Monday, January 25, 2021

The Supremes Are Back With a List of Hot Cases Today


Judge Dave is here...

Order in the court!

Order in the court!

The wheels of justice are rolling again in the aftermath of a coup attempt by Trump and his minions, and a hotly contested presidential election.

Today's Big News 

The Supremes are BACK TODAY, and they have a list of cases to adjudicate, but the one I find the most interesting is the one on Trump's tax returns.

I'm guessing it's in the top three cases to immediately try. The other two are abortion and immigration. 

UPDATE 7:00 PST 1/25

Supreme Court dismisses emolument cases against Trump

There's another case coming down the road that involves Trump breaking emoluments laws.

Also, on the calendar are cases dealing with affirmative action and voting rights.

One thing to keep in mind, the composition of the Supreme Court is now split 6-3 along ideological lines and the conservatives are sure to unite on key cases.

Justice for all? Or, Justice tainted with partisanship? We'll just have to see what the future holds.

COURT DISMISSED! 

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Hopefully Biden Doesn't Make The Same Mistake As Obama

The last thing I want to see is Biden's agenda derailed in the first 100 days of his administration like Obama's was.

Like Obama, Biden wants to see partisan legislation so that Congress can get things done.

The problem is, Obama was stonewalled at every turn by Mitch McConnell, until he had to resort to executive actions to get any legislation through.

Despite losing his majority in the Senate, McConnell still has enough power to thwart Biden's efforts at passing bills.

The 50-50 situation in the Senate has settled into a boycott where McConnell is demanding the Democrats agree not to do away with the filibuster rule.

As of this post the Senate is in an ugly limbo, where Republicans are still heading some committee chairs until the new Congress comes up with a plan to work together.

McConnell held Obama hostage, and he's trying to do the same with Biden. 

So what's the answer?

If McConnell continues to insist on getting his way - despite being the minority leader - Schumer should move to invoke the Nuclear Option (a parliamentary procedure) that allows the majority to overturn a standing rule of the Senate, such as the 60-vote rule to close debate, by a simple majority of 51 votes.

And, of course, there's always the last ditch option of doing away with the filibuster rule entirely.

Biden inherited a nation in chaos and the only way out of the many challenges is to pass meaningful legislation.

If McConnell and the Republicans want to play power games, then the Democrats should push back harder.

Unity is a great thing, but when you have a party of obstructionism action has to be taken in order for progress to be made.

Friday, January 22, 2021

Goodbye Hammering Hank Aaron - America Will Miss You

In a time when civil rights are still contested America has lost one of the greatest players in baseball history who used his platform to champion civil rights.

Hammering Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run record and he lived life as an ambassador to the game. He was 86 years-old.

Aaron's incredible achievement came in the shadow of hate and death threats from people who did not want a black man to claim such an important record.

Long before Black Lives Matter came on the scene Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron was advocating for equal rights for all.

He went through hell after breaking the record and was taunted daily at ballparks. He received death threats on his life and was sent thousands of racist hate mail.

Hank once said he didn't read them, but saved some for posterity.

As Black Americans continue to fight for their place in society, it's important to remember a man  like Hank. He had little or no support for taking his brave stance on equality.

That didn't matter. He kept on with his advocacy long after he retired. As a matter of fact, right up until his last day on earth. 

Goodbye Hammering Hank - America will miss you. 

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Day One: Time To Save America From Flat Earthers

President Biden began his first hour in office yesterday by targeting COVID-19 with a mask mandate for federal properties.

It was followed by a slew of executive orders overturning Trump's years of damage.

It was a start.

Many battles lie ahead to make Americans safe from the deadliest pandemic in over a 100 years. Challenges from anti-vaxxers, aka flat earthers, will make it a harder fight.

Today the Biden administration is preparing to invoke the Defense Production Act to fast track vaccine production. 

Biden's newly assembled medical advisory team is busy unraveling the mess left behind by Operation Warp Speed

The Biden team has their work cut out for them overcoming the lies spread by Trump minions that were attached to real scientists on the team.

Trump's flat earthers - are gone but the damage lingers.

Americans have to become reacquainted with reality. Science needs to become respected again - not mocked by political morons in positions of power.

Health experts worldwide state that face masks must be worn to in order to fight the spread of COVID-19, and it's evolving variants (up to five now).

The good news is we have a president and administration that understands how important face masks are in combating the spread of the coronavirus.

From Biden on down, they'll be modeling the wearing of face masks as a patriotic thing to do. Leading by example is the best form of leadership.

As for the other flat earthers Trump embedded into government agencies - like the EPA - they'll need to be weeded out and replaced with scientists - not political cronies who thrive on conspiracies.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

America Renewed: Joe Biden Sworn In As 46th President

The day is finally here.

After four years of chaos and corruption America is turning over a new leaf. 

Trump is history now.

His presidency challenged our democracy at every turn. 

His policies were acts of carnage designed to benefit his wealthy friends. He's already become a dark footnote in the America story.

It's exciting having a president whose not the biggest liar on the planet. Our allies are rejoicing today. Normalcy will be restored as Biden reconnects the connections Trump severed during his ruinous reign.

Biden faces more challenges than any other president - with the exception of Abraham Lincoln. He's inherited a pandemic, a weak economy, and a country nearly as divided as Lincoln faced.

It's not going to be easy, but if anyone can start uniting Americans again, it's Joe. 

Our democracy is now on the road to healing.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

The Most Shameful Presidential Transition in History

As Trump slithers out of the White House for the last time - hours before Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20th at noon - his churlish exit will be a final footnote in what has been the worst presidency in American history.

Trump's four-year reign of corruption can be called many things:

Embarrassing.

Shameful.

Humiliating.

Demeaning.

Degrading.

Ignominious.

Here's a list of Trump's legacies 

He's leaving office without recognizing the next president of the United States like a spoiled child confronted with a reality he can't accept. 

He trampled on every aspect of the traditionally peaceful transition of power (for 150 years), by putting up as many obstacles as he and his minions could come up with to hinder a smooth transfer.

He led a failed coup attempt against our elected lawmakers inside of the nation's capitol. Five died in the resulting riot.

He's been impeached twice, an indignity no other American president ever suffered.

Throughout Trump's reign he encouraged white supremacists by subtly siding with them. 

His hate for minorities resulted in hundreds of Hispanic children being separated from their parents at the border - causing permanent mental harm to some.

He divided our nation into Red States and Blue States, waging war on Democratic governors.

He lied to every American when he said the coronavirus will just "go away" someday and then tried to hide how serious the spread was with more lies.

The sheer volume of Trump's lies - over 20,000 documented - made him the Biggest Liar in our political history.

The above are some of Trump's legacies. 

There were many other assaults on our democracy during his ruinous reign that scholars will be documenting for years to come.

Monday, January 18, 2021

At Least 1 Museum Will Remember Trump's Time in Office

               The British beat us to it.

The infamous Donald Trump baby blimp has found a permanent home in a London museum. I'm really bummed that they beat us to the punch.

The iconic 20-foot-high inflatable became a symbol of defiance since it first flew over London when Trump came to visit in 2018.

I watched with delight as Baby Trump went on a world-wide tour giving citizens of every country a look at the angry orange diaper-clad infant made in Trump's image.

The museum's director, Sharon Ament told Newsweek that the Trump blimp was a shining example of political satire. She expressed the hope that future generations will understand that the blimp was a symbol of resistance to Trump's regime.

Diaper Don is joining the "protest collection" which comprises objects hailing from century-old Suffrage movement to banners and placards from more recent climate-crisis rallies.

Trump wanted his place in history. Well now he has it. 

Sunday, January 17, 2021

Parting Observations About Trump Leaving the White House

Parting will be such a pleasure... 

watching Trump being trotted out (thrown out, drug out forcibly, violently expelled, or escorted by a police dog pulling on a leash around his neck) from the White House next Wednesday.

It's a miracle democracy survived four years of Trump's best efforts to destroy it. 

His constant discrediting of science led us to where we are in the COVID-19 battle - the MOST CASES IN THE WORLD.

Americans are now looking to Biden for a coordinated plan to help ALL THE STATES (not Red or Blue states) administer a rapid and safe vaccine infrastructure.

After January 20th 

at noon, Trump is OPEN GAME for hundreds of lawsuits, including a felony charge from the New York AG of cheating the IRS.

I'm amused at watching Trump minions jump ship as he belly flops his final days away feeling sorry for himself.

I just received an alert that there's a video of Trump being dragged from The White House... early?

Good Riddance Diaper Don! 

America isn't going to miss you a bit. Okay. With the exception of the hardened cult followers who've been forced to retreat to their caves and parents basements because Big Tech got tired of their lies and pulled their hate platforms.

Saturday, January 16, 2021

A Parody: Where The Trump Trolls Are

After the major social media platforms booted out crazed Trump supporters for their seditious acts, they've been scrambling for hidey holes on the internet.

Trump's online minions have retreated to obscure extremist platforms that most people aren't even aware of. Using encrypted chat sites the demoralized traitors are treading water, hoping for better days ahead.

I can't help seeing some humor in the right-wing exodus. For example, here's a brief parody of the Connie Francis hit song "Where the Boys Are."

Where The Trolls Are

"Where the trolls are, someone waits for me

Trump's orange face, his slimy embrace, and tiny hands shaking me tenderly

Where the trolls are, my master Trump will be

He's walking down Pennsylvania Avenue and I know he's looking for me

in the crowd of thousands, I'll find my valentine

And then I'll climb to the Capitol Building and tell the world he's mine."

It's been said that humor is the best medicine. I hope this little dose helps make your day.

Friday, January 15, 2021

Truth and Consequences? Was the Coup Attempt an Inside Job?

Notorious Gaslighter Matt Gaetz is one of the Republicans who aided and abetted Trump's BIG LIE about the election. House GOP members are being investigated about their roll in the assault on the Capitol.

As evidence grows
of inside assistance to rioters on Jan. 6th, the DOJ says it's looking at everything - including collusion with Capitol Police and possibly some GOP lawmakers.

Was it an inside job? I wonder if we'll ever know the truth? Accusations that lawmakers gave reconnaissance tours on Jan. 5th have surfaced and are being investigated.

According to Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ),  she saw the tours and was suspicious because no tours had been allowed in the Capitol since March 2020. About 30 others members of Congress have joined Sherrill in demanding an investigation.

Representative Tim Ryan (Ohio) said lawmakers were aware of the tours but are now looking at them in a different light.

If, in fact, Republican Congressmen did give tours to acquaint Trump supporters with the building, it would be as big a scandal as the coup itself.

Because convicting lawmakers would be such a breech in Congress, I seriously doubt any of those GOP enablers will get in trouble.

More than one investigation dealing with the possibility of inside help is being conducted.

The Government Accountability Office is just the latest to signal an investigation that will include the roles that members of Congress may have played in inciting the mob to overturn the results of the election.

"To the extent there were members of the House that were complicit, and I believe there were, we will pursue appropriate remedies including expulsion and a prohibition from holding elected office for the rest of their lives," said the comptroller general who is part of the agency.

All I can say, is seeing is believing. Color me skeptical that any lawmakers will pay the price for inciting an assault on "The People's House."

Thursday, January 14, 2021

The Party of No Responsibility is Facing Consequences for Ignoring the Truth

After Trump's coup attempt last week the party of so-called "personal responsibility" is calling for unity.

Republicans who've been drinking orange Trump Aid have suddenly found themselves in the doghouse with the majority of Americans.

After stroking the fires of sedition GOP lawmakers want us to forget their dirty deeds and to move on.

No one knows the exact amount of Americans who've died as a result of being exposed to anti-maskers, but it must be in the thousands. If not the ten-thousands.

It, the resistance to reality, was fomented by GOP lawmakers in both houses since the pandemic broke out last year.

The most recent example happened when rabid Trump followers assaulted the Capitol building.

While sheltering from the attack six Republicans refused to wear their face masks and mocked Rep. Lisa Blunt who tried to give them masks as they huddled in a small room.

Here's the lineup of idiots who exposed their Democratic colleges to COVID-19: (Three have already come down with the virus.)

Reps. Markwayne Mullin (Oklahoma), Marjorie Taylor Green (aka QAnon moron from Georgia), Andy Biggs (Arizona), Michael Cloud (Texas) Doug LaMalfa (California) and Scott Perry (Pennsylvania).

When confronted about their actions Green's office said, "She does not believe a healthy adult who tested negative a week ago should be forced to wear a mask."

The sheer idiocy in this statement is only superseded by the harm people like Green have done thus far.

Republicans who have played Trump's game of avoiding reality sent (and are sending) a dangerous message to the American public.

If we ever want to recover from the twin disasters - a pandemic and an insurrection - we need to hold the wrongdoers accountable.

Trump has been impeached for a second time. Now it's time to root out his enablers - who are still threatening our democracy within days of a presidential inauguration.

The anti-maskers don't care about who they expose to the virus. They are enemies of this republic. Plain and simple.

Trump's Lowest Grift Ever Saved for Holy Week

This is a story about how the devil's puppet, aka Donald Trump, mocked Christianity by selling a book combining the Bible, the Constitu...