TELLING STORIES WITH NUMBERS

 

Some readers may be curious about the author. Here is a short story about me:

Telling a story with numbers means learning what the numbers say and then summarizing that story using the numbers as examples. Some call that Financial Planning and Analysis [FP&A]. Regardless, I have told stories with numbers in various arenas during my entire professional career. Most good business stories have two basic parts: the Mission of the Enterprise; and, the projected and/or actual financial results.

I read the story of Economics at Whittier College and then in graduate school at LSE  [London School of Economics] in England where I took an M. Sc. [Econ] in 1966. I studied Russia during the Cold War at LSE to understand the challenge presented to Capitalism by the story of Socialism. This blog presenst my observations of the continuing threats to the National Security of the United States posed by Russian tyrannies and our domestic response to those threats.

My first significant job was an F P & A analyst at a publicly traded chemical process manufacturing company in Los Angeles. I wrote the stories of the plans and then analyzed the financial results for hundreds of operating plans. I wrote the plans in longhand with an adding machine and summarized the stories of performance for the Board and Corporate management. Eventually I used a variety of software programs to write the stories of how the results compared to the plans.

From there I wrote my book ‘HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN’, which explained financial story telling for entrepreneurs. My book has helped thousands of entrepreneurs for more than 30 years and is now in its 14^th Edition. I also created and managed a Business Plan Mentoring consultancy where I helped several entrepreneurs tell better stories.

As Professor of Economics at City College of San Francisco [CCSF] I taught Economic stories to college students for 23 years until retiring in 2023. I wrote a textbook [MACROECONOMIC ESSENTIALS, 2020] for my students to see the story we discussed in class.

And, I changed the story of Economics to include the impact on real people of economic decisions and published the new story here [www.miepa.net].

My family has some history in Amercia: 400 Years of Stories from My American Family: Includes some historically notable family stories Kindle Edition,

Billionaire Bad Dogs: Turds in the Punchbowl

Training a dog to poop where you want him to poop can be hard. First thing before you try to train him is to get his attention by rubbing his nose in the poop, then you can show him what you want. Billionaires and dogs are similar in that neither one understands fully WHY you want something from them; I consider myself lucky if I can show my dog what I want. And, maybe he'll remember it. 

Many Billionaires want more money as their primary goal. They will support anything they expect to give them more money. Some think a tyranny will do that for them. We should try to train them to POOP properly. 

Maybe we can rub their nose in the POOP so they won’t install a dictator. After all, It's hard to really understand what life is like in a tyranny; especially for those who have not travelled in or read about tyrannies. 

Here’s the POOP  --  rub it on them...

Life under a tyrant can be peaceful when the media are silent about crime. Tyrants will murder or imprison those who insist on reporting crime, especially crimes committed by the tyrant and his cronies. 

An American dictator will target 'bad' reporters first. Say ‘Goodbye’ to Rachel Maddow [MSNBC] and Marc Elias [https://www.elias.law/team/marc-elias].

An American dictator will imprison opposition politicians in remote camps with limited medical care; some may die in camp. Say ‘Goodbye’ to Bernie Sanders [D VT]. 

A tyrant may simply shoot them on the street or murder them in their home. Say  ‘Goodbye’ to Jamie Raskin [https://raskin.house.gov/about]. 

Some of our American Billionaires and Corporations support a tyranny in the 2024 elections. Perhaps they think their wealth will grow with a dictator. 

They are deluded.

Tyrants assume they control all the property in their country. Some Billionaires think their association with him protects them and their property assets. But, when a tyrant wants a property for some purpose, he just takes it. A complex set of laws and chain of title protects property ownership today, but a tyrant can just ignore those laws.

Tyrants may just shoot the objecting person as he drives to the office using a long distance sniper. Say ‘Goodbye’ to Bill Gates.

Or, perhaps you are a compassionate Doctor and refuse to treat patients with medications specified by the State: You may be thrown out of a window in the hospital. Say  ‘Goodbye’ to Dr. Fauci.

How about a woman raped by the tyrant? Say ‘Goodbye’ to Stormy Daniels and E. Jean Carroll.

Can you flee to another country with a stable reputation of protecting its residents? The tryant will find you. You may fall out of a building,

 Or, random criminals may shoot you and your family while you are on a vacation. 

Or, your accountant may be locked inside a damp cellar and beaten daily until he dies.

Or, you may join an old acquaintance for a cup of tea.

Or, someone may poison your house so that your an your adult daughter almost die from touching the door handle.

Or, an assassin my find you in a public park in Paris and chase you down until he shoots you.

Does it ‘stink’ yet?

This and more will happen if we elect a tyrant.

See more here

 

The Law on Rebellion and Insurrection

Basic self preservation grants to countries the right and the duty to prevent or punish inciting or assisting a rebellion that seeks to overthrow the laws of that country.

Felon trump calls for rebellion and insurrection constantly. 

The self preservation of the United States of America requires that he be incarcerated and silenced by stripping him of the ability to make further calls for  a rebellion or insurrection in the Unted States. 

This may occur at his sentencing hearing now scheduled for July 11, 2024.

§2383. Rebellion or insurrection

Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 808 ; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 .)

UPDATE - Dasvidaniya Vovchik

Inevitably, 'Vovchik' Putin will die. Worldwide opinion today turns anti-Putin. 

When he dies, the hard line cabal of Russians trying to subvert democracies everyewhere will try to regain control with one of their assets. If they succeed, Russia will be the same. The West must neutralize that group in order to create a truly representative government. See my post 'The Russian Conspiracy to Destroy Democracy and Install Thugs in Power' on June 27, 2024.

When he dies, there may be chaos in Russia. My bet is that he does not have a workable succession plan. Most dictators do not have one.

The West failed to assist Russia's move away from tyranny into a democratic state in the 1990's, after the Wall fell. Criminals amassed ownership of public property and installed a tyranny in Russia under Putin. 

I list below some steps that the West can take to facilitate Russia's transition to a democratically elected government and avoid a tyranny. A new Shadow Duma established with expats can start the process until a newly elected Duma arrives. Russians want to live in a Democracy and do not want a reinstallation of a tyrant successor to Putin. The West should help them do so.

The new government may choose to apply to join the EU as an Official Candidate for membership. However, the EU sets rigid requirements for Candidates who wish to join the EU. Click here for the EU enlargement process. 

Russia will not meet those conditions until Russia has a fully functioning elected government. I discuss here the necessary steps to join the EU eventually.

'In order to apply for EU membership, a country has to be European and respect the EU's democratic values. It also needs stable institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the ability to take on and carry out the obligations of the EU membership.Dec 6, 2023

A country can become an official candidate once it meets basic political, economic and reform criteria. It can then start formal negotiations on 35 chapters covering many different policy areas with the EU.'  Cloick here to see detailed steps

BEFORE THE EU APPLICATION

STEP 1: Establish a shadow Duma before Putin's demise using expat Russians who will meet and work on the EU Candidate process; and, begin writing a new Constitution. USA and EU can help organize and fund this. The shadow Duma can continue after Putin's demise until a newly elected Duma can meet. 

STEP 2: Establish coordination with top military officials to secure their agreement they will accept subordination to civilian authority established pursuant to the new Constitution. Discharge those who refuse.

Step 2.5. Enact martial law to prevent violence, election interference and possible overthrow of new government. 

STEP 3: Conduct elections to the new Duma with international supervision ensuring election integrity.

STEP 4. Nationalize all enterprises above an arbitrary limit such as 1,000 employees. The state will manage the enterprises. Later, the Duma can negotiate proposed acquisitions on a case-by-case basis with the objective of professional sustainable management and financial capacity

STEP 5. New government seeks outside cash assistance to endure that newly nationalized enterprises can meet their payroll until divested.

STEP 6. Appoint judges who support the new government to all judicial posts. Ensure each judicial appointment requires a public impeachment in the Duma to be overturned or compromised.

STEP 7. Establish Civil Service board to establish required credentials for new employees select and install government employees. Ensure that all meetings of the Board will be publicly viewable. 

STEP 8. New Duma will establish areas of interest for business enterprise regulation; then, it will write appropriate regulations.

 

Campaign Debates

 Hey Joe:

Here is an idea about how you can approach the election and the debates.

First off, don't yell at the orange headed person, just ask him a question about what he plans to do. See below for a question. 

I suppose it will be OK to yell if yelling makes your words flow more freely, but it might be better if you speak mildly and slowly since your words carry great weight. You ARE the President, you speak the truth.

I suggest you address the feelings of pressure and despair that many of us feel at the kitchen table to the GOP blocking your effforts to make life easier. To do that, y'all gonna need to preach and teach a bit.

Like this: "I know a lot of you are worried about inflation. But it is a real thing and not just a made up number. When prices go up and your income doesn't, it's really easy to feel like you're failing your family. You work hard and don't spend a lot on frivolous things, but sometimes you have to tell your kids they just have to make do for awhile. It aint right. And, it is NOT your fault. As your President I feel your anxiety and despair and I am working real hard to make your life better. 

You might wonder about this: 'Why can't you just lower prices of stuff we really need?'

Or maybe this: 'Can we just get enough income so we can pay our bills?'

Or this: 'How about food prices? We can use a break here.'

I get where you are now, and I want to make it better for us all. But, the reality is that government can do only so much and has real limits.

Let's start with food prices. Can I as your President just make lower food prices? The answer is 'Maybe I can in the long run, but I cannot change prices directly.' We have a system where businesses set prices they charge using their best guesses. If they charge too much, then folks will go to a cheaper store and pay less.

Then businesses will lose sales and then maybe they will lower prices to meet the competition. Then your family can get more stuff for less money. That's the American economic idea we have; however, things don't work that way every time.

There is no pressure on stores to lower prices if the folks who sell food don't have any competition. So, they don't lower prices and we all suffer. Our job as government to make sure there is enough competition to keep prices fair. I am working very hard to control monopolies by enforcing the laws we have already.

But, big businesses don't like that. They prefer to keep prices high to  make more profits at your expense. So, they get together and stop any government actions to make the fod busiess more competitive. They do that by lobbying Congress to kill laws to encourage competition and discourage enforcement of the laws we already have. 

Yes, that is against the law. BUT, the GOP and billionaires just shrug off the law and regulation and keep prices too high. AND, you can guess what else: trump takes lots of money from those same corporations and billionaires. You can bet your bottom dollar he will NOT act to stop monopolies from raising prices.

So I'm asking Mr. Trump now: Will you commit to enforcing our anti-monopoly laws here tonight if you win the election in November?

I don't think he will agree to do that here tonight; I'd be doubtful even if he said he would do that. 

We have some hope regardless of what he does. Here's the hope: we can vote Democrats into office who agree that prices are too high and then we can enforce the laws as they are written. We all need your help to control monopoly behavior. Here's how: Vote Democrats into office so we can lower prices at the market.

Here's an example: "The FTC found evidence that a US oil exec colluded with OPEC in 2021 and 2022 to cut production and drive up prices. The price-fixing scam is estimated to have cost Americans an extra $2,100 per year. When I say corporate greed is driving inflation, this is what I mean." Robert Reich, former Labor Secretary. 

I'm afraid we see similar tactics and goals when it comes to raising wages with Union pressure. Billionaires just HATE that. They will use everything they can dream up to prevent wages from rising. 

It just makes no sense. They will sell more stuff and make higher profits when workers have higher wages. They're kind of stupid that way.

I'll leave further discussions about labor unions, higher wages and union busting tactics to another day. Billionaires just want more of your money, period

Thank you for your time. 

Donny, Donny, So I hear that you want a billion?

I have an offer for you. Do you want to hear my offer Donny boy? It's for a Billion.

Just to be clear Donny, it is an offer you cannot refuse. When I make the offer Donny, you get the money and then you do what I ask. Be careful what you say Donny. This is real. You  hear the offer then you do what I ask. Period.

So, do you want to hear my offer?

OK, Donny, you want the offer you cannot refuse.

Here is the offer: I give you $ 1.0 billion. 

This is what I ask of you: You resign any office you may have and disappear. You will not be heard from again by anybody. 

You have heard the offer and you will do what I ask or we will do it for you.  

You can sell all your properties and keep the cash plus the $1.0 Billion. 

You will disappear and never be heard from again. 

Are we clear Donny? You disappear by yourself or we will make you disappear. Regardless, you are gone. 

trump's Plan to Install Fascism

April 30, 2024 - Heather Cox Richardson

This morning, Time magazine published a cover story by Eric Cortellessa about what Trump is planning for a second term. Based on two interviews with Trump and conversations with more than a dozen of his closest advisors, the story lays out Trump’s conviction that he was “too nice” in his first term and that he would not make such a mistake again. 

Cortellessa writes that Trump intends to establish “an imperial presidency that would reshape America and its role in the world.” 

He plans to use the military to round up, put in camps, and deport more than 11 million people. He is willing to permit Republican-dominated states to monitor pregnancies and prosecute people who violate abortion bans. He will shape the laws by refusing to release funds appropriated by Congress (as he did in 2019 to try to get Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky to smear Hunter Biden). He would like to bring the Department of Justice under his own control, pardoning those convicted of attacking the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and ending the U.S. system of an independent judiciary. In a second Trump presidency, the U.S. might not come to the aid of a European or Asian ally that Trump thinks isn’t paying enough for its own defense. Trump would, Cortelessa wrote, “gut the U.S. civil service, deploy the National Guard to American cities as he sees fit, close the White House pandemic-preparedness office, and staff his Administration with acolytes who back his false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen.”

To that list, former political director of the AFL-CIO Michael Podhorzer added on social media that if Trump wins, “he could replace [Supreme Court justices Clarence] Thomas, [Samuel] Alito, and 40+ federal judges over 75 with young zealots.” 

“I ask him, Don’t you see why many Americans see such talk of dictatorship as contrary to our most cherished principles?” Cortellessa wrote. No, Trump said. “‘I think a lot of people like it.” 

Time included the full transcripts and a piece fact-checking Trump’s assertions. The transcripts reflect the former president’s scattershot language that makes little logical sense but conveys impressions by repeating key phrases and advancing a narrative of grievance. The fact-checking reveals that narrative is based largely on fantasy. 

Trump’s own words prove the truth of what careful observers have been saying about his plans based on their examination of MAGA Republicans’ speeches, interviews, Project 2025, and so on, often to find themselves accused of a liberal bias that makes them exaggerate the dangers of a second Trump presidency. 

The idea that truthful reporting based on verifiable evidence is a plot by “liberal media” to undermine conservative values had its start in 1951, when William F. Buckley Jr., fresh out of Yale, published God and Man at Yale: The Superstitions of “Academic Freedom.” Fervently opposed to the bipartisan liberal consensus that the federal government should regulate business, provide a basic social safety net, protect civil rights, and promote infrastructure, Buckley was incensed that voters continued to support such a system. He rejected the “superstition” that fact-based public debate would enable people to choose the best option from a wide range of ideas—a tradition based in the Enlightenment—because such debate had encouraged voters to choose the liberal consensus, which he considered socialism. Instead, he called for universities to exclude “bad” ideas like the Keynesian economics on which the liberal consensus was based, and instead promote Christianity and free enterprise.

Buckley soon began to publish his own magazine, the National Review, in which he promised to tell the “violated businessman’s side of the story,” but it was a confidential memorandum written in 1971 by lawyer Lewis M. Powell Jr. for a friend who chaired the education committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that insisted the media had a liberal bias that must be balanced with a business perspective. 

Warning that “the American economic system is under broad attack,” Powell worried not about “the Communists, New Leftists and other revolutionaries who would destroy the entire system.” They were, he wrote, a small minority. What he worried about were those coming from “perfectly respectable elements of society: from the college campus, the pulpit, the media, the intellectual and literary journals, the arts and sciences, and from politicians.” 

Businessmen must “confront this problem as a primary responsibility of corporate management,” he wrote, launching a unified effort to defend American enterprise. Among the many plans Powell suggested for defending corporate America was keeping the media “under constant surveillance” to complain about “criticism of the enterprise system” and demand equal time. 

President Richard Nixon appointed Powell to the Supreme Court, and when Nixon was forced to resign for his participation in the scheme to cover up the attempt to bug the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate Hotel before the 1972 election, he claimed he had to leave not because he had committed a crime, but because the “liberal” media had made it impossible for him to do his job. Six years later, Ronald Reagan, who was an early supporter of Buckley’s National Review, claimed the “liberal media” was biased against him when reporters accurately called out his exaggerations and misinformation during his 1980 campaign. 

In 1987, Reagan’s appointees to the Federal Communications Commission abandoned the Fairness Doctrine that required media with a public license to present information honestly and fairly. Within a year, talk radio had gone national, with hosts like Rush Limbaugh electrifying listeners with his attacks on “liberals” and his warning that they were forcing “socialism” on the United States. 

By 1996, when Australian-born media mogul Rupert Murdoch started the Fox News Channel (FNC), followers had come to believe that the news that came from a mainstream reporter was likely left-wing propaganda. FNC promised to restore fairness and balance to American political news. At the same time, the complaints of increasingly radicalized Republicans about the “liberal media” pushed mainstream media to wander from fact-based reality to give more and more time to the right-wing narrative. By 2018, “bothsidesing” had entered our vocabulary to mean “the media or public figures giving credence to the other side of a cause, action, or idea to seem fair or only for the sake of argument when the credibility of that side may be unmerited.”

In 2023, FNC had to pay almost $800 million to settle defamation claims made by Dominion Voting Systems after FNC hosts pushed the lie that Dominion machines had changed the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, and it has since tried to retreat from the more egregious parts of its false narrative. 

News broke yesterday that Hunter Biden’s lawyer had threatened to sue FNC for “conspiracy and subsequent actions to defame Mr. Biden and paint him in a false light, the unlicensed commercial exploitation of his image, name, and likeness, and the unlawful publication of hacked intimate images of him.” Today, FNC quietly took down from its streaming service its six-part “mock trial” of Hunter Biden, as well as a video promoting the series. 

Also today, Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over Trump’s criminal trial for election fraud, found Trump in contempt of court for attacking witnesses and jurors. Merchan also fined Trump $1,000 per offense, required him to take down the nine social media posts at the heart of the decision, and warned him that future violations could bring jail time. This afternoon, Trump’s team deleted the social media posts. 

For the first time in history, a former U.S. president has been found in contempt of court. We know who he is, and today, Trump himself validated the truth of what observers who deal in facts have been saying about what a second Trump term would mean for the United States.

Reacting to the Time magazine piece, James Singer, the spokesperson for the Biden-Harris campaign, released a statement saying: “Not since the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they are today—because of Donald Trump. Trump is willing to throw away the very idea of America to put himself in power…. Trump is a danger to the Constitution and a threat to democracy.” 

Tomorrow, May 1, is “Law Day,” established in 1958 by Republican president Dwight D. Eisenhower as a national recognition of the importance of the rule of law. In proclaiming the holiday today, Biden said: “America can and should be a Nation that defends democracy, protects our rights and freedoms, and pioneers a future of possibilities for all Americans. History and common sense show us that this can only come to pass in a democracy, and we must be its keepers.” 

— 

Notes:

https://time.com/6972021/donald-trump-2024-election-interview/

https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/just-security-clearinghouse-manhattan-da-trial-motion-for-contempt-order-april-30-2024.pdf

https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/trump-hush-money-trial/trump-removes-all-9-social-posts-cited-by-judge-109798916?id=109760957

https://time.com/6972022/donald-trump-transcript-2024-election/

https://time.com/6972024/donald-trump-fact-check-2024-election-interview/

https://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/powellmemo/

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/assets/usa-courts-secrecy-lobbyist/powell-memo.pdf

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/bothsidesing-bothsidesism-new-words-were-watching

https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-quietly-deletes-hunter-biden-mock-trial-special-following-lawsuit-threat

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/04/30/a-proclamation-on-law-day-u-s-a-2024/

Twitter (X):

Mike_Podhorzer/status/1785348580334501936

rgoodlaw/status/1785312635652591975

Jemsinger/status/1785345553712222272/photo/2

Weaponize the Deep State in 2025

If the United States of America sees another trump victory in 2024 we can assume that he stole the election. He has lost the popular vote count in every election he entered by wide margins. He manipulated the Electoral College to get his 2016 victory while losing the popular vote by 2.9 million votes. 

He has announced his governing plans if he gains the office in 2024. He will make war on the American people to further his personal riches. He will create a private goon squad to carry out murders for his political gain as does his role model Putin in Russia. He will pardon those who are jailed after the 2020 insurrection and he will punish officials who stood in his way during his time in the Office of President. He will not leave the office if he loses the 2028 election. Such refusal will likely create a violent transfer of power to the newly elected POTUS.

Duty to Disobey

The Uniform Code of Military Justice requires military officers to disobey any order they deem violates the Constitution.  In order to prevent the harm trump will try to inflict on the United States from his war on the USA, civil service employees at all levels of government should adopt the 'duty to disobey' toward any order or action that violates the Constitution. Additionally, they should collect evidence of any criminal act and report that criminal act to the Dept of Justice for prosecution.  

'So, can a person in the military simply refuse to follow an order if they don't like it? The answer is yes — if they consider the order itself to be illegal or unconstitutional. It's generally called a "duty to disobey," and is empowered by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Nov 27, 2019' [https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/law-and-life/what-is-a-military-duty-to-disobey/]

He may pressure you to resign. Do not quit, force him to fire you; them sue him for wrongful termination. We assume that most orders from POTUS trump will violate criminal law and/or the Constitution. Civil Servants in the Federal and State governments then shall have the ' duty to disobey ' every order which violates criminal law and/or the Constitution regardless of from where the order originates.

Like it or not, we will be in a war with authoritarian forces in the government during his time in office. Our soldiers in that war are the Civil Servants who prevent immense damage to the United States with their dangerous and brave defense of the Constitution, and the brave law enforcement people who stop any unofficial persons carrying out trump uncostitutional orders. 

Who You Gonna Call ? Joe Biden

Who you gonna call when the bad guys come after you?

You want a grown ass MAN in your corner.

Call Joe Biden - he's a real grown up man. 

Even bad guy Putin is afraid of Joe Biden

You do NOT want to call a manchild crybaby.

[Apologies to Ghostbusters]

 

BRIEF OF RETIRED FOUR-STAR ADMIRALS AND GENERALS

 Here is the document.

BRIEF OF RETIRED FOUR-STAR ADMIRALS AND GENERALS, AND FORMER SECRETARIES OF THE U.S. ARMY, NAVY, AND AIR FORCE AS AMICI CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENT

'STATEMENT OF INTEREST

' Amici are retired four-star admirals and generals, and former secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. They served under each President from John F. Kennedy to Donald J. Trump. Amici are deeply interested in this case because presidential immunity from criminal prosecution would threaten the military’s role in American society, our nation’s constitutional order, and our national security. It also would have profoundly negative effects on military service members, who answer to the orders of the President as Commander-in-Chief. This submission is based on amici’s collective experience serving in and leading our military, as well as their collective interest in safeguarding our national security. Amici’s short biographies listed below only begin to describe their distinguished service to our country.'

NAME AND SHAME All Election Threateners

 

Some threats directed at election workers are crimes, but regardless of criminality all threats serve to undermine our Democracy.

The Federal Government worries actively about threats to election officials and workers in all states and in all electons. 

Here are two links to their recommendations

1. Home Page: https://www.eac.gov/election-officials/election-official-security

2. Reporting theats:  

report to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), prompt 1, then prompt 3, or online at tips.fbi.gov  [https://tips.fbi.gov/home ]  

BUT, I suggest an easier method to reduce the volume of threats I call NAME AND SHAME.

Post in social media or online every threat including any profanity together with person's name, phone number and/or email. When the threats are not made public those who want to threaten workers feel they are safe from any consequences of their threat. 

Your legal department may have some questions about the action; I am aware only of possible liability provided that the information posted is false or untrue. Posting truthful information probably is safe from liability.

N S F W

I am disgusted by Americans who want to hand over our country to chickenshit crybaby trump.

Tyrants are all the same: Putin, crybaby trump, Hitler, Xi Xen Peng. 

Some of my ancestors fought with Washington in 1776 to end King George's tyranny. Some of them died in that War. 

Millions of Americans and people from other countries died to stop Hitler's tyranny in World War II.

I have studied Russia, Putin and Stalin, et.al., since 1960. Today, Putin bankrolls tyrants in many places, including the United States of America.

And yet, home grown domestic terrorists and the GOP want to hand over our country to crybaby trump whom Putin bankrolls. 

If he steals the office, he will send goons for critics.

I am such a critic. 

I will not go with those thugs. 

The Dark

Rubens - Massacre of the Innocents

Human history shows that we are capable of darkness and violence on a massive scale. The United States of America seeks to upend that narrative by allowing the people to choose their leaders. We have succeeded bringing light and hope to all people for more than 250 years.

Today we see forces of darkness trying to end our narrative and bring back darkness and violence to the United States of America.

At this writing trump plans to appoint a convicted felon and notable traitor into his campaign. Paul Manafort is the subject of a massive Congressional investigation into his illegal campaign actions. 

Here is that report: 

Our future is at stake.

trump Loses Popular Vote, Calls for Violence

trump wants desperately to be President. He will call for violence to install him in the White House when he loses the popular vote.

This November, we will need armed, sworn officers to protect the integrity of all the ballots,  from the voting booth through the installation of the President in January 2025. Any process that calls for openness should restrict personal access to the facility and instead offer closed circuit monitoring of any such process.

We should prepare to deploy National Guard to election offices in  each State where an election supervisor perceives threats.

Heather Cox Richardson presents the political situation in the United States of America today [See her column below].

Heather Cox Richardson Mar 14

 

After yesterday’s primary contests, we appear headed toward a Biden-Trump rematch in 2024. But this year’s election is an entirely different kettle of fish than that of 2020.

In 2020 there were plenty of red flags around Trump’s plans for a second term, but it was not until after it was clear he had lost the election that he gave up all pretense of normal presidential behavior. Beginning the night of the election, he tried to overturn that election and to install himself as president, ignoring the will of the voters, who had chosen Joe Biden. His attack on the fundamental principle of democracy ended the tradition of the peaceful transfer of power established in 1797 when our first president, George Washington, deliberately walked behind his successor, John Adams, after Adams was sworn into office.

Trump then refused to step aside for his successor as all of his predecessors had done, and has continued to push the Big Lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. His loyalists in the states have embraced that lie, undermining faith in our electoral system, although they have never produced any evidence for their claims of voter fraud. (Remember the Cyber Ninjas who handled the election audit in Arizona? The company went out of business in 2022.)  

Then, a year after he left office, news broke that Trump had compromised the country’s national security by retaining highly classified documents and storing them in unsecured boxes at Mar-a-Lago. When the federal government tried to recover them, he hid them from officials. In June 2023 a grand jury in Miami indicted Trump on 37 felony counts related to that theft. 

Trump is not the same as he was in 2020, and in the past three years he has transformed the Republican Party into a vehicle for Christian nationalism. 

In 2016 the Republican Party was still dominated by leaders who promoted supply-side economics. They were determined to use the government to cut taxes and regulations to concentrate money and power among a few individuals, who would, theoretically, use that money and power to invest in the economy far more efficiently than they could if the government intervened. Before 2016 that Reaganesque party had stayed in office thanks to the votes of a base interested in advancing patriarchal, racist, and religious values. 

But Trump flipped the power structure in the party, giving control to the reactionary base. In the years since 2020, the Republican Party has become openly opposed to democracy, embracing the Christian nationalism of leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, who maintains that the tenets of democracy weaken a nation by giving immigrants, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women the same rights as heterosexual, native-born white men. 

Rather than calling for a small federal government that stays out of the way of market forces, as Republicans have advocated since 1980, the new Trump Party calls for a strong government that enforces religious rules and bans abortion; books; diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; and so on. In 2022, thanks to the three extremists Trump put on the Supreme Court, the government ceased to recognize a constitutional right that Americans had enjoyed since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision: the right to abortion.  

Last week, Trump formally took over the apparatus of the Republican Party, installing loyalists including his daughter-in-law at the head of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and purging the organization of all but his own people. Indicating its priorities, the RNC has hired Trump lawyer Christina Bobb, former correspondent at the right-wing media outlet One American News Network and promoter of the lie that the 2020 election was stolen, as senior counsel for election integrity. 

In Congress, far-right Trump supporters are paralyzing the House of Representatives. The Republicans took power after the midterm elections of 2022 and have run one of the least effective congresses in history. Far-right members have refused to agree to anything that didn’t meet their extremist positions, while first Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and then Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) refused to reach out to Democrats to pass legislation except for must-pass laws like appropriations, when Democrats provide the majority of the votes that keep the government functioning. 

The result has been a Congress that can get virtually nothing done and instead has focused on investigations of administration officials including the president which have failed spectacularly. Republican members who actually want to pass laws are either leaving or declining to run for reelection. The conference has become so toxic that fewer than 100 members agreed to attend their annual retreat that began today. "I'd rather sit down with Hannibal Lecter and eat my own liver," a Republican member of Congress told Juliegrace Brufke of Axios.

Meanwhile, Trump has promised that if he returns to office, he will purge the nonpartisan civil service we have had since 1883, replacing career employees with his own loyalists. He has called for weaponizing the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense, and his advisors say he will round up and put into camps 10 million people currently living in the U.S., not just undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers but also those with birthright citizenship, tossing away a right that has been enshrined in the Constitution since 1868.

Internationally, he has aligned with dictators like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and has threatened to abandon the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a security pact that has protected the U.S. and like-minded nations since 1949. 

If Trump has descended into authoritarianism since 2020, Biden has also changed. For all his many decades of public service, it was unclear in 2020 what he could actually accomplish as president, especially since Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had weaponized the filibuster to stop Congress from passing anything on the Democrats’ wish list. But on January 5, 2021, in a special election, Georgia voters elected Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, and the Democrats took control of the Senate as well as of the House. 

In Biden’s first two years with the help of then House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who managed a squeaky-small House majority [with] Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic majority, and on occasion, a few Republicans set out to demonstrate that the government could work for ordinary Americans. They passed a series of laws that rivaled President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s Great Society of the 1960s. 

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan rebuilt the economy after the worst of the coronavirus pandemic; the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act) is rebuilding the nation’s roads and bridges; the $280 billion Chips and Science Act invests in semiconductor manufacture and scientific research; the $739 billion Inflation Reduction Act enables the government to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies and invests in programs to combat climate change. Projects funded by these measures are so popular that Republicans who voted against them are trying to claim credit. 

Biden, Harris, and the Democrats have diversified the government service, defended abortion rights, reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, relieved debt by enforcing the terms of student loans, passed a gun safety law, and reinforced NATO.

They set out to overturn supply-side economics, restoring the system on which the nation had been based between 1933 and 1981, in which the government regulated business, maintained a basic social safety net, promoted infrastructure, and protected civil rights. The result was the strongest economic recovery from the pandemic of any country in the world.  

Now, the general election truly begins, and the contrast could not be clearer, Harris wrote after Biden secured the nomination. Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy and our fundamental freedoms. He is proud of his role in overturning Roe, and has talked openly about plans for a nationwide abortion ban. He routinely praises authoritarian leaders and has himself vowed to be a dictator on Day One. Just this week, he said that cuts to Social Security and Medicare would be on the table if he receives a second term. Each of these stances ought to be considered disqualifying by itself; taken together, they reveal the former President to be an existential danger to our country.

With his State of the Union speech last week, President Biden passionately presented our alternative vision. We will reduce costs for families, make housing more affordable, and raise the minimum wage. We will restore Roe, protect voting rights, and finally address our gun violence epidemic. The American people overwhelmingly support this agenda over Donald Trump’s extreme ideas, and that will propel our campaign in the months ahead.

It appears that Biden and Trump will square off again in 2024 as they did in 2020, but the election is not a replay of four years ago. Both candidates are now known quantities, and they have clearly laid out very different plans for America’s future. 

Reminder: These letters are available in a free audio version at Substack, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Notes:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/cyber-ninjas-company-led-arizona-gop-election-audit-shutting-down-n1287145

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/12/politics/rnc-trump-takeover-lawyers-election/index.html

https://apnews.com/article/trump-documents-investigation-timeline-087f0c9a8368bb983a16b67dd31dcd4c

https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-classified-documents-indictment-c15a5f36e4e83417805718d81a035441

https://www.axios.com/2024/03/12/house-republican-retreat-infighting

https://punchbowl.news/article/never-ending-impeachment-inquiry/

Twitter (X):

Acyn/status/1768084013799932213

david_darmofal/status/1767735412158570604/photo/2

Victorshi2020/status/1767965023115333973

Biden Calls Out Marjorie and the Maggots

 

Joe owns the MAGATS

Click here for video

State of the Union: We're Not Done Yet

State of the Union:  

We're Not Done Yet

We have more to do to help American families in all 50 states.

Join with us.. We need you.

The time is now

WAR

 

We have war today. I was born in 1941; I lived through the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. I read and heard news about Evil every day.

 

The Evil is back now, today. Tyrants are Evil, regardless of the time and location. If we do not stop tyrants, they will expand their depravity until we force them to stop.

 

Putin is a tyrant, plain and simple. Tyrants act Evilly, it's what they do.

 

We define Evil as the complete lack of concern for those souls harmed by their actions; tyrants like Putin inflict their Evil on their subjects. We see it when Russian officers force Russian soldiers in Ukraine to step over bodies of their fallen comrades to advance Putin's interests.

 

Here is Evil defined:

Some Americans support Putin and work to prevent the USA from stopping Evil. They do Evil work by preventing actions in the United States designed to stop Putin’s war.

 

Putin’s Russia started a War in Europe by invading Ukraine and threatening to expand his invasion to other NATO countries. Since we are the principal arms and munitions suppliers to Ukraine, the United States is involved. Putin tries to infiltrate American elections to create an American inability to act. That makes his invasion campaign easier when Ukrainian troops run low on ammunition.

 

Putin actively sows misinformation about domestic US conditions in various channels. He hopes doing so will make the US weaker;  click here for proof. Trump and the far right GOP in Congress accept Russian propaganda as justification for their actions to weaken the United States.

 

We should find a way to deliver weapons and munitions to Ukraine quickly, in spite of GOP tactics designed to delay our response. I am certain our failure to do so will expand the War to other European countries.

 

Part of Putin’s control of Russian citizens relies on blocking messages from the West reaching them. We created Radio Free Europe [RFE] after World War II to ensure delivery of truth to Russian and other Soviet Bloc nations. RFE succeeded in that task. We should expand greatly those activities today. The goal will be to stir unrest in Russia so that Putin fears for his control.

 

We should also initiate activities designed to foment unrest in Russian citizens. We can support Expat Russians planning a transition to a new Russian government after Putin dies. We can encourage those Expats to write a Constitution, create plans for nationalizing enterprises and ensuring military cooperation to prevent any new tyrants from taking power when Putin dies.

 

These tactics will help our War Effort.

Russia After Putin

Inevitably, Putin will die. Worldwide opinion today turns anti-Putin. 

When he dies, there may be chaos in Russia. My bet is that he does not have a workable succession plan. Most dictators do not have one.

The West failed to assist Russia's move away from tyranny into a democratic state in the 1990's, after the Wall fell. Criminals amassed ownership of public property and installed a tyranny in Russia under Putin. 

I list below some steps that the West can take to facilitate Russia's transition to a democratically elected government and avoid a tyranny. A new Shadow Duma established with expats can start the process until a newly elected Duma arrives. Russians want to live in a Democracy and do not want a reinstallation of a tyrant successor to Putin. The West should help them do so.

The new government may choose to apply to join the EU as an Official Candidate for membership. However, the EU sets rigid requirements for Candidates who wish to join the EU. Click here for the EU enlargement process. 

Russia will not meet those conditions until Russia has a fully functioning elected government. I discuss here the necessary steps to join the EU eventually.

'In order to apply for EU membership, a country has to be European and respect the EU's democratic values. It also needs stable institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the ability to take on and carry out the obligations of the EU membership.Dec 6, 2023

A country can become an official candidate once it meets basic political, economic and reform criteria. It can then start formal negotiations on 35 chapters covering many different policy areas with the EU.'  Cloick here to see detailed steps

BEFORE THE EU APPLICATION

STEP 1: Establish a shadow Duma before Putin's demise using expat Russians who will meet and work on the EU Candidate process; and, begin writing a new Constitution. USA and EU can help organize and fund this. The shadow Duma can continue after Putin's demise until a newly elected Duma can meet. 

STEP 2: Establish coordination with top military officials to secure their agreement they will accept subordination to civilian authority established pursuant to the new Constitution. Discharge those who refuse.

Step 2.5. Enact martial law to prevent violence, election interference and possible overthrow of new government. 

STEP 3: Conduct elections to the new Duma with international supervision ensuring election integrity.

STEP 4. Nationalize all enterprises above an arbitrary limit such as 1,000 employees. The state will manage the enterprises. Later, the Duma can negotiate proposed acquisitions on a case-by-case basis with the objective of professional sustainable management and financial capacity

STEP 5. New government seeks outside cash assistance to endure that newly nationalized enterprises can meet their payroll until divested.

STEP 6. Appoint judges who support the new government to all judicial posts. Ensure each judicial appointment requires a public impeachment in the Duma to be overturned or compromised.

STEP 7. Establish Civil Service board to establish required credentials for new employees select and install government employees. Ensure that all meetings of the Board will be publicly viewable. 

STEP 8. New Duma will establish areas of interest for business enterprise regulation; then, it will write appropriate regulations.

 

Sleep Little Donny, Sleep

 'Go to sleep little baby..'  

Little Donny, you fought so many battles for your family. Nobody understands how hard you fought.

And now you are tired, very tired.

Sleep will make you safe from them, the losers you beat.

Lay down your head and let the losers drift away.

Sleep the long sleep and be safe and warm......

You'll see your whole family when you rest. You'll be safe.

Biden Responds: A Suggestion

Here's my idea for a Biden campaign speech:  

'My Fellow Americans:

 

I want to take a few moments for some straight up political messages. Please bear with me for a bit.

 

As you have heard, some folks in my opponent’s party are suggesting that I am too old to be trusted with Presidential duties. Some folks think my memory is a bit slow.

 

Really ??

 

Well, OK then. I encourage you to view my recent TV video ad addressing that topic. That video shows me interacting with several top National Security officers about pressing matters affecting several countries and political leaders. You can see how I go about the everyday business of protecting our National Security as your President by directing our officers to take actions relating to threats and other issues to specific people and locations around the world. As your President, I am in meetings like that every day, sometimes for 12 hours straight and longer if the situation warrants.

 

The same video shows my opponent speaking at a few campaign appearances. He seems to have some memory and comprehension issues. I am worried that he will fail to protect our National Security due to his evident health issues.

 

It seems like a clear choice for you.

 

Now, I want to take a minute and speak directly to Trump voters. As your President, I have the privilege of protecting your rights as Americans and I will continue to do that, regardless of the election results. It is the right thing to do. I will not use my office to persecute you for your political choices. They are your rights and I will protect them as fully as I can.

 

But, and it’s a big ‘but’, I will encourage the DOJ to prosecute you if you commit any insurrection acts or other crimes. If courts judge you guilty, I will not pardon you.

 

Some of you may have questions about Trump’s competency and effectiveness you choose to be quiet about. That’s normal and also the right thing to do.

 

Sometimes we make a choice that turns out badly and does not provide us with what we want. That has happened to me before. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but later I regretted it. If you have second thoughts about your choice, please know that you are wise to question that decision and then change it if you wish. 

Thansk you for your attention. God Bless America.'

Appeals Court Rejects Trump Argument; Link to Full Opinon

 

The Appelate court [not the Supremes, it is my error] Rejects  the appeal. 

Click here Text of Supreme Court decision

Or copy and paste this link to your browser

https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/68ec07f627291201/6b857e6a-full.pdf

Empathy on Demand Side Creates Economic Growth

February 1, 2024, Heather Cox Richardson

One of the biggest stories of 2023 is that the U.S. economy grew faster than any other economy in the Group of 7 nations, made up of democratic countries with the world’s largest advanced economies. By a lot. The International Monetary Fund yesterday reported that the U.S. gross domestic product—the way countries estimate their productivity—grew by 2.5%, significantly higher than the GDP of the next country on the list: Japan, at 1.9%.

IMF economists predict U.S. growth next year of 2.1%, again, higher than all the other G7 countries. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta projects growth of 4.2% in the first quarter of 2024.

Every time I write about the booming economy, people accurately point out that these numbers don’t necessarily reflect the experiences of everyone. But they have enormous political implications. 

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, and the Democrats embraced the idea that using the government to support ordinary Americans—those on the “demand” side of the economy—would nurture strong economic growth. Republicans have insisted since the 1980s that the way to expand the economy is the opposite: to invest in the “supply side,” investors who use their capital to build businesses. 

In the first two years of the Biden-Harris administration, while the Democrats had control of the House and Senate, they passed a range of laws to boost American manufacturing, rebuild infrastructure, protect consumers, and so on. They did so almost entirely with Democratic votes, as Republicans insisted that such investments would destroy growth, in part through inflation. 

Now that the laws are beginning to take effect, their results have proved that demand-side economic policies like those in place between 1933 and 1981, when President Ronald Reagan ushered in supply-side economics, work. Even inflation, which ran high, appears to have been driven by supply chain issues, as the administration said, and by “greedflation,” in which corporations raised prices far beyond cost increases, padding payouts for their shareholders.

The demonstration that the Democrats’ policies work has put Republicans in an awkward spot. Projects funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, are so popular that Republicans are claiming credit for new projects or, as Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) did on Sunday, claiming they don’t remember how they voted on the infrastructure measure and other popular bills like the CHIPS and Science Act (she voted no). When the infrastructure measure passed in 2021, just 13 House Republicans supported it. 

Today, Medicare sent its initial offers to the drug companies that manufacture the first ten drugs for which the government will negotiate prices under the Inflation Reduction Act, another hugely popular measure that passed without Republican votes. The Republicans have called for repealing this act, but their stance against what they have insisted is “socialized medicine” is showing signs of softening. In Politico yesterday, Megan Messerly noted that in three Republican-dominated states—Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi—House speakers are saying they are now open to the idea of expanding healthcare through Medicaid expansion.

In another sign that some Republicans recognize that the Democrats’ economic policies are popular, the House last night passed bipartisan tax legislation that expanded the Child Tax Credit, which had expired last year after Senate Republicans refused to extend it. Democrats still provided most of the yea votes—188 to 169—and Republicans most of the nays—47 to 23—but, together with a tax cut for businesses in the bill, the measure was a rare bipartisan victory. If it passes the Senate, it is expected to lift at least half a million children out of poverty and help about 5 million more. 

But Republicans have a personnel problem as well as a policy problem. Since the 1980s, party leaders have maintained that the federal government needs to be slashed, and their determination to just say no has elevated lawmakers whose skill set features obstruction rather than the negotiation required to pass bills. Their goal is to stay in power to stop legislation from passing.

Yesterday, for example, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who sits on the Senate Finance Committee and used to chair it, told a reporter not to have too much faith that the child tax credit measure would pass the Senate, where Republicans can kill it with the filibuster. “Passing a tax bill that makes the president look good…means he could be reelected, and then we won’t extend the 2017 tax cuts,” Grassley said.

At the same time, the rise of right-wing media, which rewards extremism, has upended the relationship between lawmakers and voters. In CNN yesterday, Oliver Darcy explained that “the incentive structure in conservative politics has gone awry. The irresponsible and dishonest stars of the right-wing media kingdom are motivated by vastly different goals than those who are actually trying to advance conservative causes, get Republicans elected, and then ultimately govern in office.” 

Right-wing influencers want views and shares, which translate to more money and power, Darcy wrote. So they spread “increasingly outlandish, attention-grabbing junk,” and more established outlets tag along out of fear they will lose their audience. But those influencers and media hosts don’t have to govern, and the anger they generate in the base makes it hard for anyone else to, either. 

This dynamic has shown up dramatically in the House Republicans’ refusal to consider a proposed border measure on which a bipartisan group of senators had worked for four months because Trump and his extremist base turned against the idea—one that Republicans initially demanded. 

Since they took control of the House in 2023, House Republicans have been able to conduct almost no business as the extremists are essentially refusing to govern unless all their demands are met. Rather than lawmaking, they are passing extremist bills to signal to their base, holding hearings to push their talking points, and trying to find excuses to impeach the president and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

Yesterday the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal, which is firmly on the right, warned House Republicans that “Impeaching Mayorkas Achieves Nothing” other than “political symbolism,” and urged them to work to get a border bill passed. “Grandstanding is easier than governing, and Republicans have to decide whether to accomplish anything other than impeaching Democrats,” it said. 

Today in the Washington Post, Jennifer Rubin called the Republicans’ behavior “nihilism and performative politics.”

On CNN this morning, Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY) identified the increasing isolation of the MAGA Republicans from a democratic government. “Here we are both on immigration and now on this tax bill where President Biden and a bipartisan group of Congress are trying to actually solve problems for the American people,” Goldman said, “and Chuck Grassley, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson—they are trying to kill solutions just for political gain." 

Notes:

https://www.axios.com/2024/01/31/us-economy-2024-gdp-g7-nations

https://www.wfla.com/politics/florida-gop-rep-says-she-cant-recall-how-she-voted-on-chips-appropriations-bills/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/alejandro-mayorkas-impeachment-house-republicans-border-immigration-homeland-security-1a431a5d

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/09/politics/biden-republicans-infrastructure-law/index.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/02/01/gop-blunders-nihilism/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/11/05/house-infrastructure-reconciliation-vote/

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo/greg-abbotts-performative-border-clash-is-a-classic-maga-era-stunt

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/greedflation-is-replacing-inflation-as-companies-raise-prices-for-bigger-profits-report-finds-bfb51060

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/15/us/child-tax-credits-pandemic-colorado.html

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/31/politics/house-vote-tax-bill-child-tax-credit/index.html

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/31/southern-republicans-obamacare-00138109

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/31/media/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-right-wing-media/index.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/child-tax-credit-bill-senate-vote/

Twitter (X):

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IanSams46/status/1752511045187383334

TheDemocrats/status/1753101008086171900

RepSwalwell/status/1752870024014975228

TristanSnell/status/1752874545474683060

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​​SteveRattner/status/1753140645584146579

 

Putin Orders US Congress to Stop Ukraine Aid, GOP Cowards Obey

World War III is coming thanks to the GOP. All is on the table: Nuclear attacks, massive European war of attrition, millions raped and dead.

When we appease a monster, he takes even more. We know that. 

NATO will not stand idly and watch Putin inflict a holocaust on Ukraine because they know Putin will continue advancing.

The GOP/Quisling/MAGATS in the United States obey Putin and his employee/asset Donald Trump.

Trump and the GOP use imigrants in the US Homeland as pawns in a power game. 

 

# 2 UPDATE: Winning by Owning the Feelings

[I choose to conflate Haley with trump - pretty sure her actual policies on these issues will be the same as his.]

Trump/Haley manipulate voters by stressing emotions in them that serve their purpose. However, those voters do not understand that Trump/Haley's actions do not support their feelings. Even more, they willingly accept the emotions they feel as proof of their convictions, as in: 'I feel strongly that the election was stolen and that means it was stolen. And, that's exactly what Trump/Haley say.'

Joe Biden can counter that by naming the feelings of voters and demonstrating how his policies and actions address their feelings; and, how Trump/Haleys' actions will not. It ain't easy, but it will win. If Biden's campaign finds some useful ideas here, they are free to use, adopt or adapt any or all of these arguments. 

INFLATION 

Rising prices for all the things we buy makes life harder for all American Moms, Dads, and everyone else too. My administration does a few things to help because we are a better America when families suffer less. Prices are still high but the inflation rate that measures how fast prices are increasing has dropped to lower levels today than last year. 

One of those things we do is to promote higher wages. Higher prices mean Moms and Dads need higher incomes just to make it, so, we support policies that will help wages go up and make life easier. We encourage our people to enforce the labor laws already on the books. We see that autoworkers settled their strike with higher wages. We will all be better off because wages for everyone tend to go up as union wages go up. Trump/Haley policies will lower wages.

We encourage markets to become more competitive. More competition means more jobs and lower prices. Sometimes competition suffers a bit when there are only a few companies in an industry. That can mean higher prices. We are discouraging those market concentrations and expect additional competition to result in lower prices and better quality. Trump/Haley policies suport monopolies

As you know, we in Washington do not regulate or control the prices of what we all buy. Our system lets markets determine prices instead of bureaucrats dictating prices. That system is not perfect but it does much better for us than setting prices in markets does for those places that try it.  

BORDER SECURITY and IMMIGRATION

Some Americans fear and hate foreigners and immigrants. In addition, a large number of the very people fearing foreigners have lives of great difficulty. Many of these Americans want to prevent refugees from coming here because Trump/Haley say there are some 'bad' people. However, we process legal immigrants with very rigorous vetting before we let them in. That vetting will catch 99% of the bad people. 

We want a new immigration law to solve the illegal immigration problem. However, a few heartless politicians will not allow Congress to change needed reforms of the laws and policies. They do that because they calculate that Americans voters will blame the Biden White House for the situation we see every day. They kill the hopes and aspirations of some and murder some other immigrants in a cold-blooded attempt to win an election.  

America promises to welcome and give a safe start to people who feel violence and persecution in their home country and who follow the rules. We promise to let them live in peace and to prosper when they follow the rules and work hard. Many suffer hardships and violence at home and on their journey. My heart breaks for these intrepid souls. We promise them that when they follow the rules, we welcome them as Americans in citizenship ceremonies open to the public. I cannot convey completely the joy I see at those ceremonies from them and their families.

ABORTION

Some religious zealots judges and politicians have taken away a right America granted to mothers 50 years ago. They remind me of the Taliban and HAMAS. I get the concern about rights of the unborn; any decision about abortion is so personal that I think only the mother and her doctor can possibly make that decision. I know some women who have had abortions. I cannot comprehend their pain and trauma. The zealot judges claim some higher authority than the Constitution. It is simply un-American.

The bigger point remains that the same zealot judges want to take away more of the rights and privileges that make America strong and prosperous. More than 1,354,664 (1) Americans have died protecting our Constitution from Fascist attacks. The very Constitution those 1.3 million have died for is under severe attack from American zealot judges and politicians. 

They want to take away our Freedom and, they might succeed. The Constitution gives us the vote so we can bloc Fascist rule; otherwise, we might live in the FASCIST STATES OF AMERICA!

I cannot be calm about this; it is too critical. (1) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war]

HATRED, GAZA, UKRAINE

I do not understand hatred. I get angry and frustrated but I do not conjure an emotional response to the things or people who are associated with my anger and frustration. I am a bit of Stoic in that I try to see the reality of things and then decide what to do next.

Nevertheless, many people in the world who hate other people or people have different beliefs or live in other countries including America. As President, I see and understand how we can protect ourselves from the hatred.

GAZA

People have hated and persecuted Jews for a very long time in many countries around the world. I think some of the hatred is religious in nature but it is real regardless of the causes. Creating Israel meant taking some land away from its inhabitants. I suppose they feel angry because of that, I know I would feel anger in that case. We relegated the Palestinian people to live in a small area inside Israel. 

HAMAS is a small terrorist group in GAZA, which actively wants to kill all the Jews in Israel as its mission statement. Other people who hate Jews finance and support HAMAS in their attacks, but active HAMAS is a small percentage of the Palestinians who live in GAZA. Some militants created a massacre of Jews in October. Israel exercises its right of self-defense in attacking HAMAS in GAZA. However, HAMAS members use Palestinian civilians as shields against Israeli attacks by locating their bases in underground tunnels beneath hospitals and schools. When Israel attacks HAMAS bases it kills many non-belligerents including women and children as well as HAMAS. 

Biden works very hard to influence Israel to reduce violence in Gaza. Trump/Haley look for ways to make a profit from the violence. 

My heart breaks for all those who suffer in that war. While I grieve for Palestinians and Jews alike, the United States supports the right of any nation including Israel to defend its population from terrorist attacks. 

UKRAINE: 

Trump/Haley encourage Congress to delay or stop our Aid to Ukraine. Under Trump/Haley and without American aid, Putin will take the entire country. Russian forces will rape and murder their way to Ukraine's Western borders. Then NATO countries near Ukraine will strike against a Rusian controlled Ukraine. Inevitable increases in violence will escalate. That will be World War III. At some point in this nightmare someone will use nuclear weapons.  Trump/Haley will create horrendous conflict and mass murder.

Biden stands strong against Putin and reduces the likelihood of furthr aggression. We pray he will avoid a wider conflict.

I have no words. I pray for a cessation of violence and a resolution to this war as soon as possible.

VOTING RIGHTS

Biden works every day to extend voting rights in the entire country for all Americans. Trump/Haley promote the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him and given to Biden. Biden won the popular vote by 7 million votes. And, the election was very fair. 'Trump’s own officials say 2020 was America’s most secure election in history. Homeland Security put out a statement with state and local officials that countered the President’s [Trump]fraud claims.' [VOX Nov 13, 2020, 4:40pm EST]

Trump/Haleyknow that voters choose Democrats over the GOP in just about all elections. They try to restrict voting rights so the GOP steals that which he knows they cannot win. If Trump/Haley succesfully steal the 2024 election, they will try to ensure that all future elections choose Trump/Haley as President even if the popular votes go against them. 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Trump/Haley work to sabotage legislation and policies that combat global warming. They choose to maximize short term profits for pulluters at the cost of harm to the planet and the future of our grandchildren. 

Here's what Joe Biden does:  'This is a case where conscience and convenience cross paths, where dealing with this existential threat to the planet and increasing our economic growth and prosperity are one and the same. When I think of climate change I think of jobs.' President Joe Biden Before Signing Executive Actions on Tackling Climate Change, Creating Jobs, and Restoring Scientific Integrity (Jan. 27, 2021) [https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/]