Update no.1176

 Update from the Sunland

No.1176

22.7.24 – 28.7.24

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

 

To all,

 

The follow-up news items:

-- U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly A. Cheatle resigned after the attempted assassination of [the person who shall no longer be named] [1174] and enduring a blistering House Oversight Committee grilling. I give her credit for standing to the mark and taking the criticism, some of it unwarranted. Cheatle is succeeded by Acting Director Ronald L. Rowe Jr., who was the deputy director and is a career Secret Service officer.

-- Vice President Kamala Devi Harris [1175] has reportedly secured the commitments of sufficient convention delegates to lock up the party nomination. She is certainly has been acting as the presumptive nominee. The question now is who will she select as her running mate? A select committee is feverishly vetting potential candidates.

Who is the old man now?

 

I acknowledge that I am slow, but hey, better late than never. I finally figured out why so many intelligent conservatives support a convicted and indicted conman to be president—ihr Lieber Anführer. Why do so many professed evangelical conservative Christians sustain a man who clearly and emphatically has no moral values. Little Fingers does not care a twit about running the government, our public policy, or dealing with the myriad issues. They need an oblivious clueless front man who is malleable and will approve what they want done . . . thus, Federalist Society and conservative judicial nominations at all levels like Judge Cannon, and the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025 intending to dominate the government at all levels for generations to come. Little Fingers only cares about his grift of the American people, and he has figured out how to mobilize the far right and the fringe far right like the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, et al, to serve his purpose. A malevolent symbiotic relationship has evolved between the determined conman and the willing intellectual right. Little Fingers is a convenient idiot who is perfectly comfortable being their dupe as long as the right elite does not interfere with his grift. Voila! Conundrum solved and explained. I am slow, but I eventually get there.

Postscript: only one problem, that convenient idiot may wield the powerful instruments of state if he is re-elected. We must deny him that power.

 

The Olympic Games in Paris have begun. Fascinating watching already.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1175:

Comment to the Blog:

“I understand President Biden’s reluctance to stand down, but it helps. Democrat sources already claim much higher donations. Also, let’s focus on the Orange Guy’s age and health.

“The likely successor to Biden is Vice President Harris; Biden’s campaign has changed its name to Harris for President. DNC structure and name recognition will do the rest. I found a New York Times article on Harris’s policy record
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/21/us/politics/kamala-harris-abortion-immigration-economy-israel.html?campaign_id=57&instance_id=129385&nl=the-evening&regi_id=78152399&segment_id=172777&te=1&user_id=e80ee7285ce6f8ffd8e13b1ea6c5d93e
and it looks good other than not tackling Wall Street or campaign funding.

“Judge Cannon ought to be removed.

“My grievance with JD Vance is personal as well as political. He wrote a memoir featuring people like those in my youth and led into a blaming-them tirade despite his own success. Also, note that racists respond poorly to Vance’s wife, the child of Indian immigrants.

“The whole COVID response is still flawed on all parts.

“The CrowdStrike Internet crash exemplifies one danger of corporate consolidation. I again feel grateful as a Linux user.”

My response to the Blog:

Quite so! President Biden has endorsed Vice President Harris to replace him on the Democrat ticket. It appears Democrats are rallying around Harris. I could not read the NYT article; my subscription has lapsed. One important, salient, and key distinction: one candidate is an accomplished prosecutor of felons, and the other candidate is a convicted felon. That is enough for me . . . but there is more. At President Biden’s behest, it appears sufficient delegates have pledged to transfer from Biden to Harris, nearly assuring her confirmation as the Democratic candidate. The next question is who she will choose as her running mate.

Yes, she should; she is way out of her depth, verging on incompetent.

You are far closer to J.D. Vance, being from Ohio. Blaming others is intended to make him look better. His politics are way off the page from my perspective. But his kissing Little Fingers’ ass is the worst and disqualifying in my book.

I am not sure I see the current flaws. COVID-19 has been dramatically reduced to influenza status—a recurring virus we must deal with constantly.

I am grateful we are on Apple systems. It was a monumental error. The fallout is only beginning.

 . . . Round two:

“I’m still digging into Harris’s policy history to determine my personal vote. As far as electoral issues, Harris clearly hit the ground running, and the ‘prosecutor versus felon’ filter gives a major marketing opportunity.

“One of the problems with corruption is that appointees are chosen for traits other than competence, all the way to the Supreme Court.

“Vance had a ‘homecoming’ rally yesterday. He spoke very differently of those who raised him, but others will have plenty to say about his attitudes.

“Every person with a public platform has mishandled the entire COVID issue. Based on people around me, it’s making a comeback and is relatively serious. However, those who screwed up before are silent now.

“We shall see how far the CrowdStrike error reaches. The lack of competing suppliers is astounding.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Good, brief assessment, I do believe. I have confidence she will handle herself well against Little Fingers. President Biden’s address to the nation from the Oval Office is tonight . . . should be interesting.

Yes, that is one of the problems among many. The Senate confirmation process is supposed to cull out most of those, but we all know how party parochialism and intransigence have corrupted that process.

Yes, indeed, not least of which is his clear compromising of his morals and integrity.

Hopefully, the COVID outbreak near you improves quickly and does not get worse. So far so good here.

Quite so. Competition may well become more important after this debacle.

 . . . Round three:

“I just read a bit of oppo research on Harris from the Green Party. The part that stands out to me is her abuse of prison labor as AG of California. Her office stated that they kept prisoners longer than they should have specifically to use them as wildfire fighters at $1 an hour.

“I'm learning more about Vance than he emphasized in his book. I had noticed that his parents were the generation that left the hills, not JD. He kept mentioning his uncles starting businesses in the book, but I didn't connect the dots that his family had quite a bit more money than the people I grew up with.

“The absence of competition is a logical outcome of unrestrained capitalism. Many of the events we see lately result from that, not just the Internet outage.”

 . . . my response to round three:

Something is a little fishy about that tidbit, not least which is, I am not aware of DAs or AGs being involved so deeply in the parole or release process. Just like there is no evidence of such conduct, I have no evidence to refute the statement. I am suspicious. Further, there is a timing question with respect to an on-going fire season. I would be careful with that one.

Good point and observation. He is not what he seems. He will be under a powerful microscope for the next few months.

Oh so true. It is also the reason that unbiased governmental regulation is necessary and required. We cannot trust those driven by the profit motive to respect the common, public good or the rights of citizens.

 . . . Round four:

“I was already aware of California’s use of prisoners to fight wildfires. They earn ‘thank you’ and $1 an hour. I was also aware of various states being accused of keeping prisoners longer than they were entitled to do so to use their labor. This has to be defended in court, of course. I don’t have a research link right now, but it’s a continuing issue. A search for ‘prison labor abuse’ ought to produce credible information.

“The ripples of the Powell memo continue long after Powell himself is beyond the reach of justice.”

 . . . my response to round four:

I will attempt to learn more. I will note that, as with so many issues, the key is in the definition of the word ‘abuse.’ Those prisoners are not productive citizens in good standing; they are convicted felons, many sentenced to hard labor as part of their punishment. That said, unilaterally or capriciously extending their prison terms without due process of law is flat wrong. I stand ready to learn.

Quite so . . . as is usually the case with such political statements. I suspect Project 2025 will be just such a political statement in the history books.

 . . . Round five:

“Keeping prisoners longer than their sentences is abuse. In the California case, they were required to be released because of a case on overcrowding; California (Kamala Harris as AG) fought the order to decrease the prison population because they needed firefighters. I'm familiar with the moral judgment that permits people to be mistreated because they're ‘bad’ people, but I don't share the attitude.

“The distinction with the Powell memo is that it has been acted upon and changed society; it's not merely a ‘statement.’”

 . . . my response to round five:

As with any law, it is vulnerable and susceptible to abuse by overzealous prosecutors and enforcement officials. The incarcerated population is significantly more susceptible to abuse than common, law-abiding citizens. I acknowledge that there are good people, who simply made a mistake, among the imprisoned. They deserve respect when serving their sentences. There are also good people who have falsely prosecuted and incarcerated. That recognized, there are truly bad men who are habitual criminals and offenders of the public good. The habeas corpus law allows inmates to challenge such abuse. It is not clear to me based on what I have seen so far that such appeals have been made to confront such abuse.

‘Mistreated’ is a word in dire need of definition and context. Broadly, people in prison violated the law and are being punished, not sent to some government funded resort. It is punishment. Some of the behavior you cite is truly abuse and must be stopped. There are clearly conducts that must be corrected. Abuse is not acceptable for anyone even truly bad men.

The way to stop the Powell Memo and Project 2025 is vote for people against those anti-democratic efforts. If we are complacent with our votes, we deserve what comes.

 . . . Round six:

“The prison labor issue isn’t about prosecutors and law enforcement officers. It’s about States and contractors keeping people in prisons beyond their statutory obligation to make money on their labor. Thus lawsuits (habeas corpus) challenging the abuse. Kamala Harris’s office defended that practice as suiting the needs of the State of California for firefighters, not as legally or morally appropriate. I don’t relate to that entire ‘good versus bad’ discussion

“The mistreatment I referred to is being forced to work essentially for free while remaining imprisoned. In the case of firefighting, that work is dangerous as well as difficult and grossly underpaid.

“Voting ‘against’ the Nazis isn’t working. Give us something to vote ‘for.’”

 . . . my response to round six:

I considered giving you the last word, but unfortunately, I cannot resist. My apologies!

Enforcement officials include so-called corrections officers.

I will agree with your foundational premise that for-profit organizations in any aspect of prison/punishment system is wrong in every manner. If the State incarcerates or otherwise imposes a punishment on a citizen, the State is solely responsible for the inmate’s well-being; that responsibility cannot be abdicated or delegated.

I read your words, and the impression I am left with is there are no ‘bad’ people in prison, only good people falsely imprisoned. I must reject the notion.

Imprisonment at hard labor is often the punishment. No where does it say anything about compensation. It is punishment for violating the law.

If we split the non-MAGA vote into fractions, then MAGA wins. I am sorry, MAGA is simply too much of a threat to our traditional form of governance and to our essential freedoms. A vote ‘against’ is just more important, I could say vital, in this election cycle than a vote’ for.’

 . . . Round seven:

“One more try. It's not about ‘bad’ people or ‘good’ people, either way. It's about the people who operate the prisons (not corrections officers) keeping prisoners beyond their sentences in order to make (or save) money on their labor.”

 . . . my response to round seven:

OK. The last word to you.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1175

 Update from the Sunland

No.1175

15.7.24 – 21.7.24

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

 

To all,

 

My oh my, another big thing happened while I was taking my late morning nap on Sunday. President Biden issued a public announcement that he is withdrawing from the presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic Party candidate for president. Many believed this action was inevitable given President Biden’s recent performance. The next few weeks will be illuminating as Democrat leaders scramble to refill the ticket. If Harris will be the presidential candidate, a new vice-presidential partner is needed for the remaining campaign and election. This action comes much later in the campaign cycle than the last time we had an incumbent president withdraw from re-election [31.3.1968]. So, we add Sunday’s announcement to the history books. We are left with sorting out what follows to November.

Thank you very much, President Biden, for your five decades of public service to the residents of Delaware and to the Republic. Bravo Zulu! You stand relieved.

 

The follow-up news items:

-- District Judge Aileen Mercedes Cannon dismissed the superseding indictment in the case of United States v. Trump[USDC SDFL Case no. 9:23-cr-80101-AMC] [1117]—the classified documents case. She ordered the case closed. The essence of her 93-page ruling stands on her contention that the special counsel’s appointment was not constitutional, and thus he had no authority to investigate the case, set aside prosecute the perpetrators. Judge Cannon concluded, “This regulatory cherry-picking seems questionable as a means to resolve the inferior principal Appointments Clause question, although the Court admits of uncertainty in this regard, and some courts have accepted the revocability piece as ‘crucial’ in permitting an inferior-officer designation in similar contexts.” She largely depends upon the various judicial cases surrounding Nixon’s criminal conduct in the 1970s. She twists herself into knots trying to justify why United States v. Nixon [418 U.S. 683 (1974)] [870] does not apply as precedent in the present case against the former president. She cites Associate Justice Clarence Thomas’ solo concurring opinion in the immunity case { Trump v. United States [603 U. S. ____ (2024); No. 23–939] [1173]} in a passing tangential manner. She conveniently ignores the substance of the case against the former president. The result was precisely as Thomas dictated. Special Counsel John Luman ‘Jack’ Smith has vowed to appeal the Cannon ruling. I expect the Department of Justice to join the appeal.

Judge Cannon accomplished one thing for [the person who shall no longer be named], the classified documents case against him will be delayed until well past the November election, just what he sought—delay, delay, delay. He is gambling that he will be elected in November, dismiss all of his federal cases against him, and suspend all the state cases. 

The Cannon ruling is disguised in the mantle of scholarly jurisprudence and ignores the body of judicial actions over many decades that sustains the employment of special counsel prosecutions. She also ignores the foundational principle for the appointment of special counsels—independence . . . to avoid any semblance of political bias in sensitive investigations and prosecutions. Legal minds far greater and more experienced than Judge Cannon’s have validated the special counsel process. I expect Judge Cannon’s appeal to be vacated in toto, and the case transferred to another more experienced judge. 

 

Also on Monday, the Republican National Convention convened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and officially nominated [the person who shall no longer be named] as their candidate for the presidency. Little Fingers chose Senator James David ‘J.D.’ Vance of Ohio to be his vice-presidential running mate. The remainder of the week was spent as a massive love-fest for the Convention’s nominees. Now, it is official! The Republican Party has chosen a convicted felonious grifter as their candidate for president. Ihr Lieber Anführer did his usual schtick to close the convention on Thursday night.

 

Senator Robert ‘Bob’ Menendez of New Jersey was found guilty on all charges in his corruption trial. On Tuesday, the calls for the resignation of Menendez came swiftly and broadly in the wake of the conviction. His wife’s trial is pending. From everything I have seen and heard, the Menendez couple is guilty as hell and deserve to suffer the full weight of the law against such corrupt conduct.

 

In the flying biz, we have a saying—A man who does not know his own limitations is dangerous to himself and others. The axiom has been proven far too many times.

President Biden reportedly tested positive for a COVID-19 infection and has quarantined at his Delaware home. Given that public notice, why wasn’t he wearing a mask to avoid infecting others? He also appeared quite feeble and halting as he ascended the short ladder into the belly of Air Force One. All in all, I suspect that was an excuse to force him to rest.

The clamoring for President Biden to step aside, even at this late hour in the silly season, are growing and becoming more pronounced.

Watching this whole process play out (at least the public portion) is quite sad to witness. He has been an accomplished leader and contributor to this once grand republic for decades, and we are watching him crumble before our eyes.

Yet, even in his apparent enfeebled state, President Biden is still orders of magnitude better than a convicted felon, twice impeached, four-time indicted, common grifter conman criminal bent upon chaos and destruction of the American system of governance. Little Fingers can try for the dotting grandpa image, but I am not so easily fooled, and I urge no one else fall victim to his grift. For me, the choice is clear. I also acknowledge that many American citizens are not as concerned about integrity, morality, and honesty.

I wrote the above section before the Sunday announcement and decided to leave it ‘as-is’ due to its applicability.

 

A security software glitch crashed Microsoft Windows operating system worldwide and across multiple industries on Thursday. If we ever needed a demonstration of how dependent we are on computers, this is the most poignant event so far. The outage was apparently caused by a routine security code update by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, rather peculiar dontcha think! The blue screen of death was seen around the world.

Recovery

It looks like Windows didn’t load correctly.

Fortunately, Jeanne and I experienced no effects of the outage. I had a medical appointment, and we bought petrol and groceries without a twitch of a problem. We also use Apple computers at home. I hope no one else experienced any difficulties as a result of the outage.

 

In the continuing assessment of the Supreme’s immunity decision—Trump v. United States [603 U. S. ____ (2024); No. 23–939] [1173], we have an important and relevant interview with Laurence Tribe published in Germany.

"No One Can Guarantee that Trump Is the Last Maniacal Sociopath Who Will Want Power in America" – Renowned Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe is appalled by the recent Supreme Court ruling granting U.S. presidents immunity for "official acts." He believes the step to a dictatorship is a small one.

Interview Conducted by Bernhard Zand in New York

Der Spiegel

Published: 11.07.2024, 11.31 Uhr

https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-supreme-courts-immunity-ruling-no-one-can-guarantee-that-trump-is-the-last-maniacal-sociopath-who-will-want-power-in-america-a-71726411-dd39-464a-ac04-e479f142f62b?sara_ref=re-nl-spiegelinternational2100-2024_07_19

The most salient and applicable answer came to the question whether it was an exaggeration that there were now no limits on what a president can do. Tribe answered, “I don't think it is an exaggeration. The only limits now are the president’s own character and his own morality.” I agree with Tribe. The Supremes have unilaterally moved us close to a dictatorship or some other form of autocracy. If anyone has the slightest concern for the impact of the Supreme’s immunity ruling, I urge you to read the Tribe interview.

What the Supremes have done is force every potential prosecution of a president or former president to take substantially longer than any normal high-profile prosecution as a significant added layer to the normal procedures and processes—the judicial determination of “official” and “unofficial.” Like all criminal that profess their innocence, future criminal presidents like Little Fingers will claim everything they do is “official.” From my perspective, that is dreadfully close to the divine right of kings. These are the times in which we live.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1174:

Comment to the Blog:

“I’m opposed to killing in general, even if it’s Little Fingers. I noted that he did several fist-pumps as the Secret Service attempted to whisk him away for treatment. Also, from what I could see in several viewings of the appropriate clip, that might not be a bullet wound. It’s a shame Little Fingers gets a chance to play martyr. I’d hoped for a heart attack. Also, in the case of either major-party candidate winning, the Vice President will likely become President before the end of the term.

“We are cursed with still more ‘interesting’ times.”

My response to the Blog:

We do not know any of those detail facts. However, something made is right ear bleed (fact). A lot of weapons could have done that, but at a reported distance of 130 yards, it had to be a rifle bullet. At that range, it was an easy shot even for a standard, off-the-shelf rifle. As Marines, we trained and qualified at 200, 300, and 500 yards. Whatever it was, it came oh so close to a different outcome. A quarter of an inch to the right and we would be talking about a different outcome. We will eventually learn the wound details & pathology. The conspiracy theories have already begun in earnest.

Yes, absolutely. Little Fingers will probably play the “chosen one” martyr to the hilt—perfect for his grift of the American people.

Yes, indeed. The ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times,” appears quite applicable to the times in which we live. Nonetheless, we must and will endure.

 . . . Round two:

“You’re right that we don’t know any of the details for certain. Movie magic could have made his ear bleed, based on the pictures I’ve seen. More likely, it was a fragment of the teleprompter. I’ve seen reports of that attributed to the Secret Service. We’d have to see the wound after it was clean and treated to know. A bullet, even a small graze, would have taken flesh with it.

“Between political events and climate change, the ‘interesting times’ are a bit much; you’re right, though, we will endure.”

 . . . my response to round two:

The shattering glass or metal of a teleprompter would have sprayed shards down the trajectory, so I would say, not likely. Shoot, he could have cut his ear himself with the rifle reports as backdrop. Not yet discussed, the shooter had to realize his survival was not likely, so death by cop in a ‘blaze of glory.’ Anything is possible at this stage, but there is one set of facts. True, and he probably has a persistent headache. I expect we will see the wound details someday, hopefully soon.

I absolutely agree . . . a bit much! I have been tempted to turn off the news and delete my news feeds at least for a few days. So far, I hang in there.

 . . . Round three:

“That shooter is of a type I don’t understand. ‘Blaze of Glory’ is as likely a motivation as any. There is one set of facts but no guarantee any one person will ever know them all.

“I’ve been keeping a lid on my news sources as needed since 9/11. It’s a good habit.”

 . . . my response to round three:

I do not understand the whole episode. We may not know all the facts, but I sure hope so. We do not need more conspiracy theories filling the void, as they already are.

You are a better man than me. I am sure it is a good habit. But I find it very hard to cut the cord unless I have to do so.

 

Another contribution:

“We live in a difficult age. What will the future hold. You know my views on weaponry, weapons are too available for those individuals who have had none or little training in their use. A change will have to be made, a serious change. Will it ever happen?”

My reply:

Difficult indeed! I wish I could predict the future, but alas, I cannot. I share your views in large part. From everything I have read and heard so far, that shooter had minimal to no training. However, 130 yards is an easy shot for a standard rifle. I do not see the forces of such change growing at present, but we will keep watch. No matter how foolish or myopic the shooter may have been, he had to know he was not likely to survive—suicide by cop. We shall maintain our vigil.

 

A different contribution:

“The answer?

“Vote early and often.”

My response:

The tongue-in-cheek corruption phrase goes back quite a way in history. As for me, I trust our voting system. Yes, there are always attempts to contaminate or corrupt the process, but those efforts are largely discovered and prosecuted, although I am certain some succeed—where there is a will, there is a way. But a potential fraction of one per centum does not condemn the whole process. I shall vote by mail this year, as I have done since the pandemic. I urge everyone to trust the system and vote for the best candidates on the ballot and ignore all the yammering from the MAGAts and right-wing.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1174

 Update from the Sunland

No.1174

8.7.24 – 14.7.24

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

 

To all,

 

Invariably, when I awaken from my late morning nap, I ask the missus, “Did anything happen while I was gone?” Until Saturday, her answer was always, “Nope.” That all change on Saturday. On this particular Saturday, we were blessed to watch our Grandson Judson play double-header AAU basketball games, which meant my daily nap was delayed to late afternoon. When I made my routine query, the answer from her was, “Boy, I have something big to tell you today.”

 

Early Saturday evening, 13.July.2024, at 18:11 [R] EDT {15:11 [T] MST}, an apparent assassination attempt was made on the presumed Republican candidate for president during a political campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show fairgrounds near Butler, Butler County, Pennsylvania, roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh. The shooter was on the roof of a building just outside the venue and the security perimeter at a range of 200-300 meters reportedly using an AR-15 rifle. He was neutralized swiftly by counter-snipers of the protection detail. One of the bullets grazed the upper right ear of the former president, causing him to duck down. The Secret Service detail enveloped him and evacuated the former president. One spectator was killed, and two others were seriously wounded. Numerous investigations were opened immediately by the Secret Service, the FBI, Homeland Security, et al. I suspect it will be some time before we hear the findings of each investigation.

Despite my myriad objections to the man, I roundly condemn this action. I agree completely with President Biden; this is not American society and culture. No matter the shooter’s motives, assassination is the antithesis of American ideals and principals. The vast majority of American citizens are not so consumed with hate to instigate them to take such abhorrent action. We will eventually learn the shooters motives and led him to such a heinous act. The shooter was neutralized, which eliminates him as a source of information, but I have faith the investigators will sort it all out.

I shall refrain from further comments on the circumstances and evolving facts until we have a clearer picture of how and why. 

 

Continuing contributions from Update no.1172:

“Well we are both going through political alteration, although ours should settle somewhat with a new government at the wheel.

“Yours will soldier on, what will be the final conclusion? We shall have to wait and see. My views are not pertinent are they?”

My reply:

Oh my yes, we soldier on. We are still four months away from our elections. A lot can happen in that amount of time. Both major party conventions are still ahead. Two old men give us plenty of controversy that has nothing to do with governance. I hope and trust that your political situation settles out quickly. It appears France has dodged a bullet as well . . . at least for now. I can only hope our political situation begins to settle down after the election. I would like the election to be the conclusion of this silly season, but as we witnessed in 2020/21, Little Fingers made certain that the chaos he created persists even to this day. He has yet to concede the election as a normal ethical gentleman would have done.

Your views are just as pertinent as mine, my friend. Please continue to comment as you see fit.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1173:

Comment to the Blog:

“Steve Bannon’s big mouth will cause him trouble in prison, even for a four-month sentence.

“Little Fingers’ delay tactics continue. Meanwhile, a judge released a non-redacted version of Epstein’s files. That ought to be fun. I’m already seeing leftist posts about Little Fingers being a frequent flier (literally and otherwise), and at least one claims the papers include specific details about his sexual behaviors. There’s also a revival of accusations by a woman who was 13 at the time. All of that is a huge gift to opposing campaigns.

“Boeing skates again. Such are the dangers of unlimited capitalism.

“You and I are both younger old men than Biden or Little Fingers. Neither of them is in fit mental condition for the high-pressure job of President. I question whether either could be counted on to physically survive another term. We need another choice.

“As many others point out, the political pendulum is returning to the left in France and the UK. In the meantime, we here experience the fruits of the Powell memo.”

My response to the Blog:

That is my impression as well. No matter how cushy that prison may be, it is like nothing he has ever experienced before. He may be in for a big shock.

Yes, they do. I have not seen the Epstein files. I would not be surprised in the least if Little Fingers appears multiple times on the registry. Of course, that will not affect the MAGAts. None of the believers care a twit about ihr Lieber Anführer‘s immoral behavior and conduct.

There is a very rough road ahead for Boeing, along with seriously diminished profits for shareholders.

Yes, we are, but not by much . . . at least in my case. I cannot go as far as you do in declaring President Biden is unfit. As I have stated in multiple fora, I would rather have a tottering, well-intentioned, old man than a malignant narcissistic conman in the Oval Office. To me, the choice is simple. We shall see what the Democrat Convention does next month.

The political pendulum may swing left here as well . . . if everyone votes for the best person on the ballot.

 . . . Round two:

“Probably nothing will change the MAGAts by now, but voters to their left are another matter.

“If everyone votes for the best person on the ballot, the Green Party will win.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Indeed, but everyone must vote to stop Little Fingers & the MAGAts.

Perhaps so, but how will they govern? The president does not create laws and provide funding. Congress does. The Greens are missing a lot of congressional candidates.

 . . . Round three:

“‘Everyone must vote’ is the central problem. Decades of negative campaigns have discouraged many voters, leaving a few partisans to carry the day for one of the parties. Democrats have yet to see that.

“Were the Greens to win some key offices, they’d do what the rest of the world does: form a coalition with the others closest to them.”

 . . . my response to round three:

I cannot argue with that assessment. However, if we do not vote, we cannot affect change. Change is what brought us Little Fingers. How did that work out?

Perhaps so, but it has never been done since the early days of the republic before parties formed practically. From my perspective, to be blunt, voting for the Green candidate is much like buying a pig in a poke, or trust me, you build it, they will come. Nice ideals, but not in the face of an existential threat to democratic governance and the very republic itself.

 . . . Round four:

“Cap, your logic boxes us into a disaster.”

 . . . my response to round four:

Perhaps so, but it is a reflection of reality. We must deal with what is.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1173

Update from the Sunland

No.1173

1.7.24 – 7.7.24

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

 

To all,

 

The follow-up news items:

-- Stephen Kevin’ Steve’ Bannon finally reported to federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, to serve the four-month sentence for his conviction [1032, 1071]. And, who was there with her mouth to send off the criminal? Margorie Taylor Greene (MTG); of course, she was. The bunch were bellicose as always. Bannon portrayed himself as the martyr for the cause.

-- Rudy Giuliani has been disbarred in New York and can no longer practice law. He vowed to appeal the ruling. Oh my, how the mighty have fallen.

-- On Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Bragg publicly stated that he is open to delaying the sentencing of [the person who shall no longer be named]. The convicted felon was scheduled to be sentenced next Thursday, 11.July.2024. The judge and prosecutors are digesting the impact of Trump v. United States [603 U. S. ____ (2024); No. 23–939] [see below]. The sentencing of Little Fingers is now scheduled for Wednesday, 18.September.2024, to give Judge Merchan time to study the immunity ruling for applicability and hold hearings if necessary.

-- On Sunday, Boeing plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge and agreed to pay a US243.6M find to avoid trial. The charge stems from the crashes of two B737-MAX8 aircraft—Lion Air Flight 610 (LN610) [878] & Ethiopian Airline Flight 302 (EH302) [896]. Victim families are reportedly livid over what they called a sweetheart deal; they sought a US$25B punitive fine for Boeing’s malfeasance. This is just the beginning for Boeing, and there are still no signs the company is moving to correct the error of its ways for the last four decades of myopic focus on profits above all else. The company has a very long journey on a very rough road before they will see the light of a better tomorrow.

 

In the aftermath of the first debate debacle [1172], President Biden agreed to sit down for a one-on-one nationally televised interview. George Stephanopoulos of ABC News interviewed the president in Madison, Wisconsin. When asked what happened in the debate, President Biden responded, “I was exhausted. I had a bad night.”  The answer may be fine for John Q. Citizen, but it is not acceptable for the president of the United States. The job is relentless, 24/7, healthy or ill, happy or sad, none of those excuses matter a twit. We depend on the president to stand watch continuously. In many ways, it is an impossible job that ages people prematurely fast. He does not get a bad night. He does not seem to appreciate the significance of the vulnerability he displayed in the debate. The president and his lieutenants must manage his time, to find him time to sleep and down time to refresh. That process failed last Thursday night. When President Biden’s responds that he was exhausted and had a bad cold, I hear that he did not respect the debate process. He did not see the danger in his opponent. He should have known how important such debates are.

When Stephanopoulos asked the president if he watched the tape of the debate [1172], President Biden responded, “I don’t think I did. No.” WHAT! Surely he is not that oblivious to the seriousness of his situation and the significance of the future of the nation. A man who does not or cannot recognize the problem is more problematic than a man who just ignores the problem. If I had such negative feedback and backlash from an event I was in, the first thing I would do is look at what everyone else saw. Further, I hope his short-term memory is not that bad; either he did or did not. “I don’t think I did” is hardly reassuring.

Every professional athlete knows he needs a good night’s sleep and a day or two of rest to achieve top performance. When I had an important or dangerous mission the next day, I always focused on getting a good refresh the night before. I am five years younger than President Biden. I know and recognize that I am not the man I used to be, and I must adjust my behavior to accommodate the reality of my physical, mental, and emotional state at it is today . . . not as it used to be.

The Stephanopoulos interview did not help President Biden’s situation. Yet, as I have written numerous times, I would rather have a tottering, well-intentioned, old man as president than a malignant narcissist bent on making himself king, seeking revenge upon those he perceives to have wronged him. Worse, the latter is a conman who is a pathological liar with no morality or conscience. I am not happy with President Biden, but there is no doubt who I will vote for in November.

 

My oh my, what a result from our British cousins. As Americans celebrated Independence Day, the British went to the polls to vote in Parliamentary elections. The Labour Party swept to a landslide victory.

Labour                         412

Conservative               121

Liberal Democrat        71

SNP                             9

Others                         37

A new government has been formed. The Conservatives are out; Labour is in. New Prime Minister Sir Keir Rodney Starmer KCB, KC, MP for Holborn and St Pancras, received his charge from King Charles III. A new era begins.

 

The Supremes waited as long as they possibly could, until the very last day of the session, to release their decision in the immunity case—Trump v. United States [603 U.S. ____ (2024); No. 23–939]. The appeal to the Supremes stems from the federal election interference case—United States v. Trump [USDC DC Case 1:23-cr-00257-TSC (2023)] motion to dismiss [1125] and the associated appeal to the DC Circuit, United States v. Trump [DC CCA No. 23-3228 (2024)] [1152]. Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the 6-3 majority, stated, “This case is the first criminal prosecution in our Nation’s history of a former President for actions taken during his Presidency.” What Roberts failed or refused to acknowledge is [the person who shall no longer be named] is the only one of 46 presidents so far to have conducted himself in a criminal manner during and after he served as president [except Nixon since he was pardoned for his crimes]. Roberts concluded, “The President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official. The President is not above the law. But Congress may not criminalize the President’s conduct in carrying out the responsibilities of the Executive Branch under the Constitution.”

Justice Sotomayor wrote for the minority and articulated the essential facts associated with the former president’s alleged criminal conduct. She also observed, “It is a far greater danger if the President feels empowered to violate federal criminal law, buoyed by the knowledge of future immunity.” “Let the President violate the law, let him exploit the trappings of his office for personal gain, let him use his official power for evil ends. Because if he knew that he may one day face liability for breaking the law, he might not be as bold and fearless as we would like him to be. That is the majority’s message today.” With this ruling, “In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law.” Sotomayor concluded, “With fear for our democracy, I dissent.” No decision from the Supreme Court should ever get to that stage, but it has.

Justice Jackson added her dissent, nothing, “To the extent that the majority’s new accountability paradigm allows Presidents to evade punishment for their criminal acts while in office, the seeds of absolute power for Presidents have been planted. And, without a doubt, absolute power corrupts absolutely. “If one man can be allowed to determine for himself what is law, every man can. That means first chaos, then tyranny.”

This ruling is yet another case where the strict constructionists suspend their insistence on original meaning and interpretation to futher their objectives. Congress has passed no law against [the person who shall no longer be named] (or any other president for that matter). Little Fingers is the one who chose to violate existing law. Further, this decision resolves nothing. A nefarious fellow like [the person who shall no longer be named] will claim that all of his actions before, during, and after the January 6^th insurrection are official in-the-line-of-duty actions (or inactions as the case may be). The prosecution will rightly claim that nothing he did in his incitement to insurrection and interference with the electoral process was official; it was all unofficial and outside the immunity protection described in the immunity decision. The impasse will then force the judge to adjudicate each item, and then each judgment will be appealed and re-appealed. Worse yet, the majority excludes any evidence that might be construed or assumed to be an official act from being admitted in any prosecution of a former president.

The majority failed to recognize or acknowledge that a president can be elected that has no respect or regard for the law, no respect for the traditions and precedent of the office. Like the Founders / Framers, the majority assumes the general good of anyone elected as president. [The person who shall no longer be named] could not care less about what his conduct is doing to the service of future presidents; he only cares about himself. The majority is this case fails to even acknowledge that such men could make it to and contaminate the Office of the President of United States. I highly doubt the Founders / Framers ever intended in any form or fashion to have a president as a criminal entity immune or effectively immune from prosecution. It is unconscionable. The current rendition of the Supremes was emphatic that the president has no immunity—none, zero, niente—for unofficial acts. Unfortunately, this immunity ruling opens an enormous, potentially infinite, Pandora’s Box of horrors. All a criminal president has to do is declare his actions “official” and he will probably die before justice could be served. The Founders / Framers as well as contemporary Supremes have not considered that a president might get elected who is solely interested in self-promotion and aggrandizement rather than serving the interests of the republic and the People. But, here we are! We had such a president and that malignant narcissistic man may potentially be re-elected to a position of such power and immunity. Once again, the strict constructionists among the conservative faction of the current Supreme Court bench choose to ignore their professed dictum of adherence to meaning of the words as originally written and as the meaning was intended when written. Convenient! As is so bloody common in the political domain, the strict constructionist faction among the Supremes chooses when, where, and how to ignore their professed principles to extend their vision of the law. They have created immunity where none exists in the Constitution as written. They amplify what they wish and ignore what they choose, just as they do in the political domain. These are the times in which we live.

Despite my misgivings and criticism of the Supremes’ immunity decision, I do believe Chief Justice Roberts sought and attempted to find some compromise ground in this case. From my perspective, both sides have gone too far to make their points. The majority wants us to believe the president is still subject to the law, and the dissent wants us to believe the president is now above the law. The reality seems to be somewhere in between. What the majority’s standard establishes now will dramatically complicate the prosecution of any president or former president for criminal conduct in or out of office by requiring the courts to determine whether every fact involved in the prosecution of a president or former president is “official” or “unofficial” without defining what those words mean under the law. President of the United States is such a unique job, he may well claim only he can judge whether his actions were official or unofficial, therefore only he can decide what is legal, in essence the law and the Constitution do not apply to him.

Of course, [the person who shall no longer be named] has been emboldened by the Supremes’ immunity ruling. He will now declare everything he has done including in his state business fraud felony conviction {People of New York v. Trump [NYSC, Cty of NY Indictment No. 71543/2023] [1107] [1168]} were official acts as president. If he does so, it will force judges in each case to pass judgment on which of his charged actions were official and which were unofficial. Then, those rulings will be appealed to determine with the judges’ rulings were consistent with Trump v. United States. The Supremes will once again be called upon to validate or refute those appeals. After all that, the actual trials might proceed. We are talking years (plural), folks. Added into all this mess, the Supremes have played into Little Fingers’ hands directly by delaying the judicial process. Potentially compounding this turn of events, if [the person who shall no longer be named] should happen to get re-elected to the presidency, we will face additional constitutional challenges with him dismissing the federal cases against him, pardoning himself and other direct players in the insurrection, and suspending the state prosecutions or even imprisonment orders until after he leaves office for the last time. Yes folks, this is going to get very ugly and messy.

Lastly, I will note in closing this topic . . . Justice Thomas had to throw a clot in the churn as he so often does. With no support from his colleagues, Thomas unilaterally declared the Special Counsel illegitimate. He wrote, “If there is no law establishing the office that the Special Counsel occupies, then he cannot proceed with this prosecution. A private citizen cannot criminally prosecute anyone, let alone a former President.” No one joined him, but his concurring opinion will add substantial encouragement to Little Fingers and his lawyers.

We add this one to the stack of bonehead decisions from this rendition of the Supremes.

 

I acknowledge that the MAGAts get quite irritated and animated when anyone compares ihr Lieber Anführer to Der Führer, the dictator of Nazi Germany, but the obvious comparisons continue to mount up. For the record, both men were convicted of felonies before they were elected to the leadership of their respective nations. Both men were accused of insurrection against the nation. One destroyed the country he led; the other is on the verge of doing the same thing to the country he wants to lead.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1172:

“Excellent ‘ranting’ indeed, and evocative comment on religion.

“Too bad most of us are so ignorant of the merits (and perhaps shortcomings?) of Buddhism that we continue hopeless adherence to inherited notions of religion and stubbornly avoid the simplicity of love and hope as the ultimate solutions (echos of Jesus before men misnamed another religion for Him).

“By the way, Cap, I remind you of my proud self-label of Flaming Conserviberal assumed thirty or more years ago as I finally rejected the GOP years before it committed suicide. I have always believed you are of the same mind, my friend.”

 . . . to which a follow-up contribution was added before I could reply:

“Carol would be happy to include you in her circle of beneficiaries.”

 . . . with this insertion:

July 1, 2024

Everyday tyranny

Romans 6:12-23: No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness.

A wholesale store intentionally limits the number of different items offered for sale. The idea is “to help shoppers escape what psychologists call the tyranny of choice, which can paralyze consumers” so that they buy nothing.

The giving of law in religion helps limit the ‘tyranny of choice’ for people in moral and spiritual decisions. Whether it is the more detailed law of Jewish practice, the Ten Commandments, or Jesus’ commandment to love one another, laws can free us. They can simplify our options, while still giving broad human experience which is in harmony with the will of God. 

The primary choice we make defines the entire territory we inhabit: living in the will and grace of God. Paul tells us in Romans to “present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life,” to decide that we will be “instruments of righteousness.” In our culture, boundaries feel fluid, where anything we can get away with can be considered ‘right.” But if we claim to love and follow God, we have to choose the loving and godly way. We cannot harm others, even if secular culture says it’s fine or expected. God asks us to love.

No more ‘tyranny of choice.

My reply to both messages:

Yes, my friend, we have much more in common than we have differences. I have found worthy teachings and life lessons in virtually all established religions including Wicca. It is the pragmatic interpretation and application of those interpretations by so-called ‘priests’ (a generic term for respective clergy) to the lives of others where I diverge.

The added opinion of “Carol” illustrates the line for me. I categorically reject her “tyranny of choice” hypothesis. To me, such a notion is the essence of religious parochialism and moral projection that I rail against. Sin is a matter between the individual and God (in whatever form s/he believes). The state is a regulator of the public domain and must be absolutely free of religious bias, which is what I find so wrong with what Louisiana and Oklahoma have done. The New Testament (Romans) is a Christian book. The application of the New Testament (or any other religious text) to public conduct is wrong; as such, I must condemn “Carol’s” “tyranny of choice” notion.

 . . . with this follow-up comment:

“I found (and often do) some truth in Carol's assertions independent of the scriptural source, which I consider advisory and not tainted by any particular religious dogma.”

 . . . and my follow-up reply:

I agree. There are many valuable words of wisdom in religious texts. For me, it is the interpretation and the projection of those elucidations where we get crosswise.

 

Another contribution:

US supreme court rules Trump has ‘absolute immunity’ for official acts | US supreme court | The Guardian

“Cap-this cannot be right surely-you are a democracy not a Russian/Chinese state.”

My reply:

Once again, a spot-on article. As of this writing, I am still reading the ruling and digesting the meaning. This week’s Update will have more.

I wish it was not true, but it is. The Founders/Framers and the Supreme Court jurisprudence have made a critical assumption . . . anyone who has gone through the rigors of the election process and become president is an inherently good, well-intentioned person. That is a fatal flaw in constitutional thinking. 45POTUS never was, is not, and never will be a good man set aside well-intentioned. He is a criminal, and as an accomplished conman and grifter, he has convinced a substantial portion of We, the People, that he is acting on their behalf. He has never been for anyone other than himself . . . to see how much he can get out of his grift of the American People. The Constitution and the Law never bargained on such a man making it to the presidency. He did it once. He is on the verge of doing it again. The United States of America (as we have known it) has never been so at risk as we are today.

 

A different contribution:

Trump calls for hush money conviction to be overturned after Supreme Court ruling | ITV News

“Cap, what is next? I do not like the way this is pending. This is a bloody mess that needs sorting prominently and swiftly-leave it to you bud….”

My reply:

Given the Supreme Court’s immunity decision, this action was inevitable. I highly doubt the court conviction will be overturned or the case dismissed, but some elements of evidence may be excluded, which might affect some of the charges, resulting in a retrial or dismissal of those affected charges. In the business fraud case, most of the offenses and evidence occurred before Little Fingers became president. It is the evidence that occurred after he became president that is now vulnerable. It was announced today that Little Fingers sentencing has been pushed back from next week to September; more delay. More to follow, I am sure.

 . . . with this follow-up comment:

“Thanks Cap, what a sad business this is. What this highlights is the fact that some of our political leaders, who we put in power, are in fact ‘not cream of the crop at all’ but the remains of failed human effort to dominate the breed. How sad. What is the solution to political domination?”

 . . . and my follow-up reply:

Quite so, a very sad business, indeed! I cannot dispute a word. It is quite sad. The only option we have is to vote . . . vote for the best candidate on the ballot. It would be nice if the candidate we want is on the ballot, but as for future, I refuse to join a political party, and I am not a part of the candidate selection process. Regardless, we must vote for the best person on the ballot; it is our duty, our obligation as citizens of a democracy. That is my opinion.

 

Comment to the Blog:

“The Oklahoma and Louisiana Christian nationalist laws go against the Constitution so directly that it’s hard to believe even the current Supreme Court would let them stand.

“I agree with your impression of the debate. I’m ashamed of CNN for not fact-checking. As it stands, voting for President this time will be distasteful for much of the electorate, and we’ll see how that works out.

“I’ve been around here long enough to witness parts of your evolution. My analysis of the liberal-to-conservative change some people undergo is that it happens if they become wealthier and fearful of losing it or of not getting still more. I got that from younger people who aren’t getting wealthier.”

My response to the Blog:

Yes, exactly, they most emphatically do. But this is a very difficult rendition of the Supreme Court bench. Alito has offered no excuses for his religious zealotry, and now he has deeper support.

Agreed, as well. It was sad that the CNN moderators did not take a more aggressive stance on the facts. They both are great journalists. They know the facts. But, we are criticizing them, because President Biden failed to confront those outrageous lies. That said, it is always a challenge, but confronting a pathological liar like Little Fingers threatens to degenerate a debate into worthless chaos, just what Tiny seeks.

That is exactly the motivation as I see it as well. My financial situation does not feel threatened. I suppose I should feel threatened, but I do not. If Little Fingers gets elected again, I think I will feel threatened.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)