for the tariffs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/26/business/canada-ev-tariffs-china.html
Remember when Obama saved are auto manufacturers.
Chump is always transactional, buying votes is his style. He fits right in with republican treachery and criminality. You hit the nail on the head.
WHEN YOU’RE AHEAD, HIT THE ACCELERATOR
I am thrilled that the momentum has recently shifted so sharply from Trump to Kamala/Coach. Recent polls show this reflected in a wide diversity of groups. It makes me feel great.
BUT we are over 70 days away from November 5th.I am reminded of when I engaged in sailing team races. We would be exhilarated by a wind shift that provides us an advantage. HOWEVER, we never became complacent. We sought to maximize our advantage, fearing that another wind shift could bring failure.
In recent presidential elections, polls have been an uncertain indicator. Especially when the focus is on seven ‘swing states’ where a few thousand votes could make the difference, having unused bullets in your guns on November 5th would be inexcusable.
The Kamala/Coach ticket can provide a significant boost to House and Senate candidates, The Senate is especially important, since a Democratic Congress would permit President Harris to enact critical tax, social, and infrastructure legislation.
I am also reminded of my college crew days. The cox would strain to get every ounce of energy from us eight grunts. When we were ahead, he would insist on a power 20 or 40 at over 40 strokes/minute so that we would be exhausted (and triumphant) at the end.
Whatever the other crews did, we were focused on doing our best.
Run and work as underdogs for another two months to assure that we will win (and win big?) on November 5th.
LET’S HAVE NO GAS LEFT IN OUR TANKS ON NOVEMBER 5TH!
Keith, wonderfully said! What encourages me is to hear our son, who has reluctantly voted for Clinton and Biden, excited about Harris and sending us links to articles praising Walz. He says that his buddies are equally excited about this ticket.
Mary We have a grand kid studying for his MCATS who had the same experience. He and his friends seem galvanized by Kamala/Coach.
You’ve seen it all, well, a lot anyway. You have aged with wisdom (as has Joe). Some just get old.
JD Good news, from family, friends, and most recently Kamala/Coach, continue to provide me sparks of youth, though my carburetor needs a partial overhaul.
As does mine, and maybe more than a carb
JD Four compression fractures of my lower back are beyond a Jiffy Lube visit.
Good grief, yet you rise…
JD Think of me as a soufflé with a walker and a cane.
Keith, reminds me of my competitive windsurfing days…we must keep tacking upwind until we can round the buoy that brings us downwind to the finish line!
Kathy Get in the zone and ride the hell out of it.
Keith, well at least enough gas to get us back to our recliners!
Wow, it really does smell like Reconstruction has risen on the back of this turd-pile of a human. Super important to support not only Harris-Walz (and all the down-ballot Democrats) but also places like Democracy Docket https://www.democracydocket.com/ who are working every day to save our democracy.
Voter registration is really not a political question for the most part, except that in the US it is considered a problem to keep a comprehensive citizen register. In Europe and many other places, it is quite common that all eligible citizens get a voting card sent to them automatically, without need to apply for it. A county or state that does not have a reliable register and process for identifying voters is not considered well managed.
The postcard writing I’ve been doing has been to encourage people to register and to check their status. We need to get people aware that they can check their own voter status. vote.org
Thank you for your efforts! We need to do everything possible to balance our activity and donations with the obscene wealth and avarice on the other side.
I will go back and write this on the postcards I’m sending to people in Georgia.
In last night's dream, Donald Vladimir Trump steps aside, confesses to all crimes outlined by Jack Smith and, in a plea bargain, lives out his golden-toilet years in exile at Mar-a-Lago, knowing that any public statement by him is a one-way ticket to Guantanamo.
Trump is just a figure head - he couldn't tear a hole in toilet paper on his own.
How are we going to educate his millions of followers?
Deprogramming. It takes time and effort...
Lady, I agree that Stephen Miller and his ilk are actually steering this car, with 45 sitting in the back seat with a paper map and yelling that they’re not listening to his demands.
Stephen Miller’s group is clogging up the courts. Those behind Project 2025 will reduce Con45 to a figurehead at best. My guess is he’ll be taken down under the 25th.
Gail, and then we will have JD Vance, who will sign a nationwide ban on abortion and contraception. He will also float a national ban on no-fault divorces.
When we fight, we win!
Greg I had a similar dream. In mine, first RotoRotor had to come in and flush all the top secret documents our of the Mar a Lago toilets as well as all of the gunk that Dufus Donald slabs on his hair and face.
He probably would like that deal. It would allow him to play golf all day and throw parties for dictators, while staying out of jail, which I believe is the only reason he is running for president.
I'll dream a little dream with you...
You cannot write this history without including how the John Roberts Supreme Court eviscerated Title VI of the Civil Rights act turning state animus and racism free to create all these formerly blocked undemocratic maneuvers.
Oh how true! Sadly…
It is why there are certain rights and liberties outlined in the Constitution and amendments that should be protected and guaranteed by federal/national law and not left to the states. When states like TX, GA, NE and many others can impose extremist policies against their citizens, we are no longer the United States of America.
Jim Crow 2.0. The GQP is so scared of voters and so deeply corrupt, that their clear focus is voter suppression and intimidation. Despicable and sad.
One has to ask those that would vote for such a party - what are you voting for??
Thank you for highlighting the epic swampiness of the GQP. They should be ashamed . . .
Rachel Maddow is calmly (because her profession requires the attitude of calm) freaking out over the new voting laws in Georgia…
They don't care there is no "for" there, if they are voting AGAINST a pluralistic society that is fair and freely successful for black, brown and red people.
Because they are also afraid that those folks will marginalize their "white privilege."
While I am greatly concerned by all of the Trumpublican voter shenanigans, I must confess that these days Trump is providing me great pleasure.
After President Biden’s June 27th debate debacle, Trump thought that he was riding his gilded escalator to electoral heaven. Then, when grazed by a bullet, he felt anointed as the second coming of Jesus Christ.
What possibly could go wrong?
OOPHS! A miracle. President Biden, putting country over self, stepped down and Kamala/Coach are the young, vibrant candidates.
Now Trump is being hoisted on his own petard—the presidential debate. He whined that it was not fair for Biden to be replaced by a younger candidate whose Blackness he questioned. He also questioned Kamala’s intelligence, her crowd turn out, and bluntly stated that he was more beautiful than her.
BUT there was the scheduled September 10th presidential debate. Was it possible that this youthful Black female whippersnapper could skewer the fact-free bloviator in a national debate? [My response—absolutely.]
So now the Great Pretender is between a political rock and hard place. If he proceeds with the September 10th debate, he’ll end up as sliced sushi. If he seeks to slither out of the debate, he will reveal to the country that he is a chicken-s++t bully.
Trump, what will it be—sliced sushi or chicken s++t?
lol my husband just called me off the porch to view the new Harris ad. It shows Con45 endlessly bloviating while overlaid with the sound of clucking chickens. I love the new breath of fresh air!
Gail Only thing missing is the aroma of his chicken s++t.
Excellent question, Keith.
You are on a roll today, Keith! So enjoy your comments, whether pithy or wise!
The Trump campaign seems to be deflating before our eyes. It's not surprising, since the Harris and Walz team have turned the table on Trump's team. As someone recently crudely put it: Trump is not in this for the sake of the country; he's in it to stay out of prison. He's lucky he has a legitimate reason to raise money, but how much is siphoned off to cover his Armada of legal bills?
I just looked up the Arkansas Supreme Court decision about the abortion ballot measure. It was a 5-2 decision with the Chief Justice John Dan Kemp and Justice Karen Baker dissenting. What a politically scandalous decision. Meddling on the order of Gore v. Bush.
Here's the cite: https://opinions.arcourts.gov/ark/supremecourt/en/item/522904/index.do
Is there a difference between the security and traceability of a mail-in ballot vs a voting- machine generated ballot? If so, voters need to know which is more verifiable. With mail-in and early-voting, as well as Election Day voting options, voters need to know their best choice to be sure their votes are counted. Also, can voters verify their individual votes on line?
Another question is, why wait until Election Day if there is even a chance of violence at the polls? We have a much more convenient time frame to vote early by mail or in person!
Jane, here in Texas, a paper ballot is generated by the voting machine. You can look at it to further verify your choices before you deposit it.
In a switch, how about Republicans stay home on election day?
If we're lucky they will stay home. In 2016 there were several 4'x8' Trump signs and huge Trump flags by this time in the election cycle. Now there is exactly ONE in our town of about 2000. There are 3 Kennedy signs but they are all in the same yard of my neighbors who are huge anti-vaxxers because their son is on the spectrum and they can't blame themselves for his poor diet or the formula they fed him. (See "Deep Nutrition" by Dr. Catherine Shanahan M.D.).
Dr. Shanahan gets deep into the organic chemistry of damage to our DNA which she proves with science , caused by vegetable oils and sugars. As a GP and an ER doctor she has seen first hand the results of these two toxins.
This is my one fear or this election, not that Harris/Walz will lose either the popular vote or the electoral college - but that the parties of trump, heritage and federalist have already in place their plans to prevent the honest result from being put into effect by any criminal means at their disposal. It is difficult for honest people to think like criminals but that's what all our law enforcement agencies must do from October 1, 2024 until at least February 1, 2025. You can be damned sure (some of it is already in the public domain via Project 2025 and public statements from Kevin Roberts and Donald Trump) that the magats are prepared.
And hoping that those law enforcement agencies or at least some of their members are not part of the coup.
Recently doubling down on eradicating democracy---
"Leave it to the states," by partisan design, is destroying "United" and attempting to replace it with a North American Balkans--all under the thumb of a small, obscenely wealthy ruling class.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/house-raids-texas-democrats-ken-paxton-voting-rights-lulac-rcna168216
https://boltsmag.org/nebraska-voting-rights-restoration/
“This constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore.
A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong. And such a people, deprived of the power to think and judge, is, without knowing and willing it, completely subjected to the rule of lies.
With such a people, you can do whatever you want.”
— Hannah Arendt, German historian and philosopher (1906–1975)