Kamala Steps Forward

Democrats have been on a roller coaster ride recently. Emotions ranged from despair and distress before President Biden announced he would not seek the nomination again, then rebounded to elation and excitement as Vice-President Kamala Harris stepped forward. She announced she would seek the nomination and earn it from the state and super delegates. She started working the phones shortly after she received the call from the president about his decision. (Biden, in a second announcement a few minutes later, endorsed Harris.) Within 72 hours, she had received committed support from the required number of delegates as state party after state party met and gave her their endorsement. And..the money started pouring in!

According to NPR: (Press notice truncated.)

"A week since announcing her bid for president, Vice President Kamala Harris has raised more than $200 million dollars, according to her campaign.

To put that figure in perspective, it's four times what the Biden re-election effort raised in the entire month of April. Former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump's campaign said he raised nearly $112 million in the month of June, Politico reported.

The Harris campaign said 66% of the donations came from first-time donors. Along with fresh dollars, the campaign has signed up over 170,000 new volunteers since President Biden announced he would step down and endorsed her to be the Democratic nominee last Sunday. That energy is much needed for the vice president who, as of Sunday, has just 100 days until voters hit the polls. This weekend alone, the Harris campaign has scheduled over 2,000                                                                                                                                                                                                              events in swing states."

"The momentum and energy for Vice President Harris is real – and so are the fundamentals of this race: This election will be very close and decided by a small number of voters in just a few states," the campaign's communications director, Michael Tyler, wrote in a memo.

The vice president has already secured commitments from enough democratic national convention delegates to lock up the nomination, with elected Democrats and grassroots groups rallying around her.

On Saturday, during a fundraiser in the Berkshires, Harris told supporters that she was the underdog in the race, but was heartened by the overwhelming support she has received. Roughly half of the money raised in the first week came in the first 24 hours after Biden endorsed her. That was a record-breaking pace.

"And since then, in battleground states, people have been flooding our offices around the country to volunteer," she said in Pittsfield, Ma. "This is good. We've got momentum."

"One key aspect of her campaign remains to be seen: Who Harris will choose to be her running mate? The process for a VP pick would normally take months. But for Harris, her deliberation period can best be measured in days."

(Harris indicated she planned to have her selection announced before the delegates vote. SD)

"One source familiar with her thinking said Harris was looking for a vice president with executive experience and someone who could be a governing partner with her, among other considerations."

Current candidates are rumored to be:

Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former astronaut, and husband of former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt.

Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, a former Attorney General, who was first elected to his office in 2022.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a successful Democrat recently re-elected in an otherwise red state.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is recognized as smart and particularly eloquent in debates and explanations.

Other names have been mentioned: such as Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, with a large family wealth estimated in the billions, who is also known to be a good fundraiser.

A recent addition to the selection list is Michigan Senator Gary Peters, who has been in the Senate since 2015 and is a favorite of many unions. Many Democrats view Michigan as a must-win state.

Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota is not well known, even though he is president of the National Democratic Governors organization. Previously a school teacher, he has a calming, folksy manner that might play well in the Midwest and hit a nerve calling the candidates on the Republican side, ‘just weird’.

Governors Gretchen Witmer from Michigan, Governor Roy Cooper from North Carolina, and Governor Gavin Newsom from California have indicated they are not interested in being candidates. Retired Admiral William Harry McRaven, who was not known to be under consideration, also bowed out.

People from specific interests or racial groups held Zoom calls across the country last week; these calls continued into this week with more calls tonight. As reported by the New York Times, over 60,000 white so-called dudes were on this call. Calls of over 100,000 participants almost broke the Zoom communication cloud/web-based system last week.

These calls collect information on interested voters and work to sign them on as volunteers and contributors. Still, this is a robust start, but keep in mind there were over 154 million votes cast in the 2020 presidential election. Biden won with 81.2 million votes over his opponents' 74.2 million votes.

Democrats expected the Republicans to come up with racist attacks, although the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson,  admonished them against such verbiage. But the new buzzwords Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (or DEI) which were brandished at the Republican Convention, came tumbling out despite this warning. However, as reported by CBS News, Republican Congressman Tim Burchett of Tennessee, apparently wanting his moment in the sun, immediately went on air protesting the selection of Harris and stating "She was 100%, a DEI hire!"

Wyoming Representative Harriet Hagerman (R) who described Harris as "intellectually the bottom of the barrel," echoed him. A Wisconsin Representative, Republican Glenn Grothman, noted "The Democrats feel they have to stick with her because of her ethnic background."

All of this is quite interesting as CBS pointed out, Kamala Harris won her first election in 2004 and is an attorney who has worked as a prosecutor and was elected to offices as California Attorney General, and US Senator before being elected Vice-
///President in 2024.

I quite like the response from Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who re-defined the DEI acronym as Definitely Earned It!

The head of the Republican ticket had no reticence about calling out his opponent as he loudly mispronounced Kamala Harris, speaking her name deliberately as KAAAMALA instead of Commala or, as some Democrats are saying, 'La!

Of course, he did his riff of "Crazy Kamala", akin to his previous take on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of crazy Nancy. Then, of course, he went on his tear of labels, "far-left California liberal," and "soft on crime Democrat", even though she was a prosecutor for 20 years.

Harris spoke back with memorable phrases, recalling those days as a prosecutor, according to Axios:

"In those roles, I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain," she said. "So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump's type."

While attorney general, Harris said she took on one of our country's largest for-profit colleges that was scamming students. "Donald Trump ran a for-profit college that scammed students," she added.

"As a prosecutor, I specialized in cases involving sexual abuse," Harris said. "Well, Trump was found liable for committing sexual abuse."

As attorney general, "I took on the big Wall Street banks and held them accountable for fraud," she said. "Donald Trump was just found guilty of fraud on 34 counts."

Tonight Harris held a rousing rally in Atlanta, with over 10,00 in attendance, including many celebrities and local officials, where she took on her opponent saying, according to the New York Times,

“Well Donald, I do hope you’ll reconsider to meet me on the debate stage,” she said, as the cheers grew louder. She appeared to savor the delivery of the next line, drawing it out for maximum effect: “Because as the saying goes, ‘If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.’”

It has been difficult to stay ahead of the changing politics here and try to have my facts timely, but I have done my best, so I hope you appreciate these comments, which are a bit later than usual. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

Til next week-Peace!

Thank You, Mr. President!

 

President Biden announced today that he would no longer seek his party’s nomination for president and endorsed his Vice-President, Kamala Harris, for that office, thus closing weeks of Democratic consternation.

The New York Times discussed these actions here:

“While it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus entirely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” Mr. Biden says in a statement. He called it “the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president.”

The Washington Post discussed this change:

“I am ripping up my assumptions about the 2024 election, and you should, too. It turns out it won’t be the much-dreaded rematch of 2020 that we have all spent months anticipating and planning for, after all.

 

President Biden made the historic decision Sunday to end his campaign amid concerted pressure from his party to reconsider it. His decision comes weeks before Democrats are due to formalize their ticket in Chicago.

The unprecedented move leaves Democrats an extremely abbreviated period during which to figure out what to do next.”

 

In the Atlantic, Peter Wehner voiced his thoughts on the decision:

“There will be plenty of commentary on what this means for both parties. But I find my thoughts this afternoon going to President Biden and his family—and to this agonizing denouement for a man who was first elected to public office more than half a century ago, at the age of 29.

Biden was clearly reluctant to make this decision; it was in many ways forced upon him, and by a particularly painful process. The party he loved and to which he has dedicated his entire adult life turned on him, including former colleagues and trusted friends. They were right to urge Biden to step aside—it had to be done, and those in Biden’s party took no delight in doing it—but from the p Biden’s withdrawal, then, wasn’t simply necessary because he had lost the confidence of the country and even his own party. For him to agree to step aside means, on some level at least, he is acknowledging that he is entering a difficult final chapter of his life. There is grief in that. Coming to that point will of course stir up powerful emotions—denial, anger, bitterness that those he trusted have b But in the end, and to his credit, Joe Biden got to where he needed to be, and not a moment too soon. Staying in the race would have been an act of monumental selfishness. As it is, what he did will be seen as an act of impressive selflessness.

I think Joe Biden has been a transformative president. He came into office in a time of turmoil, a time when his predecessor disputed the election results, encouraged his followers to attack the Capitol, and refused to attend the inaugural ceremony. COVID was still raging and vaccine distribution was only in an early stage. Supply chain issues hampered economic progress, some schools remained on virtual learning, and unemployment was high. In a few short months, his administration took steps that added child credits to help families and the Recovery Act to assist communities across the country. Later on, The Chips Act, Medicare costs, tuition forgiveness, and moves to bring more industry back on-shore complemented his earlier actions. And, if he had a more compliant Congress, he could have gotten a lot more done.

On the International scene, apart from a botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, he stood tall in his vision to thwart Russian aggression against the country of Ukraine, marshaling NATO members and other countries to provide military support to the beleaguered nation. He also worked hard to unite several Asian countries to stand against Chinese territorial moves across the Far East. After the Hamas attacks on Israel, Biden provided American military equipment and emotional and diplomatic support concerning the hostages. He continues to work diplomatically to reach a cease-fire for this conflict.

For these, and many more policies, I, as an American, thank Mr. Biden. I know millions of others join me in saying “thanks Joe” for fifty years of service to our country. This decent man, who might say, “here’s the deal” as he explained another plan to make our country a better place for all, has been a steady hand at the helm.

Biden has been a powerful voice over the years to ensure that America remains a democratic republic living under the Rule of Law. He said he entered the race in 2020 after being horrified by the “Right the Night” white supremacist rally and riot in Charlottesville, VA, and the refusal of DJT to condemn the paraders. Many thought at the time that he would be a one-term president and then pass the torch. However, when his former opponent again entered the race, he became convinced that only he could defeat this rival, whom he deemed unfit for the office.

He believed he had the vision and the energy to win, conveniently overlooking the issue of his age, that the national polls showed was a problem for voters. Many voters said they didn’t like either of the two major party nominees, citing age as well.

An early schedule for debates, which the Democrats hoped would provide a contrast between the two candidates, did not turn out well as Biden was not responsive to the repeated false statements by his opponent and stumbled through his answers. He was obviously ill and spoke with a hoarse voice, but the inability to adequately respond was a genuine concern.

Calls for the president to step down have been increasing since the June 27^th disastrous debate between the two announced candidates. The calls from candidates in his party who were running in close races increased in recent days. Biden has admitted he messed up at that event, but, to many, it was more than a onetime gaff. Although he made it through the NATO conference and subsequent press conference and network interviews, he was not the Biden who ran four years earlier. Yes, he had a pretty good command of some facts, but some of his answers trailed off and wandered around. Aside from the name recall issue, it seemed obvious to me and others that other answers were not always spot on. His interview with Lester Holt was defensive and not helpful to his candidacy, in my opinion.

And, no matter how hard he tried, how many times he said, “here’s the fact”, he was not always convincing. He may have had the message, but it was the elderly messenger who spoiled it. Every poll taken mentioned that the age of both candidates was a sticking point for many voters. Aging is progressive and it is a cruel, unrelenting force; such incremental changes most likely will continue for both men.

Certainly, the 90₊minute long rambling, ranting, and bizarre acceptance speech by DJT showcased his aging changes. Some news organizations played clips of both candidates from previous years; when viewed side by side, the aging process shows clearly over time for both men, although DJT looks more vigorous with his aggressive demeanor and use of makeup.

The Republican Convention just ended and gave us all a preview of the destructive plans they have to disrupt our governmental agencies, deport or place in camps millions of immigrants, restrict the rights of women, and provide tax cuts to billionaires. Even though the platform did not mention the 2025 Plan, it echoed its premise. The selection of JD Vance as VP further drilled down on the MAGA extreme views. Politico Magazine had a great article about Vance here:

Some voices at the convention also spoke against women as voters or even as secret service agents. Many Silicon Valley Billionaires, such as Thiel, Musk, and Sachs, vowed to support this ticket that would lower their taxes and decrease regulations against their interests.

Notably absent from the Convention were previous multiple Cabinet members, retired Congressional leaders, former VP Pence, and earlier Republican presidential candidates.

So, since we will have a stark contrast between the two parties for our next election, where do we go from here?

First, Democrats, Independents, and disaffected Republicans should rally behind Kamala Harris as she looks for delegate votes for the party nomination and runs for this office. They should support her selection of a running mate. The other side is already planning to attack her on multiple fronts, but we need to unite and have her back. Americans need to push back on any upcoming dog whistles, or racial, and feminist attacks against Harris and speak with a firm voice that we have moved past these issues and are ready to elect a woman who is well-qualified to serve as our Commander-in-Chief.

Now let's get busy and win this. I believe the future of our democracy is at stake.

In the few hours since this announcement, Democrats raised over 50 million dollars to support this candidacy.

Til next week-Peace!

Violence & Politics in America

 

Today America stopped for a bit and, in some places, looked inward.

Thinkers, scholars, politicians, moms, and dads asked; ‘is this who we are, as a country?’ as they once again observed violence on the national stage. Many elected officials and the President were quick to decry the shooting at a Maga rally in rural Pennslyvania. Secret Service sharpshooters immediately killed the shooter who had been perched on a rooftop outside the perimeter of the event. His shots minimally wounded the former president even as they killed an onlooker and seriously wounded two other men.

His supporters claimed this event would win the election for him. Since he has promoted the victimization of his identity and voiced a religious martyr complex previously, there is little doubt that he will try again to use this to every advantage. Even as the Secret Service was trying to move him off the stage, he rose with a raised fist to show his perseverance or something.

However, some Republican Congressmen, (and Senator JD Vance) a known VP candidate with no facts to support their claims, blamed President Biden for the shooting. Will conspiracy theories be next? There should be an investigation into this incident since, sadly, candidates need protection. Authorities identified the gunman as a 20-year-old resident from a nearby town, known to many as a loner. A loner with a semi-automatic rifle, where have we heard that before?

Many in the press pointed out ongoing references to violence in speeches since before January 6^th by the former president. They noted his references to needing Mike Pence to “do the right thing” and not halting cries to “hang Mike Pence” during the insurrection on that horrific day. Some on his staff, as demonstrated by the Jan 6^th Congressional Committee, noted him watching the events all afternoon without dismay or taking any actions.

Axios described that instead of politics being the art of the possible with academic discussions about policy wonk concerns, such as maintaining the social safety net or funding specific programs, current politics have become personal. Disagreements are not theoretical, but “in your face” and confrontational, threatening one’s sense of self. Since the insurrection, political dialogue has teetered on the edge of civility.

The former president, who has still not acknowledged Bidens win in 2020, spoke frequently of bloodbaths in the streets if he is not reelected and called for supporters to show up outside the courtrooms of his many trials. He lied about the crowds present in the area (there were none). Promising to jail his enemies when elected, he mentioned court-martialling Liz Cheney and executing former generals who had not done his bidding. He typically uses harsh rhetoric and promotes lies in his speeches, which coarsens our political language from now on. When then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband was viciously attacked in his home by a Canadian man, he pushed it off as a sexual encounter gone bad. He mocked the Governor of Michigan when a kidnapping plot was discovered against her. And who can forget the rumors he spread about Hillary Clinton and his cries to “lock her up?’ Claiming any actions taken against him are political persecution, his refusal to return official documents shows his disdain for the law.

More recently, just before the debate, he claimed President Biden would need to be drugged in order to take part. But he didn’t just say that he yelled out about the authorities sticking a shot in “his ass” to get him ready. This use of coarse speech repeatedly conditions his audience to expect more of the same and instead of demonstrating what an uncouth boob he is, these actions lower the bar for political speech and allow his followers to mimic his lead. Consequently, they applaud his breaking of the rules. I wonder what they might think if he were ever to move against their beliefs? Of course, during the debate, he repeatedly told lies and refused to answer questions asked. He would not commit to accepting the results of the election if he did not win.

This man, a convicted felon, a fraudster, and an assaulter of women, is now trying to overturn his felony on grounds of immunity granted by his tame Supreme Court. Americans need to remind both DJT and his court that Americans do not want a king.

David Frum, writing in the Atlantic, said this today:

(I only quote a portion of his remarks)

“It is sadly incorrect to say, as so many have, that political violence “has no place” in American society. Assassinations, lynchings, riots, and pogroms have stained every page of American political history. That has remained true to the present day. In 2016, and even more in 2020, Trump supporters brought weapons to intimidate opponents and vote-counters. Trump and his supporters envision a new place for violence as their defining political message in the 2024 election.

Fascist movements are secular religions. Like all religions, they offer martyrs as their proof of truth. The Mussolini movement in Italy built imposing monuments to its fallen comrades. The Trump movement now improves on that: The leader himself will be the martyr in chief, his own blood the basis for his bid for power and vengeance.

Other societies have backslid to authoritarianism because of some extraordinary crisis: economic depression, hyperinflation, military defeat, civil strife. In 2024, U.S. troops are nowhere at war. The American economy is booming, providing spectacular and widely shared prosperity. A brief spasm of mild post-pandemic inflation has been overcome. Indicators of social health have abruptly turned positive since Trump left office after years of deterioration during his term. Crime and fatal drug overdoses are declining in 2024; marriages and births are rising. Even the country’s problems indirectly confirm the country’s success: Migrants are crossing the border in the hundreds of thousands, because they know, even if Americans don’t, that the U.S. job market is among the hottest on Earth.

One reason this self-harm is nearing consummation is that American society is poorly prepared to understand and respond to radical challenges, once those challenges gain a certain mass. For nearly a century, “radical” in U.S. politics has usually meant “fringe”: Communists, Ku Kluxers, Black Panthers, Branch Davidians, Islamist jihadists. Radicals could be marginalized by the weight of the great American consensus that stretches from social democrats to business conservatives. Sometimes, a Joe McCarthy or a George Wallace would throw a scare into that mighty consensus, but in the past, such challengers rarely formed stable coalitions with accepted stakeholders in society. Never gaining an enduring grip on the institutions of state, they flared up and burned out.

Nobody seems to have language to say: We abhor, reject, repudiate, and punish all political violence, even as we maintain that Trump remains himself a promoter of such violence, a subverter of American institutions, and the very opposite of everything decent and patriotic in American life.

The Republican National Convention, which opens this week, will welcome to its stage apologists for Vladimir Putin’s Russia and its aggression against U.S. allies. Trump’s own infatuation with Russia and other dictatorships has not dimmed even slightly with age or experience. Yet all of these urgent and necessary truths must now be subdued to the ritual invocation of “thoughts and prayers” for someone who never gave a thought or uttered a prayer for any of the victims of his own many incitements to bloodshed. The president who used his office to champion the rights of dangerous people to own military-type weapons says he was grazed by a bullet from one such assault rifle…..

Those conventional phrases are inscribing Trump into a place in American life that he should have forfeited beyond redemption on January 6, 2021. All decent people welcome the sparing of his life. Trump’s reckoning should be with the orderly process of law, not with the bloodshed he rejoiced in when it befell others. He and his allies will exploit a gunman’s vicious criminality as their path to exonerate past crimes and empower new ones. Those who stand against Trump and his allies must find the will and the language to explain why these crimes, past and planned, are all wrong, all intolerable—and how the gunman and Trump, at their opposite ends of a bullet’s trajectory, are nonetheless joined together as common enemies of law and democracy.”

Since there have been just over 24 hours since this happened, I am certain we will learn more soon. President Biden used an Oval Office speech tonight to reassure the nation and called for unity without violence. Previously, he suspended his campaign and held his ads for a while. He mentioned speaking to the former president and conveyed well wishes and healing prayers in what was described as a cordial exchange, because that is what civilized people do!

This week we will have the chance to watch the Republican Convention (and guest speaker Tucker Carlson) and see what tone the party will take. This week is when the VP (suspense!) selection will also be announced.

I will leave you with a YouTube link to a storied SNL skit with Emily Litella about violins (violence) on TV. Maybe we can all use a laugh tonight because reality is kinda tough.

“Til next week-Peace!

A Momentous Week!

The Supreme Court ruled this week that presidents have immunity from so-called Official Acts, even if those acts might be unlawful. So, the idea of a president asking SeaL Team Six to take out an enemy or asking the Department of Justice to arrest a political foe is no longer a hypothetical consideration; it could happen in the worst scenarios.

The principles of “equal justice under the law” and that “no man is above the law” are now seriously being called into question by these actions. The Conservative justices, apparently afraid that their guy, a convicted felon already, might be further prosecuted, came up with a get-out-of-jail-free card before the jail door was even opened. Every legal scholar who viewed this petition thought it had no merit and that the Supreme Court would decline to review it further. The Federal Appeals Court ruling was described by Bloomberg News:

“A US federal appeals court gave the Supreme Court an easy off-ramp if the justices want to stay out of a second dispute involving Donald Trump, this one centered on whether he’s immune from criminal prosecution for alleged election interference.

The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit did what it could to make the Supreme Court’s review less likely in issuing a straightforward, well-reasoned decision that’s written for a broad audience, legal scholars say.

They rejected the former president’s claim that he is categorically immune from criminal liability for acts taken while in office. That contention “is unsupported by precedent, history, or the text and structure of the Constitution,” the judges say.”

I thought the Federal Appeals Court nailed it. So, when I heard the oral arguments, it seemed the justices were moving away from the question at hand-does this president have immunity to a broader interpretation of future immunity? In my opinion, the attorneys for DJT did a terrible job explaining the issues. I agreed with Judge Tanya Chutkan that presidents are not kings. But my opinion counts for little and no one paid me to make my decision, unlike some who should have recused themselves.

The Associated Press described the 6-3 decision below. Justice Sonia Sotomayor read her dissent out loud from the bench, which is the court’s way of disagreeing and stamping one's foot.

Lindsay Whitehurst, AP

Washington (AP) — In an unsparing dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor says the Supreme Court allowed a president to become a “king above the law” in its ruling that limited the scope of criminal charges against former President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol and efforts to overturn the election.

She called the decision, which likely ended the prospect of a trial for Trump before the November election, “utterly indefensible.”

“The court effectively creates a law-free zone around the president, upsetting the status quo that has existed since the founding,” she wrote. She was joined by liberal justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, who wrote another dissent referring to the ruling’s consequences as a “five-alarm fire.”

Sotomayor read her dissent aloud in the courtroom, with a weighty delivery that underscored her criticism of the majority. She strongly pronounced each word, pausing at certain moments and gritting her teeth at others.

“Ironic isn’t it? The man in charge of enforcing laws can now just break them,” Sotomayor says.

Chief Justice John Roberts accused the liberal justices of fear-mongering in the 6-3 majority opinion. It found that presidents aren’t above the law but must be entitled to presumptive immunity to allow them to forcefully exercise the office’s far-reaching powers and avoid a vicious cycle of politically motivated prosecutions.

While the opinion allows for the possibility of prosecutions for private acts, Sotomayor says it “deprives these prosecutions of any teeth” by excluding any evidence that related to official acts where the president is immune.

“This majority’s project will have disastrous consequences for the presidency and for our democracy,” she says. She ended by saying, “With fear for our democracy, I dissent.”

“It is a far greater danger if the president feels empowered to violate federal criminal law, buoyed by the knowledge of future immunity,” she says. “I am deeply troubled by the idea ... that our nation loses something valuable when the president is forced to operate within the confines of federal criminal law.”

So where do we go from here? President Biden said he does not want this power. I guess our only chances of surviving this decision are to be certain we never elect despots.

Project 2025 is empowering such leaders.

Further knowledge about Project 2025 is causing pushback after the leader of the Heritage Foundation recently described its proposed takeover of our democracy. But Democracy to some is a bit of an ephemeral discussion, isn’t it? But as Chris Hayes put it recently, they want to take create an authoritarian government, put DOJ under the president and weaponize it, scale down and purge our civil service, outlaw porn, teach Christianity in the schools, prohibit contraception, abortion, and divorce.

I find it intriguing that leader Roberts has aligned his organization with both financial and political support from Viktor Orban, the Hungarian authoritarian ruler who keeps close ties with Russian leader Putin. Remember, Conservatives invited Orban to speak at their annual meeting a few years ago and Tucker Carlson broadcast his show from Hungary a while back. Heather Cox Richardson discussed the attempt to promote this mandate in two recent Substack posts, which I quote from below. People are learning more and speaking out against these moves.

Heathercoxrichardson@substack.com wrote on July 4^th about Project 2025.

“That Supreme Court ruling yesterday on immunity is vital, and it's vital for a lot of reasons,” Roberts says, adding that the nation needs a strong leader because “the radical left…has taken over our institutions.” “[W]e are in the process of the second American Revolution,” he says, “which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”

Roberts took over the presidency of the Heritage Foundation in 2021, and he shifted it from a conservative think tank to an organization devoted to “institutionalizing Trumpism.” Central to that project for Roberts has been working to bring the policies of Hungary’s president Viktor Orbán, a close ally of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin, to the United States. 

In 2023, Roberts brought the Heritage Foundation into a formal partnership with Hungary’s Danube Institute, a think tank overseen by a foundation that is directly funded by the Hungarian government; as journalist Casey Michel reported, it is, “for all intents and purposes, a state-funded front for pushing pro-Orbán rhetoric.” The Danube Institute has given grants to far-right figures in the U.S., and, Michel noted in March, “We have no idea how much funding may be flowing directly from Orbán’s regime to the Heritage Foundation.” Roberts has called modern Hungary “not just a model for conservative statecraft but the model.”

On July 5^th Richardson noted the following in her Letters to an American posting.

“But for all of what independent journalists are calling a “feeding frenzy,” egged on by right-wing media figures, it seems as if the true implications of Project 2025 are starting to gain traction and the Trump campaign recognizes that the policies that document advocates are hugely unpopular. 

On July 2, Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts assured Trump ally Steve Bannon’s followers that they are winning in what he called “the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.” In March, Roberts tells former Trump administration official and now right-wing media figure Sebastian Gorka about Project 2025: “There are parts of the plan that we will not share with the Left: the executive orders, the rules and regulations. Just like a good football team we don’t want to tip off our playbook to the Left.” 

This morning, although Roberts has described Project 2025 as “institutionalizing Trumpism,” Trump’s social media feed tried to distance the former president from Project 2025. “I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it,” the post read. Despite this disavowal of any knowledge of the project, it continues: “I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.” 

In what appeared to be a coordinated statement, the directors of Project 2025 wrote on social media less than two hours later that they “do not speak for any candidate.”  (Don’t believe them!)

And, of course, the third big thing this week is the question about the health of President Biden and his ability to serve another term. Nancy Pelosi asked a question that remains unanswered: ‘Was this an episode or a condition?’ Concerned minds would like to know. I was willing to wait and see after the debate, but I am less supportive of that premise now after the interview with ABC. While it was generally okay, I do not think the president answered the questions well, nor do I believe he is assessing his situation or polling adequately. When George noted elections are about the future, not about the past, Biden did not pick up on that and give a vision for a second term. And his final comment, that if he loses to DJT, “if he gave it his all and lost, that was okay” is so not right with me. Americans cannot allow that man in the White House again and must prevent his election.

In case you missed it- here is a YouTube link to the full interview:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzdi6xhlfiM)

Here are links to some interpretations in the media:

NPR

The Hill

ABC News

Many Democratic officials are calling for Biden to step down and allow someone else to run. Given campaign finance rules, (as I understand them) the only person who could use already collected campaign funds is Kamala Harris because she is already on the ticket. There is also the issue of state ballots; many states close ballot lists early because of early voting regulations. Any changes would have to occur soon.

Republicans will hold their convention in Milwaukee soon, even though a Vice-presidential candidate has not been named. The Democratic Convention will be in Chicago on August 19-22. The election will be on November 5^th, 2024.

Like many Democrats, I remember the 1968 Convention with sadness; I do not wish to see that repeated, but feel powerless to change anything right now. Some have suggested the president should step down soon for health reasons and put Harris in charge, so she could run as an incumbent. I do not know if that is an answer, but it is a thought. So, so many things to ponder.

‘Til next week- Peace!

Debates, Black, and Brown jobs, oh My!

 

I watched the debate with many millions of Americans. Like many, I felt disappointed, and even a bit shocked, by my president's performance that evening. Furthermore, I was dismayed by the performance of and multiple lies told by his opponent. It was not a good evening for either man. While the President struggled to relay facts and make his points, he at least tried to answer the questions. The other guy did not answer most of the questions asked but went on diatribes about Democrats and the president. (And don’t even think about the nonsense about golf!). According to the New York Times, in his allotted time of approximately 45 minutes, he told over thirty lies. While there were no fact checkers on site for CNN, I believe the moderators should have called out some of the more blatant lies DJT told about abortion.

So, now there are cries for the president to step down because he jumbled some answers and was not at the top of his game. When the stakes are high, I understand some people get nervous, even seasoned politicians. So I will comment on this at the end of this discussion.

The New York Times, The Atlanta Constitution, and several TV commentators all said that it was time for Biden to go. They mentioned the age factor had been an issue for some time, and that if he were elected, he would be the oldest president ever to serve. (Of course, his opponent is only three years younger.)

The Washington Post editorial Board put it this way:

“If President Biden had weekend plans, he should cancel them in favor of some soul-searching. His calamitous debate performance on Thursday raises legitimate questions about whether he’s up for another four years in the world’s toughest job. It’s incumbent on this incumbent to determine, in conversation with family and aides, whether continuing to seek reelection is in the best interests of the country.”

But it concluded:

“Mr. Biden sounded better at a rally in North Carolina on Friday. His defenders point out that he performed well during his State of the Union address in March. There is ample precedent for incumbents losing a first debate and going on to win reelection. If he forges ahead, Mr. Biden would have four months to rebut fears about his mental acuity and physical stamina. But occasional good performances are a shaky reed on which to balance an election of titanic consequence.”

 

What I wish to bring forward are remarks made by DJT that divide people in this country. He spoke of asylum seekers and immigrant petitioners as criminals, being released from prisons and mental hospitals and sent here. He mentioned the immigrants were taking “black jobs”. Now just what is a black job?

Leslie Gray Streeter, a Black reporter for the Baltimore Banner describes the issues this way: (remarks truncated)

“It seems he hopes to establish himself as a protector specifically of Black and native-born Latino communities in a way he’s saying that Biden is not. But what he actually said was that the jobs that undocumented immigrants take — often lower-paying, entry-level positions in industries like agriculture, construction and the service industry — are specifically and exclusively Black jobs.

He didn’t say they’re taking jobs from all Americans because he doesn’t think of those jobs as ones held by typical Americans — white people like him. Lawyer, doctor, administrator, teacher, manager, journalist? These are not inherently Black jobs in Trump’s mind, which is to say they are white ones. So it’s just those Black and native-born brown people fighting for the jobs on the bottom, and aren’t we lucky to have him looking out for us?

But things have changed. More Black people, 34%, were employed in professional, managerial, business and financial operations positions, as compared to 27% in service, construction and natural resources. About 40% of Latino or Hispanic people were in those service and construction positions (the study didn’t specify between immigrant and native populations.)

Among white employed people, professional jobs accounted for 42.8% of positions and service or agricultural jobs were 25%. Those numbers aren’t all that different between Black and white people. Both groups find most people employed in those white-collar jobs, which means those should statistically be seen as Black jobs as much as they are white jobs. But you know they aren’t. Look, things are not great everywhere. In May, the Black unemployment rate was 5.7%, more than whites at 3.3% or Hispanics or Latinos at 4.1%. (Contrary to Trump’s statements during Thursday’s debate, the lowest Black unemployment numbers ever were achieved under Biden, not him.)

The problems we are facing as a country are across racial and cultural lines, and yes, some of those factors seem to affect the Black community more than others. But this characterization of lower-paying jobs as typically Black jobs is not only to misstate facts, but to be blatantly clear about what you think about Black people. Which is, apparently, not the same as white people.

And we heard you.”

Congressman James Clyburn, interviewed on CNN, spoke of this issue here:

He noted that in DJT’s mind, there are white jobs and non-white jobs and that those functions do not change. His remarks about immigrants also told Hispanic Americans, as well as Black Americans, that their jobs were in jeopardy from the millions and millions of immigrants being allowed into this country. These statements are untrue.

Ezra Klein of Indivisible (a Democratic advocacy and get-out-the-vote group) said this: “Biden turned in a terrible performance and Trump was an unhinged, nonsensical, lie-spewing, convicted felon who refused to accept the last election results or the next one. It was painful to watch.”

I believe that President Biden needs to get out and take his candidacy to the American people to show them, as he did in North Carolina, that while he may walk and talk more slowly, he still has their backs. His opponent certainly does not; the only back he is concerned about is his own. Biden should do unscripted TV and print interviews to show that he IS capable. According to the campaign, many supporters agreed and showed that agreement with millions of dollars of campaign donations received overnight after the debate.

There is another debate scheduled for September. If that goes forward, we shall know more. However, at that late date, there are few change options. The alternative of electing a man so unqualified for the office as DJT is, is to me, unthinkable.

Have you ever been in a political debate or been on live television? I have done both. For a while, I even hosted a show on Montgomery County Cable (as it was known then). I know these are not easy tasks. You want to make your prepared talking points, counter your opponent if debating, as necessary, make your guest(s) look good if hosting, and monitor the camera. Most of all, you do not want to make a mistake, such as getting a fact wrong or mispronouncing a name. I have also been a guest on news shows where, although I knew the topic for discussion, I did not know the questions in advance. One has to be prepared to be a subject matter expert, a talking head, or whatever one is introduced as.

So my first thoughts as I heard President Biden the other evening considered these points I just made. First, his voice was hoarse, so he needed to take a drink of water (but maybe he was afraid of looking like Marco Rubio!), second, as the evening went on I thought he was trying to get all of his facts in each answer, he needed to slow down, parse his remarks, say less, make a single point. When he said we beat Medicare, I thought he meant to say we beat Covid. He appeared unprepared for the attacks and lies he heard. He missed opportunities to counter them with facts and rushed his answers. As the answers from his opponent grew even more nonsensical, he rallied a bit and started speaking more off the cuff and did better.

Were these missteps because of his age, not feeling well because of a cold, or just somehow off his stride? I do not know. The days ahead should help us find answers. But for now, I’m sticking with my President. Get out there and show all of us you are ready, able, and willing to give this country another four good years.

‘Til next week- Peace!