Turning Off the News Isn’t a Piece of Cake
We constantly hear people saying, proudly, that they’ve turned off the news, so as to preserve some level of sanity. I get that, but it’s not easy when the content is as disturbing as this.
A Search for Clarity and Meaning
Albert Camus lamented that the world of his time, the mid-20th Century, failed to provide “clarity and meaning.”
It’s hard to imagine what he’d make of the changes that have taken place over the last few years, in particular, the absolute authority that billionaires have over the rest of us.
Bernie Sanders Isn’t Going Anywhere
Even my mom, a lifelong Republican, admires Bernie Sanders. “He’s so sincere,” she says.
He is indeed. Two more things:
• He’s on the right side of the issue here. He’s passionate about the oath he took to the U.S. Constitution, and thus his pledge to keep the United States a democracy, rather than letting it decay into an oligarchy or an authoritarian state.
• He’s not a quitter.
Tagged with: Bernie Sanders Isn't Going Anywhere
The United States — Entering a Different Dimension
The cartoon here put a smile on my face, but it really could be applied to modern-day U.S. politics under Trump.
Your next stop? The Twilight Zone.
Tagged with: modern-day U.S. politics under Trump
Republican Moderates Stand No Chance Against Trump
Yesterday, I had the good fortune to meet a retired Broadway actress who spent last summer in Ireland. She reports that, in many ways, the Irish are more troubled by Trump’s presence in the world than we are ourselves.
What’s at stake here is what could be summarized as “fair play.” The Irish aren’t too happy to see it disappear from the United States.
What’s happening to Liz Cheney is a fabulous example. Cheney says, “Their allegations do not reflect a review of the actual evidence, and are a malicious and cowardly assault on the truth. No reputable lawyer, legislator or judge would take this seriously.”
I guess we’re about to find out. Predictably, House Republicans have caved in to Trump and now support his vendetta against Cheney.
Tagged with: Republican Moderates Stand No Chance Against Trump
Trump’s Presidency and the Insurrection
Laurence Tribe, Harvard Law Professor Emeritus (pictured at left) says,
“Section 3 of the 14th Amendment bars Donald Trump from taking the oath of office.” This is the amendment that disqualifies former government officials from holding office if they took an oath to support the Constitution but then betrayed it by engaging in an insurrection.
I’ll be stunned if this turns out to provide even a small hiccup in Trump’s inauguration, principally because he hasn’t been convicted, and, at this point, likely never will be.
Now, I understand that this clause was put into place after the Civil War to prevent leaders of the confederacy from holding high-level U.S. political posts, and that these people had not been convicted of crimes. Still, as much respect as I have for Dr. Tribe, I don’t see it. We have a 14th Amendment, but we also have a 5th, which promises us all due process.
Tagged with: Trump's Presidency and the Insurrection
Here and Now, Unity Does Not Work
Christian pastor John Pavlovitz is correct in what he writes here: unity is a losing concept in U.S. politics at this point in time. And it’s not just that the MAGA crowd resents educated people; we’re not too fond of them either.
How much time do I want to spend with a climate change denier who thinks that the asylum seekers are vermin? Pretty close to zero.
What We’ve Become
At this sad point in time, it looks improbable that Donald Trump will be held accountable for having committed the most egregious crime in U.S. history.
We’ve become a lawless nation.
Music that Changes Our World
Both diminutive in stature and frequently sick, Frédéric Chopin was in no physical position to help Poland in their uprising against the oppressive Russian rule in 1830-31.
He could, however write music intended to inspire his comrades to go kick some Russian a**.
Here’s piano virtuoso Lang Lang performing Chopin’s Heroic Polonaise, opus 53.
If you can listen to this without tears gathering in your eyes, you’re a far stronger person than I am.
Tagged with: Music that Changes Our World
How Trump Will Be Regarded by School Children of the Future
We’d like to believe that what Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger says here is correct.
In truth, however, it’s all up to the American people. Trump won the 2024 election fair and square, and it’s unlikely his supporters will have any problem when he perverts the justice system to persecute his political enemies, and, of course, makes the criminal cases against him disappear.
