After years of accusations and rumors swirling around Hunter Biden, the 53-year-old son of President Joe Biden, the Department of Justice has reached a tentative deal with the younger Biden: He will plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges of failing to file income tax returns for 2017 and 2018 by the filing date, for which he owed more than $100,000 each year.
It is remarkable how Joe Biden stays focused on building relationships and repairing the deterioration of the USA while being bludgeoned with chaos daily. How can anyone think he is too old to run again? I am a year younger than he, and if I had his job I would be dead by now, or look dead, anyhow. God bless you, Joe Biden, you are what we could not be even if we tried harder.
Committed "napper" here (I think "nappy" doesn't quite work here as a descriptor) and have been for years. They can be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half. I even got my mom, who swore she couldn't nap, to eventually start taking them. Nothing recharges my battery better in late afternoon, and it has absolutely no effect on my sleep later that night. Power naps ROCK!
NOT SO. Biden is recognized... as are George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and others up to Abraham Lincoln... Joseph B. Biden is in the founder category... for his work is reaching to reform the democracy that was flawed fatally on day one... President Biden will not complete this work, no president will ever complete this work, for we are ever in a state of becoming... Democracy is a process of renewal in which all generations must participate or perish...and Joe Biden knows she was flawed - as are we all - Anita Hill bears witness to Joe Biden’s failure and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson bears witness to his progress... now, fellow reader of the breach... we must VOTE... and bring others to VOTE... for January 6th and the present indictments of TFG... bear witness to the long road ahead...
All were incredibly huge, Biden’s will stand in history… as will his overall quiet virtue; the snob and cowardly antisemite FDR turned away boats loaded with Jews, Truman foolishly ignored The Franck Report to intimidate Stalin, slaughter in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, that initiated MAD, Putin is worse than any, Ukraine and Trump are ghastly, warming is terminal to life on Planet Earth, as is antibiotic misuse in livestock, slavery was our original sin, it’s elegant lonely depressed Lincoln and modest aging master negotiator Biden..
dealing with terminal fascism at home… and abroad, facing the end of civilization… and 70 million White fascists ignored and fanned by MSM… Don’t Look Up, we are threatened as never before…
What is striking in any list of great presidents is that one encounters the recurring fact that each was, in the end, a human being with the consequent "flaws" endemic to the breed; all were human beings bent on being the best that they could in their respective circumstances. It is that very effort to be good human beings that seems most glaringly absent in the current and recent crops of R's.
JohnM, I agree and find these also to be true. It is the arc of a person's life, not the singular or few data points on the arc that bear truth of their character, least of all their full worth. IMHO, the mistakes and choices we make are what teaches us and our admission and corrections determines whether our contributions are major or minor. Maybe these are corrallaries to your consequences of Flaws endemic to our species.
Sad but true; you didn’t mention how many fools FDR had to deal with during his terms, starting with the Coup of 1933 (of which Prescott Bush was a part).
Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940), nicknamed the Maverick Marine, was a senior United States Marine Corps officer. During his 34-year career, he fought in the Philippine–American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Mexican Revolution, and World War I. At the time of his death, Butler was the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. By the end of his career, Butler had received sixteen medals, including five for heroism; he is the only Marine to be awarded the Brevet Medal as well as two Medals of Honor, all for separate actions.
"The abandonment of the gold standard was a major sticking point for many high-ranking officials and bankers in the country during 1933. Although there were several recognized issues with money backed by gold (such as dependency on gold production, and short-term price instabilities), many bankers were fearful that their gold-backed loans would not be paid back in full by the President’s new policies.
The departure from the gold standard just added to other concerns about FDR’s policies, particularly his plans to provide subsidizations and jobs for the poor, which businessmen and conservative politicians alike took as an indication of Roosevelt's socialist leanings, or (even worse) a communist. Butler could sense this disgruntlement when he asked to meet with MacGuire’s superior, and found himself speaking with Robert Sterling Clark, an heir to the Singer Sewing fortune. Clark was much more upfront than MacGuire, telling Butler that his real interest was in preserving the gold standard, even claiming that he “had $30 million, and was willing to spend half of the $30 million to save the other half.”
Butler, true to his patriotic form, flatly refused the offer to deliver the speech at the convention in Chicago. After parting ways with MacGuire and Clark, he heard little from the men until MacGuire began travelling through Europe on a trip funded by Clark. MacGuire began sending postcards to Butler from various European locations, including Italy, Germany, and France."
Presott Bush: "His business dealings, which continued until his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave labourers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy..."
"Three sets of archives spell out Prescott Bush's involvement. All three are readily available, thanks to the efficient US archive system and a helpful and dedicated staff at both the Library of Congress in Washington and the National Archives at the University of Maryland.
The first set of files, the Harriman papers in the Library of Congress, show that Prescott Bush was a director and shareholder of a number of companies involved with Thyssen.
The second set of papers, which are in the National Archives, are contained in vesting order number 248 which records the seizure of the company assets. What these files show is that on October 20 1942 the alien property custodian seized the assets of the UBC, of which Prescott Bush was a director. Having gone through the books of the bank, further seizures were made against two affiliates, the Holland-American Trading Corporation and the Seamless Steel Equipment Corporation. By November, the Silesian-American Company, another of Prescott Bush's ventures, had also been seized.
The third set of documents, also at the National Archives, are contained in the files on IG Farben, who was prosecuted for war crimes.
A report issued by the Office of Alien Property Custodian in 1942 stated of the companies that "since 1939, these (steel and mining) properties have been in possession of and have been operated by the German government and have undoubtedly been of considerable assistance to that country's war effort"." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar?all=true
That's exactly right, SB! It's an extremely difficult job to do what President Biden is doing, and what he has already gotten done for the betterment of ALL!!! Not just one group and what ever their focus is on, but for the betterment of humanity itself. God Bless him, and may he have the strength to carry on. Unless someone else shows up who has the same level of integrity, compassion and knowledge of how to legislate to get things done in our government, (good luck with that) Joe Biden is our man!
There are many of things Biden should of/could of done to make things easier on himself and the country. Executive Orders!! Pipelines still being built, still giving subsidies to oil and gas, still corporate gouging the people could of been handled to name a few. Yes, he has done many things but he could of clean house much better of repugs in critical institutions. Sorry, I am scared to death and don't trust dems or Biden to get the job done but will vote blue no matter what.
It's true, but we have to be thankful, not being in a position to ask for the moon. Biden has been too fearful on some things and bold enough on others. His and the country's moral compass are in tact, forging ahead especially given the depravity of the opposition. I too figured he would be bolder but I think wanting another term might have made him fearful. I wonder if he can keep this up for another term. He can abdicate to Harris if necessary- which would be interesting to say the least.
Where to start with this? slaughter in Nagasaki and Hiroshima... I wonder if the men who were going to have to get off of those boats and invade Japan felt glad about ending the war?
Are we the only society that has ever had slaves? I find that it is a rather human condition and proof that we are indeed animals.
Neither Truman nor FDR was perfect. Here we go again with letting perfect be the enemy of good.
Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, even Brits had indentured slaves working off the sentences long forgotten. China had castrated Eunuchs working with theit female sex slaves. Women and prisoners were enslaved.
I'm not sure that FDR and Truman faced far bigger challenges domestically. Neither had a significant group opposing them that wanted to end the democratic system here in the U.S. and install a Fascist overseeing a white theocratic dictatorship. It has been said that the past is prologue to the future, and even the present. For proof of this observation I highly recommend the book that was recommended to me on this thread: Timothy Egan's "A Fever in the Heartland." This book is riveting and you will be dumbfounded how much the present day MAGA Republicans are the "grandchildren" of the 1920's KKK. Be afraid.
I second the recommendation. I am Hoosier born and had heard a few things about the KKK in the 1920s in Indiana, but I was really taken aback by what I read. I wonder now if my parents knew any KKK members. I did hear all the nonsense about Catholics. As I was reading it, I had the same thoughts as Richard above. MAGAs sound exactly the same which tells me that all of this went sorta underground for a while and I say sorta because I heard lots of racist comments and unthinking references to others. I am reminded of a famous restaurant chain and a name for Brazil nuts for example. I grew up in the 1950s when all these problems were not in the headlines and the country was doing well, as was my hometown Elkhart, economically. Both my husband and I are still in the process of learning about what went on in the past. My current book is about the Plague and the changes it caused. As an aside, I am the same age as Biden and I can't even imagine doing what he is doing.
Michele, it was a very shocking book....I will be 80 next month! I wish I had learned more about our real history! However, it is never to late to learn! I think I buy this book for my 2 girls and their husbands for Christmas and maybe my ten year old granddaughter!
Yes, shocking. My parents had friends in Valpo, so now i wonder about them. I grew up in a R household, but had a German surname, so I think not members of the KKK, but very prejudiced none the less against Catholics among others. My mother's family made plenty of racist remarks, but since my grandparents moved around and never lived in Indiana, I don't think they were members either. I went with one of my second cousins to a family reunion near Wabash of my father's family and those people were prejudiced against Hispanics and Indians who apparently owned the motel we were staying at. Never saw them though. We went to a Mexican restaurant near it and that was met with disapproval. These people were of German descent by in large. I have no children, but do recommend books here and other places. My husband and I are the intellectuals of both of our families and none of them read as much as we do. My sister's family living mainly in Illinois and Indiana are intelligent in some cases, but very poorly educated
It's a good thought, Sharon, but what if they don't read the books? Perhaps a short discussion with them first about the topic could give you a clue whether they'd read it. In places "A Fever . . ." is a tear jerker. One can google D.C. Stephenson and read his biography there. He had amazing talents given his lack of an education. What a travesty, that he was such a misanthrope.
I just finished reading “A Fever in the Heartland”. One of the most thorough lessons in history that I have had on the subject of the KKK. As I read it, I kept thinking, “This explains what the Republicans are doing right now.” Bullying and intimidation tactics only work for so long until the majority will no longer tolerate that behavior. I was shocked to learn that this happened in the state next to mine. I hope everyone reads “A Fever in the Heartland”.
FDR *did* have extremely large, organized, violent groups of Fascists here in the US that supported Hitler. There are many sources but 'Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America' and Rachel Maddow Presents 'ULTRA' come to mind first.
My point of departure from what FDR faced is the degree and the extent to which the Fascists gained control of the levers of government. At the present time, we have aiders and abettors to the conspiratorial sedentionists serving in all level of government, state and federal, including folks such as Jim Jordan, Kevin McCarthy and Ron DeSantis. Thank you for this point. This is an on-going struggle, the outcome yet to be determined.
You haven't heard of the Business Man's coup? A bunch of conservative business men tried to recruit Butler to lead a coup and take over FDRs administration. Jules Archer wrote a book about it called The Plot to Seize the White House. That was in 1933.
I would add the greedy processed food companies (along with animal protein producers) that have contributed to the standard american diet (SAD) which is causing morbidity and mortality in mass numbers every year.
Biden’s political/humanitarian (a strange combination huh?) instincts serve him well. Stay the course, avoid distraction, deliver the promise good governance and recreate respect for the Office of the Presidency
Joe is shrewd. Joe is wily. Joe is two miles ahead of the the Repubi
Except at the State legislative level where his strategy doesn't seem to apply. HCR quotes the Washington Post's pointing out that "The right doesn’t seem to care about the legal process'' in attaining its goals. And they get away with it in Republlican-controlled State houses. Example: Congress will never pass a ban on abortions, but State legislatures are doing exactly that, with their early definitions (six weeks?) of viability. That's why the SCOTUS must be expanded, and the 2024 elections may make that possible.
The Koch Brothers took good care to control the state legislatures, I believe in mostly red states, while the Democrats didn't pay attention. Howard Dean tried very hard when he was chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009 to get the Party to be in all the states, go local and elect more Democrats - grow the Party, everywhere. He was mostly ignored.
Seems to suggest that we continue to mass our troops in some federal Glenn, while the opposition is distributed in battles beyond our reach? Sounds to me like our mistaken battle plans in Viet Nam; regiments seeking other regiments to fight decisive battles, when the wars were being successfully waged in villages and jungles by the Viet Cong.
Good comment, Frank. But which is worse, being dead or looking dead? Hmm... a close call. As a once and forever Bernie bro, I have come to really admire Joe Biden, but I do not envy him. Doing what he does at his age is no picnic.
Thanks Frank - that's a beautiful tribute to Biden, true in every way. He saved us from a terrifying abyss, and has made steady progress ever since. I'm in awe and grateful every day.
I’m with you. I don’t know how he has the stamina to deal with ALL that is on his plate. And yet he is so calm and collective and stays the course with such integra❤️
Anyone who has ever had a child with a drug or alcohol problem will know how painful that can be. To be a capable leader as well as a supportive parent is mind boggling. We all need to support Biden and his administration. And we need to tune out the right wing noise machine.
All while it's so very difficult to find information about these actions and continued governance among the headlines that only want to sensationalize his poor polling numbers and provide a negative slant to any headline.
President Biden seems to be opened and focused on his mission. He expresses himself authentically and despite his old age, he still tries as much as possible to remain flexible and lift America. But, Trump is good in capitalizing emotions of the people. He opposes everything that comes from the government. I don't know how this will turn out to be.
What Trump actually does is tell people they're outraged. He feeds them outrage, anger, hate. If those yokels sitting in diners in flyover country were emotional, they wouldn't be sitting there waiting for a loser like Trump to come along and save them. They'd be fighting for whatever the hell it is they're angry about not having.
Trump is the neighborhood kid who shows up at the park one day with a shiny new bicycle, saying to the other kids, "I got a new bike. You could have a new bike too, and a puppy, and lots of ice cream, but the reason you don't is because your parents spend all the money on themselves. "
Trump speaks the language of hate and blame. He says he can fix everything, and there are a lot of people out there who want an authority figure to do that. They want to be taken care of. I used to live in Egypt, moved there in 2011 just after the revolution, and these Trump culties remind me of the people in Egypt who elected Al-Sisi. They wanted an authority figure to run everything. And that's what they got.
Trump is the neighborhood kid who shows up at the park one day with a shiny new bicycle, saying to the other kids, "I got a new bike. You could have a new bike too, and a puppy, and lots of ice cream, but the reason you don't is because your parents spend all the money on themselves. "
Frank Mitchell, lest we forget that there is no shortcut to experience. President Biden has not been vacationing and playing golf all these years. He has been learning the workings of negotiation, the many functions of our government and how it can work in accomplishing what the people of our country want and need to actually contribute to the workings of our republic.
Frank, I often think the same thing. My only hesitancy in voting for him originally was his age (a few months older than I), but after his inauguration, he went to his office and began working, and he hasn't stopped. He is being abused by right-wingers because he makes them look so bad, and less-malignant observers spend time criticizing his gaffes and stiff gait. He's the best president/statesman that we've been lucky enough to have in decades.
You might want to leave your bubble and come back to earth and look at the latest Harvard Harris poll. Not only does it have Trump ahead by 6. It has Biden's approval rating at 40%.
Even worse are his polling numbers on inflation, the economy, the fear of a recession, the border, and crime.
Building and repairing are not terms that come to lips of the majority of Americans.
Today’s Letter is jam backed with important stories. Here’s one more.
___’Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court’
___ ‘July 2008, Samuel Alito stood on a riverbank in a remote corner of Alaska. The Supreme Court justice was on vacation at a luxury fishing lodge that charged more than $1,000 a day, and after catching a king salmon nearly the size of his leg, Alito posed for a picture. To his left, a man stood beaming: Paul Singer, a hedge fund billionaire who has repeatedly asked the Supreme Court to rule in his favor in high-stakes business disputes.’
‘Singer was more than a fellow angler. He flew Alito to Alaska on a private jet. If the justice chartered the plane himself, the cost could have exceeded $100,000 one way.’
___’In the years that followed, Singer’s hedge fund came before the court at least 10 times in cases where his role was often covered by the legal press and mainstream media. In 2014, the court agreed to resolve a key issue in a decade-long battle between Singer’s hedge fund and the nation of Argentina. Alito did not recuse himself from the case and voted with the 7-1 majority in Singer’s favor. The hedge fund was ultimately paid $2.4 billion.’
____“If you were good friends, what were you doing ruling on his case?” said Charles Geyh, an Indiana University law professor and leading expert on recusals. “And if you weren’t good friends, what were you doing accepting this?” referring to the flight on the private jet.’
___ ‘ProPublica’s investigation sheds new light on how luxury travel has given prominent political donors — including one who has had cases before the Supreme Court — intimate access to the most powerful judges in the country. Another wealthy businessman provided expensive vacations to two members of the high court, ProPublica found. On his Alaska trip, Alito stayed at a commercial fishing lodge owned by this businessman, who was also a major conservative donor. Three years before, that same businessman flew Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in 2016, on a private jet to Alaska and paid the bill for his stay.’
___’Leonard Leo, the longtime leader of the conservative Federalist Society, attended and helped organize the Alaska fishing vacation. Leo invited Singer to join, according to a person familiar with the trip, and asked Singer if he and Alito could fly on the billionaire’s jet. Leo had recently played an important role in the justice’s confirmation to the court. Singer and the lodge owner were both major donors to Leo’s political groups.’
THERE IS MORE TO THIS PROPUBLICA INVESTIGATION, by Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, Alex Mierjeski June 20, 11:49 p.m. EDT
OMG, Fern! Thank you for providing this to us all. I knew that Alito was "fishy", but to this extent I did not know!
So both Sullen Sam Alito, or as he may prefer to be called now, Salmon Sam Alito and No Clearance Clarence are fully exposed as corrupt puppets in black robes for their uber wealthy benefactors and those similarly situated. Gee, that along with the oh-so-coincidental fact that the two of them are the most radical right wing Justices on the most right wing Court in our Country's history is knee buckling, to say the least.
I have said this before but Salmom Sam reminds me of a saying by an old Iowa farm boy that worked his way up from a construction carpenter to become production manager of the world's largest aluminum rolling mill in Davenport, IA. Paul used to say to complaining folks "you remind me of an old hound dog who is sitting on his balls and howling because it hurts and is either too stupid or too lazy to get up and do something about it." Sam sure likes to howl to the Wall Street Journal.
'ProPublica asked about Alito’s travel. He replied in the Wall Street Journal.'
'Questioned about an undisclosed fishing trip hosted by a GOP billionaire, the Supreme Court justice instead shared his rebuttal in a rival media outlet — before the investigative journalists could publish their scoop.'
By Paul Farhi, Washington Post
June 21, 2023 at 1:25 a.m. EDT
'Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. took issue with questions raised by the investigative journalism outlet ProPublica about his travel with a politically active billionaire, and on Tuesday evening he outlined his defense in an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal.'
'Yet Alito was responding to a news story that ProPublica hadn’t yet published.'
'Alito’s Journal column, bluntly headlined “ProPublica Misleads Its Readers,” was an unusual public venture by a Supreme Court justice into the highly opinionated realm of a newspaper editorial page. And it drew criticism late Tuesday for effectively leaking elements of ProPublica’s still-in-progress journalism — with the assistance of the Journal’s editorial-page editors.'
'An editor’s note at the top of Alito’s column said that ProPublica reporters Justin Elliott and Josh Kaplan had sent a series of questions to Alito last week and asked for a response by Tuesday at noon. The editor’s note doesn’t mention that ProPublica hadn’t yet published its story — nor that Alito did not provide his answers directly to ProPublica.'
'A spokesperson for the Journal, whose editorial page operates independently from its newsroom, did not respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment late Tuesday.'
'ProPublica published its story on Alito just before midnight on Tuesday, about five hours after the Journal published Alito’s defensive column.'
'It details the conservative justice’s relationship with billionaire hedge-fund manager Paul Singer, including their trip to an Alaskan fishing resort in 2008. According to the story, Singer — whose hedge fund subsequently came before the court 10 times in various business disputes — flew Alito to the resort on his private jet, a trip ProPublica reported would have cost Alito more than $100,000 one way if he had chartered the jet on his own.'
'Alito, who authored the court’s landmark Dobbs decision striking down federal abortion rights last year, didn’t disclose the trip on his financial disclosure forms in an apparent violation of the law, according to ProPublica.'
'The article noted the role of conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo in organizing the Alaska trip, including recruiting Singer to fly Alito to the lodge. The longtime head of the Federalist Society, Leo helped Alito win confirmation to the court. Singer and the lodge’s owner were major donors to the Federalist Society.'
'The story carried the bylines of Kaplan, Elliott and a third ProPublica reporter, Alex Meirjeski — the same team that reported a blockbuster story in April detailing years of luxury trips taken by Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife Ginni and paid for by billionaire Harlan Crow, who also paid for Thomas’s grandnephew’s private school tuition. Thomas never listed the gifts on his Supreme financial disclosure forms, leading some Democrats in Congress to call for Thomas to resign.'
'In his Journal column, Alito accurately anticipated the thrust of ProPublica’s yet-to-be-published article. He denied he had a conflict in accepting Singer’s “hospitality” or was obligated to disclose the 2008 trip. “Neither charge is valid,” he wrote preemptively.'
'He asserted that Singer was merely a casual acquaintance, with whom he spoke only fleetingly during the fishing trip, and was not aware of Singer’s connection to any subsequent court matter.'
'He said he accepted the offer of a seat on Singer’s private plane because it would otherwise have been unoccupied had he declined. A commercial flight, he wrote, would have imposed costs on taxpayers, who would have had to pay for the deputy U.S. marshals who provide security to Supreme Court justices to fly with him.'
'He also disputed ProPublica’s apparent characterization of the fishing resort, calling it' “misleading.”
“I stayed three nights in a modest one-room unit at the King Salmon Lodge, a comfortable but rustic facility” with “home style meals,” he wrote, adding “I cannot recall if (we were) served wine, but if there was, it was certainly not wine that costs $1,000.”
'Alito said he didn’t disclose the flight in his annual disclosure form because the rules at the time were vague: “I followed what I understood to be standard practice.”
'The Journal editorial page has veered sharply to the right in recent years and often expresses support of the more conservative members of the Supreme Court. In April, it blasted “left-leaning” ProPublica’s reporting on Thomas, arguing that the justice did not violate any disclosure rules at the time and that he faced no conflict of interest in his dealings with Crow.'
'Elliott, the lead ProPublica reporter on the story, told The Post early Wednesday that he and his colleagues had been informed Tuesday by the Supreme Court’s chief spokeswoman that Alito would not comment for their story. “It was surprising to see the op-ed publish several hours after that,” he said, “but we’re happy to get substantive engagement with our questions in any forum.”
The foregoing article was copied in its entirety from today's Washington Post.
'He said he accepted the offer of a seat on Singer’s private plane because it would otherwise have been unoccupied had he declined.' Doing his part to reverse climate change by carpooling {jetpooling?)...LOL!!
'A commercial flight, he wrote, would have imposed costs on taxpayers, who would have had to pay for the deputy U.S. marshals who provide security to Supreme Court justices to fly with him.' Just doing his part to save us taxpayers...what a guy!
Allegedly devout Catholics, MLM, at least in my opinion. More akin to Pharisees. Should be thrown out. After all, that’s what Jesus did...😎
Biden’s quiet Catholic faith is on display every day. Don’t know how he does it but I appreciate how he walks the walk rather than just talking the talk.
The trip(s is troubling but being part of a 7-1 decision is not. Wonder how the other cases were split and if Alito was part of a 5-4 split(s) that favored the billionaire.
SUBSCRIBERS, FOLLOW THIS! ALITO HAS MADE THE FRONT PAGE OF NEW YORK TIMES AND ADAM LIPTAK who covers the United States Supreme Court, writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments. 'A graduate of Yale Law School, he practiced law for 14 years before joining The New York Times's news staff in 2002. He has taught courses on the Supreme Court and the First Amendment at several law schools, including Yale and the University of Chicago.' ___ TAKES ALITO TO COURT! (excerpts)
'Justice Alito Defends Private Jet Travel to Luxury Fishing Trip'
'In an opinion essay in The Wall Street Journal, the justice disputed a ProPublica report, saying he was not required to disclose the trip or recuse himself from his benefactor’s cases.'
'Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. took the unusual step late Tuesday of responding to questions about his travel with a billionaire who frequently has cases before the Supreme Court hours before an article detailing their ties had even been published.'
'His response comes as the justices face mounting scrutiny over their ethical obligations to report gifts and to recuse themselves from cases involving their benefactors.'
'The justices have taken differing approaches to explaining their actions and attempting to protect their institution. Justice Clarence Thomas has been largely silent in the face of revelations of gifts from Harlan Crow, a wealthy Republican donor. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. turned down an invitation to testify about the court’s ethics practices and made vague statements about addressing them.'
'And Justice Alito has come out swinging.'
'Justice Alito said he was not required to disclose the trip on Mr. Singer’s private jet in “a seat that, as far as I am aware, would have otherwise been vacant.”
'A federal law requires disclosures of gifts over a certain value but makes exceptions for “personal hospitality of any individual” at “the personal residence of that individual or his family or on property or facilities owned by that individual or his family.” Justice Alito wrote that a jet is such a facility, quoting from dictionary definitions.' (NYTimes) How I wish that I had the gifting option because this article is a beauty. See link below.
Thanks for sharing this blockbuster. No one can doubt that the court is woefully corrupt. Will Roberts ever do anything to stop it? And what’s the next shoe to drop?
My recollection is that when asked about a Supreme Court ethics policy some years ago, Roberts replied that the Supreme Court was too high to require an ethics policy (apparently not even to deflect the appearance of evil) and that no power could enforce it. It seems to me that highly placed public employees whose decision impact the lives of unrelated others should not, as a matter of law, accept more than very trivial (typical) gifts from anyone, certainly including free vacations. If the entrusted honor is great and responsibility is great, it is not unreasonable to ask for some sacrifice of some otherwise acceptable behaviors to avoid even the perception of conflicts of interest. There is too much at stake , and history and science show that bias does not require a conscious intent. However lofty the title, we are all human., and power tends to corrupt, certainly when combined with hubris, even those who approach with earnest intent.
“too high to require an ethics policy… no power could enforce it.” With these words Roberts shows his disdain for our democracy which is defined as the system where all live by the rule of law.
Bad judges are a way of life in this country. I stood up for people and found myself in front of judges 3 times. No jury trials, just judges. Guilty as charged the first occurrence. Big fine and probation. Two other times charges were made up. Not guilty but fined and probation. Twice judges thanked me and admired my courage then fined me because the community in their estimation needed a scapegoat. I hate the root corruption but there comes time when you have to weigh the costs and take the blame. Money usually decides the outcome. Being protected by the law is costly and very risky.
Years ago I worked at TVA and supervised a group of admin assts. one had done some work for a public attorney through her assigned TVA attorney on a public project of which TVA was a part. That attorney sent her a plant as thanks for her work. It exceeded the limit at the time ($30?) and she had to make a decision where to donate it. It was “investigated” by other TVA attorneys.
Some "violations" are so thinly technical that they deserve only a "reminder" of policy, but a governor of Virginia was accepting things like Rolex watches from a man with a business incentive with the state, and somehow that's legally acceptable. I would not even allow civil officers to be wined and dined in very expensive restaurants. I'm not even sure they should be treated to lunch at a burger joint by those with a potential ax to grind. People in the corporation my dad worked for were fired for accepting more than trivial gifts (like a houseplant) from vendors to the company.
Public service affects people's lives. If you don't like the scrutiny, stay out of the public sphere.
“Power must never be trusted without a check.” - John Adams
We respect the social contract. Respect for the person is earned, or not. A person who confuses (and/or promotes) personal preferences with the authority of law has no business being in the process of it's administration. I'm not claiming people in any function should be robots, and "Just following orders" is not an all-purpose excuse; but thinking "I am the State" is corrupt plain and simple.
Michael, It would not occur to me to think of Chief Justice Roberts working to see that ethical behavior be applied to Supreme Court Justices.
'The chief justice’s wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, has made millions in her career recruiting lawyers to prominent law firms, some of which have business before the court. Now, a letter sent to Congress claims that may present a conflict of interest.' (NYTimes) See link below. Sorry not to have access to gifted link.
'At the Supreme Court, Ethics Questions Over a Spouse’s Business Ties'
I need more coffee ! "Will Roberts" when I first read this I wondered what good old "Will Rogers" had to say about the Supreme Court. Some days are like that.
Yowsa, thanks, Fern. Maybe this would be a good time to contact the Court to advocate for televising the trial of DJT in the documents case. Just a thought.
When the article revealing Clarence Thomas’ ties to Harlan Crow was published, I was so outraged that I wrote to my Senator, Dick Durbin. I told himI had lost all faith in the Supreme Court’s ability to make fair rulings. This was the response I received from him the same day:
“ Thank you for contacting me about ethics concerns for Supreme Court justices and reforming the Supreme Court. I appreciate hearing from you.
The Supreme Court has become increasingly politicized. This was shown in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, when its radical majority ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reversing decades of precedent, and taking away what had been a woman’s constitutional right to make her own decisions about her body.
In addition to the Court’s politicization, valid concerns also have been raised about the lack of a judicial code of ethics for Supreme Court justices. Without this, the Court’s justices can choose whether or not to recuse themselves from cases where they have potential conflicts of interest.
There also have been calls to impeach Supreme Court justices for accusations of misconduct and allegations that they lied under oath about their views on past decisions. The removal of federal officials by impeachment is one of the most serious constitutional responsibilities delegated to Congress. The Constitution grants the House of Representatives the authority to determine whether to impeach and draft articles of impeachment. If the House votes to impeach an official, a trial is then held in the Senate, where two-thirds of the Senate must vote to convict for a justice to be removed. The House has not voted to move forward with articles of impeachment for any current Supreme Court justices.
In the 117th Congress, several bills to reform the Supreme Court were introduced. These include the Judiciary Act of 2021 (S. 1141), which would have expanded the Supreme Court by adding four seats, and the Supreme Court Tenure Establishment and Retirement Modernization (TERM) Act of 2022 (S. 4706), which would have established 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices. These bills were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but they did not receive votes before the end of the 117th Congress.
This Congress, I am a cosponsor of the Supreme Court Ethics Act (S. 325) and the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act of 2023 (S. 359). The Supreme Court Ethics Act, introduced by Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, would create a binding judicial code of ethics for the Supreme Court. This bill would extend the Code of Conduct for United States Judges to Supreme Court justices, and require the justices to abide by the same ethical standards as all other federal judges.
The SCERT Act, introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, would require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct for justices and employees and more rigorous financial disclosure rules for justices, clerks, and parties who submit briefs to the Court. This legislation also would create new recusal standards for the entire federal judiciary.
These bills were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I serve as Chair. I will keep your thoughts in mind as the committee considers these bills, and I will continue striving to maintain the integrity of the Supreme Court and the honesty of those who serve.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator”
It looks like it’s time to contact my Senator again.
My blood is boiling! I worked for a federal contractor for eight years and I would have been fired on the spot for taking any gifts, no matter how small.
So many scandals, how to have enough investigators. I’m still waiting on the story about Justice Kennedy’s son and his German banker. Like with hackers, the crooks seem to be overwhelming the system…
Me too. Kennedy’s sudden departure, with McConnell controlling who got on the court, accelerated the destruction of trust and confidence in the court we now have. Never understood why that story wasn’t pursued by some good journalists.
'Paul Singer Sets Fishing Record by Catching Two-Hundred-Pound Supreme Court Justice'
'ALASKA (The Borowitz Report)—The billionaire Paul Singer set a sport-fishing record by catching a Supreme Court Justice who weighed in at approximately two hundred pounds.'
'The Justice, who was estimated to measure over sixty inches, became Singer’s catch during a luxury fishing trip to Alaska in 2008.'
'Singer, who said that he kept his record catch a secret because he does not “like to brag,” revealed that the jurist was “much easier to catch” than he had anticipated.'
“He required practically no bait whatsoever,” he said. “I’ve never caught something that seemed so happy to be flopping around on my boat.” (Satire, NewYorker)
For Fox to call Pres. Biden a "wannabe dictator" (cf. T----),for T---- to call the Biden's "A corrupt crime family" (cf. T---- family), for Comer to accuse the Biden's of "corruption, influence peddling, and possibly bribery "(cf. T----), and for the leaping insane person to ask for a House vote to impeach(cf. T---- x2), . . .:" Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bed post overnight?"
Potentially good news about Shroyer pleading guilty - I really hope he is willing to contribute testimony to the investigation into overturning the election. At some point, when (or if?) there is ever a majority of congress folks who are dedicated to preserving democracy, I'd love to see a law that someone convicted of felonies would be disqualified from being president - more than what the 14th amendment provides, I mean.
The problem with that is that it does encourage a political party in power to weaponize the DOJ and try to get a felony conviction of an opponent to prevent them from being president in the future. Though the present Trumpublican cries of "weaponization" are nonsense, preventing a convicted felon from being president might be an enticement to corrupt prosecution. Also, do you want to prevent someone from being president just because they were busted for street crimes when they were young?
Is it not possible for reasonable people to create a law that differentiates between on-going attempts to commit treason and “the follies of youth?” All this dithering about fine points and future problems when the real issue is- “We all watched on TV while someone attempted to subvert the democratic process to illegally hang onto power during the failed coup of Jan.6, thereby displaying a treasonous lack of concern about maintaining the democratic basis of the position he sought to hang on to. Common sense suggests punishing him for this, rather than letting him him try it again, doesn’t it?”
It's a fair point. Having a conviction on what might be a financial crime, for example, is far different from being convicted of seditious conspiracy. The felon may still be a loyal patriot, the seditious conspirator, by definition, isn't. For my part, the $2 billion that Jared Kushner received from Saudi Arabia stinks to high heaven, particularly given Trump's possession of Top Secret documents about a military attack on Iran. There is also the mysterious deaths of some of Putin's close associates late last summer by "accidents." Is it possible that Trump shared with Putin a document that identified these people as sources for U.S. Intelligence?
I wouldn’t. There is a saying in Japan: “A samurai who has become a ronin at least once, has learned a lesson. A man who has never erred, is dangerous.”
I don't know. That's why I hope people who do know better than I do will consider the issue in more depth and come up with a law, a plan - something - in case such a thing were to happen. Right now, it feels to me like many of us are collectively holding our breath and hoping that we don't actually have to deal with the issue of an indicted or convicted president. It seems like a good idea to consider the problem before the reality hits. There are a lot of unanswered questions floating around. I sure don't have answers. This article talks about some of the issues: https://www.nytimes.com/article/trump-investigation-conviction.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
I thought it only proper and courteous that I give notice that my participation in this invigorating forum is coming to a close. My subscription runs out in the coming weeks and I don’t intend to renew.
In any case, my comments on these pages have been absent for several months. I suspect that many who had noticed my remarks in the past had assumed that the clock had run out on my time on the planet, and that my thoughts and opinions would exist only in “the great beyond.”
Surprisingly, given my age, I’m not yet “beyond,” so I have no idea whether it is “great” or not. Actually I’m of the decided opinion that it is beyond great, but that’s a topic for a very different gathering.
Many of you who have joined this in-line community fairly recently may be thinking, “Who is this guy, anyway?” My answer is: I’m just a “long-timer” from the early months of this electronic town square and thankful to have been able to take part in these conversations.
To those who might remember me I say, So long and farewell. It has been a joy and an education to read our professor’s decidedly erudite yet deceptively “simple” descriptions of the day’s most important news, and her insightful and illuminating explanations providing the historical context to current events.
It has also been an education to read the comments of her many devotees. You are all special in so many ways.
Dr Heather Cox Richardson is a rare talent in the panoply of accomplished scholars. Her lucid dissection of complex—even mind-boggling—daily events is, and has been, a most precious gift in these turbulent times. We have enjoyed(?) a ring-side seat at some of the most momentous events in this nation’s—and possibly the world’s—history.
As I take my leave, I have just a thought or two. While these are inarguably difficult times in which to live, I believe that we should view this age as a challenge, a puzzle that can and must be solved. It is my firm, and hopefully humble, opinion, that our current troubles are uniquely challenging, and that our solutions must be equally unique. We must remake, remold, our society—our civilization—into a system shorn of the divisiveness, the hatred, the egocentricity, the corruption of our current pre-dystopian state. That is the only way.
Bill, I, for one, will miss your scholarly analysis each day in here. I wish you would reconsider staying. After all, I too am in the same boat as you, but I’ve come to the conclusion that we only live once, and I’m going to live as long as the good man upstairs allows.
Plus, as long as my fingers work, and my mind keeps ticking, I’m going to offer my “Thoughts and Opinions” on thing’s happening in this country, and world. After all, it’s all I have left!
No Bill I will not accept your resignation. This town square is made real by the unusual complexity of its citizens. Real journalists are keeping this country informed in the face of the failure of msm’s. Never has that vocation needed the diversity and talent as much as now.
Bill, you write: "It is my firm, and hopefully humble, opinion, that our current troubles are uniquely challenging, and that our solutions must be equally unique." I don't believe that this is true, we've been here before. I encourage you to get ASAP Timothy Egan's "A Fever in the Heartland," a recounting of the KKK in the 1920's and how it spread to the Midwest. Today's MAGA Republicans are nothing more than the "grandchildren" of the 1920's KKK. We have much to learn from Egan's recounting of what happened. I'm also 83 and a 4-year U.S. Army vet. Fighting this fight may be what all my years of learning and experience have prepared me to do. I will stay.
First of all Richard, I thank you for taking the time to read my comments and then to feel they merit a response. I am also grateful to all those who also made time to read and respond, and for those who registered a “like” for my post.
That said, Richard, I need to make clear that I am far from giving up the fight. I intend to remain on the field of battle as long as I have breath to give and an intelligible thought in my head. But I choose to focus on areas that I believe will bear more and longer-lasting fruit.
I think I understand, and certainly respect, your position. In many ways the trauma that we are experiencing does resemble other perilous moments in our history. Dr Richardson has clearly established those similarities in her “Letters…” over the past several years.
But I truly believe that the parallels are deceptive; perilously so. What makes this age in which we live so frighteningly existential has to do, in part, with the tools that are being wielded by the nihilists and their pawns among us. The electronic communication platforms we sometimes enjoy—sometimes not—are global in their reach and instantaneous in their transmission.
The other pertinent, and perhaps most critical, aspect of our current—as well as past—impasses, is that they are cyclical; we know from past confrontations that they will turn up again.
That—these agonizing cycles–is what we must end, once and for all time.
And that is what I have been, and plan to continue to be, fully focused on. Many have said—and many continue to say—that this historical repetition is inevitable, a permanent aspect of the human condition. I refuse to accept that!
We refuse to believe that cancer, and other life-threatening afflictions, will always be with us. We recognize that science will eventually erase such diseases.
Why do we not employ a similar outlook regarding virulent human behavior?
My goal is to find communities in the world that have found promising approaches to these forms of human dissonance. I have identified localities in Kenya, Brazil, The Triangle in North Carolina, and Toronto, Canada for instance, that though they appear or be hopelessly disparate, they have found a process in common that is beginning to transform their villages/neighborhoods/communities for the better.
These programs don’t rely on traditional, established modes of relating one to the other, but instead are designing new social structures, freed from the flawed, outmoded models that break down and fail to support all citizens equally.
There truly is substantive evidence that people at the grassroots of society can come together and share their needs, experiences, and insights, and renew and revitalize their shared spaces. They become the protagonists in their own social and economic development.
Thank you, Bill, for saying farewell to us with your generosity, care and hope. You were a dear contributor to our exchanges. Wishing you good health, good cheer and discovery during the next chapter of your life.
I have missed your writings, and I will miss the opportunities for further dialog. I kind of side with Pat Cole in that I would not accept your tendered resignation; I do understand the need for whatever self care is good for you.
Well, Bill Willis SC from NYC, et cetera.. I’m 84.. and I’ve treated SUBSTACK here and there as an amusement park and stimulant; keeps the mind occupied. But - does it matter? Your color and mine suggests it may. We’re speaking across the present divide. Trump racism is fascism. Fascism is deadly. Suggestion: stay here. Pitch tolerance and challenge this readership to VOTE, run for office, READ Timothy Snyder and Steve Schmidt, and others that are willing to dish fascists and their passive aggressive quiet enablers ON campuses nationwide. Whip James Clyburn saved Joe Biden with three words: Joe Knows Us. Did you read these words here?
The Pain of Prejudice is a Memoir for every child of color to write, starting with a diary that witnesses daily observations that matter.
Dynamics of Prejudice was a book by two men, assigned by IKE as a general after WWII ended. Ignorance and fear were its primary subjects - worse today. The Trump GOP and silent majority enablers of America 🇺🇸 are now in control of MSM ratings. Journalism is dying. Prejudice trumps tolerance.
S.B. First, thank you for your kind words. They will help motivate me as I continue the struggle. And yes, I am 84 as well.
Secondly, I have really enjoyed your insights when you decide to stop toying with us. You have some invaluable experiences and knowledge to share.
While I am withdrawing from this forum, I think, I have other irons in the fire. I like to share my reply to Richard Sutherland who also felt that I was waving the white flag. Bear with me here, I tend to get long-winded.
Bill Willis (SC from NYC, etc)
3 hr ago
First of all Richard, I thank you for taking the time to read my comments and then to feel they merit a response. I am also grateful to all those who also made time to read and respond, and for those who registered a “like” for my post.
That said, Richard, I need to make clear that I am far from giving up the fight. I intend to remain on the field of battle as long as I have breath to give and an intelligible thought in my head. But I choose to focus on areas that I believe will bear more and longer-lasting fruit.
I think I understand, and certainly respect, your position. In many ways the trauma that we are experiencing does resemble other perilous moments in our history. Dr Richardson has clearly established those similarities in her “Letters…” over the past several years.
But I truly believe that the parallels are deceptive; perilously so. What makes this age in which we live so frighteningly existential has to do, in part, with the tools that are being wielded by the nihilists and their pawns among us. The electronic communication platforms we sometimes enjoy—sometimes not—are global in their reach and instantaneous in their transmission.
The other pertinent, and perhaps most critical, aspect of our current—as well as past—impasses, is that they are cyclical; we know from past confrontations that they will turn up again.
That—these agonizing cycles–is what we must end, once and for all time.
And that is what I have been, and plan to continue to be, fully focused on. Many have said—and many continue to say—that this historical repetition is inevitable, a permanent aspect of the human condition. I refuse to accept that!
We refuse to believe that cancer, and other life-threatening afflictions, will always be with us. We recognize that science will eventually erase such diseases.
Why do we not employ a similar outlook regarding virulent human behavior?
My goal is to find communities in the world that have found promising approaches to these forms of human dissonance. I have identified localities in Kenya, Brazil, The Triangle in North Carolina, and Toronto, Canada for instance, that though they appear or be hopelessly disparate, they have found a process in common that is beginning to transform their villages/neighborhoods/communities for the better.
These programs don’t rely on traditional, established modes of relating one to the other, but instead are designing new social structures, freed from the flawed, outmoded models that break down and fail to support all citizens equally.
There truly is substantive evidence that people at the grassroots of society can come together and share their needs, experiences, and insights, and renew and revitalize their shared spaces. They become the protagonists in their own social and economic development
Boo Hoo. THIS AS CROOKED DOJ, STATE, & CITY PROSECUTORS, MARXISTS & COMMUNISTS ALL, HIT ME FROM ALL SIDES & ANGELS WITH BULL….! Angels stop picking on manbaby!
Thanks for pointing this out, Gigi - another proof (do we need more?) of tfg's lack of education. 'Manbaby' is too generous a title for the magamonster.
Ha Ha....I laughed out loud when I read that. Does the guy ever come up with new material? It's always the same..."corruption like the world has never seen."
“The right doesn’t seem to care about the legal process—they care about the results. Their aim is the destruction of the independence of federal law enforcement in favor of a weaponized justice system, and they will keep creating new pretexts until they get it."
These words from Greg Sargent brought chills to my spine. TFG weaponize the justice system by asking Kelly to have the IRS investigate his foes. Biden has kept hands off. It’s as though TFG and his buddies are using the book On Tyranny as a playbook to create a fascist authoritarian state.
From Article II of the Articles of Impeachment of Richard Nixon:
"He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, endeavoured to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, confidential information contained in income tax returns for purposed not authorized by law, and to cause, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, income tax audits or other income tax investigations to be initiated or conducted in a discriminatory manner."
The point is well made that the MAGA Republicans will weaponize the entire system. To get a flavor of what to expect, get Timothy Egan's book, "A Fever in the Heartland." Today's MAGA Republicans are the 1920's KKK, redux. They're virtually identical. Scary.
To Egan's book, I should also add the book by Heather Cox Richardson entitled "How the South Won the Civil War." [Oligarchy, Democracy, and the Continuing Fight for the Soul of America.] I have it on Kindle.
An old thought from Balzac: “Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.” Unless we make up our minds to do something about it.
"Equal justice under law is a phrase engraved on the West Pediment, above the front entrance of the United States Supreme Court" -Wikipedia
"A ‘TRAFFIC TICKET,’ & JOE IS ALL CLEANED UP & READY TO GO INTO THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - "
I don't expect even a crude sort of logic from Trump and Republican "leading lights", but what of the millions who might take this seriously? Are we as a species so gullible that utter nonsense is acceptable so long as it wears the right party pin? Obviously yes, but is there no way to educate societies out of this dysfunction, or have we just been too casual about letting things drift? I don't claim to have a convincing answer, but the space for wiggle room is getting narrower and there is a hell of a lot of work to be done that is being sabotaged by power games.
The truth hurts, doesn't it? We would like to think that most of the Trumpers are just misguided or naive or ill informed - somehow just normal folks who if they had the real facts, would dump Trump.
But nope. Hate, envy, greed and bigotry are traits that many humans not only embrace but celebrate.
For sure, there are some "nice people" that are hoodwinked by Trump. But most MAGA maniacs are just fracking evil. Humans with dark hearts and rotted souls.
And that would be the way things have been since one of us first stood upright. The problem today is that these dark hearted fools are accessories in destroying the planet we live on. That's a sign of a species in a spiral dive to oblivion.
The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation. And Bill they turn to grasp at whatever might keep their heads above water. This charade of evil demons you parade is is far far from mere common men. Stupid in numbers I will grant you but only pertaining to magomaniacs. By the numbers “most” people are not Magats. And remember that crowd will eventually be pushing up daisies, another side note of man’s inhumanity to man. There is your “spiral dive.” Meanwhile back at the ranch.
Love this story! Thanks for the link. I read about bonobos years ago. But had forgotten about them.
Lessons from them ought inspire.
There is a common thread between bonobo empathy and the core teachings of Jesus. I don't do church stuff, but wouldn't it be helpful and wonderful if folks embraced these ideas instead of fear and hate?
Jeez, Ally. My second runaway tooth abscess this month with one eye swollen shut and pain from hell to breakfast and you bring up pus!!! The dentist went on vacation and my wife’s antibiotics from her knee operation last summer haven’t kicked in yet. But you did make me laugh you turd.
...and Richard, the need to belong is deep-seated in the human soul, in the human neuroanatomy and human neurophysiology. More deeply-seated I think than hate, envy, greed & bigotry.
What are the true outtakes of this investigation and subsequent deal?
First, and foremost, I want to state a disclaimer about this case: although I have followed it, as best I could over the past years, I’ll be man enough to admit that I’m not part of the investigative team. I never have been. Nor do I, or ever have had, access to the investigation or any part of it.
I wanted to get that out of the way for all those that think I may have had access to something that hasn’t been reported in any way. Or that believe I’m hiding something, or whatever. Who knows what people think anymore?
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get down to business of discussing this case, and it’s comparison to that of our ex-president, Donald J. Trump.
First, Hunter Biden has been criminally charged with two (2) misdemeanor counts of failing to file his taxes. The two years he failed to do so, he reportedly made over $1 million income each year.
Second, Hunter Biden has also been Federally charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. This charge has, apparently, been negotiated in a plea arrangement where he will enter a program which will in return, at the completion of this program this charge will be dropped.
Now, the tax evasion charges. Again, it’s been reported that although Hunter Biden has been formally charged, he has paid back all, or most of all, back taxes owed by not filing these two years of tax returns. And these are MISDEMEANORS! Not Felonies. Both of these charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 12 months in jail. With the .......(please read the rest of my comments [Thoughts & Opinions] about the Hunter Biden/Biden Family investigation by clicking this link.)
First, Donald J. Trump, as we all know, is an idiot. He’s constantly making accusations about President Biden and the Biden family having foreign ties. This investigation, which just wrapped up with the aforementioned misdemeanors and gun possession charge against Hunter Biden actually began over 5 years ago by Donald J. Trump selecting this very attorney to head this very investigation into the Biden family. Trump claimed the entire family was corrupt. He claimed that the family had been, and still was, in collusion with foreign governments to undermine democracy and the United States.
This, as we have been learning over the years, was only a rouse to actually cover up his, and his family’s involvement with countries like Russia, North Korea, China, and Saudi Arabia. All of the hype that Trump created over Hunter Biden’s laptop, has resulted in 5 years of taxpayer dollars spent, and wasted. It resulted in 5 years investigation of the “Corrupt Biden family” actually being 2 years of missed tax filings by Hunter Biden, which he’s repaid, including penalties, and a gun possession charge. Oh my!!!
What we do now have, as a President of the United States, is Joe Biden, a man that has had to do something no other president has ever had to do in the history of this country. He was forced to assume the office of the Presidency with no transition of power conducted peacefully by his predecessor. He, and his entire cabinet were forced to remain out of all government offices until after his inauguration on January 20, 2021. And then they learned that most all of the important documentation of the operation of the departments had been destroyed, or taken, to prevent the Biden administration from being able to simply walk in and assume duties peacefully. It’s like this entire administration had to start from scratch. Which, in my opinion, in the two plus years they have been in office, have done pretty well.
I fully agree with Heather about Owen Shroyer possibly flipping. Thus is huge in the investigation of Trump, and all of his cronies in the January 6 Grand Jury investigation. If in fact he has, this will be the crack in the case that just might cement Donald J. Trump, and a slew of others, into this case in such a manner that will have him, and a lot of current Republicans in Washington DC, sweating profusely.
It’s my hope that when the long list of indictments are finally handed down, the federal marshals go to the House, and Senate chambers, and physically arrest each and every one of them in front of everybody, and on national television. I want to see every one of them arrested, handcuffed, and marched out of that building. Every one of them deserve that, since it was that building that was attacked in their attempt to overthrow our democracy and destroy our freedoms.
Whenever one hears the Reactionary Right accuse the Dems of something, you can be pretty sure it is something the Trumpublicans are doing or, at the least, want to do. "Activist judges," identity politics," "cancel culture,""weaponization of the DOJ." In "Democracy in Chains," Nancy MacLean quotes from a letter by the economist James M. Buchanan where he specifically says he is engaged in a "conspiracy" to undermine Americans' trust in public institutions in order to undermine New Deal type policies. [Though I read the book, the following includes my thoughts along with material gleaned from a 2017 review of the book by Heather Boushey in the NYT.] Roughly 50 years ago, Buchanan stressed that “conspiratorial secrecy is at all times essential” to mask efforts to protect the wealthy elite from the will of the majority. The idea was to get voters to direct their ire at these institutions and divert their attention away from increasing income and wealth inequality. He knew that this campaign had to be kept secret or the populace would oppose it. He also knew that getting control of the judiciary was one of the keys to success. Buchanan therefore argued for “curbing the appetites of majority coalitions” by establishing ironclad rules that would curb their power. He said, “The problems of our times require attention to the rules rather than the rulers.” He also says in his 1975 book “The Limits of Liberty,” “Despotism,may be the only organizational alternative to the political structure that we observe.”
SCARY STUFF! Did we find out in time to stop this overthrow of democracy?
Excellent points. The wealthy, through their recruited implementors of policy, Republican politicians, have been extremely successful with deflection, with mis-direction plays, using wedge issues (abortion, immigrants, women's rights, etc.) to divert the attentions of millions from the real issues. Clearly, the wealthy are getting wealthier and the Middle Class is shrinking. MAGA Republicans in 2023 want what the KKK wanted in 1923 - a white Protestant theocracy. Get Timothy Egan's book, "A Fever in the Heartland."
When I get tired and demoralized by it all, I listen to what’s become my anthem to motivation….Jackson Browne’s ‘Til I Go Down’….and you can dance to it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmzimxfqgfw
I may have to find that song online and dance to it. By the way, whatever happened to Jackson Browne?? Is he still alive? I will try the link you sent, thank you for the link.
The watercolor illustrations accompanying the song chart the long arc of the struggle for justice—one of the better iterations of its presentation IMHO.
Thank you very much, Barbara, i will check this out. i really like that song Neil Young came out with in the early nineties, ''Rockin in the free world'' that song was certainly on the Hard Rock side. Kinda unusual for him, i thought.
I am going to try to hang in here. I find it disturbing that these Fascist Rethuglicans can flaunt the law and get by with it. I never knew that there are so many people in the United States that go along and approve of their lawlessness. To me, it's appalling that so many middle class and some poor people that support these criminals. The voting rights attacks is the one thing that needs to be stopped. That is the one thing that disgusts me the most. They are violating Federal laws by doing this, but it seems nothing is being done about it.
Lemme see here.., howz aboutz just '''trump-licken''', instead of "Trumpublican"? Whewww! I can hardly contain my excitement. I mean just think of the connotations to be derived from trump-LICKIN.., my my!! Or maybe A Licking! might describe what 'the Mar-A-Laygo Mooch' is doing to the DeeSandis campaign, e.g: Giving DeeSandish a real "licking" ?? Yeah..hahahahhaaa. Hohoho.., and while we're at it folks, let's give a loud-shout-out for ALL the 'boot-lickers' out there: Yessuh.. the Demo-craps, the Repub-reprobates, the Hole-eeRollers, the EvanAngel-"Lick"alicals...; yup.. U name some. This has been so much fun. So many "Lick-ALL-icals out there just looking for someone to "Lick" up to. Okay.., here's one more: The Supreme-Licken-court. Wheww.., I've got some carburetors to clean.., gotta turn on the air compressor. Pax!
Anyone who publicly accuses others of serious crimes without offering proof is a lowlife. The GOP overflows with them, and Rep. Comer seems intent on leading them ever lower.
The GQP are worse than an infestation of cockroaches. All of the GQP should be exterminated. I hate and despise all Rethuglicans. I never said things like this until TUMP and his band of criminals came onto the scene in 2016. My disgust and anger toward them have reached new heights by their recent acts. They are horrible excuses for human beings...
"The [Omani] project is being constructed by migrants paid as little as $340 a month for ten hours a day of grueling work in heat above 100°F, or 38°C." - that's little more than $ 2/hr... And we can imagine where and how those migrant workers will be housed. Shame on these filthy rich arrogant inhuman 'beings' who indulge in modern slavery!
The real problem MAGA Republicans have with the Hunter Biden settlement is that they won’t have Hunter Biden and, through him, his father the President, to kick around anymore. Their complaints will ring empty and hollow as the very real legal problems of their party leader, whose own son apparently has his problems with the Bolivian walking powder, mount. Besides, when it comes to bribery and corruption, the Trump family, son-in-law Jared Kushner very much included, takes a back seat to nobody. It’s almost a point of pride.
While Despicable Don has provided us with the usual yucks and giggles with his imbecilic predictability, nonetheless I still have some concern about the Hunter Biden matter.
As Heather properly points out, the more reasonable interpretation of his plea deal could actually be that the DOJ went out of its way to hit him with something they don't usually hit defendants with in these circumstances. Yet with at least four years of non stop, incessant right wing echo chamber propaganda equating Hunter Biden with at least one if not all four of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and with the objective fact that the son of the President of these United States was for a good stretch of his life a sad supplicant to the scourge of drug addiction in its worst incarnations, this plea deal is not something to simply laugh off.
Toss in the fact that the serious coin he pulled down from far off places for what appears to be solely the simple fact that his last name is Biden, and we have a controversy that needs to be addressed one way or another.
The $$$ he made in Ukraine are clearly a result of nepotism to some degree. This is not surprising, and certainly not new. I have seen no evidence that there's any more to this than the usual, albeit unacceptable nepotism and cronyism in high level politics as it always has been.
Yet the Democratic Party cannot simply rely upon pointing out the distinctions between Hunter's behavior and that of Trump and the Trump Crime Family. That simply won't cut it. They need to get out ahead of this, and pronto. The independents and non-Trump Republicans out there cannot wobble in the 2024 election. I am convinced that besides her own failures in campaigning in 2016 (Hello Hillary!!! Wisconsin still misses you!!!!), the twenty years of right wing propaganda, bullshit and outright misogynism directed toward HRC (as distinct from our own HCR) lost her just enough votes to lose the election. We CANNOT have that happen again.
While you do bring up a good point here, there is something at play here that is different than the 30 years of propaganda directed at Hilary Clinton by the Reich wing. The other component that is different is that the MAGAt world will never, ever have any discernment that the nepotism that let Hunter Biden be in a position to get a job paying money that none of us would ever see and the 2 billion dollar gift to Jared Kushner by the Saudis are ever so slightly different<sarcasm font on last 4 words>.
Substack created it for me. They said I had one. "Ally's Substack". I had been toying with the idea of writing one, and so I went in and changed it to the "View From the Back Row". Don't know what I am going to write on , but I'm sure there will be a current event that I'll prepare an essay for.
It is remarkable how Joe Biden stays focused on building relationships and repairing the deterioration of the USA while being bludgeoned with chaos daily. How can anyone think he is too old to run again? I am a year younger than he, and if I had his job I would be dead by now, or look dead, anyhow. God bless you, Joe Biden, you are what we could not be even if we tried harder.
May God Save President Biden.
In truth, all things considered, Joe Biden is the best since Abraham Lincoln.
Biden will only be recognized in history if he gets re-elected. If Trump gets back in everything Biden did will be erased.
The country survived having Trump as president, I think Frank or I could do a better job than he did-- with regular naps.
Historians don't have short memories, neither do many of us. Biden will be remembered for his accomplishments, courage and care for all the people.
Nap all the time and not destroy, makes a plus
Committed "napper" here (I think "nappy" doesn't quite work here as a descriptor) and have been for years. They can be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half. I even got my mom, who swore she couldn't nap, to eventually start taking them. Nothing recharges my battery better in late afternoon, and it has absolutely no effect on my sleep later that night. Power naps ROCK!
Referred to do-nothing politicians who aren’t obsessed with destruction. Have we had such a thing…
I offer:
https://www.pressrundown.com/health/daytime-naps-benefit-the-brain
Therefore it is up to each of us to carry this story to all we know so President Biden can continue his work
Yes, keep telling the truth about what he's done, and confronting the lies that have spread across America.
I'm sure he takes naps too, but he can't let Hannity hear about it.
NOT SO. Biden is recognized... as are George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and others up to Abraham Lincoln... Joseph B. Biden is in the founder category... for his work is reaching to reform the democracy that was flawed fatally on day one... President Biden will not complete this work, no president will ever complete this work, for we are ever in a state of becoming... Democracy is a process of renewal in which all generations must participate or perish...and Joe Biden knows she was flawed - as are we all - Anita Hill bears witness to Joe Biden’s failure and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson bears witness to his progress... now, fellow reader of the breach... we must VOTE... and bring others to VOTE... for January 6th and the present indictments of TFG... bear witness to the long road ahead...
I am a Biden man. But, FDR and Truman faced far bigger challenges.
All were incredibly huge, Biden’s will stand in history… as will his overall quiet virtue; the snob and cowardly antisemite FDR turned away boats loaded with Jews, Truman foolishly ignored The Franck Report to intimidate Stalin, slaughter in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, that initiated MAD, Putin is worse than any, Ukraine and Trump are ghastly, warming is terminal to life on Planet Earth, as is antibiotic misuse in livestock, slavery was our original sin, it’s elegant lonely depressed Lincoln and modest aging master negotiator Biden..
dealing with terminal fascism at home… and abroad, facing the end of civilization… and 70 million White fascists ignored and fanned by MSM… Don’t Look Up, we are threatened as never before…
What is striking in any list of great presidents is that one encounters the recurring fact that each was, in the end, a human being with the consequent "flaws" endemic to the breed; all were human beings bent on being the best that they could in their respective circumstances. It is that very effort to be good human beings that seems most glaringly absent in the current and recent crops of R's.
JohnM, I agree and find these also to be true. It is the arc of a person's life, not the singular or few data points on the arc that bear truth of their character, least of all their full worth. IMHO, the mistakes and choices we make are what teaches us and our admission and corrections determines whether our contributions are major or minor. Maybe these are corrallaries to your consequences of Flaws endemic to our species.
Nixon certainly wasn't aiming to be the best he could.
Best Crook.
Indeed… nothing, it’s the null set of Good in Trump et al and today’s Party of Lincoln: a damn tragedy.
Totally agreed, John. Well expressed by you.
Sad but true; you didn’t mention how many fools FDR had to deal with during his terms, starting with the Coup of 1933 (of which Prescott Bush was a part).
Thanks for the Smedley Butler reference. I keep waiting for Heather to go into that one.
Major General
Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940), nicknamed the Maverick Marine, was a senior United States Marine Corps officer. During his 34-year career, he fought in the Philippine–American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Mexican Revolution, and World War I. At the time of his death, Butler was the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. By the end of his career, Butler had received sixteen medals, including five for heroism; he is the only Marine to be awarded the Brevet Medal as well as two Medals of Honor, all for separate actions.
Smedley Butler is a true Hero! Thank you for bringing him to my attention. Prescott Bush is also mentioned in the article below.
https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Navigation/Community/Arcadia-and-THP-Blog/September-2018/Smedley-Butler-and-the-1930s-Plot-to-Overthrow-the
"The abandonment of the gold standard was a major sticking point for many high-ranking officials and bankers in the country during 1933. Although there were several recognized issues with money backed by gold (such as dependency on gold production, and short-term price instabilities), many bankers were fearful that their gold-backed loans would not be paid back in full by the President’s new policies.
The departure from the gold standard just added to other concerns about FDR’s policies, particularly his plans to provide subsidizations and jobs for the poor, which businessmen and conservative politicians alike took as an indication of Roosevelt's socialist leanings, or (even worse) a communist. Butler could sense this disgruntlement when he asked to meet with MacGuire’s superior, and found himself speaking with Robert Sterling Clark, an heir to the Singer Sewing fortune. Clark was much more upfront than MacGuire, telling Butler that his real interest was in preserving the gold standard, even claiming that he “had $30 million, and was willing to spend half of the $30 million to save the other half.”
Butler, true to his patriotic form, flatly refused the offer to deliver the speech at the convention in Chicago. After parting ways with MacGuire and Clark, he heard little from the men until MacGuire began travelling through Europe on a trip funded by Clark. MacGuire began sending postcards to Butler from various European locations, including Italy, Germany, and France."
Presott Bush: "His business dealings, which continued until his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave labourers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy..."
"Three sets of archives spell out Prescott Bush's involvement. All three are readily available, thanks to the efficient US archive system and a helpful and dedicated staff at both the Library of Congress in Washington and the National Archives at the University of Maryland.
The first set of files, the Harriman papers in the Library of Congress, show that Prescott Bush was a director and shareholder of a number of companies involved with Thyssen.
The second set of papers, which are in the National Archives, are contained in vesting order number 248 which records the seizure of the company assets. What these files show is that on October 20 1942 the alien property custodian seized the assets of the UBC, of which Prescott Bush was a director. Having gone through the books of the bank, further seizures were made against two affiliates, the Holland-American Trading Corporation and the Seamless Steel Equipment Corporation. By November, the Silesian-American Company, another of Prescott Bush's ventures, had also been seized.
The third set of documents, also at the National Archives, are contained in the files on IG Farben, who was prosecuted for war crimes.
A report issued by the Office of Alien Property Custodian in 1942 stated of the companies that "since 1939, these (steel and mining) properties have been in possession of and have been operated by the German government and have undoubtedly been of considerable assistance to that country's war effort"." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar?all=true
That's exactly right, SB! It's an extremely difficult job to do what President Biden is doing, and what he has already gotten done for the betterment of ALL!!! Not just one group and what ever their focus is on, but for the betterment of humanity itself. God Bless him, and may he have the strength to carry on. Unless someone else shows up who has the same level of integrity, compassion and knowledge of how to legislate to get things done in our government, (good luck with that) Joe Biden is our man!
There are many of things Biden should of/could of done to make things easier on himself and the country. Executive Orders!! Pipelines still being built, still giving subsidies to oil and gas, still corporate gouging the people could of been handled to name a few. Yes, he has done many things but he could of clean house much better of repugs in critical institutions. Sorry, I am scared to death and don't trust dems or Biden to get the job done but will vote blue no matter what.
It's true, but we have to be thankful, not being in a position to ask for the moon. Biden has been too fearful on some things and bold enough on others. His and the country's moral compass are in tact, forging ahead especially given the depravity of the opposition. I too figured he would be bolder but I think wanting another term might have made him fearful. I wonder if he can keep this up for another term. He can abdicate to Harris if necessary- which would be interesting to say the least.
The racist stooges are ready
DO ! LOOK UP ! Your REDEPTION DRAWETH NIGH ! IF ! You Have Repented, & have Given Your Heart ! TO JESUS! Thank You !.... SB Lewis !
Where to start with this? slaughter in Nagasaki and Hiroshima... I wonder if the men who were going to have to get off of those boats and invade Japan felt glad about ending the war?
Are we the only society that has ever had slaves? I find that it is a rather human condition and proof that we are indeed animals.
Neither Truman nor FDR was perfect. Here we go again with letting perfect be the enemy of good.
I'll stick with my original post.
Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, even Brits had indentured slaves working off the sentences long forgotten. China had castrated Eunuchs working with theit female sex slaves. Women and prisoners were enslaved.
Say it again, Sandy Lewis!
I'm not sure that FDR and Truman faced far bigger challenges domestically. Neither had a significant group opposing them that wanted to end the democratic system here in the U.S. and install a Fascist overseeing a white theocratic dictatorship. It has been said that the past is prologue to the future, and even the present. For proof of this observation I highly recommend the book that was recommended to me on this thread: Timothy Egan's "A Fever in the Heartland." This book is riveting and you will be dumbfounded how much the present day MAGA Republicans are the "grandchildren" of the 1920's KKK. Be afraid.
I second the recommendation. I am Hoosier born and had heard a few things about the KKK in the 1920s in Indiana, but I was really taken aback by what I read. I wonder now if my parents knew any KKK members. I did hear all the nonsense about Catholics. As I was reading it, I had the same thoughts as Richard above. MAGAs sound exactly the same which tells me that all of this went sorta underground for a while and I say sorta because I heard lots of racist comments and unthinking references to others. I am reminded of a famous restaurant chain and a name for Brazil nuts for example. I grew up in the 1950s when all these problems were not in the headlines and the country was doing well, as was my hometown Elkhart, economically. Both my husband and I are still in the process of learning about what went on in the past. My current book is about the Plague and the changes it caused. As an aside, I am the same age as Biden and I can't even imagine doing what he is doing.
Michele, it was a very shocking book....I will be 80 next month! I wish I had learned more about our real history! However, it is never to late to learn! I think I buy this book for my 2 girls and their husbands for Christmas and maybe my ten year old granddaughter!
Yes, shocking. My parents had friends in Valpo, so now i wonder about them. I grew up in a R household, but had a German surname, so I think not members of the KKK, but very prejudiced none the less against Catholics among others. My mother's family made plenty of racist remarks, but since my grandparents moved around and never lived in Indiana, I don't think they were members either. I went with one of my second cousins to a family reunion near Wabash of my father's family and those people were prejudiced against Hispanics and Indians who apparently owned the motel we were staying at. Never saw them though. We went to a Mexican restaurant near it and that was met with disapproval. These people were of German descent by in large. I have no children, but do recommend books here and other places. My husband and I are the intellectuals of both of our families and none of them read as much as we do. My sister's family living mainly in Illinois and Indiana are intelligent in some cases, but very poorly educated
It's a good thought, Sharon, but what if they don't read the books? Perhaps a short discussion with them first about the topic could give you a clue whether they'd read it. In places "A Fever . . ." is a tear jerker. One can google D.C. Stephenson and read his biography there. He had amazing talents given his lack of an education. What a travesty, that he was such a misanthrope.
Agree 100% Richard. And "Fever in the Heartland" should definitely be on the LFAA reading list! Gripping and frightening.
I just finished reading “A Fever in the Heartland”. One of the most thorough lessons in history that I have had on the subject of the KKK. As I read it, I kept thinking, “This explains what the Republicans are doing right now.” Bullying and intimidation tactics only work for so long until the majority will no longer tolerate that behavior. I was shocked to learn that this happened in the state next to mine. I hope everyone reads “A Fever in the Heartland”.
Thanks. I'll put it on my list.
Me too. Thanks.
Amen!
I know that. Genealogy research uncovers more than many people want to know…
I agree I couldn’t put Fever down!
FDR *did* have extremely large, organized, violent groups of Fascists here in the US that supported Hitler. There are many sources but 'Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America' and Rachel Maddow Presents 'ULTRA' come to mind first.
My point of departure from what FDR faced is the degree and the extent to which the Fascists gained control of the levers of government. At the present time, we have aiders and abettors to the conspiratorial sedentionists serving in all level of government, state and federal, including folks such as Jim Jordan, Kevin McCarthy and Ron DeSantis. Thank you for this point. This is an on-going struggle, the outcome yet to be determined.
"Discovering The South" UNC press would be another eye opener.
Thank you for this. It is available online: https://flexpub.com/preview/discovering-the-south
Thank you!
You haven't heard of the Business Man's coup? A bunch of conservative business men tried to recruit Butler to lead a coup and take over FDRs administration. Jules Archer wrote a book about it called The Plot to Seize the White House. That was in 1933.
I was shocked beyond belief that I had never heard of it. Guess depression and WW2 intervened
The book is a fascinating read. They might have pulled it off if they didn't try to recruit Butler.
KKK and John Birchers. And a bit of Lindbergh’s America First ideology. Toxic brew
Lindberg, and now RFK, Jr.
Far different challenges.
I would add the greedy processed food companies (along with animal protein producers) that have contributed to the standard american diet (SAD) which is causing morbidity and mortality in mass numbers every year.
Bret I agree that FDR and Truman faced massive problems. But Biden’s fight to save the soul of America ranks high in my presidential priorities.
Mine too! The man has worked a medium/major miracle.
He's not done yet.
But….
Wellll S B, certainly in the ranks with FDR, Eisenhower & LBJ.
Spot on Sandy 👍
He reminds me of a Hindu god with many arms ie Shiva, Brahma.
And amazing Heather, Saraswati.
Well, given what FDR was up against, and what he accomplished, I think he belongs up there too.
Biden’s political/humanitarian (a strange combination huh?) instincts serve him well. Stay the course, avoid distraction, deliver the promise good governance and recreate respect for the Office of the Presidency
Joe is shrewd. Joe is wily. Joe is two miles ahead of the the Repubi
Except at the State legislative level where his strategy doesn't seem to apply. HCR quotes the Washington Post's pointing out that "The right doesn’t seem to care about the legal process'' in attaining its goals. And they get away with it in Republlican-controlled State houses. Example: Congress will never pass a ban on abortions, but State legislatures are doing exactly that, with their early definitions (six weeks?) of viability. That's why the SCOTUS must be expanded, and the 2024 elections may make that possible.
The Koch Brothers took good care to control the state legislatures, I believe in mostly red states, while the Democrats didn't pay attention. Howard Dean tried very hard when he was chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009 to get the Party to be in all the states, go local and elect more Democrats - grow the Party, everywhere. He was mostly ignored.
Seems to suggest that we continue to mass our troops in some federal Glenn, while the opposition is distributed in battles beyond our reach? Sounds to me like our mistaken battle plans in Viet Nam; regiments seeking other regiments to fight decisive battles, when the wars were being successfully waged in villages and jungles by the Viet Cong.
Good comment, Frank. But which is worse, being dead or looking dead? Hmm... a close call. As a once and forever Bernie bro, I have come to really admire Joe Biden, but I do not envy him. Doing what he does at his age is no picnic.
At any age!
How right you are, Frank Mitchell.
Thanks Frank - that's a beautiful tribute to Biden, true in every way. He saved us from a terrifying abyss, and has made steady progress ever since. I'm in awe and grateful every day.
Grateful every day too, Alexandra!
Agreed. I’m 10 years younger- in ok shape- and I don’t know how he does it!
He’s doing what he’s done all his life, it’s “muscle memory”.
And it’s passion.
Bless and protect Joe Biden, we still need him.
Yes, for five plus more years!
I’m with you. I don’t know how he has the stamina to deal with ALL that is on his plate. And yet he is so calm and collective and stays the course with such integra❤️
Anyone who has ever had a child with a drug or alcohol problem will know how painful that can be. To be a capable leader as well as a supportive parent is mind boggling. We all need to support Biden and his administration. And we need to tune out the right wing noise machine.
All while it's so very difficult to find information about these actions and continued governance among the headlines that only want to sensationalize his poor polling numbers and provide a negative slant to any headline.
President Biden seems to be opened and focused on his mission. He expresses himself authentically and despite his old age, he still tries as much as possible to remain flexible and lift America. But, Trump is good in capitalizing emotions of the people. He opposes everything that comes from the government. I don't know how this will turn out to be.
Trump confessed he is attacked "from every angel." That makes him the devil, no?
That “from every ANGEL” stopped me, too, AJT, and I had to read it a coupla times. “Angel” and “tRump” in the same sentence … whaaaa?!
Definitely they can't be in the same sentence. Two different worlds!
If he is being attacked genuinely, it is within his right to be himself. But, given the nature of Trump, he may not remain objective.
“May not remain objective.” When has he ever been objective. Not on any nanosecond of his life. Me, me, me, ad nauseam
Jeri, I think Edwin was referring to Biden’s not remaining objective, judging by Edwin’s comment immediately before AJT’s comment. Just a thought.
Thank you
Yeah sure.
WOT a NUMBSKULL !! Right ? AJT !
What Trump actually does is tell people they're outraged. He feeds them outrage, anger, hate. If those yokels sitting in diners in flyover country were emotional, they wouldn't be sitting there waiting for a loser like Trump to come along and save them. They'd be fighting for whatever the hell it is they're angry about not having.
Trump is the neighborhood kid who shows up at the park one day with a shiny new bicycle, saying to the other kids, "I got a new bike. You could have a new bike too, and a puppy, and lots of ice cream, but the reason you don't is because your parents spend all the money on themselves. "
Trump speaks the language of hate and blame. He says he can fix everything, and there are a lot of people out there who want an authority figure to do that. They want to be taken care of. I used to live in Egypt, moved there in 2011 just after the revolution, and these Trump culties remind me of the people in Egypt who elected Al-Sisi. They wanted an authority figure to run everything. And that's what they got.
Trump is the neighborhood kid who shows up at the park one day with a shiny new bicycle, saying to the other kids, "I got a new bike. You could have a new bike too, and a puppy, and lots of ice cream, but the reason you don't is because your parents spend all the money on themselves. "
This summary tells it all.
Frank Mitchell, lest we forget that there is no shortcut to experience. President Biden has not been vacationing and playing golf all these years. He has been learning the workings of negotiation, the many functions of our government and how it can work in accomplishing what the people of our country want and need to actually contribute to the workings of our republic.
Right on, bro. That's why he has my vote.
Mine too!
Vote blue in 24...it’s our only hope!
Frank, I often think the same thing. My only hesitancy in voting for him originally was his age (a few months older than I), but after his inauguration, he went to his office and began working, and he hasn't stopped. He is being abused by right-wingers because he makes them look so bad, and less-malignant observers spend time criticizing his gaffes and stiff gait. He's the best president/statesman that we've been lucky enough to have in decades.
Well said Frank. I'm almost 30 years younger than you guys and I couldn't handle it either. He's really something.
Building relationships? With who? The countries that gave him millions? China, Ukraine, Romania?
He is at war with his own citizens (or at least his political opponents). Was he building relationships when he weaponized the FBI, IRS, FISA?
A little walk down memory lane. How about the FBI memorandums authorizing the FBI to investigate PTA meetings or church gatherings
https://www.newsweek.com/fbi-memo-catholics-radical-traditional-leaked-1780379
How about 287,000 times the FBI illegally ran data searches on its own citizens?
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fbi-misused-intelligence-database-278-223852292.html
How about the illegal bank searches the FBI ran without warrants?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9228367/BoA-snooped-hundreds-accounts-looking-Capl-rioters.html
You might want to leave your bubble and come back to earth and look at the latest Harvard Harris poll. Not only does it have Trump ahead by 6. It has Biden's approval rating at 40%.
Even worse are his polling numbers on inflation, the economy, the fear of a recession, the border, and crime.
Building and repairing are not terms that come to lips of the majority of Americans.
JAMES A, Here You GO ! .....AGAIN !
I hope that didn't require too much mental energy!
Australian news asks: Does "creepy, cringey, confused" Joe Biden belong in a nursing home?
https://youtu.be/wqwrjJLGYd0
Truth! Nothing but the truth. Thank you and Bless you Frank! ❤️
Today’s Letter is jam backed with important stories. Here’s one more.
___’Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court’
___ ‘July 2008, Samuel Alito stood on a riverbank in a remote corner of Alaska. The Supreme Court justice was on vacation at a luxury fishing lodge that charged more than $1,000 a day, and after catching a king salmon nearly the size of his leg, Alito posed for a picture. To his left, a man stood beaming: Paul Singer, a hedge fund billionaire who has repeatedly asked the Supreme Court to rule in his favor in high-stakes business disputes.’
‘Singer was more than a fellow angler. He flew Alito to Alaska on a private jet. If the justice chartered the plane himself, the cost could have exceeded $100,000 one way.’
___’In the years that followed, Singer’s hedge fund came before the court at least 10 times in cases where his role was often covered by the legal press and mainstream media. In 2014, the court agreed to resolve a key issue in a decade-long battle between Singer’s hedge fund and the nation of Argentina. Alito did not recuse himself from the case and voted with the 7-1 majority in Singer’s favor. The hedge fund was ultimately paid $2.4 billion.’
____“If you were good friends, what were you doing ruling on his case?” said Charles Geyh, an Indiana University law professor and leading expert on recusals. “And if you weren’t good friends, what were you doing accepting this?” referring to the flight on the private jet.’
___ ‘ProPublica’s investigation sheds new light on how luxury travel has given prominent political donors — including one who has had cases before the Supreme Court — intimate access to the most powerful judges in the country. Another wealthy businessman provided expensive vacations to two members of the high court, ProPublica found. On his Alaska trip, Alito stayed at a commercial fishing lodge owned by this businessman, who was also a major conservative donor. Three years before, that same businessman flew Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in 2016, on a private jet to Alaska and paid the bill for his stay.’
___’Leonard Leo, the longtime leader of the conservative Federalist Society, attended and helped organize the Alaska fishing vacation. Leo invited Singer to join, according to a person familiar with the trip, and asked Singer if he and Alito could fly on the billionaire’s jet. Leo had recently played an important role in the justice’s confirmation to the court. Singer and the lodge owner were both major donors to Leo’s political groups.’
THERE IS MORE TO THIS PROPUBLICA INVESTIGATION, by Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, Alex Mierjeski June 20, 11:49 p.m. EDT
See the link below.
https://www.propublica.org/article/samuel-alito-luxury-fishing-trip-paul-singer-scotus-supreme-court
OMG, Fern! Thank you for providing this to us all. I knew that Alito was "fishy", but to this extent I did not know!
So both Sullen Sam Alito, or as he may prefer to be called now, Salmon Sam Alito and No Clearance Clarence are fully exposed as corrupt puppets in black robes for their uber wealthy benefactors and those similarly situated. Gee, that along with the oh-so-coincidental fact that the two of them are the most radical right wing Justices on the most right wing Court in our Country's history is knee buckling, to say the least.
Salmon Sam and No Clearance Clarence? Get out of town, Daniel...LOL!
I have said this before but Salmom Sam reminds me of a saying by an old Iowa farm boy that worked his way up from a construction carpenter to become production manager of the world's largest aluminum rolling mill in Davenport, IA. Paul used to say to complaining folks "you remind me of an old hound dog who is sitting on his balls and howling because it hurts and is either too stupid or too lazy to get up and do something about it." Sam sure likes to howl to the Wall Street Journal.
🤣🤣🤣
Daniel, my right knee buckling, perhaps, with arthritis but by rotten Salmon Alito and 'Calumny' ThomAss, no siree.
'ProPublica asked about Alito’s travel. He replied in the Wall Street Journal.'
'Questioned about an undisclosed fishing trip hosted by a GOP billionaire, the Supreme Court justice instead shared his rebuttal in a rival media outlet — before the investigative journalists could publish their scoop.'
By Paul Farhi, Washington Post
June 21, 2023 at 1:25 a.m. EDT
'Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. took issue with questions raised by the investigative journalism outlet ProPublica about his travel with a politically active billionaire, and on Tuesday evening he outlined his defense in an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal.'
'Yet Alito was responding to a news story that ProPublica hadn’t yet published.'
'Alito’s Journal column, bluntly headlined “ProPublica Misleads Its Readers,” was an unusual public venture by a Supreme Court justice into the highly opinionated realm of a newspaper editorial page. And it drew criticism late Tuesday for effectively leaking elements of ProPublica’s still-in-progress journalism — with the assistance of the Journal’s editorial-page editors.'
'An editor’s note at the top of Alito’s column said that ProPublica reporters Justin Elliott and Josh Kaplan had sent a series of questions to Alito last week and asked for a response by Tuesday at noon. The editor’s note doesn’t mention that ProPublica hadn’t yet published its story — nor that Alito did not provide his answers directly to ProPublica.'
'A spokesperson for the Journal, whose editorial page operates independently from its newsroom, did not respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment late Tuesday.'
'ProPublica published its story on Alito just before midnight on Tuesday, about five hours after the Journal published Alito’s defensive column.'
'It details the conservative justice’s relationship with billionaire hedge-fund manager Paul Singer, including their trip to an Alaskan fishing resort in 2008. According to the story, Singer — whose hedge fund subsequently came before the court 10 times in various business disputes — flew Alito to the resort on his private jet, a trip ProPublica reported would have cost Alito more than $100,000 one way if he had chartered the jet on his own.'
'Alito, who authored the court’s landmark Dobbs decision striking down federal abortion rights last year, didn’t disclose the trip on his financial disclosure forms in an apparent violation of the law, according to ProPublica.'
'The article noted the role of conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo in organizing the Alaska trip, including recruiting Singer to fly Alito to the lodge. The longtime head of the Federalist Society, Leo helped Alito win confirmation to the court. Singer and the lodge’s owner were major donors to the Federalist Society.'
'The story carried the bylines of Kaplan, Elliott and a third ProPublica reporter, Alex Meirjeski — the same team that reported a blockbuster story in April detailing years of luxury trips taken by Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife Ginni and paid for by billionaire Harlan Crow, who also paid for Thomas’s grandnephew’s private school tuition. Thomas never listed the gifts on his Supreme financial disclosure forms, leading some Democrats in Congress to call for Thomas to resign.'
'In his Journal column, Alito accurately anticipated the thrust of ProPublica’s yet-to-be-published article. He denied he had a conflict in accepting Singer’s “hospitality” or was obligated to disclose the 2008 trip. “Neither charge is valid,” he wrote preemptively.'
'He asserted that Singer was merely a casual acquaintance, with whom he spoke only fleetingly during the fishing trip, and was not aware of Singer’s connection to any subsequent court matter.'
'He said he accepted the offer of a seat on Singer’s private plane because it would otherwise have been unoccupied had he declined. A commercial flight, he wrote, would have imposed costs on taxpayers, who would have had to pay for the deputy U.S. marshals who provide security to Supreme Court justices to fly with him.'
'He also disputed ProPublica’s apparent characterization of the fishing resort, calling it' “misleading.”
“I stayed three nights in a modest one-room unit at the King Salmon Lodge, a comfortable but rustic facility” with “home style meals,” he wrote, adding “I cannot recall if (we were) served wine, but if there was, it was certainly not wine that costs $1,000.”
'Alito said he didn’t disclose the flight in his annual disclosure form because the rules at the time were vague: “I followed what I understood to be standard practice.”
'The Journal editorial page has veered sharply to the right in recent years and often expresses support of the more conservative members of the Supreme Court. In April, it blasted “left-leaning” ProPublica’s reporting on Thomas, arguing that the justice did not violate any disclosure rules at the time and that he faced no conflict of interest in his dealings with Crow.'
'Elliott, the lead ProPublica reporter on the story, told The Post early Wednesday that he and his colleagues had been informed Tuesday by the Supreme Court’s chief spokeswoman that Alito would not comment for their story. “It was surprising to see the op-ed publish several hours after that,” he said, “but we’re happy to get substantive engagement with our questions in any forum.”
The foregoing article was copied in its entirety from today's Washington Post.
'He said he accepted the offer of a seat on Singer’s private plane because it would otherwise have been unoccupied had he declined.' Doing his part to reverse climate change by carpooling {jetpooling?)...LOL!!
'A commercial flight, he wrote, would have imposed costs on taxpayers, who would have had to pay for the deputy U.S. marshals who provide security to Supreme Court justices to fly with him.' Just doing his part to save us taxpayers...what a guy!
Thanks, Fern!
My faith is now restored in the Supreme Court......as a taxpayer and stuff like that there..
Spewing bull Schitt to build a mountain
Ethics- schmethics - what a bunch of grifters this group of so-called judges are.
These devout Catholics who selectively pick from moral options.
Allegedly devout Catholics, MLM, at least in my opinion. More akin to Pharisees. Should be thrown out. After all, that’s what Jesus did...😎
Biden’s quiet Catholic faith is on display every day. Don’t know how he does it but I appreciate how he walks the walk rather than just talking the talk.
I completely agree. If you have to tell me what a devout Christian you are, then you aren’t livin’ right!
I have noticed that Leonard Leo is a common factor with the Conservative Justices...hmmmn? a real Cabal after all?
The WSJ is Rupert’s rag and the go to for “conservative” Bull Schitters. Alito can be counted on to run for cover under the “right” tent.
The trip(s is troubling but being part of a 7-1 decision is not. Wonder how the other cases were split and if Alito was part of a 5-4 split(s) that favored the billionaire.
SUBSCRIBERS, FOLLOW THIS! ALITO HAS MADE THE FRONT PAGE OF NEW YORK TIMES AND ADAM LIPTAK who covers the United States Supreme Court, writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments. 'A graduate of Yale Law School, he practiced law for 14 years before joining The New York Times's news staff in 2002. He has taught courses on the Supreme Court and the First Amendment at several law schools, including Yale and the University of Chicago.' ___ TAKES ALITO TO COURT! (excerpts)
'Justice Alito Defends Private Jet Travel to Luxury Fishing Trip'
'In an opinion essay in The Wall Street Journal, the justice disputed a ProPublica report, saying he was not required to disclose the trip or recuse himself from his benefactor’s cases.'
'Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. took the unusual step late Tuesday of responding to questions about his travel with a billionaire who frequently has cases before the Supreme Court hours before an article detailing their ties had even been published.'
'His response comes as the justices face mounting scrutiny over their ethical obligations to report gifts and to recuse themselves from cases involving their benefactors.'
'The justices have taken differing approaches to explaining their actions and attempting to protect their institution. Justice Clarence Thomas has been largely silent in the face of revelations of gifts from Harlan Crow, a wealthy Republican donor. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. turned down an invitation to testify about the court’s ethics practices and made vague statements about addressing them.'
'And Justice Alito has come out swinging.'
'Justice Alito said he was not required to disclose the trip on Mr. Singer’s private jet in “a seat that, as far as I am aware, would have otherwise been vacant.”
'A federal law requires disclosures of gifts over a certain value but makes exceptions for “personal hospitality of any individual” at “the personal residence of that individual or his family or on property or facilities owned by that individual or his family.” Justice Alito wrote that a jet is such a facility, quoting from dictionary definitions.' (NYTimes) How I wish that I had the gifting option because this article is a beauty. See link below.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/21/us/politics/justice-alito-luxury-travel-fishing-trip.html
Thanks for sharing this blockbuster. No one can doubt that the court is woefully corrupt. Will Roberts ever do anything to stop it? And what’s the next shoe to drop?
My recollection is that when asked about a Supreme Court ethics policy some years ago, Roberts replied that the Supreme Court was too high to require an ethics policy (apparently not even to deflect the appearance of evil) and that no power could enforce it. It seems to me that highly placed public employees whose decision impact the lives of unrelated others should not, as a matter of law, accept more than very trivial (typical) gifts from anyone, certainly including free vacations. If the entrusted honor is great and responsibility is great, it is not unreasonable to ask for some sacrifice of some otherwise acceptable behaviors to avoid even the perception of conflicts of interest. There is too much at stake , and history and science show that bias does not require a conscious intent. However lofty the title, we are all human., and power tends to corrupt, certainly when combined with hubris, even those who approach with earnest intent.
“too high to require an ethics policy… no power could enforce it.” With these words Roberts shows his disdain for our democracy which is defined as the system where all live by the rule of law.
Government of the people, by the people, for the people is an anathema to plutocrats. They brand it "communism".
Bad judges are a way of life in this country. I stood up for people and found myself in front of judges 3 times. No jury trials, just judges. Guilty as charged the first occurrence. Big fine and probation. Two other times charges were made up. Not guilty but fined and probation. Twice judges thanked me and admired my courage then fined me because the community in their estimation needed a scapegoat. I hate the root corruption but there comes time when you have to weigh the costs and take the blame. Money usually decides the outcome. Being protected by the law is costly and very risky.
So you highlight my opinion that the US has a “system”, but “justice plays a very small part in it. No Justice, No Peace. Know Justice, No Peace.
I cannot disagree. It is a tangled web we weave. Sometimes a lucid pattern. Too often not.
Years ago I worked at TVA and supervised a group of admin assts. one had done some work for a public attorney through her assigned TVA attorney on a public project of which TVA was a part. That attorney sent her a plant as thanks for her work. It exceeded the limit at the time ($30?) and she had to make a decision where to donate it. It was “investigated” by other TVA attorneys.
Some "violations" are so thinly technical that they deserve only a "reminder" of policy, but a governor of Virginia was accepting things like Rolex watches from a man with a business incentive with the state, and somehow that's legally acceptable. I would not even allow civil officers to be wined and dined in very expensive restaurants. I'm not even sure they should be treated to lunch at a burger joint by those with a potential ax to grind. People in the corporation my dad worked for were fired for accepting more than trivial gifts (like a houseplant) from vendors to the company.
Public service affects people's lives. If you don't like the scrutiny, stay out of the public sphere.
We robe them and bow to them and are surprised when they act like Gods. Stolen from … somewhere
“Power must never be trusted without a check.” - John Adams
We respect the social contract. Respect for the person is earned, or not. A person who confuses (and/or promotes) personal preferences with the authority of law has no business being in the process of it's administration. I'm not claiming people in any function should be robots, and "Just following orders" is not an all-purpose excuse; but thinking "I am the State" is corrupt plain and simple.
Michael, It would not occur to me to think of Chief Justice Roberts working to see that ethical behavior be applied to Supreme Court Justices.
'The chief justice’s wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, has made millions in her career recruiting lawyers to prominent law firms, some of which have business before the court. Now, a letter sent to Congress claims that may present a conflict of interest.' (NYTimes) See link below. Sorry not to have access to gifted link.
'At the Supreme Court, Ethics Questions Over a Spouse’s Business Ties'
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/31/us/john-roberts-jane-sullivan-roberts.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/31/us/john-roberts-jane-sullivan-roberts.html?unlocked_article_code=dVbIeEhb2imf2BsKqk1lFxI6a9rMy6rbRwwjK3GQOfeqH4KfVuDCN1Tps5cOT6htYiMpRjit4Hh4C4WKeKoa3zndPW6m0MbQuR6DSI8SKDq3b5kMoDd--1Xc96XCCulIb3SHjw0AZUshHJmjVtWcprerMq2ZLNW2z39EhXHGgmCbhkdvfLebwv83LeJvXBMdFdinaKzbbxYLNlt26dusLdYlSG2YE02GMLO0AmYlmd84amkOHAB3-HukvBn8-o2453qr8b7tyWqCcGGxJ3wZd1o3I7G3pzsvtKPcdiXZVolyGTnxbdWv9vYQKjZtQTu_z9QYVjxxw-PF6Z-yZs4QsLJNQ1HNjcU&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
This might work. Fingers crossed.
Sherree, you are a dear. Please open your fingers for you have fed our eyes with the article in full. Thank you!
Roberts is complicit.
It’s his responsibility and a shot at redemption. Do I believe he will do anything substantive? Unfortunately, no.
I need more coffee ! "Will Roberts" when I first read this I wondered what good old "Will Rogers" had to say about the Supreme Court. Some days are like that.
Good job, well done, Fern!
Yowsa, thanks, Fern. Maybe this would be a good time to contact the Court to advocate for televising the trial of DJT in the documents case. Just a thought.
https://www.supremecourt.gov/contact/contact_pio.aspx
Fern, your contributions to “all that other news out there” is very enlightening
No Paul Harvey quote though, but I offer this, “There’s a thousand stories in the Naked City and this is but one of them”
When the article revealing Clarence Thomas’ ties to Harlan Crow was published, I was so outraged that I wrote to my Senator, Dick Durbin. I told himI had lost all faith in the Supreme Court’s ability to make fair rulings. This was the response I received from him the same day:
“ Thank you for contacting me about ethics concerns for Supreme Court justices and reforming the Supreme Court. I appreciate hearing from you.
The Supreme Court has become increasingly politicized. This was shown in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, when its radical majority ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reversing decades of precedent, and taking away what had been a woman’s constitutional right to make her own decisions about her body.
In addition to the Court’s politicization, valid concerns also have been raised about the lack of a judicial code of ethics for Supreme Court justices. Without this, the Court’s justices can choose whether or not to recuse themselves from cases where they have potential conflicts of interest.
There also have been calls to impeach Supreme Court justices for accusations of misconduct and allegations that they lied under oath about their views on past decisions. The removal of federal officials by impeachment is one of the most serious constitutional responsibilities delegated to Congress. The Constitution grants the House of Representatives the authority to determine whether to impeach and draft articles of impeachment. If the House votes to impeach an official, a trial is then held in the Senate, where two-thirds of the Senate must vote to convict for a justice to be removed. The House has not voted to move forward with articles of impeachment for any current Supreme Court justices.
In the 117th Congress, several bills to reform the Supreme Court were introduced. These include the Judiciary Act of 2021 (S. 1141), which would have expanded the Supreme Court by adding four seats, and the Supreme Court Tenure Establishment and Retirement Modernization (TERM) Act of 2022 (S. 4706), which would have established 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices. These bills were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but they did not receive votes before the end of the 117th Congress.
This Congress, I am a cosponsor of the Supreme Court Ethics Act (S. 325) and the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act of 2023 (S. 359). The Supreme Court Ethics Act, introduced by Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, would create a binding judicial code of ethics for the Supreme Court. This bill would extend the Code of Conduct for United States Judges to Supreme Court justices, and require the justices to abide by the same ethical standards as all other federal judges.
The SCERT Act, introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, would require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct for justices and employees and more rigorous financial disclosure rules for justices, clerks, and parties who submit briefs to the Court. This legislation also would create new recusal standards for the entire federal judiciary.
These bills were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I serve as Chair. I will keep your thoughts in mind as the committee considers these bills, and I will continue striving to maintain the integrity of the Supreme Court and the honesty of those who serve.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator”
It looks like it’s time to contact my Senator again.
It also looks like time to work our butts off to get Democrats elected!
My blood is boiling! I worked for a federal contractor for eight years and I would have been fired on the spot for taking any gifts, no matter how small.
So many scandals, how to have enough investigators. I’m still waiting on the story about Justice Kennedy’s son and his German banker. Like with hackers, the crooks seem to be overwhelming the system…
Me too. Kennedy’s sudden departure, with McConnell controlling who got on the court, accelerated the destruction of trust and confidence in the court we now have. Never understood why that story wasn’t pursued by some good journalists.
Probably MONEY
Oh, yeah. Forgot about him!
Always appreciate your contributions to Heather’s letters, Fern
Thank you, Bonnie Black., for your compliment and for being such a beautiful bird - which type is it?
It’s a type of kingfisher.
Thank you, Bonnie, -- one alert bird!
Fascinating; I had read about Alito's shenanigans last night. Thanks for posting this and the other links.
Ker-ripes....!
'Paul Singer Sets Fishing Record by Catching Two-Hundred-Pound Supreme Court Justice'
'ALASKA (The Borowitz Report)—The billionaire Paul Singer set a sport-fishing record by catching a Supreme Court Justice who weighed in at approximately two hundred pounds.'
'The Justice, who was estimated to measure over sixty inches, became Singer’s catch during a luxury fishing trip to Alaska in 2008.'
'Singer, who said that he kept his record catch a secret because he does not “like to brag,” revealed that the jurist was “much easier to catch” than he had anticipated.'
“He required practically no bait whatsoever,” he said. “I’ve never caught something that seemed so happy to be flopping around on my boat.” (Satire, NewYorker)
This defines corruption. Alito and Thomas now share poster-boys status!!
Yes. I read that and spit my coffee.
Thank you!
Heather, the corruption and banality of today’s Republicans is again clear...
It’s time to use FASCISM to describe these people, for they are fascists of the first order.
And here's another...
John Eastman, ex-Trump attorney, to face attorney disciplinary proceedings l 2020 election plot aimed at Pence | CNN Politics
https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/20/politics/john-eastman-trump-election-ethics/index.html
Eastman is TOAST. Trump is TOAST. GOP is toast.
These people give toast a bad name..
I love good juicy raison toast, whole wheat bread toast, organic bread toasted.... organic toasted English muffins, all sorts of bread toasted.
For Fox to call Pres. Biden a "wannabe dictator" (cf. T----),for T---- to call the Biden's "A corrupt crime family" (cf. T---- family), for Comer to accuse the Biden's of "corruption, influence peddling, and possibly bribery "(cf. T----), and for the leaping insane person to ask for a House vote to impeach(cf. T---- x2), . . .:" Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bed post overnight?"
"When the DOJ tells you not to, do you do it just for SPITE?"
". . .chew it . . ."
Absolutely!
Call them what they are proud to be
Potentially good news about Shroyer pleading guilty - I really hope he is willing to contribute testimony to the investigation into overturning the election. At some point, when (or if?) there is ever a majority of congress folks who are dedicated to preserving democracy, I'd love to see a law that someone convicted of felonies would be disqualified from being president - more than what the 14th amendment provides, I mean.
The problem with that is that it does encourage a political party in power to weaponize the DOJ and try to get a felony conviction of an opponent to prevent them from being president in the future. Though the present Trumpublican cries of "weaponization" are nonsense, preventing a convicted felon from being president might be an enticement to corrupt prosecution. Also, do you want to prevent someone from being president just because they were busted for street crimes when they were young?
Is it not possible for reasonable people to create a law that differentiates between on-going attempts to commit treason and “the follies of youth?” All this dithering about fine points and future problems when the real issue is- “We all watched on TV while someone attempted to subvert the democratic process to illegally hang onto power during the failed coup of Jan.6, thereby displaying a treasonous lack of concern about maintaining the democratic basis of the position he sought to hang on to. Common sense suggests punishing him for this, rather than letting him him try it again, doesn’t it?”
So well said, Meredith!
It's a fair point. Having a conviction on what might be a financial crime, for example, is far different from being convicted of seditious conspiracy. The felon may still be a loyal patriot, the seditious conspirator, by definition, isn't. For my part, the $2 billion that Jared Kushner received from Saudi Arabia stinks to high heaven, particularly given Trump's possession of Top Secret documents about a military attack on Iran. There is also the mysterious deaths of some of Putin's close associates late last summer by "accidents." Is it possible that Trump shared with Putin a document that identified these people as sources for U.S. Intelligence?
Yes.
I wouldn’t. There is a saying in Japan: “A samurai who has become a ronin at least once, has learned a lesson. A man who has never erred, is dangerous.”
And chump’s crew were on track to make this de rigueur
I don't know. That's why I hope people who do know better than I do will consider the issue in more depth and come up with a law, a plan - something - in case such a thing were to happen. Right now, it feels to me like many of us are collectively holding our breath and hoping that we don't actually have to deal with the issue of an indicted or convicted president. It seems like a good idea to consider the problem before the reality hits. There are a lot of unanswered questions floating around. I sure don't have answers. This article talks about some of the issues: https://www.nytimes.com/article/trump-investigation-conviction.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
He is willing if HIS jail time is cut. Pays to inform, thank goodness (or in this case, badness).
I thought it only proper and courteous that I give notice that my participation in this invigorating forum is coming to a close. My subscription runs out in the coming weeks and I don’t intend to renew.
In any case, my comments on these pages have been absent for several months. I suspect that many who had noticed my remarks in the past had assumed that the clock had run out on my time on the planet, and that my thoughts and opinions would exist only in “the great beyond.”
Surprisingly, given my age, I’m not yet “beyond,” so I have no idea whether it is “great” or not. Actually I’m of the decided opinion that it is beyond great, but that’s a topic for a very different gathering.
Many of you who have joined this in-line community fairly recently may be thinking, “Who is this guy, anyway?” My answer is: I’m just a “long-timer” from the early months of this electronic town square and thankful to have been able to take part in these conversations.
To those who might remember me I say, So long and farewell. It has been a joy and an education to read our professor’s decidedly erudite yet deceptively “simple” descriptions of the day’s most important news, and her insightful and illuminating explanations providing the historical context to current events.
It has also been an education to read the comments of her many devotees. You are all special in so many ways.
Dr Heather Cox Richardson is a rare talent in the panoply of accomplished scholars. Her lucid dissection of complex—even mind-boggling—daily events is, and has been, a most precious gift in these turbulent times. We have enjoyed(?) a ring-side seat at some of the most momentous events in this nation’s—and possibly the world’s—history.
As I take my leave, I have just a thought or two. While these are inarguably difficult times in which to live, I believe that we should view this age as a challenge, a puzzle that can and must be solved. It is my firm, and hopefully humble, opinion, that our current troubles are uniquely challenging, and that our solutions must be equally unique. We must remake, remold, our society—our civilization—into a system shorn of the divisiveness, the hatred, the egocentricity, the corruption of our current pre-dystopian state. That is the only way.
Bill, I, for one, will miss your scholarly analysis each day in here. I wish you would reconsider staying. After all, I too am in the same boat as you, but I’ve come to the conclusion that we only live once, and I’m going to live as long as the good man upstairs allows.
Plus, as long as my fingers work, and my mind keeps ticking, I’m going to offer my “Thoughts and Opinions” on thing’s happening in this country, and world. After all, it’s all I have left!
No Bill I will not accept your resignation. This town square is made real by the unusual complexity of its citizens. Real journalists are keeping this country informed in the face of the failure of msm’s. Never has that vocation needed the diversity and talent as much as now.
Bill, you write: "It is my firm, and hopefully humble, opinion, that our current troubles are uniquely challenging, and that our solutions must be equally unique." I don't believe that this is true, we've been here before. I encourage you to get ASAP Timothy Egan's "A Fever in the Heartland," a recounting of the KKK in the 1920's and how it spread to the Midwest. Today's MAGA Republicans are nothing more than the "grandchildren" of the 1920's KKK. We have much to learn from Egan's recounting of what happened. I'm also 83 and a 4-year U.S. Army vet. Fighting this fight may be what all my years of learning and experience have prepared me to do. I will stay.
First of all Richard, I thank you for taking the time to read my comments and then to feel they merit a response. I am also grateful to all those who also made time to read and respond, and for those who registered a “like” for my post.
That said, Richard, I need to make clear that I am far from giving up the fight. I intend to remain on the field of battle as long as I have breath to give and an intelligible thought in my head. But I choose to focus on areas that I believe will bear more and longer-lasting fruit.
I think I understand, and certainly respect, your position. In many ways the trauma that we are experiencing does resemble other perilous moments in our history. Dr Richardson has clearly established those similarities in her “Letters…” over the past several years.
But I truly believe that the parallels are deceptive; perilously so. What makes this age in which we live so frighteningly existential has to do, in part, with the tools that are being wielded by the nihilists and their pawns among us. The electronic communication platforms we sometimes enjoy—sometimes not—are global in their reach and instantaneous in their transmission.
The other pertinent, and perhaps most critical, aspect of our current—as well as past—impasses, is that they are cyclical; we know from past confrontations that they will turn up again.
That—these agonizing cycles–is what we must end, once and for all time.
And that is what I have been, and plan to continue to be, fully focused on. Many have said—and many continue to say—that this historical repetition is inevitable, a permanent aspect of the human condition. I refuse to accept that!
We refuse to believe that cancer, and other life-threatening afflictions, will always be with us. We recognize that science will eventually erase such diseases.
Why do we not employ a similar outlook regarding virulent human behavior?
My goal is to find communities in the world that have found promising approaches to these forms of human dissonance. I have identified localities in Kenya, Brazil, The Triangle in North Carolina, and Toronto, Canada for instance, that though they appear or be hopelessly disparate, they have found a process in common that is beginning to transform their villages/neighborhoods/communities for the better.
These programs don’t rely on traditional, established modes of relating one to the other, but instead are designing new social structures, freed from the flawed, outmoded models that break down and fail to support all citizens equally.
There truly is substantive evidence that people at the grassroots of society can come together and share their needs, experiences, and insights, and renew and revitalize their shared spaces. They become the protagonists in their own social and economic development.
Thank you, Bill, for saying farewell to us with your generosity, care and hope. You were a dear contributor to our exchanges. Wishing you good health, good cheer and discovery during the next chapter of your life.
I'm with Fern, Bill!.
Thank you for your contributions. Vaya con Dios!
I have missed your writings, and I will miss the opportunities for further dialog. I kind of side with Pat Cole in that I would not accept your tendered resignation; I do understand the need for whatever self care is good for you.
Maybe take a vacation, and come back later.
Well, Bill Willis SC from NYC, et cetera.. I’m 84.. and I’ve treated SUBSTACK here and there as an amusement park and stimulant; keeps the mind occupied. But - does it matter? Your color and mine suggests it may. We’re speaking across the present divide. Trump racism is fascism. Fascism is deadly. Suggestion: stay here. Pitch tolerance and challenge this readership to VOTE, run for office, READ Timothy Snyder and Steve Schmidt, and others that are willing to dish fascists and their passive aggressive quiet enablers ON campuses nationwide. Whip James Clyburn saved Joe Biden with three words: Joe Knows Us. Did you read these words here?
The Pain of Prejudice is a Memoir for every child of color to write, starting with a diary that witnesses daily observations that matter.
Dynamics of Prejudice was a book by two men, assigned by IKE as a general after WWII ended. Ignorance and fear were its primary subjects - worse today. The Trump GOP and silent majority enablers of America 🇺🇸 are now in control of MSM ratings. Journalism is dying. Prejudice trumps tolerance.
Mr. Willis, fire up. You can help.
S.B. First, thank you for your kind words. They will help motivate me as I continue the struggle. And yes, I am 84 as well.
Secondly, I have really enjoyed your insights when you decide to stop toying with us. You have some invaluable experiences and knowledge to share.
While I am withdrawing from this forum, I think, I have other irons in the fire. I like to share my reply to Richard Sutherland who also felt that I was waving the white flag. Bear with me here, I tend to get long-winded.
Bill Willis (SC from NYC, etc)
3 hr ago
First of all Richard, I thank you for taking the time to read my comments and then to feel they merit a response. I am also grateful to all those who also made time to read and respond, and for those who registered a “like” for my post.
That said, Richard, I need to make clear that I am far from giving up the fight. I intend to remain on the field of battle as long as I have breath to give and an intelligible thought in my head. But I choose to focus on areas that I believe will bear more and longer-lasting fruit.
I think I understand, and certainly respect, your position. In many ways the trauma that we are experiencing does resemble other perilous moments in our history. Dr Richardson has clearly established those similarities in her “Letters…” over the past several years.
But I truly believe that the parallels are deceptive; perilously so. What makes this age in which we live so frighteningly existential has to do, in part, with the tools that are being wielded by the nihilists and their pawns among us. The electronic communication platforms we sometimes enjoy—sometimes not—are global in their reach and instantaneous in their transmission.
The other pertinent, and perhaps most critical, aspect of our current—as well as past—impasses, is that they are cyclical; we know from past confrontations that they will turn up again.
That—these agonizing cycles–is what we must end, once and for all time.
And that is what I have been, and plan to continue to be, fully focused on. Many have said—and many continue to say—that this historical repetition is inevitable, a permanent aspect of the human condition. I refuse to accept that!
We refuse to believe that cancer, and other life-threatening afflictions, will always be with us. We recognize that science will eventually erase such diseases.
Why do we not employ a similar outlook regarding virulent human behavior?
My goal is to find communities in the world that have found promising approaches to these forms of human dissonance. I have identified localities in Kenya, Brazil, The Triangle in North Carolina, and Toronto, Canada for instance, that though they appear or be hopelessly disparate, they have found a process in common that is beginning to transform their villages/neighborhoods/communities for the better.
These programs don’t rely on traditional, established modes of relating one to the other, but instead are designing new social structures, freed from the flawed, outmoded models that break down and fail to support all citizens equally.
There truly is substantive evidence that people at the grassroots of society can come together and share their needs, experiences, and insights, and renew and revitalize their shared spaces. They become the protagonists in their own social and economic development
No. No. Don’t go.
Bill, live long and prosper….oh, and have some fun while you’re at it! Will miss your missives.
Boo Hoo. THIS AS CROOKED DOJ, STATE, & CITY PROSECUTORS, MARXISTS & COMMUNISTS ALL, HIT ME FROM ALL SIDES & ANGELS WITH BULL….! Angels stop picking on manbaby!
Thanks for pointing this out, Gigi - another proof (do we need more?) of tfg's lack of education. 'Manbaby' is too generous a title for the magamonster.
Ha Ha....I laughed out loud when I read that. Does the guy ever come up with new material? It's always the same..."corruption like the world has never seen."
Like an old vinyl record ‘skipping’ (repeating).
It does get tiring.....
Poor, poor thing.
😁
Good morning, Gigi!
“The right doesn’t seem to care about the legal process—they care about the results. Their aim is the destruction of the independence of federal law enforcement in favor of a weaponized justice system, and they will keep creating new pretexts until they get it."
These words from Greg Sargent brought chills to my spine. TFG weaponize the justice system by asking Kelly to have the IRS investigate his foes. Biden has kept hands off. It’s as though TFG and his buddies are using the book On Tyranny as a playbook to create a fascist authoritarian state.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/13/us/politics/trump-irs-investigations.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Trump Wanted I.R.S. Investigations of Foes, Top Aide Says
From Article II of the Articles of Impeachment of Richard Nixon:
"He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, endeavoured to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, confidential information contained in income tax returns for purposed not authorized by law, and to cause, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, income tax audits or other income tax investigations to be initiated or conducted in a discriminatory manner."
The point is well made that the MAGA Republicans will weaponize the entire system. To get a flavor of what to expect, get Timothy Egan's book, "A Fever in the Heartland." Today's MAGA Republicans are the 1920's KKK, redux. They're virtually identical. Scary.
To Egan's book, I should also add the book by Heather Cox Richardson entitled "How the South Won the Civil War." [Oligarchy, Democracy, and the Continuing Fight for the Soul of America.] I have it on Kindle.
The message I'm seeing is that whether it's 2 million or 200 thousand paid back in taxes, the very rich are getting away with an awful lot!
An old thought from Balzac: “Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.” Unless we make up our minds to do something about it.
"Equal justice under law is a phrase engraved on the West Pediment, above the front entrance of the United States Supreme Court" -Wikipedia
Time for a new phrase to be engraved on the Supreme Court building:
"We Are Above The Law. Donations Welcomed."
"...the very rich are getting away with an awful lot!"
Amen. And it just seems to never end. "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."
Ha! Good call, Heydon!
Let's just hope that "we don't get fooled again!!"
Stephen, at their level its “only money”, collateral damage. “There’s plenty more where that came from”
ALL the MAMMONITES! they are... the Bent MANKIND !
"A ‘TRAFFIC TICKET,’ & JOE IS ALL CLEANED UP & READY TO GO INTO THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - "
I don't expect even a crude sort of logic from Trump and Republican "leading lights", but what of the millions who might take this seriously? Are we as a species so gullible that utter nonsense is acceptable so long as it wears the right party pin? Obviously yes, but is there no way to educate societies out of this dysfunction, or have we just been too casual about letting things drift? I don't claim to have a convincing answer, but the space for wiggle room is getting narrower and there is a hell of a lot of work to be done that is being sabotaged by power games.
"but what of the millions who might take this seriously?"
And in your sentence JL, we have the root cause of all that we see today.
Anyone who takes Trump as anything other than the liar and crook that he has always been is actually the root cause of the problems we face today.
Trump is just the symptom of the illness. The Americans who believe him are the infection causing the illness.
You nailed it, Mike.
The truth hurts, doesn't it? We would like to think that most of the Trumpers are just misguided or naive or ill informed - somehow just normal folks who if they had the real facts, would dump Trump.
But nope. Hate, envy, greed and bigotry are traits that many humans not only embrace but celebrate.
For sure, there are some "nice people" that are hoodwinked by Trump. But most MAGA maniacs are just fracking evil. Humans with dark hearts and rotted souls.
And that would be the way things have been since one of us first stood upright. The problem today is that these dark hearted fools are accessories in destroying the planet we live on. That's a sign of a species in a spiral dive to oblivion.
The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation. And Bill they turn to grasp at whatever might keep their heads above water. This charade of evil demons you parade is is far far from mere common men. Stupid in numbers I will grant you but only pertaining to magomaniacs. By the numbers “most” people are not Magats. And remember that crowd will eventually be pushing up daisies, another side note of man’s inhumanity to man. There is your “spiral dive.” Meanwhile back at the ranch.
Agree that there are more of us than "them". Most folks are just trying to get through the day, feed the kids, pay the bills and so on.
Let's just hope we can wrest control from the monstrous minority.
Bill, had a similar conversation with friends yesterday at a breakfast joint & I mentioned something I’d read about human evolution and the traits that we exhibit. Came home and did an online search & found what I’d mentioned (this being just one such ‘article’)….that some of this is in our DNA. Sigh, wish we had more Bonobo DNA in the mix…. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/03/20/978868116/some-generous-apes-may-help-explain-the-evolution-of-human-kindness#:~:text=The%20researchers%20think%20bonobos%20may,least%20some%20of%20the%20time.&text=Bonobos%20look%20like%20smallish%20chimpanzees,them%20our%20closest%20living%20relatives.
Love this story! Thanks for the link. I read about bonobos years ago. But had forgotten about them.
Lessons from them ought inspire.
There is a common thread between bonobo empathy and the core teachings of Jesus. I don't do church stuff, but wouldn't it be helpful and wonderful if folks embraced these ideas instead of fear and hate?
More bonobo, less chimp!
Exactly so, Mike. If I may resort to junior high imagery: tfg is the zit, his followers are the pus that exudes when the zit is popped.
🤮 Too many memories 😉
“Spot” on….but now I need some brain bleach!
Ha!!
Jeez, Ally. My second runaway tooth abscess this month with one eye swollen shut and pain from hell to breakfast and you bring up pus!!! The dentist went on vacation and my wife’s antibiotics from her knee operation last summer haven’t kicked in yet. But you did make me laugh you turd.
So sorry you’re going through that. I wear my 💩 badge proudly!!!
John Stuart Mill, in his 1869 essay, "The Subjection of Women," made this point: When beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter.
...and Richard, the need to belong is deep-seated in the human soul, in the human neuroanatomy and human neurophysiology. More deeply-seated I think than hate, envy, greed & bigotry.
Hunter Biden Plea Deal
What are the true outtakes of this investigation and subsequent deal?
First, and foremost, I want to state a disclaimer about this case: although I have followed it, as best I could over the past years, I’ll be man enough to admit that I’m not part of the investigative team. I never have been. Nor do I, or ever have had, access to the investigation or any part of it.
I wanted to get that out of the way for all those that think I may have had access to something that hasn’t been reported in any way. Or that believe I’m hiding something, or whatever. Who knows what people think anymore?
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get down to business of discussing this case, and it’s comparison to that of our ex-president, Donald J. Trump.
First, Hunter Biden has been criminally charged with two (2) misdemeanor counts of failing to file his taxes. The two years he failed to do so, he reportedly made over $1 million income each year.
Second, Hunter Biden has also been Federally charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. This charge has, apparently, been negotiated in a plea arrangement where he will enter a program which will in return, at the completion of this program this charge will be dropped.
Now, the tax evasion charges. Again, it’s been reported that although Hunter Biden has been formally charged, he has paid back all, or most of all, back taxes owed by not filing these two years of tax returns. And these are MISDEMEANORS! Not Felonies. Both of these charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 12 months in jail. With the .......(please read the rest of my comments [Thoughts & Opinions] about the Hunter Biden/Biden Family investigation by clicking this link.)
https://daniellcooper.substack.com/p/hunter-biden-plea-deal?sd=pf
Now, on to further business.
First, Donald J. Trump, as we all know, is an idiot. He’s constantly making accusations about President Biden and the Biden family having foreign ties. This investigation, which just wrapped up with the aforementioned misdemeanors and gun possession charge against Hunter Biden actually began over 5 years ago by Donald J. Trump selecting this very attorney to head this very investigation into the Biden family. Trump claimed the entire family was corrupt. He claimed that the family had been, and still was, in collusion with foreign governments to undermine democracy and the United States.
This, as we have been learning over the years, was only a rouse to actually cover up his, and his family’s involvement with countries like Russia, North Korea, China, and Saudi Arabia. All of the hype that Trump created over Hunter Biden’s laptop, has resulted in 5 years of taxpayer dollars spent, and wasted. It resulted in 5 years investigation of the “Corrupt Biden family” actually being 2 years of missed tax filings by Hunter Biden, which he’s repaid, including penalties, and a gun possession charge. Oh my!!!
What we do now have, as a President of the United States, is Joe Biden, a man that has had to do something no other president has ever had to do in the history of this country. He was forced to assume the office of the Presidency with no transition of power conducted peacefully by his predecessor. He, and his entire cabinet were forced to remain out of all government offices until after his inauguration on January 20, 2021. And then they learned that most all of the important documentation of the operation of the departments had been destroyed, or taken, to prevent the Biden administration from being able to simply walk in and assume duties peacefully. It’s like this entire administration had to start from scratch. Which, in my opinion, in the two plus years they have been in office, have done pretty well.
I fully agree with Heather about Owen Shroyer possibly flipping. Thus is huge in the investigation of Trump, and all of his cronies in the January 6 Grand Jury investigation. If in fact he has, this will be the crack in the case that just might cement Donald J. Trump, and a slew of others, into this case in such a manner that will have him, and a lot of current Republicans in Washington DC, sweating profusely.
It’s my hope that when the long list of indictments are finally handed down, the federal marshals go to the House, and Senate chambers, and physically arrest each and every one of them in front of everybody, and on national television. I want to see every one of them arrested, handcuffed, and marched out of that building. Every one of them deserve that, since it was that building that was attacked in their attempt to overthrow our democracy and destroy our freedoms.
Whenever one hears the Reactionary Right accuse the Dems of something, you can be pretty sure it is something the Trumpublicans are doing or, at the least, want to do. "Activist judges," identity politics," "cancel culture,""weaponization of the DOJ." In "Democracy in Chains," Nancy MacLean quotes from a letter by the economist James M. Buchanan where he specifically says he is engaged in a "conspiracy" to undermine Americans' trust in public institutions in order to undermine New Deal type policies. [Though I read the book, the following includes my thoughts along with material gleaned from a 2017 review of the book by Heather Boushey in the NYT.] Roughly 50 years ago, Buchanan stressed that “conspiratorial secrecy is at all times essential” to mask efforts to protect the wealthy elite from the will of the majority. The idea was to get voters to direct their ire at these institutions and divert their attention away from increasing income and wealth inequality. He knew that this campaign had to be kept secret or the populace would oppose it. He also knew that getting control of the judiciary was one of the keys to success. Buchanan therefore argued for “curbing the appetites of majority coalitions” by establishing ironclad rules that would curb their power. He said, “The problems of our times require attention to the rules rather than the rulers.” He also says in his 1975 book “The Limits of Liberty,” “Despotism,may be the only organizational alternative to the political structure that we observe.”
SCARY STUFF! Did we find out in time to stop this overthrow of democracy?
Excellent points. The wealthy, through their recruited implementors of policy, Republican politicians, have been extremely successful with deflection, with mis-direction plays, using wedge issues (abortion, immigrants, women's rights, etc.) to divert the attentions of millions from the real issues. Clearly, the wealthy are getting wealthier and the Middle Class is shrinking. MAGA Republicans in 2023 want what the KKK wanted in 1923 - a white Protestant theocracy. Get Timothy Egan's book, "A Fever in the Heartland."
I hope so, as angry as i am right now, i would leave the United States tomorrow if i could.
Hang on tight, John. We need you here to fight the good fight.
When I get tired and demoralized by it all, I listen to what’s become my anthem to motivation….Jackson Browne’s ‘Til I Go Down’….and you can dance to it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmzimxfqgfw
I may have to find that song online and dance to it. By the way, whatever happened to Jackson Browne?? Is he still alive? I will try the link you sent, thank you for the link.
Yeah, he is & is still touring I gather….nowhere close to where I live tho’….. And a bit off topic, but still musical, check out this Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQOaUnSmJr8&list=RDdQOaUnSmJr8&start_radio=1
The watercolor illustrations accompanying the song chart the long arc of the struggle for justice—one of the better iterations of its presentation IMHO.
Thank you very much, Barbara, i will check this out. i really like that song Neil Young came out with in the early nineties, ''Rockin in the free world'' that song was certainly on the Hard Rock side. Kinda unusual for him, i thought.
I am going to try to hang in here. I find it disturbing that these Fascist Rethuglicans can flaunt the law and get by with it. I never knew that there are so many people in the United States that go along and approve of their lawlessness. To me, it's appalling that so many middle class and some poor people that support these criminals. The voting rights attacks is the one thing that needs to be stopped. That is the one thing that disgusts me the most. They are violating Federal laws by doing this, but it seems nothing is being done about it.
Lemme see here.., howz aboutz just '''trump-licken''', instead of "Trumpublican"? Whewww! I can hardly contain my excitement. I mean just think of the connotations to be derived from trump-LICKIN.., my my!! Or maybe A Licking! might describe what 'the Mar-A-Laygo Mooch' is doing to the DeeSandis campaign, e.g: Giving DeeSandish a real "licking" ?? Yeah..hahahahhaaa. Hohoho.., and while we're at it folks, let's give a loud-shout-out for ALL the 'boot-lickers' out there: Yessuh.. the Demo-craps, the Repub-reprobates, the Hole-eeRollers, the EvanAngel-"Lick"alicals...; yup.. U name some. This has been so much fun. So many "Lick-ALL-icals out there just looking for someone to "Lick" up to. Okay.., here's one more: The Supreme-Licken-court. Wheww.., I've got some carburetors to clean.., gotta turn on the air compressor. Pax!
Anyone who publicly accuses others of serious crimes without offering proof is a lowlife. The GOP overflows with them, and Rep. Comer seems intent on leading them ever lower.
It seems that big lies, billionaire patrons, and a fanatical, manipulated cult is all they have left.
Has Comer stopped beating up his girlfriends yet?
TC, you could ask Gym Jordan, but he’s looking the other way
The GQP are worse than an infestation of cockroaches. All of the GQP should be exterminated. I hate and despise all Rethuglicans. I never said things like this until TUMP and his band of criminals came onto the scene in 2016. My disgust and anger toward them have reached new heights by their recent acts. They are horrible excuses for human beings...
Yup.. them's "low-lickers" for sure.
"The [Omani] project is being constructed by migrants paid as little as $340 a month for ten hours a day of grueling work in heat above 100°F, or 38°C." - that's little more than $ 2/hr... And we can imagine where and how those migrant workers will be housed. Shame on these filthy rich arrogant inhuman 'beings' who indulge in modern slavery!
the gop are all a bunch of corrupt partisans who will howl no matter what happens.
The judge could'a executed Hunter right on the spot and the GOP would've asked, "What took 'em so long?"
The real problem MAGA Republicans have with the Hunter Biden settlement is that they won’t have Hunter Biden and, through him, his father the President, to kick around anymore. Their complaints will ring empty and hollow as the very real legal problems of their party leader, whose own son apparently has his problems with the Bolivian walking powder, mount. Besides, when it comes to bribery and corruption, the Trump family, son-in-law Jared Kushner very much included, takes a back seat to nobody. It’s almost a point of pride.
Evening to all my colleagues in HCRdom!
While Despicable Don has provided us with the usual yucks and giggles with his imbecilic predictability, nonetheless I still have some concern about the Hunter Biden matter.
As Heather properly points out, the more reasonable interpretation of his plea deal could actually be that the DOJ went out of its way to hit him with something they don't usually hit defendants with in these circumstances. Yet with at least four years of non stop, incessant right wing echo chamber propaganda equating Hunter Biden with at least one if not all four of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and with the objective fact that the son of the President of these United States was for a good stretch of his life a sad supplicant to the scourge of drug addiction in its worst incarnations, this plea deal is not something to simply laugh off.
Toss in the fact that the serious coin he pulled down from far off places for what appears to be solely the simple fact that his last name is Biden, and we have a controversy that needs to be addressed one way or another.
The $$$ he made in Ukraine are clearly a result of nepotism to some degree. This is not surprising, and certainly not new. I have seen no evidence that there's any more to this than the usual, albeit unacceptable nepotism and cronyism in high level politics as it always has been.
Yet the Democratic Party cannot simply rely upon pointing out the distinctions between Hunter's behavior and that of Trump and the Trump Crime Family. That simply won't cut it. They need to get out ahead of this, and pronto. The independents and non-Trump Republicans out there cannot wobble in the 2024 election. I am convinced that besides her own failures in campaigning in 2016 (Hello Hillary!!! Wisconsin still misses you!!!!), the twenty years of right wing propaganda, bullshit and outright misogynism directed toward HRC (as distinct from our own HCR) lost her just enough votes to lose the election. We CANNOT have that happen again.
While you do bring up a good point here, there is something at play here that is different than the 30 years of propaganda directed at Hilary Clinton by the Reich wing. The other component that is different is that the MAGAt world will never, ever have any discernment that the nepotism that let Hunter Biden be in a position to get a job paying money that none of us would ever see and the 2 billion dollar gift to Jared Kushner by the Saudis are ever so slightly different<sarcasm font on last 4 words>.
No doubt about that, Ally.
Tell me about your new substack column, girl!
Substack created it for me. They said I had one. "Ally's Substack". I had been toying with the idea of writing one, and so I went in and changed it to the "View From the Back Row". Don't know what I am going to write on , but I'm sure there will be a current event that I'll prepare an essay for.
That sounds most promising. Looking forward to it
Back Row & Back Benchers always observant.
Isn't the back row where they put the tubas? You have a great view of what's happening with the orchestra! Looking forward to reading your posts.
<blush>
Thank you!