I'm replying to your reply with the question about how else to characterize "die-hard" Trump supporters, though it's tempting to excuse them for being uneducated. Perhaps some of them are, and, of course they are not a monolithic group. Since there are quite a few in the Old People's Home (OPH) in which I live who are well educated and well heeled, I would have to say that many believe that he is being unjustly accused or trivially accused, and many believe that his advocacy for the "forgotten" is advocacy for them. Who are the forgotten? Those whose jobs have been lost to great causes like addressing climate change is one group or just the sense that they are being crowded out and left behind by undeserving rivals such as people of color and immigrants or people of other faiths. This wouldn't be bad if they didn't feel somehow that they have been gipped. If they don't buy "the big lie"? what is there for them? We can see what is in it for the mega donors. I have read the book Dark Money, and I have listened to Sheldon Whitehouse's testimony to that. So dissing them is easy and important, in my view, and they are far more dangerous than the un-entitled group.
Robert has written that whether or not Trump is convicted, his ability to regain the presidency depends on the voters.
Others have written about this, and the latest to emphatically add his voice is Robert Reich, who cites the 14th amendment’s disqualification from elected office of someone who has sworn to protect the Constitution but has tried to overthrow the government.
Robert Reich suggests signing a petition to state officials stating that it is their constitutional duty to not put Trump on the ballot. Here is his statement about that.
"Unequal Justice: Trump 2024 and the Blueprint to End American Democracy
The far right Heritage Foundation created a platform for Trump that plots an authoritarian take-over of the country."
"The question for the rest of us, who see democracy teetering on the brink, is how to stop Trump and Project 2025. It is possible, but unlikely, that Special Counsel Jack Smith could derail Trump’s campaign through the multiple prosecutions he is pursuing. It is also possible, but by no means certain, that the Supreme Court, currently stacked with three Trump appointees, could overturn or weaken some aspects of a second-term Trump agenda if Smith fails.
The most effective way to stop Trump and the new movement behind him, however, is to defeat him at the polls, making sure that he never accedes to power again. Sadly, that, too, remains decidedly uncertain. "
Robert, isn’t it time we go for the gut? Instead of talking like we are engaged in a Faculty Club debate Dems need to use words of fire kindled by shocking truths. First off we must refer to Republicans as the Party of Death. They are not just killing truth with vicious lies and brainwashing but actually killing people with their climate denialism and control over women’s bodies. Their violent rhetoric has directly led to the killing of innocent people. Their assault on climate science and the EPA is nothing short of detonating a nuclear weapon capable of killing hundreds of thousands. Women have died because of their Orwellian abortion laws. Their sick followers teetering on the edge of insanity are triggered to mow down our babies. This is the fire breathing we must use. But I am feeling no heat from Dem leaders. It is all aimed at the head, not the heart, devoid of the passion that lies behind your excellent commentary.
At a private fundraiser in Maine, according to HCR, President Biden said, “Every action we take in our conduct abroad, we must take with American working families in mind.” I am grateful for all he has done to restore civic professionalism to the role. And I yearn for an administration whose leader can truthfully say, “Every action we take, we must take with the restoration of planetary ecosystems, water and carbon cycles in mind, so that America’s legacy will be a thriving planet where the children of our working families can survive.”
Could or would some one please tell me why, with all the present and future litigation, is Trump still 30% ahead of his nearest rivals in the polls for the GOP nomination ? All the members of the GOP cannot be totally unconscious, unaware, and unintelligent.....or ??
Meanwhile, Ohio needs help to defeat an 8/8/23 referendum on state constitutional amendment that would make it much harder to put citizen referendums on the ballot and get them passed. Click below for actions in and outside of Ohio. Then navigate to a long list of unions and many other organizations opposed to Issue One. Please share with friends and family in Ohio and urge them to “Vote No on Issue One”!
It seems odd to me that a person (Alito) can continue to sit on the bench when he clearly doesn't even know what is in the Constitution he swore to uphold.
What can Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer do to get around Senator Tuberville's obstruction? Surely there is something! Can't he bring up each appointmrnt individually to be voted on in the Senate? And whip his majority into being present to vote? It nauseates me that Congress has headed off for their August holiday without getting this done. Perhaps Schumer is using the rising tide of fury to advance another Democratic policy. If so he is wrong wrong wrong.
“The shocking details of Trump's attempted destruction of evidence alleged in the Superseding Indictment obscured one fact for which all Americans should be thankful: the incredible tenacity and thoroughness of special prosecutor Jack Smith.”
Not to diminish Jack Smith’s work and leadership: we should all be thankful for the skill and hard work of Jack Smith’s *staff*. Too often the top guy gets all the credit. The others get little notice.
If Desantis thinks slavery was so beneficial, why didn't more white people enlist to be slaves and learn trades? Floridians, long known for selling swamp house lots to unsuspecting retirees, will now be forever embarrassed for the efforts of their misnamed "Department of Education" to "WHITE wash" history.
And don't forget that when Desantis taught high school history at Darlington School (a boarding school in northwest Georgia), he was known to be quite supportive of the Confederacy's ideas and one black student remembers Desantis as being overly harsh to her because of her race. See: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/05/us/desantis-high-school-teacher-georgia.html. According to the article, Desantis (at age 23) voiced aspirations of being President someday.
Thanks for that explanation of Congress's role in overseeing the Supreme Court. All the more reason why we must win both houses of Congress and the Presidency in 2024.
Excellent letter, Robert. BUT I still worry about all the time it is taking DOJ and GA to act re 1/6 and related issues, and the increasing risk that the long time will lead people to want to “move on” to what we used to call kitchen table issues. Hence the vital importance (are you listening, DNC geniuses??) of clear, forceful targeted messages about the economy. Can we bring Bill Clinton and Obama out of retirement for these purposes? They are much better public speakers than Biden. And as a general matter, people love to listen to them. Also how about James Carville - one of my personal favorites?
It seems that every week, one or two of the insurrectionists is sentenced for their actions. Never for treason and for not enough time. I am relieved and gratified that Officer Fanone's assailant was found out and received justice. Officer Fanone may feel some comfort in that. In my opinion, the trauma inflicted by Fanone's assailant and the treatment by fellow officers that caused him to leave his profession is far greater than the sentence that was given. I am grateful that we have judges on the bench like Judge Jackson. Too bad Judge Jackson isn't on the Supreme Court.
I'm replying to your reply with the question about how else to characterize "die-hard" Trump supporters, though it's tempting to excuse them for being uneducated. Perhaps some of them are, and, of course they are not a monolithic group. Since there are quite a few in the Old People's Home (OPH) in which I live who are well educated and well heeled, I would have to say that many believe that he is being unjustly accused or trivially accused, and many believe that his advocacy for the "forgotten" is advocacy for them. Who are the forgotten? Those whose jobs have been lost to great causes like addressing climate change is one group or just the sense that they are being crowded out and left behind by undeserving rivals such as people of color and immigrants or people of other faiths. This wouldn't be bad if they didn't feel somehow that they have been gipped. If they don't buy "the big lie"? what is there for them? We can see what is in it for the mega donors. I have read the book Dark Money, and I have listened to Sheldon Whitehouse's testimony to that. So dissing them is easy and important, in my view, and they are far more dangerous than the un-entitled group.
Robert has written that whether or not Trump is convicted, his ability to regain the presidency depends on the voters.
Others have written about this, and the latest to emphatically add his voice is Robert Reich, who cites the 14th amendment’s disqualification from elected office of someone who has sworn to protect the Constitution but has tried to overthrow the government.
Robert Reich suggests signing a petition to state officials stating that it is their constitutional duty to not put Trump on the ballot. Here is his statement about that.
https://youtu.be/s5ffe7MYSo8
Bill Blum agrees that the best way to stop Trump is to defeat him at the polls.
https://progressive.org/latest/trump-2024-and-the-blueprint-blum-20230726/ BY BILL BLUM JULY 26, 2023
"Unequal Justice: Trump 2024 and the Blueprint to End American Democracy
The far right Heritage Foundation created a platform for Trump that plots an authoritarian take-over of the country."
"The question for the rest of us, who see democracy teetering on the brink, is how to stop Trump and Project 2025. It is possible, but unlikely, that Special Counsel Jack Smith could derail Trump’s campaign through the multiple prosecutions he is pursuing. It is also possible, but by no means certain, that the Supreme Court, currently stacked with three Trump appointees, could overturn or weaken some aspects of a second-term Trump agenda if Smith fails.
The most effective way to stop Trump and the new movement behind him, however, is to defeat him at the polls, making sure that he never accedes to power again. Sadly, that, too, remains decidedly uncertain. "
Robert, isn’t it time we go for the gut? Instead of talking like we are engaged in a Faculty Club debate Dems need to use words of fire kindled by shocking truths. First off we must refer to Republicans as the Party of Death. They are not just killing truth with vicious lies and brainwashing but actually killing people with their climate denialism and control over women’s bodies. Their violent rhetoric has directly led to the killing of innocent people. Their assault on climate science and the EPA is nothing short of detonating a nuclear weapon capable of killing hundreds of thousands. Women have died because of their Orwellian abortion laws. Their sick followers teetering on the edge of insanity are triggered to mow down our babies. This is the fire breathing we must use. But I am feeling no heat from Dem leaders. It is all aimed at the head, not the heart, devoid of the passion that lies behind your excellent commentary.
At a private fundraiser in Maine, according to HCR, President Biden said, “Every action we take in our conduct abroad, we must take with American working families in mind.” I am grateful for all he has done to restore civic professionalism to the role. And I yearn for an administration whose leader can truthfully say, “Every action we take, we must take with the restoration of planetary ecosystems, water and carbon cycles in mind, so that America’s legacy will be a thriving planet where the children of our working families can survive.”
Many people are confused by all the big words in the constitution. Why pick on Justice Alito, Bob?
Could or would some one please tell me why, with all the present and future litigation, is Trump still 30% ahead of his nearest rivals in the polls for the GOP nomination ? All the members of the GOP cannot be totally unconscious, unaware, and unintelligent.....or ??
Meanwhile, Ohio needs help to defeat an 8/8/23 referendum on state constitutional amendment that would make it much harder to put citizen referendums on the ballot and get them passed. Click below for actions in and outside of Ohio. Then navigate to a long list of unions and many other organizations opposed to Issue One. Please share with friends and family in Ohio and urge them to “Vote No on Issue One”!
https://votenoinaugust.org/act/
It seems odd to me that a person (Alito) can continue to sit on the bench when he clearly doesn't even know what is in the Constitution he swore to uphold.
What can Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer do to get around Senator Tuberville's obstruction? Surely there is something! Can't he bring up each appointmrnt individually to be voted on in the Senate? And whip his majority into being present to vote? It nauseates me that Congress has headed off for their August holiday without getting this done. Perhaps Schumer is using the rising tide of fury to advance another Democratic policy. If so he is wrong wrong wrong.
Oh the beautiful visual:
“Congress funds the Court. It can reduce the Court’s lavish budgets and give each justice a 4x4 cubicle in the WeWork shared-office space in D.C.”
I really like this idea!
“The shocking details of Trump's attempted destruction of evidence alleged in the Superseding Indictment obscured one fact for which all Americans should be thankful: the incredible tenacity and thoroughness of special prosecutor Jack Smith.”
Not to diminish Jack Smith’s work and leadership: we should all be thankful for the skill and hard work of Jack Smith’s *staff*. Too often the top guy gets all the credit. The others get little notice.
If Desantis thinks slavery was so beneficial, why didn't more white people enlist to be slaves and learn trades? Floridians, long known for selling swamp house lots to unsuspecting retirees, will now be forever embarrassed for the efforts of their misnamed "Department of Education" to "WHITE wash" history.
And don't forget that when Desantis taught high school history at Darlington School (a boarding school in northwest Georgia), he was known to be quite supportive of the Confederacy's ideas and one black student remembers Desantis as being overly harsh to her because of her race. See: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/05/us/desantis-high-school-teacher-georgia.html. According to the article, Desantis (at age 23) voiced aspirations of being President someday.
Thanks for that explanation of Congress's role in overseeing the Supreme Court. All the more reason why we must win both houses of Congress and the Presidency in 2024.
Excellent letter, Robert. BUT I still worry about all the time it is taking DOJ and GA to act re 1/6 and related issues, and the increasing risk that the long time will lead people to want to “move on” to what we used to call kitchen table issues. Hence the vital importance (are you listening, DNC geniuses??) of clear, forceful targeted messages about the economy. Can we bring Bill Clinton and Obama out of retirement for these purposes? They are much better public speakers than Biden. And as a general matter, people love to listen to them. Also how about James Carville - one of my personal favorites?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/28/fanone-sentence-sibick-badge-radio-jan-6/
It seems that every week, one or two of the insurrectionists is sentenced for their actions. Never for treason and for not enough time. I am relieved and gratified that Officer Fanone's assailant was found out and received justice. Officer Fanone may feel some comfort in that. In my opinion, the trauma inflicted by Fanone's assailant and the treatment by fellow officers that caused him to leave his profession is far greater than the sentence that was given. I am grateful that we have judges on the bench like Judge Jackson. Too bad Judge Jackson isn't on the Supreme Court.
Justice Katanji Brown Jackson is the newest member of the Supreme Court. Is there another Judge Jackson?