Update no.1146

Update from the Sunland

No.1146

25.12.23 – 31.12.23

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

 

To all,

 

Happy New Year!

2024

 

On Thursday, Maine became the second state to disqualify [the person who shall no longer be named] under §3 of the 14^th Amendment. In this late case, the secretary of state for Maine disqualified him. The ruling will undoubtedly be challenged and added to the Anderson decision by the Colorado Supreme Court [1145]. Rulings in a dozen other states are pending. These §3 cases deserve to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court for a definitive decision regarding the breadth and application of the disqualification section of the 14^th Amendment. While I have not yet seen a written ruling of the secretary of state’s rationale, the Press reports suggest her reasoning is similar to that of the Colorado Supreme Court.

 

On Thursday night, SpaceX launched the X-37B spaceplane on a secret mission aboard their Heavy Launch System. The two side boosters with nine Raptor engines each were strapped to the core booster, also with nine Raptor engines. Night launches are spectacular in their own way, but they are rarely as interesting as clear, daylight launches. The two side boosters returned to and landed safely at Cape Canaveral. The crewless, X-37B spaceplane made it safely to orbit on its secret military mission.

 

At a town hall gathering in Berlin, New Hampshire, on Wednesday evening, Republican presidential candidate Nimarata ‘Nikki’ Haley, née Randhawa, of South Carolina, was asked a simple history question by a man who called himself ‘Patrick.’

Man: "What was the cause of the United States Civil War?"

Haley: "Well, don't come with an easy question. I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run, the freedoms, and what people could and couldn't do. What do you think the cause of the Civil War was?"

Man: “I’m not the one running for president.”

Haley: "I think it always comes down to the role of government, and what the rights of the people are. And I will always stand by the fact that I think government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people. It was never meant to be all things to all people. Government doesn't need to tell you how to live your life."

This is what happens when a politician attempts to keep a foot in both boats in rough waters. She did the splits and found herself in the water. In her attempts to recover, she acknowledged slavery. “Of course, we know it was slavery.” So, why didn’t she say that. Haley was correct in a sense, but she did not address to root cause in her initial response.

The use of slave labor to tend the cotton and tobacco fields in the South caused the politicians in those Southern states to defend the right of the states to determine their way of life. They refused to recognize their slaves as human beings, endowed with the same unalienable rights and freedoms they possessed. Haley response implied that the Civil War was all about our rights and freedoms. The Southern states led by South Carolina rebelled against the federal government to defend the rights of southern landowners who need cheap field labor to maximize their profit margins. The tension between federalism and states rights has been present since the earliest visions of independence, and that tension is still present to this very day. The root cause of the Civil War was not states’ rights; it was an attempt of Southern landowners to defend their inexpensive field labor—slavery. Haley knew the correct answer, and she failed to acknowledge the historical facts.

FYI: It does not matter a twit whether ‘Patrick’ was a plant by Haley’s political adversaries in any form or persuasion. The question was valid and appropriate. She failed the test. Claiming that she was somehow setup is as lame as her response to a valid question.

 

After the debacle of her Civil War response, Haley publicly stated that she would pardon [the person who shall no longer be named] if she became president. AAzzz, AAzzz!  Wrong answer! For me, that statement alone disqualifies her in my book. While I have been impressed by her intellect, sense of diplomacy, and public speaking abilities, I cannot tolerate that statement, period, full stop, end of the road, fini, basta, drop the mic!

Why is it that Republican politicians find themselves in the position of pardoning criminal leaders “to heal the country” Ford pardoned Nixon (1974), and now fBICP/MAGAts plan to pardon ihr Anführer . . . neither has anything to do with healing the nation; those actions have everything to do with their hoping the nation will forget the crimes their leaders committed. I thought Ford’s pardon of Nixon was wrong just as any pardon of [the person who shall no longer be named] would be wrong—justice denied! Those who commit crimes must stand trial, be judged by a jury of their peers (you and me), and suffer the appropriate punishment for their crimes. That is precisely why I believe any talk about ‘healing the nation’ and pardoning crimes committed by our leaders is contemptible. Justice for one is justice for all.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1145:

Comment to the Blog:

“Wealthy defendants use delay tactics in most legal proceedings. It’s not likely to work for Tiny unless Biden is the Democratic candidate.

“Steel isn’t the only industry suffering from globalization. National security calls for a better strategy.

“The Constitution comes back to haunt Tiny. That is the intent and the construction of the 14^th Amendment. Now to reclaim the full text of the 2^nd Amendment.”

My response to the Blog:

I am not sure how President Biden’s candidacy will aid Tiny’s legal predicament, but hey, OK. Tiny is going to do what Tiny does no matter who his opposing candidate is.

Quite correct, steel is not the only industry susceptible to foreign acquisition. Yes, agreed, national security requires a better strategy.

I cannot predict what this Supreme Court will do. We will eventually know and have to deal with the consequences. I just want the man tried, convicted, and appropriately punished for his crimes. He has no immunity of any kind for crimes committed inside or outside his office. He was not acting in any official capacity, as he claims.  Despite his protestations, the Constitution and the law apply to him just like any other citizen.

 . . . Round two:

“The point about Biden is that he won’t get the votes to defeat Tiny.

“The current Supreme Court is less predictable than in the past. Tiny faces other prosecutions. 

“Beyond that, Tiny is nearly as old as Biden and appears less healthy. Any number of other factors could arise. I’m coming to think more and more that factors pundits don’t consider will guide the coming year. History tells me that’s common.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Well, then, that means they are willing to allow Tiny to have a second vengeance tour administration. The MAGAts will vote for ihr Anführer, regardless. In 2016, we had questions about what kind president Tiny would make; they had optimistic hopes. In 2020, we knew exactly what kind of president he would make. In 2024, we have a mountain of more evidence of precisely what he will do if he gets his hands on the instruments of State, again. We may not have a great choice contrast, but we still have a choice.

Many other prosecutions, both state and federal. More are being added like the Colorado case and at least a half dozen other states so far that are similar §3 cases that will occupy his campaign legal staff.

You may well be correct. I do not want him to die or become incapacitated; I want him to go to prison for what he has done . . . then he can die in chains. History must record the destruction he has wrought.

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

 . . . Round three:

“I’ve talked before about that ‘lesser of two evils’ argument. People stay home or, like me, vote for smaller parties.

“There are any number of lists bouncing around cyberspace about some ‘coincidence’ category that changed history. Weather is a favorite, but there are many. Pundits try to extrapolate from historical data, each in a narrow field. Tiny could be struck by lightning. After all, golf courses are the most common locations for that. Many other things could happen, and the odds of the unforeseen increase as time passes.”

 . . . my response to round three:

Yes, we have, and I suspect it will be a perpetual discussion. Interestingly, one of the CRCC (Colorado Republican Party) arguments is the Colorado secretary of state has no authority to disqualify a candidate for the primary. The primary is a political party selection process, not a state process. Therefore, it is the CRCC right alone to select its candidate. That aside, I think you reflect popular attitudes, i.e., I don’t like any of the candidates, I’m just going to stay home (not vote). It is every citizen’s right to do so, no question. All I am saying is that choice becomes a de facto vote for Tiny because the MAGAts vote. Regardless of our opinions, we will get what we will get next November. God help us all.

All quite so. Many things can happen . . . especially when we have a malignant narcissist egocentric man who believes he is invulnerable and perhaps immortal. We will be watching. Semper vigilantis!

 . . . Round four:

“About the party selecting the candidate, the Colorado Republicans have a precedent in the Florida Democratic Party, which has decided Joe Biden is the only candidate.

“Given the usual unforeseeable factors and the added stresses of the current U.S. political environment, the future is even more of a crap-shoot than usual.”

 . . . my response to round four:

That is not good either.

Perhaps so, but I keep plugging away. And, I will vote for the best candidate available when I am asked to do so.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)