Showing posts with label USA Today. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USA Today. Show all posts
Saturday, May 15, 2021
We Need the American Jobs Plan
Hoping everyone is on board with President Biden's American Jobs Plan. Americans need it, America needs. Heck, look at Missouri alone. This is from USA Today, June 29, 2013. Missouri was ranked 10th worst, overall, in list of states with bad bridges.
Since 2011, Missouri may have made more strides fixing its bridges than almost any other state in the nation. Although 3,502 of its 24,072 bridges are structurally deficient, this is actually 640 fewer than in 2011. In St. Louis County, just 3.9% of the 865 bridges received a subpar grade. Those 58 bridges in need of repair carry an average of 789,000 vehicles per day. However, the bridges in many other parts of Missouri remain in a serious state of disrepair. In five counties, more than 30% of the bridges are structurally deficient. Phone your Senators, folks. Sure, they're Republicans and it likely won't matter but hey, we have to try.
Sunday, February 14, 2021
On This 2nd Impeachment Trial
Speech on the Senate Floor on the Verdict in the Second Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump:
The case of Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial was open and shut. President Trump told a lie—a big lie—that the election was stolen, and that he was the rightful winner. He laid the groundwork for this big lie in the months before the election, he told the big lie on election night, and he repeated the big lie more than 100 times in the weeks afterwards. He summoned his supporters to Washington, assembled them on the Ellipse, whipped them into a frenzy, and directed them at the Capitol.
And then he watched, as the violence unfolded, and the Capitol was breached, and his own Vice President fled for his life—and President Trump did nothing.
None of the facts were up for debate. We saw it. We heard it. We lived it. This was the first presidential impeachment trial in history in which all Senators were not only judges and jurors, but witnesses to the constitutional crime that was committed.
The former president inspired, directed, and propelled a mob to violently prevent the peaceful transfer of power, subvert the will of the people, and illegally keep that president in power.
There is nothing—nothing—more un-American than that.
There is nothing—nothing—more antithetical to our democracy.
There is nothing—nothing—more insulting to the generations of American patriots who gave their lives to defend our form of government.
This was the most egregious violation of the presidential oath of office and a textbook example—a classic example—of an impeachable offense, worthy of the Constitution’s most severe remedy.
In response to the incontrovertible fact of Donald Trump’s guilt, the Senate was subject to a feeble—and sometimes incomprehensible—defense of the former president. Unable to dispute the case on the merits, the former president’s counsel treated us to partisan vitriol, false equivalence, and outright falsehoods.
We heard the roundly debunked jurisdictional argument that the Senate cannot try a former official, a position that would mean that any president could simply resign to avoid accountability for an impeachable offense. A position, which, in effect, would render the Senate powerless to ever enforce the disqualification clause in the Constitution. Essentially, the president’s counsel told the Senate that the Constitution was unconstitutional. Thankfully, the Senate took a firm stance and set a firm precedent, with a bipartisan vote, in favor of our power to try former officials for acts they committed while in office.
We heard the preposterous claim that the former president’s incitement to violence was protected by the First Amendment. The First Amendment right to free speech protects Americans from jail, not presidents from impeachment. If a president had said, during WWII, that “Germany should attack the United States on Long Island, we’ve left it undefended” – I suspect Congress would have considered that an impeachable offense!
Finally, the defense counsel said that President Trump was not directly responsible for the violence at the Capitol. “His words were merely metaphor, his directions were merely suggestions, and that the violent mob was just a spontaneous demonstration.” But wind the clock back and ask yourself: if at any point, Donald Trump did not do the things that he did, would the attack on the Capitol have happened? There is only one answer to that question. Of course not.
If President Trump hadn’t told his supporters to march towards the Capitol; if he hadn’t implored them to come to Washington on January 6 in the first place; if he hadn’t repeatedly lied to them that the election was stolen and that their country was being taken from them; the attack would not have happened, could not have happened. January 6th would not have happened but for the actions of Donald Trump.
Here’s what the Republican leader of the Senate said: the mob that perpetrated the “failed insurrection” was on January 6th “was provoked by President Trump.”
You want another word for “provoke?” How about: “incite.”
Still—still!—the vast majority of the Senate Republican caucus, including the Republican leader, voted to acquit former President Trump, signing their names in the columns of History alongside his name—forever.
January 6th will live as a day of infamy in the history of the United States of America. The failure to convict Donald Trump will live as a vote of infamy in the history of the United States Senate.
Five years ago, Republican Senators lamented what might become of their party if Donald Trump became their presidential nominee and standard-bearer. Just look at what has happened. Look at what Republicans have been forced to defend. Look at what Republicans have chosen to forgive. The former president tried to overturn the results of a legitimate election—and provoked an assault on our own government—and well over half of the Senate Republican conference decided to condone it!
The most despicable act that any president has ever committed and the majority of Republicans cannot summon the courage or the morality to condemn it.
This trial wasn’t even about choosing country over party, even not that. This was about choosing country over Donald Trump. And 43 Republican members chose Trump. They chose Trump. It should be a weight on their conscience today. And it shall be a weight upon their conscience in the future.
As sad as that fact is, as condemnable as the decision was, it is still true that the final vote on Donald Trump’s conviction was the largest and most bipartisan vote of any presidential impeachment trial in American history. I salute those Republican patriots who did the right thing. It wasn’t easy. We know that.
Let their votes be a message to the American people.
Because, my fellow Americans: if this nation is going to long endure, we, as a people, cannot sanction the former president’s conduct.
Because if lying about the results of an election is acceptable, if instigating a mob against the government is considered permissible, if encouraging political violence becomes the norm, it will be open season, open season, on our democracy; and everything will be up for grabs by whoever has the biggest clubs, the sharpest spears, the most powerful guns.
By not recognizing the heinous crime that Donald Trump committed against the Constitution; Republican Senators have not only risked but potentially invited the same danger that was just visited upon us.
So let me say this: despite the results of the vote on Donald Trump’s conviction in the court of impeachment, he deserves to be convicted—and I believe he will be convicted—in the court of public opinion.
He deserves to be permanently discredited—and I believe he has been discredited—in the eyes of the American people and in the judgment of History.
Even though Republican Senators prevented the Senate from disqualifying Donald Trump from any office of honor, trust, or profit under these United States, there is no question that Donald Trump has disqualified himself.
I hope, I pray, and I believe that the American people will make sure of that.
And if Donald Trump ever stands for public office again, and after everything we have seen this week: I hope, I pray, and I believe that he will meet the unambiguous rejection by the American people.
Six hours after the attack on January 6th, after the carnage and mayhem was shown on every television screen in America, President Trump told his supporters to “remember this day forever.” I ask the American people to heed his words: remember that day forever. But not for the reasons the former president intended.
Remember the panic in the voices over the radio dispatch; the rhythmic pounding of fists and flags at the chamber doors.
Remember the crack of the solitary gunshot.
Remember the hateful and racist Confederate Flag flying through the halls of our Union.
Remember the screams of the bloodied officer crushed between the onrushing mob and a doorway to the
Capitol, his body trapped in the breach.
Remember the three Capitol Police Officers who lost their lives.
Remember that those rioters actually succeeded in delaying Congress from certifying the election.
Remember how close our democracy came to ruin.
Remember how close our democracy came to ruin.
My fellow Americans: remember that day, January 6th, forever—the final, terrible legacy of the 45th President of the United States and undoubtedly our worst.
Let it live on in infamy, a stain on Donald John Trump that can never, never be washed away.
On Monday, we’ll recognize Presidents’ Day. Part of the commemoration in the Senate will be the annual reading of Washington’s Farewell Address. Aside from winning the Revolutionary War, I consider it his greatest contribution to American civic life. And it had nothing to do with the words he spoke but the example it set. Washington’s Farewell Address established for all time that no one had the right to the office of the presidency, that it belonged to the people.
What an amazing legacy. What an amazing gift to the future generations: the knowledge that this country will always be greater than any one person, even our most renowned. That’s why members of both parties take turns reading Washington’s address, once a year, in full, into the record—to pledge common attachment to the selflessness at the core of our democratic system.
This trial was about the final acts of a president who represents the very antithesis of our first president, and sought to place one man before the entire country—himself.
Let the record show, let the record show, before God, History, and the solemn oath we swear to the Constitution, that there was only one correct verdict in this trial: guilty. And I pray that while justice was not done in this trial, it will be carried forward by the American people, who above any of us in this chamber, determine the destiny of our great nation.
Delivered February 13, 2021
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Friday, January 15, 2021
Only 5 More Days of this Orange Mess of a President
Only 5 more days to tolerate this orange President and his administration, thank goodness. And in the midst of all this, everything around him is falling apart, virtually, if not actually.
- He was just impeached for the 2nd time in your Presidency, a first in your nation's history
- He must vacate that same Presidency in 5 days
- States are cancelling multi-million dollar contracts with his companies
- Corporations and businesses are cancelling financial aid and any other support to and for him
- He has hundreds of millions of dollars in loans coming due in months to come and finally,
- He has been cut off from virtually all meaningful social media because of his personal opinions and announcements in the last months
More:
Pew's last poll of his presidency is also Trump's worst. They show his approval rating at 29 percent. A great deal of us out here don't think it should even be that high, of course. And while he is at his lowest popularity, most Americans want him held accountable.
Here's what they're saying about him across the pond in Ireland presently.
It seems his taxes are not just being investigated for his taxes and any problems in 2 New York State cases but also in both Ireland and Scotland. On top of it, Scotland has made clear Trump is not welcome.
Imagine that, please. A former US President declared not welcome in another, foreign nation that is an ally. Again, unprecedented in our nation's history. He's becoming a sort of, if not actual, man without a country.
Then, this is what's happening just now with his attorney.
Meanwhile, this is where we stand today on this very killing pandemic for which we are leaderless, of couse.
Thanks, Mr. President.
Thanks, Republicans.
Thanks, Republicans.
A Facebook post very correctly, I think, summed it all up this way:
Thousands dying every day, an economy in shambles, millions out of work, massive deficits, a skyrocketing national debt, a country divided unlike it’s been in decades, the United States turned into some twisted, embarrassing global reality show the rest of the world is watching in horror, our enemies are stronger, white supremacists and other conspiracy nuts empowered and more radicalized than ever before, and the very foundation of this country fractured to such an extent it might take decades to repair the damage that’s been done to it. -- Allen Clifton
The Washington Post has summed up Trump to be the following:
I think the following quote from USA Today is accurate.
With these last few days pending, it's the power he still has that is so very concerning.
The biggest loser
With these last few days pending, it's the power he still has that is so very concerning.
There is at least one silver lining to Donald Trump's complete paths of destruction, I think and that's this.
I will say this finally today, I no way thought Republicans would do worse than Nixon, and a LOT worse, at that, in my lifetime. But they did. And did they ever.
Fortunately, this afternoon, on a different story, there is this breaking just now.
NRA declares bankruptcy
My God, that is magnificent. So for 2021, we will have gained a vaccine, lost a killing pandemic, gotten rid of an orange excuse and nightmare of a President and the NRA declared bankruptcy!!
Happy new year, everyone!
Additional links:
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Look Who Said Trump Needs to Accept the Election Now!
Breaking today! This afternoon!
Even Right Wing wacko Pat Robertson says Trump is living in an "alternate reality" and should move on and accept our election and the results! Fantastic! We'll get there yet!
Happy holidays indeed, y'all! Enjoy! Have great---and safe--holidays!
Meanwhile, unfortunately, also this.
Not done there, here is this man Trump today both rather predictably and unfortunately.
Then finally today, there is this.
When have we ever, ever heard of this or anything like it being done by a sitting President?
Thursday, December 3, 2020
This President and His Supporters Have Become Dangerous
I mean every word of that headline of this article. This President has gotten dangerous. Here's how.
‘Stop The Steal’ Rallies Now Feature ‘Lock Him Up!’ Chants Aimed At Georgia Guv Brian Kemp
This is outrageous. Some of the article:
The pro-Trump attorney Lin Wood proclaimed near the end of a “Stop The Steal” rally in Georgia Wednesday that he had seen the “real” results of the 2020 election.“He won over 410 electoral votes,” Wood said, referring to President Donald Trump. “He damn near won every state including California!”
That about summed up the day’s proceedings. Wood and co-counsel Sidney Powell — formerly of the President’s campaign, now leading a bustling fundraising-based legal effort to somehow deliver Trump a second term — riled up the crowd with tempting promises that Trump would, indeed, remain President on Jan. 20.
The pair trotted out the same old nonsense they’ve been riding for weeks in light of Joe Biden’s electoral victory: The communists have infiltrated America’s election infrastructure! They’ve bought off Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State!
The effort has never been legally rigorous: Powell and Wood’s filings have included clumsy typos and embarrassing errors; a recent federal suit to overturn the results in Wisconsin, for example, sought video footage from the TCF Center… which is in Detroit, Michigan.
But even now, the movement appears to be growing more aggressive.
Wood and the recently pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn, for example, called on the President to declare martial law Tuesday over the supposedly stolen election. Powell has boosted calls for Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act.
On Wednesday, at least one person in attendance carried an actual pitchfork. Wood, rallying the crowd, seethed at outsiders.
“We’re not going to vote on your damn machines made in China,” he said at one point.
“Get out of our country, George Soros!” he yelled separately of the American citizen and Jewish bogeyman for the right.
The pair even turned on Republicans deemed insufficiently fervent in supporting Donald Trump’s inevitable second term. “Lock him up!” Wood said of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R).
Forget, ignore this, the facts--
Fortunately, going back to that first, original article I posted above, the following may well take place.
If they, Republicans in Georgia, don't vote---God love 'em---it's more likely the Democrats' candidates for the Georgia Senates seat would get put in, they'd win, of course.
Wouldn't that just be a dang shame?
What isn't reckless to the point of, again, dangerous and frightening could be to love about these irrational knuckleheads. If you go to Trump's Facebook page, there are all kinds of people on there, all excited and ginned up about seeing him get this election, in spite of his decisive loss across the states, across the nation.
For now, we need to get this President to concede, first, and then have all his other fellow Republicans stop ginning up their followers.
These people all need to figuratively come down off the edge. They all need to calm down, get rational and accept this President Trump's defeat in our election. They need to stop referring to their guns and whatever other insanities they might threaten or dream up.
And their leader in all this, their President, needs to get them there.
More dangerousness, recklessness and irresponsibility:
Saturday, November 28, 2020
A Great Question Today
And here it is, that great question coming as it does from none other than the Wall Street Journal in Friday's edition.
The economy can’t wait until January for more help for states, businesses and the unemployed.
Except...will Trump deliver?
I'd have to say, from the looks of it, Mr. Trump is far too self-absorbed---yeah, imagine that--with fighting his having been rejected by us, the electorate. He seems to be fighting his loss in the ballot box, no way doing what's right or what's needed for the nation and people.
After that, after questioning wither Trump, will Mitch McConnell deliver? Will the Republicans in the Senate deliver?
Again, but this time nearly inexplicably, Senator Moscow Mitch and the Republicans seem to be missing in action. Or, rather, missing in inaction. I guess they're what? on one of their "recesses." Sure, they'll tell you they're concerned about business and businesses and business leaders and business people but when it comes down to it, just now? Gone. Doing nothing. Nothing whatever. I don't get it.
We'd love to know. Heck, we'd like to see the aid so people, Americans, citizens, have enough to eat and don't get evicted from their homes.
I'll never forget this from Senator McConnell.
Mitch McConnell showed his true colors in a Kentucky Senate debate against Amy McGrath
So happy Thanksgiving, Mr. President. Happy Thanksgiving, Senator McConnell and all Republican Party Senators and Congress members. Thanks so very much for your hard work. And support.
We'd love to see some.
Friday, November 13, 2020
Day 10 of Election and Vote Denial
How does it feel, ladies and gentlemen, America, to be going into day 10 of vote, voter and election denial by this Republican Party President Trump? I feel like our Democracy has been and is being violated, personally. Meanwhile, more good developments on this issue today.
Top Officials: Nov. 3 Election Most Secure in US History
A coalition of federal and state officials say they have no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in last week’s presidential election, rejecting unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud advanced by President Donald Trump and many of his supporters.
Election security officials: 'No evidence voting systems compromised'
Even some of Trump's biggest supporters are urging him, wisely, to concede.
Then they realized their lawsuit in Arizona is so empty, they dropped it. This report is today.
And besides Arizona, Trump's major law firm in Pennsylvania is dropping him and this effort, too.
Porter Wright said in a court filing that it would no longer represent the campaign in a federal lawsuit alleging widespread voter irregularities.
Check this out. Even Trump's own, our own Department of Homeland Security says Trump should concede and that our election was fair.
Meanwhile, the orange man in the White House is laying unusually low and keeping quiet, a low profile.
Though Trump hasn't spoken publicly since then, he did appear for about 10 minutes on Wednesday at the Arlington National Cemetery for a ceremony observing Veterans Day. He made no statements at the time.
And with that Twitter feed, this. Him and their false reality.
So this is what we've now devolved to with this President.
At the White House, President Trump spent the day as he has most others this week — sequestered from public view, tweeting grievances, falsehoods and misinformation about the election results and about Fox News’s coverage of him.
Neither he nor his aides briefed reporters on the news of the day or reacted to Democratic leaders who accused Republicans of imperiling the pandemic response by “refusing to accept reality” over the election results.
More and more data keep coming out about the election too, naturally.
It's just not going well for the Trumpster. Not that it should.
At this point, though it seems clear, unfortunately, that no one is at the helm of our ship of state, so to speak, presently. Isn't that terrific? We're in, again, the worst, most deadly, killing international pandemic in the last more than 100 years and we are virtually, if not even actually, leaderless. And then, on top of that, we're in this state because he, this Republican Party President, doesn't want to recognize our vote, our votes, our election and/or our Democracy.
Thanks, Mr. President!
Thanks, Republicans!
While the Orange Man digs in his heels, there's some progress in all this.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world is still going forward.
China Congratulates Biden on Presidential Victory
The good news, of course, is that America woke up and voted him, Trump, out. The bad news is, besides this pandemic that's haunting, killing us now, is the work that lies before us.
That's troubling to the point of frightening, honestly.
For now, all we can do is push for this man Trump to accept reality and recognize our vote, our votes, our election and our Democracy as I keep saying. 67 days to inauguration. Let's do this, America.
Thursday, November 12, 2020
Let's Call It What It Is: A Constitutional Crisis
So we had an election. We voted. We all voted. We know.
And now, the man we voted out isn't recognizing and won't recognize our vote, that vote, that election, our election.
He's denying the vote, the votes, he's denying us all. He's denying our Democracy.
What is that if not a Constitutional crisis?
We've all seen the headlines.
Donald Trump in denial over election defeat
And unfortunately, too many in that, his political party are going along with this absurdity, this insult to us all.
McConnell declines in floor speech to congratulate Biden
And of course, Fox is aiding and abetting this obscenity, this ugliness, even this stupidity.
The network is broadcasting the Trump campaign’s debunked conspiracy theories and unproven allegations to millions each night.
As it goes on, Trump has done more and more bizarre things.
Unfortunately, very unfortunately, if not also predictably, our own Senator Blunt even joined in on Trump's absurd claims. Because, you know, you HAVE to put your political party before the country, before the nation and before the people and even before what's right. Right??
Rep. Will Hurd of Texas tweeted that Trump's comments are "not only dangerous & wrong, it undermines the very foundation this nation was built upon."
Fortunately for the state of Georgia and all of us, really, there is this guy and anyone and everyone like him, standing up and doing what's right.
This is only one city but it's an excellent example of just what this President and his supporters have to show for their denying our election, votes and the results.
And I love this next one.
Lawyers Litigating for Trump Suddenly Remember Their Licenses Are on the Line If They Lie to a Judge
Even Fox, EVEN FOX, folks! is doing the right thing on this, at least in this one instance, anyway.
Also from Fox, this broke yesterday, thankfully.
U.S. Sen. James Lankford said there was “nothing wrong” with the idea of Biden receiving intelligence briefings
And it's not just this one Senator, either, that's calling for Biden to get intelligence briefings though Senator Lankford did, later, back off this original stand I read.
"Nothing wrong" with Biden receiving intelligence briefings. Nothing wrong and everything right about it.
Then, not just from Fox but from TUCKER CARLSON HIMSELF, two days ago, folks.
That alone is pretty incredible. That was followed by this. Even Karl Rove can read this writing on the wall.
Ohio's Mike Dewine spoke up yesterday, thank goodness, as all Republicans should.
Today, this broke. It does look as though the tide is finally, finally turning on this President's denial of our election and votes, thank goodness. It shouldn't have been necessary.
It's as I said before here, it's obvious why Trump wants, no, needs to deny our votes and election, too. According to the New York Times, he owes nearly, if not completely 1 billion dollars to who knows who out there in the world, New York State, at least, is going after him for his taxes in two different cases and then there's this.
And the above doesn't even address any and all possible investigations of wrongdoing and/or illegality/illegalites he may have committed while President.
It's as I said in Donald Trump's first year in office, he's in WAY over his head. He had no idea what he was getting into but now he's there and he doesn't want to deal with any of it, let alone all.
Then the Washington Post poses this unsurprising possibility.
Then there's this ugly trend, overall, from and by his political party.
Here's yet more of the enabling cowards that is the Republican Party.
This is one of the things that is most concerning about this entire situation, too, with Trump challenging, denying our votes and election.
Meanwhile, we have still no leadership whatever, of course, from this excuse for a President out of his White House or administration since he's paying far more attention to covering his hide and tracks.
US Coronavirus cases hit daily high, more than 140,000
Look at this fact that just broke today.
The most single-day COVID-19 deaths since May AND IT'S NOT EVEN WINTER YET.
So with all this, then, where are we? Where does this leave us? Besides the fact that this orange excuse for a President is shaping us into his own banana republic, where does this leave us now? And then, what do we do?
And here is where I say we have to stand up and speak up and speak out, all we can, especially to our Republican Party officeholders and tell them what we need, what we want. We need to tell them what, exactly, needs to happen next and that is, that this President and all in his political party must, at long last, recognize our vote, our votes, our election, our Democracy and demand he, Donald Trump, concede this election. We must demand it.
So with that, I post here, below, a link to go to so you can email and phone, both, preferably, your, our government representatives, to tell them this must happen and it needs to take place sooner, rather than later. Today is not too soon. Indeed, it is late in this process. It is very late. Please contact your representatives. Maybe especially Missouri's own Senators Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley. Thank you in advance.
Two more links. Let's be clear.
Then, once Trump is gone, a way forward?? Dare I say? Or even think? Hope?
Friday, October 30, 2020
This Is Just How Bad the Nation's Leadership is On This Pandemic
The latest on this coronavirus pandemic here in the US and how bad our leadership is from this White House and across too much of the nation.
Coronavirus updates: US adding cases faster than 1 per second for first time
With Thursday's data, the United States also set a record for new cases in a week, at 536,131. The second-highest record was set in the week ending Wednesday. The third, Tuesday. The fourth, Monday. The fifth highest record, Sunday. The sixth-highest record was set in the week ending July 22.
The surge is nationwide: 47 states had more cases in the latest week than in the week before, an analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. An analysis of COVID Tracking Project data shows 41 states had a higher rate of people testing positive than the week before, too.
So check that out, folks. Note what this means.
- We hit this new rate for the first time.
- The pandemic is getting worse. A lot worse. And it's doing it quicker and quicker. Daily.
- It's not even winter yet.
So thanks, Mr. President. Once again, thanks.
And thanks, Republicans. That's quite the guy you foisted on the nation, pushed on us all.
Let's do this, folks.
Vote. And vote blue.
#BlueWave2020
86 45
BYEDON
Vote like your life--and your nation--depend on it.
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Donald Trump Is a Superspreader of Many Terrible Things
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