Update no.1137

 Update from the Sunland

No.1137

23.10.23 – 29.10.23

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

The follow-up news items:

-- On Tuesday, the Georgia RICO case—Georgia v. Trump {+18 others}[GA FCSpC 23SC188947 (2023)] [1127]—continues to churn and advance. Jenna Lynn Ellis makes four of 19 so far. She pleaded guilty and agreed to similar terms as the others who changed their pleas to guilty and agreed to testify. They will avoid prison time as long as their cooperation is deemed substantive and worthy.

-- As soon as the Republican Conference selected a new candidate—Representative Emmer—in secret balloting, he withdrew from contention. As soon as Emmer was selected, he withdrew before he could get to the House floor, leaving the runner-up Representative Byron Lowell Donalds of Florida as the presumptive candidate. Then, suddenly, Representative James Michael ‘Mike’ Johnson of Louisiana popped up as the Conference choice . . . well at least the majority of the Republican Conference. Johnson is a self-professed evangelical Christian and also an active, staunch, election-denier. He is 51 years old (a few years older than our children), and took his seat in the House of Congress in 2017 (six years), which makes him the least experienced speaker in 140 years. John is an ultra-conservative—fiscally, socially, historically, and just about every other kind of -ally we wish to choose. For the record, the final vote was:

Oct 25, 2023, 01:50 PM | 118^th Congress, 1^st Session

Johnson (LA): 220 (215 needed to win)

Jeffries: 209

Present: 0

Not Voting: 4 [3 Democrats; 1 Republican]

Johnson was elected speaker on purely party lines. The fBICP finally got in line; the moderates could not sustain their objections to an extremist. Beyond the formal House declaration, Johnson held an impromptu presser on the steps of the Capitol. On Johnson’s left shoulder were Stefanik, Boebert, and Representative Virginia Ann Foxx, née Palmieri, of North Carolina, the chair of the House Education Committee and member of Congress since 2005. Once Johnson made his benign, rah-rah speech, the journalists in the audience were shouting questions as they always do. After one question Foxx did not approve of, she shouted, “Shut up!” That one incident speaks voluminous volumes about the fBICP. They cannot and refuse to tolerate an aggressive and inquisitive press. They seek an end to democracy and implementation of an autocracy where they decide what is permissible, or worse a dictatorship with ihr Anführer deciding what is acceptable. These are the times in which we live.

-- Also on Tuesday, it was widely reported in a variety of news sources that former chief of staff Mark Meadows [1125] has testified to the federal grand jury and has been granted immunity in exchange for his unfettered testimony against [the person who shall no longer be named] and others associated with the BIG LIE, election denial, and the insurrection.

-- Former vice president Mike Pence of Indiana [1128] has withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race. Undoubtedly, the donor support for his candidacy thinned making further campaigning impossible. Money will continue to narrow the field.

 

As noted above, the vice screws of justice move the jaws closer on [the person who shall no longer be named] and his enablers. Some of his cohorts have turned state’s evidence against their former leader, which adds significant pressure on those still facing the docket. As expected, as that pressure mounts, Tiny is reacting as he always does, by lashing out at those who pursue him. His three oldest children including his precious Ivanka are scheduled to testify in court this week despite his concerted efforts to stop their testimony. That reality alone is ont likely to sit well with him. He was fined an additional US$10,000 by Judge Engoron in the New York business fraud case—New York v. Trump [NYSCEF Index No. 452564/2022] [1133]. I would bet a dollar to donuts that latest fine will not stop Tiny’s rabid mouth from yammering away in defiance of the judge’s orders. He appears to be heading rapidly toward a contempt of court charge. I expect that judge to continue ratcheting up the punishment until Tiny spends a few days in jail. Perhaps that will sober him up, but I think that is a long shot at best.

 

On a separate but related note from my perspective, it certainly appears to me that evangelicals do NOT believe in freedom of choice; they believe in, advocate for, and seek to enforce freedom of compliance. They want everyone to comply with their beliefs, their views, and their opinions. Their world is about control and dominance that has nothing to do with freedom, or rather freedom as they define it. I can never accept that form of what they call freedom and I call moral projection at its worst. I do not want anyone telling me how I should live my life (what remains of it).

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1136:

Comment to the Blog:

“The Republicans have split into two parties, and one of them will have to make a coalition with the Democrats for Congress to function.

“Tiny’s legal situation is turning against him. In particular, prosecutors ‘flip’ co-defendants (Cheseboro and Powell in the Georgia case) to obtain convictions of higher-ups in RICO cases. That works.

“Tiny has the right to remain silent. We shall see if he has the ability.”

My response to the Blog:

Sure appears so doesn’t it. I suspect it is more complex than that. There are the ideological hardline far-right bunch often referred to as Freedom Caucus, Tea Party, nationalists, isolationists, and other less complimentary terms. I am convinced there are some true Republicans left in the bunch. However, I suspect the majority in the Republican Conference are of the go-with-the-flow variety (ideologically malleable). Regardless there are far too many election-deniers in the current eight candidates; that fact alone disqualifies them from any leadership post set aside the speakership. To me, it disqualifies them from Congress, full stop.

As I wrote, I suspect there will be more of that bunch who will flip . . . potentially down to the four principals. It does indeed work. So far, the Georgia RICO case prosecutors appear to be doing a masterful job.

Tiny’s malignant narcissism and rabid ego will not allow him to be silent. I suspect Tiny may be treated to one or more stints in jail for his transgressions. I think he truly believes the law does not apply to him. He is approaching a very rude awakening.

 . . . Round two:

“I don’t see the radical Republicans as having ideology as much as blind loyalty to Tiny’s brand of insanity. Many of the other Republicans are typical politicians, going the way the wind blows.

“It’s getting late in the game to flip in that Georgia RICO case. The prosecution probably already has plenty of witnesses for their conviction of the big shot.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Perhaps so, but chaos is an ideology of sorts. I suspect far too many so-called Republicans seek chaos to further prepare the political ground for an autocratic dictator to “restore order.” If so, that is an ideology. Others, more than a few, see a congressional seat in terms common to the grifter, e.g., George Santos, and he is not alone.

Yes, it is, but it is the evidence they have that is convincing some of these perpetrators to flip and turn state’s evidence. As is their inclination, prosecutors want to focus their energy and resources on the true perpetrators rather than the minions that carried out the crime. Jenna Ellis was one of those. I would put Powell and Chesboro in the tier two perpetrators. Ellis was tier three or four; she was a low level but substantive player. The Meadows federal immunity deal might lead to him turning in the Georgia RICO case. We shall see. All of this does not look good for Tiny and his lieutenants.

 . . . Round four:

“Chaos is a condition. Seeking it is an addiction or a plan, not an ideology.

“Powell and Chesebro are high-value witnesses against Tiny in the Georgia RICO (criminal) case. Mark Meadows knows more than anyone else and has immunity. The worms are turning.”

 . . . my response to round four:

That is a matter of personal interpretation or preference it seems to me. You are entitled to your view. I see it in larger terms. Chaos is a means to an end. It is the objective they seek that matters, but the tools they use are part of the equation, thus my inclusion. We must remain vigilant and prepared.

Yes, they are; higher than Ellis, but she will still be important. Absolutely, whether the prosecutors even offer Meadows a plea deal is yet to be seen. Personally, I think they have sufficient hard evidence to convict him, and he deserves prison as much as Tiny does. So, if they do offer him a plea deal, it should be for 10 years in prison rather than 25 years. The gears of justice are indeed finally turning.

 

Another contribution:

“Goodness mate-who is governing your country then?”

My reply:

President Biden is still president, and he governs the United States. The House of Representatives is just one of two chambers in Congress that is paralyzed with no speaker. No legislation can be accomplished. But, the president is still the president. The Judiciary continues to grind on with the myriad cases against you know who.

Have faith, my friend; we shall overcome. Patience.

 . . . Round two:

“Do you need an election to appoint a new and fresh governing body?”

 . . . my reply to round two:

Yes, absolutely! Unfortunately, the next opportunity we have to replace these clowns is 2024, a week over 12 months from now. We also need a viable opposition party. Giving any political party singular control of Congress is not helpful. We need vigorous debate, negotiations, and compromise, rather than ideological dicta from one side or the other. The Republicans have cut their own arteries and are watching themselves bleed out. They have got to stop this nonsense and get back to work.

 . . . Round three:

“Yes Cap-certainly agree with your words but how do we convince politicians that we the public who put them in power do not like the way they are conducting business. We have had a similar position here where our political leaders who we put in power upset society with the endless personal battles between them and their colleges and the other political parties. We put these guys into power to lead the country to greater success in all we attempt. Not rabbiting on like juniors arguing over matters that need positive action. How do we stop that form of government?”

 . . . my reply to round three:

Our primary tool is our vote. In between our opportunities to vote, we must communicate our views to our representatives in Parliament, Congress, No.10, and the White House. They must know how we see things in our words. If nothing else, those representatives must know we are watching and paying attention to what they do. How do we stop the nonsense in government? We vote out the old, and vote intelligently for new representatives. Eventually, they will get the message.

“That’s just my opinion, but I could be wrong.”

 . . . Round four:

“Thanks again Cap. Sorry to hear about your latest shooting-will there finally be national action to ban illegal fire arms?”

 . . . my reply to round four:

Another genuine tragedy. The shooter was clearly and demonstrably mentally ill and disturbed, and we failed to help him and protect the community. We do not yet know whether the rifle he used was legally or illegally acquired. He certainly should not have been allowed access to such a powerful weapon. We shall see what comes of this latest calamity.

 . . . Round five:

“Thanks cap-I shudder at the experience those people have gone through. The world is in something of a mess.”

 . . . my reply to round five:

Oh my, yes, indeedie . . . quite the mess. At least in the Maine case, the perpetrators did himself in. Now, the hand wringing begins.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1136

 Update from the Sunland

No.1136

16.10.23 – 22.10.23

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

The follow-up news items:

-- In the wake of the Gaetz initiative that removed Speaker McCarthy [1134], the House took a week off from their critical legislative work presumably to choose a new speaker. [An apology: I usually try to avoid the tedious facts of issues; however, in this instance, they are vital to appreciating the situation. Reminder: 218 votes of the full House are required to become speaker, or half plus one of House members present.]

The first vote to select a new speaker: Tuesday, Oct 17, 2023, 01:49 PM | 118^th Congress, 1^st Session:

Jeffries: 212

Jordan: 200

Scalise: 7

McCarthy: 6

Zeldin: 3

Garcia, Mike: 1

Emmer: 1

Cole: 1

Massie: 1

Present: 0

Not Voting: 1

No candidate having achieved 217 votes, the chair remained vacant. I am shocked and disappointed that Representative James Daniel ‘Jim’ Jordan of Ohio managed to gather up so many votes. From my perspective, it was a lame attempt—a desperate attempt—to end the crisis instigated by Gaetz and his Freedom Caucus buddies. Just a reminder, Jordan is perhaps the staunchest supporter of [the person who shall no longer be named] and his BIG LIE. This is what is left of the former Republican Party. Not to be deterred, Jordan insisted on another vote the following day.

The second vote: Wednesday, Oct 18, 2023, 01:12 PM | 118^th Congress, 1^st Session:

Jeffries: 212

Jordan: 199

Scalise: 7

McCarthy: 5

Zeldin: 3

Donalds: 1

Emmer: 1

Garcia, Mike: 1

Boehner: 1

Granger: 1

Westerman: 1

Miller, Candice: 1

Present: 0 

Not Voting: 0

Again, no candidate achieving a majority of members, the chair remained vacant. Jordan decided to take another day to ‘negotiate’ with his colleagues. He lost votes. Jordan held a presser on Thursday and gave us a rah-rah speech about God, Mother, and apple pie. What he did not give us was a path forward.

The third vote: Friday, Oct 20, 2023, 11:56 AM | 118^th Congress, 1^st Session:

Jeffries: 210

Jordan: 194

Scalise: 8

McHenry: 6

Zeldin: 4

Donalds: 2

McCarthy: 2

Garcia, Mike: 1

Emmer: 1

Westerman: 1

Present: 0

Not Voting: 4 (Two Republicans and two Democrats)

Jordan lost more votes. At this point, the Republican Conference went behind closed doors and apparently voted to unrecognize Jordan as a viable candidate.

The BIG LIE supporter, election-denier, and insurrection-defender Jim Jordan has stayed one small step beyond indictment, so far, for his contributions to the BIG LIE and the insurrection. The prospect of making him speaker was tantamount to putting the fox in the chicken coop. Perhaps the few remaining true Republicans may finally be coming to their senses. The House has real work to do, and at present, they are paralyzed, and the People’s work remains undone.

By Saturday, the Republican Conference recognized nine different new candidates. The Conference will meet in a closed door meeting on Monday to hear the sales pitches of each candidate and presumably selected their candidate with a vote before the full House on Tuesday. Whomever is finally elected speaker will have to hit the ground running at a dead sprint and herding cats to get the appropriations bills done in time and pass funding legislation for Ukraine and Israel. The next few weeks are not going to be easy or comfortable.

-- In the on-going Georgia RICO case—Georgia v. Trump {+18 others}[GA FCSpC 4:23-mj-01602 (2023)] [1127]—against Tiny and his cohorts for election interference in the 2020 election, new developments this week do not bode well for [the person who shall no longer be named] and his principal enablers.

On Thursday, Sidney Powell [1127] pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties to avoid a trial and potentially prison. Included in the plea deal is the requirement that she must testify in other related prosecutions, five years probation, pay US$6,000 fine plus US$2,700 in restitution, and write an open letter of apology to the residents of Georgia. Frankly, I think she is getting off lightly for what she did, but I trust the prosecutor to make those decisions.

Then, on Friday, Ken Chesboro [1127] pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents and agreed to testify in the case as part of the deal. In addition, he agreed to five years probation, a US$5,000 fine, 100 hours of community service, provide documents and evidence to the state, and also write an open letter of apology to the people of Georgia.

That is three of the original 19 to plead guilty and turn state’s evidence, so far, and I imagine there will be more to come as the prosecutors narrow their focus on the ultimate perpetrators—Trump, Meadows, Giuliani, and Eastman.

 

A New Republic article title caught my attention.

“Judge to Donald Trump: STFU or Go to Jail – The judicial system is being forced to reckon with the physiological impossibility of the former president ever not talking.”

by Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling

New Republic

Published: Fri, October 20, 2023 at 9:48 AM MST

https://newrepublic.com/post/176360/trump-engoron-gag-order-jail

For those who may not recognize the meaning of SFTU in the title—STFU = Shut The Fuck Up. It seems Judge Engoron in the New York fraud case against you know who—New York v. Trump [NYSCEF Index No. 452564/2022] [1133]—has reached his limit of tolerance of Tiny’s antics. The judge levied a fine of US$5,000 and a stern warning for Tiny to cease and desist in his public comments regarding the case before the state court. The fine is certainly pocket-change to Tiny, but the warning is real. The next transgression may bring a short stay in jail and probably longer jail time for continued offenses. The man cannot help himself, and he will reap the consequences of his rabid mouth. I suspect Tiny will persist in testing the judge’s tolerance, and I expect Judge Engoron is not bluffing. We shall see . . . and probably sooner rather than later.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1135:

Comment to the Blog:

“The findings from the Psyche asteroid mission will be fascinating.

“The relatively sane Republicans will have to ask for help from Democrats to get a Speaker of the House in place. The GOP is effectively two parties now; the processes of multi-party democracy are in order.

“The ‘Holy Land’ has been in armed, barbaric conflict for 4,000 years. Don’t expect that to change.

“So long as the greedy can use the fearful, hateful nations will rise. No society has a single religion; schisms occur if it gets close. That’s a good thing. I don’t see organized religion as a civilizing force; it’s primarily a means to control the population.”

My response to the Blog:

As do I . . . as we await the findings from the Bennu regolith material analysis. Bennu was essentially a loosely congealed gravel ball. Psyche is comprised predominantly of what is believed to be iron. The current working hypothesis of Psyche’s origins is the core of a small planetoid that was stripped clean by a passing collision—very intriguing.

The first vote on the speaker selection will be later today. That will be our first on-the-record view of what is going on inside the Republican Conference. We will likely only be made aware of some of the intimidation that has undoubtedly already taken place. A coalition majority of moderates on both sides has been suggested. We wait and watch.

Armed conflict among humans can be traced back to the beginning of recorded history [~4,000 BC (six millennia ago] and beyond. The violence was driven by territorial dominance, hunting grounds, and yes religious parochialism—us v. them. The same or similar motivations that drive animals to defend their territory.

Changing human nature is a very long process, but it can and does change. We can argue whether religion has been a civilizing force. Whether so, religion has also been one (if not the ultimate) destructive elements. Countless wars have been fought for religious parochialism and intolerance. My paternal ancestors left the old country to escape violent religious persecution. We see such violence to this very day.

 . . . Round two:

“We shall see what insanity occurs in DC today, hour by hour.

“Armed conflict in the Holy Land is particularly pernicious and continuous, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Indeed, and the insanity began at noon yesterday. I am terribly disappointed that Jim Jordan managed to collect up 200 votes. To me, that puts him too close to reaching the speakership. The next vote is supposed to happen today. If he gains votes, he will push to keep going like McCarthy did. If he does not, the saner minds in the fBICP may search in earnest for a viable candidate. The next vote or two will tell us a lot. I am afraid of any something-better-than-nothing rationale to accept Jordan. If that happens, the Tea Party/Freedom Caucus will have completed their takeover of the former Republican Party—not a good thing.

Yes, I am quite aware. If Hamas had offered even a sliver of effort at governance in Gaza, I might be more attentive or sympathetic, but they have not. They are simply looking for civilian cover for their terrorist activities. Israel has no choice but to decapitate Hamas and rid Gaza of terrorist elements. The task will be very tricky and fraught with risk. The hospital event yesterday looks terribly like a false flag (intended or not) operation to garner support within the Islamic countries, and it appears to have been successful so far.

 . . . Round three:

“The Republicans are too broken for any of them to be a viable candidate for Speaker.

“I’ll point out that the event in Israel is internal, not a war in the usual sense. I have zero sympathy for any of the combatants; they all want to achieve their objectives by killing or harming non-combatants.

“Nobody can detect ‘false flag’ and other such operations remotely if they in fact occur.”

 . . . my response to Round three:

Broken indeed! While Jordan lost votes, he still had the majority of the fBICP voting for him. There is no obvious way out of this mess without some major shift. I suspect Jordan is going to persist until he has no votes.

Call it what you will. People are dying by violent means.

Perhaps not, but much of the publicly available information tends to support the Israeli position; yet, many sympathetic people want to believe what they want to believe, and they will act on those beliefs. The cycle continues.

 . . . Round four:

“Historians can often unravel the spy business, but it takes more years than I expect to live. In the meantime, I remain opposed to war in general.”

 . . . my response to round four:

I am opposed to war as well. I suspect all sane, rational people across the globe are opposed to war. But bad men do bad things. Out of curiosity and an interest in intellectual discussion, what would you do in Ukraine and Gaza?

 . . . Round five:

“I have no answer for Ukraine, because the people making decisions there aren't opposed to war. In Gaza, the UN Security Council has called for a ceasefire, but the United States vetoes the resolutions.”

 . . . my response to round five:

The Ukrainians did not want war. There was no provocation or offenses executed on Russia. To my knowledge, there is only one reason for the war in Ukraine—the hard-right inside and outside of government in Russia believed Ukraine was theirs 30 years ago and had been wrongfully taken from them. I am not aware of any attempt to adjudicate their claim in the United Nations. No, the Russian government turned to violence when intimidation did not work—assault & battery and murder on a state scale.

President Biden did the best that could be done from my perspective, what President Obama should have done in 2014 (Tiny does not show up on the scale). Russia must be stopped, pushed back to the original border (prior to 2014), and the perpetrators prosecuted to the best of our ability in the International Court like other war criminals.

Where was the UN when Israeli citizens were being murdered by Hamas? Hamas is in the same category as al-Qa’ida, ISIL, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Taliban, and all the other terrorists among us. Again, Israel did not choose war; war came to them. How will a ceasefire serve justice?

 . . . Round six:

“Israel is in the same category as Hamas to me. History tells me there are no ‘good guys’ in that part of the world, and there never have been.”

 . . . my response to round six:

Oh my, I cannot and will not agree with your statement. Israel is not without fault in a number of areas, not least of which is the Netanyahu-sponsored Israeli settlements in the West Bank. There are many more foolish actions. However, those faults do not put Israel in the same category as Hamas and Hezbollah. I will concede that Israel is not the pristine ‘good guy’ some like to think, but neither are we. But, let us not forget that Israel did not attack Gaza. Hamas (not the Palestinian people) attacked Israel, just like Putin and his cronies attacked Ukraine.

“That’s just my opinion, but I could be wrong.”

 . . . Round seven:

“Israel didn't attack Gaza first in this instance. The weight of history burdens them with responsibility, as it does Hamas and Hezbollah, the next target.”

 . . . my response to round seven:

OK, I’ll bite. Please name one instance when Israel has initiated an unprovoked attack on Gaza.

I would suggest that history will record that Israel was willing and in fact dealing with Hamas as the presumptive governance body of Gaza, as long as they remained peaceful. I am not absolving Israel of their mistakes, no more so than I absolve the United States of our mistakes. I just do not see Israel as villainous as you apparently do, but hey, that is just me.

 . . . Round eight:

“The word ‘unprovoked’ is the weak spot in your argument. Israel has treated the Palestinians much as the USA treated Native Americans, including the reservation system. I'll emphasize again that I refer to the Israeli government, not the Jewish religion.”

 . . . my response to round eight:

As I have stated several times and will continue to do so, Israel is not without fault in the whole Palestine situation. Is there any reason to kill 1,300 innocent people and kidnapped 250 hostages?

Yes, absolutely, the Israel government especially the Netanyahu administration, is not the Israeli people, no more so that Hamas is the Gaza Palestinians or Putin the Russian people.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1135

 Update from the Sunland

No.1135

9.10.23 – 15.10.23

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

At 10:19 [R] EDT, Friday morning, 13.October.2023, the NASA Psyche spacecraft launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Pad 39A. These launches are becoming a matter of routine. It was a flawless launch, from what I could tell, and we watched the two boosters shut down, detach, and return to a safe landing back at Cape Canaveral. The spacecraft is on its way to the 170-mile wide asteroid Psyche orbiting the Sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Psyche is a metal-rich body that scientists hope will give us new clues regarding the origins of the solar system. The spacecraft will also test a new LASER-based optical communications technology to significantly increase the bandwidth for data transmission. The mission plan calls for the craft to enter orbit around the Psyche asteroid in August 2029 and is expected to stay there for 26 months. We will be watching.

 

We were also treated to a rare astronomical event on Saturday, an annular, ‘ring of fire’ eclipse. Here, we were in the 70% of totality region, so the sky darken, but not as completely as on the centerline of the path of totality. In this instance, the Moon was slightly farther away from Earth, which meant an incomplete blocking of the Sun’s brilliance. We can imagine indigenous peoples of ancient times without access to science reacting to the temporarily covering sunlight. The next event will be a proper total eclipse on 6.April.2024.

 

The follow-up news items:

-- With the unprovoked Hamas attack into southern Israel last Saturday [1134], the on-going war in Ukraine [1050] has been completely overshadowed. As the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) deals with the Hamas terrorist group, let us not forget the brutal defense of Ukraine against the Russian invasion continues unabated.

The evidence is beginning to point to the participation of ISIL [591] in this latest attack on Israel. Some of the hallmark brutality of ISIL has been on graphic display in Israel. The Press has been captivated by the Hamas attack and the pending counteraction by the IDF in Gaza. We have heard nothing from the situation in Ukraine.

-- After the ouster of Representative Kevin McCarthy of California [1134], the Republican Conference took many steps backward, perpetuating the chaos induced by the withdrawal of Representative Scalise on Thursday from the speakership selection process. With the terrorist attack on Israel (above), the continuing Ukraine defense operations, and the looming federal government funding issue, the House of Representatives remains paralyzed, unable to take any action on anything until the Republican Conference decides upon a leader to become speaker of the House and second in succession to the presidency. It only takes four dissenters in the Republican ranks to upset the apple cart, and so far there are far more than four. Then, the MAGA, Freedom Caucus, Tea Party bunch nominated one of their own, Jim Jordon of Ohio, and he received a majority of votes, although now with 55 moderates declaring their resistance. So the strong-arming begins in hopes of bullying enough moderates to give him the 217 votes he needs for the MAGA, Freedom Caucus, Tea Party bunch to complete their takeover of the former Republican Party.

 

As a citizen of a nation, I watch, listen, and learn. The current situation in Gaza is quite akin to other conditions that have plagued mankind. The Palestinian people are cannon fodder and human shields for the Hamas terrorist group that dominates them in Gaza, just like Putin dominates the majority of Russian people. A small autocratic minority dictates to the majority. We see the scenario play out in so many places. We are on the verge of doing exactly the same in the United States of America.

I publicly declare that I am pro-Palestinian just like I am pro-life. I also publicly condemn, reject, despise, and revile Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIL, the Taliban, and all far-right autocrats in Russia, Hungary, the United States, and elsewhere. 

I want and advocate for the Palestinian people to have and enjoy a homeland like I do. Just as we must not confuse the disgusting brutality of Hamas with the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. Palestine deserves our support, but intermixed and intertwined with Hamas that worthy objective is unattainable.

Whether Israel will be successful in finally ridding Gaza of the Hama disease and allow the Palestinians to choose a proper democratic government that can make peace with Israel is yet to be determined, but Israel appears to be intent upon that objective. They have a bumpy road ahead.

 

A friend and frequent contributor opened this discussion thread topic:

“Israel and Hamas.”

To which I replied:

[The Israel and Hamas situation] seems to be more than Hamas, although they are the head of this incursion. I suspect the viciousness is a product of the infusion of ISIL radicals. This is not going to end soon.

S/he continued:

“Cap-agreed this will sadly dominate our concern for a long time. The world doesn’t need anymore incursions into the civilianised life we aim and strive for. I shudder when I think of the stress I suffered when responsible for powerful weapons. We do not need those dark times to return.”

To which I replied:

Yes, indeed, but perhaps not as long as the Ukrainian fight against the Russian invasion. Our congressional dysfunction will not help either situation. Someday, probably not in my remaining lifetime, we will collectively learn to avoid letting bad men gain control over the instruments of state and carryout these offenses against their neighbors. Let us just respect each even when we disagree.

And a follow-up comment:

“Good day Cap. Yes indeed we still have some extremely valuable lessons to learn but I really don’t know how we might control nations that are governed by people who have brain washed society into believing that they are the right person for the job. Do you know that if we were all of the same religious following these quarrels would be unneeded. But that’s a pipe dream Cap and will never happen. Is that your view too?”

With my reply:

LOL. Brainwashed society like us Americans . . . millions have succumbed to the Sirens' Song of [the person who shall no longer be named]. To me, this is exactly the same phenomenon that occurred in Germany in the early 1930s, and history recorded the consequences. I do not have a solution other than voting for representatives who will keep such men from the instruments of state. I have long stated my beliefs that religion has killed more people than any other cause. The parochialism of religion is a terribly divisive and corrosive agent. And yet, I also recognize and acknowledge that religion is arguably the single greatest civilizing force in human history. Any ideology that promotes us versus them is not consistent with a freedom-loving people or society. I must also say that there are also bad men in religious garb not just political spheres.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1134:

Comment to the Blog:

“The entire situation with Tiny and his kind embarrasses the USA globally. Can you imagine a diplomat trying to explain away this insanity?

“Jim Jordan hails from Ohio. His past would’ve kept him out of Congress in prior times.

“Matt Gaetz and his MAGAt crew have no legislative priorities or they wouldn’t have paralyzed the House.

“Many undocumented immigrants overstay their visas, often working in IT, construction, agriculture, and restaurants. Immigration will continue, with or without papers, as long as so many employers hire the immigrants—and they work cheaper than Americans or immigrants with papers.”

My response to the Blog:

Oh my goodness, yes; in fact, embarrassment is probably an understatement. It is important to remember that these far-right elements have existed within the nation for centuries, since well before the founding. The racism, white supremacy, xenophobia, the “not like us” mentality have been documented by history back to at least the arrival of European belligerents. Those beliefs have been passed down from generation to generation by parents. Until Tiny’s presidency, those elements were largely unseen except for spot flare ups like the murders of James Byrd, Jr., [7.6.1998] and Matthew Wayne Shepard [6.10.1998]. What is different today and since 2015 is Tiny gave pseudo-legitimacy and public support for those once-distant elements. He brought them out of the shadows to the forefront of public view. It is an ugly reality of American society. Until we can deal with Tiny properly and legally, break the connections he made, and render them back to the shadows, we must endure and confront the atrocious embarrassment that is those elements. Like so many of our damnable flaws, like senseless gun violence, the “not like us” mentality is an artifact of ignorance within the sphere of freedom of choice. This will be a generational process.

The rise of Newt Gingrich and subsequently the Tea Party gave substance to the Freedom Caucus, which is the embodiment of those darker forces in Congress and within our society. Jordon, Meadows, et al, have been and remain leaders of that group. Whether his past would have kept Jordon out of office in the past is a point of conjecture. You may well be correct, but the circumstances of today have made him the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, one of the most powerful House committees, and he is now on the verge of becoming second in line of succession for the presidency. The tentacles of the Freedom Caucus have attained far deeper penetration into the very structure of our nation. Most of us cannot vote in Ohio’s 4^th District, but residents of that district would do us all an extraordinary favor by voting him out of office next year.

Quite correct! That was clearly on display with House Resolution 757 and Gaetz’s associated public pronouncements. Yesterday, the Republican Conference, such as it is, began close-door (isolated) machinations to achieve a speaker choice. How long they will be at it is yet to be seen. From my perspective, the Freedom Caucus seeks total chaos, presumably to create a fertile environment for an autocrat dictator of their making (and at present we all know who their choice for that strongman is). The speaker election process will tell us a lot about how deep and pervasive the Freedom Caucus has achieved.

I agree completely, which is precisely why proper immigration reform must be a defense in depth solution that includes all of the states and businesses. Other countries have done it successfully. We can do it too. No system is perfect, but we are a very long way behind. What we cannot tolerate is that MAGAt bunch defining our immigration regulation and control.

 . . . Round two:

“I agree that racists are always among us. Racism was necessary for taking the land from the indigenous people. The other xenophobia comes right along with it. I think of it as aggressive ignorance. Ronald Reagan sheltered that flame; the Bushes and the Tea Party fanned it. All the while, the controversies diverted attention from banking and finance law changes for the wealthy. Then Trump came along. His aggressive xenophobia made him “one of us” to the hateful, who burst into the open. Here we are. We must put all of them, not just Tiny, back in their places (including prison). The wealthy still control banking and finance laws, and the Democrats play along with that part.

“The Freedom Caucus directly represents the aggressively ignorant. It’s self-destructive, but the Democrats must speed that process along to save the country.”

 . . . my response to round two:

I absolutely agree that indigenous people were treated badly and to an extent still are today. There are myriad examples. like the Trail of Tears and Wounded Knee. However, the implication of your statement was that racism was an essential element of that poor treatment. I see that whole era in slightly different terms. Contributing factors in my view of history include language, a paucity of written or legal documentation, and a distinct reliance upon violence to defend and expand “their land.” The tribes often fought among themselves, which made violence the tool of choice. I think the Americans of the day tried to do the proper thing, but there was such a vast difference between a tribal nomadic culture and a society based on law and order, and property. There are many other contributing factors, but it is not just about racism.

Tiny, like all grifters, needed a trick or many tricks to further his con of susceptible people. Tiny found those tools among the racist, xenophobic, far right social conservatives, evangelicals, and other far right political groups. His standing in the polls today is testament to his effectiveness as a grifter. Tiny has marketed his worthless snake-oil elixir as a cure-all for everything, and millions of people believe.

Yes, I absolutely agree—ignorance over knowledge. The phenomenon is not new or unique to our times. I see the Inquisition and the condemnation of Galileo in similar terms. I have come to see conservatives as typically seeking to suppress knowledge to further their aims of isolation, dominance, control, and autocracy. The current Freedom Caucus is simply the contemporary version of that ideology, and its objectives have absolutely nothing to do with freedom. To that bunch, freedom is only what they believe, tolerate, allow, support, and how they define it; everything else beyond that tiny sphere is not freedom to them. Yes, absolutely, the rest of us must speed up the process of running that bunch to the irrelevant shadows of the periphery where they belong. We must support and defend their right to believe and espouse what they wish—freedom of choice. But we must remove them from the reins of power, influence, and control.

 . . . Round three:

“With reference to the indigenous peoples, study the history of treaties in general versus treaties with them and the specific experience of the Five Civilized Tribes. Violence was rarely a first resort of indigenous peoples here or anywhere. Racism (‘they’re savages’) was used to justify breaking treaties and brutal conquests. The reality wasn’t the First Thanksgiving myth; it was Sand Creek.

“Tiny’s market is the usual resource of despots. ‘The rest of us’ don’t have the power to neuter the Republican Party; the Democrats do.”

 . . . my response to round three:

Oh, I have read a number (not all) of treaties, laws, and Supreme Court decisions related to the plight of some of the indigenous peoples. To be clear and precise, I never claimed or suggested that violence was a first resort. Further, I do not deny that racism played into U.S. Government treatment of the indigenous peoples; racism was a fact and was clearly discernible in the language of various treaties and court rulings. I was only trying to point out that other factors were at play as well. There were also more than a few abuses by individuals and groups for their own selfish reasons. Another excellent example was the Black Hill Gold Rush of 1876. I only seek a broad, balanced approach to the history.

Yes, quite correct; they are a fertile ground for grifters like Tiny to operate. Yes, we do; there are more of us than there are of them, but we must vote.

 . . . Round four:

“Reading the official documents is a fine thing to a degree, but study the actual outcomes.

“My point about the Democrats acting is that in the immediate situation, the elected Democrats are the only ones who can put a stop to the Republican antics.”

 . . . my response to round four:

Oh I have done that as well. There is a plethora of examples of abuses of indigenous people in our history. That history must never be forgotten and must be taught to our children, so that we can continue to learn. My only point is and remains that in the study of historical mistreatment of indigenous people, we seek some semblance of balance in our analysis. Those events involve many complex factors in the clash of cultures that stimulated those abuses. I am not defending American actions, and likewise, I will not defend so many of the tribal offenses. We must seek balance in our assessment of history.

That is oh so true . . . nature of the beast and a tenant of representative democracy. Like you, I hope the Democrats can find the means and the will to do just that.

The factionalism and dysfunction within the House Republican Conference are a disaster 30+ years in the making. The Tea Party / Freedom Caucus have been allowed fertile ground within the Republican Conference; now, they reap the whirlwind. Unfortunately, the entire body of the American people, including you and me, will pay the dreadful price. I see the shutdown of the federal government as approaching inevitability because of the Freedom Caucus and their supporters.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1134

 Update from the Sunland

No.1134

2.10.23 – 8.10.23

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

The follow-up news items:

-- We finally have video of Trump at the defendants’ table with his attorneys at the opening of his New York State civil business fraud bench trial—New York v. Trump, et al [NYSCEF Index No. 452564/2022] [1080, 1127, 1133]. Of course, being the malignant narcissist he is, [the person who shall no longer be named] decided to make a public statement before he entered the court room (nine minutes late, I might add), in which he verbally maligned the judge (who will hear the case as a bench trial, rather than a jury trial), the attorney general, and the judicial process. He attended the next two sessions and continued his mouthing off, which instigated the judge to issue a narrowly defined gag-order against Tiny. The judge has also admonished the defendants’ attorneys to stop their multiple delaying tactics. Tiny did not attend Friday’s session and departed New York for Mar-a-Lago to prepare for weekend campaigning. The trial is expected to take three months.

 

More history was made on Tuesday and not the good kind. At the instigation of Representative Matthew Louis ‘Matt’ Gaetz of Florida, the House voted on House Resolution 757 to remove Speaker of the House Kevin Owen McCarthy of California [House: 216-210-0-9(0)]. McCarthy made a deal with the devil to become speaker last January [1095], and the devil has extracted his pound of flesh. Eight MAGAt extremists voted with every single Democrat to overthrow McCarthy.

-- Andrew Steven ‘Andy’ Biggs of Arizona

-- Kenneth Robert Buck of Colorado

-- Timothy Floyd ‘Tim’ Burchett of Tennessee

-- Elijah James ‘Eli’ Crane of Arizona

-- Matthew Louis ‘Matt’ Gaetz of Florida

-- Robert George ‘Bob’ Good of Virginia

-- Nancy Ruth Mace of South Carolina

-- Matthew Martin ‘Matt’ Rosendale, Sr., of Montana

This action is the first time in history a speaker has been removed by essentially a vote of no confidence. McCarthy will go down in the history books as the third shortest speakership. The worst part is, now, the House is totally paralyzed until a new speaker can be determined. Interim Speaker Representative Patrick Timothy McHenry of North Carolina suspended the business of the House for one week until next Tuesday evening to reconsider the question of who will be speaker.  Thus, nothing is going to happen until this question is resolved—wasted time! McCarthy decided not to stand for speaker again and rumors hinted that he might resign from Congress all together. Two representatives threw their hat in the ring: Stephen Joseph ‘Steve’ Scalise of Louisiana and James Daniel ‘Jim’ Jordan of Ohio. So, Republicans closed the doors on their caucus in their effort to find a new speaker. And some Republicans want to expel Matt Gaetz from the Republican Conference and rightly so.

For a few moments, [the person who shall no longer be named] offered to help out his buddies in the House of Representatives by serving as speaker for a short time. Reality quickly sank in from somewhere. He eventually gave his “complete and total” endorsement to Jordan, which to me is the kiss of death.

After the humiliating dismissal of Speaker McCarthy, it is interesting to note that all of the former speakers forced out of office have been Republicans. That is a very telling reality, prima facia.

 

When questioned by reporters after he declared his candidacy to replace McCarthy as speaker, Jordon indicated his legislative priorities as speaker would be border security, crime, and inflation. Curious choices! Given all the matters facing the United States inside and outside the country, he chose those. Yes, they are issues that deserve congressional attention, but are they the top priorities?

I am getting more and more irritated with the MAGA bunch, and now especially Jim Jordon. When he says border security, he means build more U.S.-Mexico border wall—all 1,954 miles, as if that is the solution. He wants to close the border and let no one in. The wall is not and never will be the solution. While I concede that a border barrier is warranted in places to slow down the uncontrolled migration, the wall or any portion of the wall will never be effective without defense in depth provisions and comprehensive immigration reform. We need immigrants. We need temporary migrant labor. All of it needs proper regulation and control. The states, all of them, need to be partners in the process. We cannot tolerate uncontrolled and unregulated immigration no more so than any other country can absorb. Jim Jordan is a disaster as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee; he will be a far worse disaster if he should ever become speaker of the House. We do not vote for the speakership, but we can certainly let our representative in Congress know how we feel.

 

In these troubled times contaminated to an even greater degree by the corrosive rhetoric of [the person who shall no longer be named], we see the former president and now twice impeached, four times indicted in multiple crimes, using the language of eugenics in his continuing efforts to stimulate the far-right element in our society. [The person who shall no longer be named] was interviewed by Raheem Kassam of The National Pulse. Kassam asked Tiny about his views on the immigration issue, and Tiny answered, “Nobody has any idea where these people are coming from, and we know they come from prisons. We know they come from mental institutions and insane asylums. We know they’re terrorists. Nobody has ever seen anything like we’re witnessing right now. It is a very sad thing for our country. It’s poisoning the blood of our country. It’s so bad, and people are coming in with disease. People are coming in with every possible thing that you could have.” [emphasis mine] Beyond the contradiction within his words, this statement of a few days ago is starkly reminiscent of Tiny’s “good people on both sides” rationale statement after the Charlottesville, white supremacist, nighttime, torch light, “Unite the Right” rally [13.8.2017].

Just to make the point in a clear, emphatic, and unequivocal manner, I offer a half dozen direct extraction quotations from Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf [18.7.1925]:

For a racially pure people which is conscious of its blood can never be enslaved by the Jew. In this world he will forever be master over bastards and bastards alone. And so he tries systematically to lower the racial level by a continuous poisoning of individuals.

 . . . 

The present State, for instance, may continue to exist in a mere mechanical form, but the poison of miscegenation permeating the national body brings about a cultural decadence which manifests itself already in various symptoms that are of a detrimental character.

. . . 

[T]he poison which has invaded the national body, especially since the Thirty Years' War, has destroyed the uniform constitution not only of our blood but also of our national soul.

. . . 

Though all human civilization has resulted exclusively from the creative activity of the individual, the principle that it is the mass which counts – through the decision of the majority – makes its appearance only in the administration of the national community especially in the higher grades; and from there downwards the poison gradually filters into all branches of national life, thus causing a veritable decomposition.

. . . 

All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning. [emphasis mine]

For those who have read Hitler’s words and know history, the language of eugenics so popular in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries and especially within the Nazi German genocide is particularly reprehensible spewing from the mouth of any contemporary politician. Unfortunately, and regrettably, this is what we have come to expect from [the person who shall no longer be named]. I highly doubt whether Tiny has any clue of history, but he has learned how to stimulate the far-right element that has existed within our country since before its inception. He did not create this xenophobic attitude. He did figure out how to use elements to further his grift of the American people. It is one thing for a man like him to bilk millions of people out of their money to fund his gilded living, but giving him the power, authority, influence (and protection) of the presidency of the United States is monumentally different and far more serious.

It is important to note that as Hitler’s Mein Kampf roadmap to genocide was being published, the Ku Klux Klan conducted at 40,000 strong, white robed, march down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC [8.8.1925] in broad daylight. The forces that Tiny is using have been within our society for a very long time and are still present today. They were suppressed to a large extent until [the person who shall no longer be named] came along to channel those virulent forces for his masterful grift. He has conned millions of people, and his grift continues to this moment. 

We made a dreadful mistake in 2016. We cannot make a far worse mistake next year. The next time, if there ever is one, will be without any semblance of constraint. We cannot allow him to perpetuate his grift of the American people. Only We, the People, can stop him. Semper vigilantis! Semper paratus!

 

Then, at the end of the week and the beginning of the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday, Hamas decided to execute a broad, multi-pronged, coordinated attack on Israel, 50 years to the day after the last Yom Kippur attack on Israel. The attack also comes as a rumored U.S.-brokered accord between Saudi Arabia and Israel was close to being signed; the attack nixed that deal. Hamas has taken a marked different approach to this operation infiltrating shooters in the country and snatching Israeli citizens to take back into Gaza as hostages to complicate Israel’s inevitable counterattack. Israel quickly declared war on Hamas and the Gaza enclave. So far, the fight has been confined to Southern Israel and Gaza. Who knows how this will expand or last?

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1133:

Comment to the Blog:

“Criminal organizations fall apart when insiders plead and testify. Think how quickly Watergate began to move when John Dean told the truth about Nixon. The civil fraud case appears open-and-shut. Civil actions don’t result in jail time, but this one has cost Tiny control of the Tower. That property is not only a status symbol, it’s probably his phallic symbol. Meanwhile, the Georgia RICO case is a criminal matter that could put Tiny behind bars.

“Remember that Tiny’s big lead is only in the primaries. If the Democrats run a credible candidate, they could win in a landslide. Other than that, 2024 might be the best opportunity since 1860 for a new party.

“Other than Speaker McCarthy, someone has suggested Hakeem Jeffries as a Speaker nominee. I bet Matt Gaetz would really get his panties in a bunch at that one. Word is Rep. Bowman pulled the fire alarm to get time to read the continuing resolution. Whatever.”

My response to the Blog:

Oh so true, and I sincerely hope and expect so in this case. Yes it does, but there is a twist. The defendants are claiming the value of any property is what someone is willing to pay for it, which is a highly subjective criterion. He is claiming that his name alone (his brand) adds substantial value to any property, thus the valuation. It is an interesting argument. Of note, in his findings and order of 26.September.2023, Judge Engoron has made it quite plain that he is using a more traditional valuation process than the self-valuation used by the defendants. You are also quite correct; the current New York case—New York v. Trump [NYSCEF Index No. 452564/2022]—is a civil case, not likely to result in prison time. If the chief defendant continues to mouth-off trying to intimidate anyone and anything associated with this case, he may well find himself in jail for contempt of court. The two federal cases plus the Georgia RICO case are criminal cases and prison time is most assuredly potential outcomes.

Oh, I remember that fact. I do agree with you. Him winning the Republican nomination is not winning the general election. Yet, winning the Republican nomination moves him closer to winning the general election, which brings the question of voter complacency. President Biden may not be the ideal candidate, but if Tiny is the Republican candidate, Biden is upright and breathing, he is infinitely better than Tiny; at least he acts like a proper president. You may well be correct since the independents and moderates are slightly larger than either major political party. But, the middle is by nature more malleable and shall I say flighty. The middle does not matter if they do not vote.

Oh my yes, a Democrat as speaker would definitely get Gaetz’s panties in a bunch; he would lose virtually all of his power & influence. Gaetz appears to continue down the path of a direct challenge, so the next few days and weeks will be interesting. Gaetz’s shenanigans will be Congress from doing the business of the nation. Yes, that is the reason Bowman is giving, but I do not buy it; that is such a juvenile action to avoid an algebra final examination. I read the resolution in a few hours.

 . . . Round two:

“One sentence in your reply stands out. ‘The middle does not matter if they do not vote.’ Yes, they do. Negative campaigning depresses turnout, and the Republicans’ skill often wins elections. That’s how we got into this mess. Let’s not dismiss majority rule so easily.”

 . . . my response to round two:

I will continue to argue that nothing matters unless we all vote. We cannot abdicate to a right-wing minority by our complacency, dissatisfaction, or apathy. Yes, Republicans have developed skills to maximize their influence over the voting process, e.g., the 2016 presidential election. They have refined those skills because they are a dwindling minority. I am not dismissing majority rule whatsoever, but it is majority rule of those who vote. When only a minority votes, it only takes a majority of that minority to pass laws, cut taxes, and spend treasury funds on their pet projects. We all must vote.

. . . Round three:

“Your reply assigns individual responsibility to non-voters for our collective well-being. Also, if your position prevails, we can kiss our republic goodbye.”

 . . . my response to round three:

OK, I’ll bite. How so? An expansion of your argument would be useful, and I am willing to listen.

 . . . Round four:

“Simple. As more and more people are discouraged from voting, the majority rule becomes ‘none of the above,’ but we don't have that choice in action. That whole individualistic, isolated outlook thus provides opportunities for the likes of Tiny to make use of individuals' fears.”

 . . . my response to round four:

Does not seem simple to me. From my perspective, it is rather cynical and dystopian. Yes, correct, such malaise is a near perfect environment for wannabe dictators like Tiny to prevail. We can rail against how bad that man is for the health and well-being of the Republic, but he may well be the last person standing. If he does, we will witness orders of magnitude greater dysfunction, disorder, and chaos than we do now or have in the past. It is the nature of the beast. It is up to us via our votes.

 . . . Round five:

“The simple part is that we're not going to ‘provide a more perfect Union,’ ‘promote the general Welfare’ or ‘secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity’ if we take the ‘every man for himself’ approach that ignores those who don't vote.”

 . . . my response to round five:

Interesting perspective. There is a fine line between ‘every man for himself’ and freedom of choice. In the lives of individuals, we are driven by quality-of-life factors, less so as issues move farther away from our homes and employment. I suppose a good many citizens do not and cannot connect their vote with quality-of-life issues, so the motivation to vote can ebb and flow by other stimulants. With that detachment, all sorts of other societal maladies arise. Yet, from my perspective, Tiny’s “poison the blood of our country” public statement is about as close to a Mein Kampf declaration as we are likely to get. He persists in his efforts to muster up the xenophobic, racist, isolationist elements within our society. Those forces are generational, and thus are not likely to pass soon. It took Hitler more than 10 years from the beerhall rebellion to him becoming “The Leader”—dictator for life. Tiny has not stopped. Now, we see one of his acolytes poised to become speaker of the House of Representatives—second in line of succession. I believe your point has always been, give people a reason to vote—a good worthy leader they can identify with. If I am correct, I would agree. The far right has apparently found that leader; now, they vote for him regardless of what he does because they believe, like 30% of the German people believed in 1933 (and that was enough). Perhaps if President Biden saw an inspirational leader behind him, e.g., Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg, Gretchen Whitmer, whomever, he might step aside. For 2024, I suspect we are past the point of no-return.

 . . . Round six:

“I don’t see a conflict between inclusion and freedom of choice. Inclusion is not conformity. The spectrum for me is between ‘every person has sole responsibility for everything in his life’ and ‘let’s include everybody in society.’ Some people don’t want to participate as a part of the whole society; they fear otherness and/or they’re greedy.

“Gretchen Whitmer is a potential leader, and there are others. I doubt the Democrat National Committee wants that. Also, either of those two candidates could die or become disabled before the 2024 general election. There are other wild cards, too.”

 . . . my response to round six:

I do not either, but to the xenophobes of the far-right, they do see it that way. I am with you on inclusion and responsibility. However, as with everything, there are limits to what any nation can accept or tolerate. The episodes of masses of people some carrying and dragging children bum-rushing the border to overwhelm the Border Patrol is simply and absolutely unacceptable and intolerable. For that reason, I support President Biden’s decision to build an additional 20 miles of border wall to fill some gaps in the Texas stretch of border. I have never been a fan or supporter of the border wall as a solution to the border security problem; it is effective in slowing down uncontrolled border crossings; however, we must have complete immigration reform to include defense in depth, temporary worker controls, refugee vetting & regulation, and even visitor tracking process to prevent over-stays. I do not like the MAGA approach . . . too draconian and xenophobic. But I do not like the left open-arms approach either. We have been suffering this problem for decades and all that does is illuminate the destructiveness of tribal intransigence.

Yes, there are many other potential candidates, but at present, it is President Biden’s decision. I cannot see either of the other professed Democrat candidates as viable by any measure. Even Cornell West has abandoned the Green Party for an independent attempt, which will be more difficult without party support (infrastructure & organization).

 

Another contribution:

“I trust’s still daylight over there! thanks for the update. As predicted that one person whom I cannot mention is dominating our news currently and yes he does look a worried man. We’ll be following this for a long time henceforth.”

My reply:

Yes, indeed. I am afraid that man will dominate the news and thus the Update for next year plus . . . and longer if someone does not put him in prison. Some Republicans are making moves to wrest control of their party from Tiny’s tiny hands, but that is not yet an assured outcome. Saner minds are trying to break through. So, until he is imprisoned or dead, we must suffer the obscenity that his life represents.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)