U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger was at the top of the American legal pyramid when I was a teenager in the early 1970s.

His perspective that the (mis)interpretation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, at the behest of the gun lobby, that provides unlimited freedom to bear arms is “one of the greatest pieces of fraud every perpetrated on the American people” is most certainly the position for which he’s best remembered.

Here’s the problem: Burger made his point 50 years ago, when some semblance of integrity and intelligence still remained in American political life.  Almost all of that is gone now.

 

 

 

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This is true for all of us at some level, but it seems to be especially pronounced in right-wing U.S. politics since the emergence of Donald Trump on the scene in 2015.

 

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Aristotle wrote a great deal on the subject of when to discontinue a friendship, or, in other words, where loyalty must be withdrawn.

Spoiler alert: like the rest of the ancient Greek philosophers, and all others coming after him, Aristotle wouldn’t have been a Trump supporter, continuing to stand behind a man who was clearly distinguishing himself as a criminal and conman.

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Earlier, I wrote a post based on a conversation with a conservative friend who bemoaned the fact that Republicans are having difficulty establishing a message that resonates with American voters.

It’s true that most voters approve of what the Democrats are doing re: protecting government functions that they consider to be important.

But it’s also true that the GOP has a huge problem with a big, heavy dude known for criminality and his orange skin tone and hair color.  As long as Trump is a dominant force in U.S. politics, we can expect the GOP to struggle.

The real problem is this: Americans aren’t what we used to be.  We’re not as sharp, nor are we as dedicated to earning our fortunes with good, honest, hard work.  But we still draw the line somewhere.  We had a presidential term of fraud, extortion, seditious conspiracy, and treason, and we’ll be God damned if we’re going to sign up for another four years.

 

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Here’s something I just heard an extremely right-wing friend say:  Traditionally, Republicans have enjoyed more solid and coherent messaging to American voters than their Democratic opponents.  Now this seems to have reversed itself, to the chagrin of conservatives who are concerned about their chances in taking over the White House in 2024.

It’s gratifying to hear this from someone who’s voted Republican his entire life.  I was afraid that the GOP narrative (obstructing the forceful attempt of the “radical left” to attempt to implement “socialism”) was somehow communicating effectively.

Apparently, the majority of voters want a government that protects Social Security, women’s rights, quality education, healthcare for all, the environment, etc., even if this means higher taxes for those earning more than $400K annually.

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Given the harsh realities of climate change, it’s beginning to look like what Asimov said here about the threat to humanity is exactly correct.

Think for a moment, though, about how far we are from any meaningful coming together as a species.  So far, we’ve shown our prowess at finger-pointing, but that’s of no benefit whatsoever.

 

 

 

 

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Here’s a “Let’s Go Brandon” flag at half-staff. Kinda funny, I must admit.

One wonders where its owner is going to stow it after the indictments for seditious conspiracy against Trump are handed down.

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If there is any precise language that the judge handed down that governs what Trump may and may not say about his upcoming criminal trial for fraud/obstruction, it’s not on public display.  However, using common sense, we can surmise that anything that threatens violence against the DA, his family, or the judge himself will mean that Trump is held in contempt, presumably to be immediately remanded into custody at Rikers Island.

It’s impossible to know precisely what the Republican party is going to do to distance itself from Trump at this point, but it’s going to be decisive.

No one likes to lose, but the GOP, notorious sore losers, are certainly not going to sit around and watch defendant Donald Trump, who’s sure to be the target of at least a few more criminal indictments, go down in infamy.

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Translation: Is it still possible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C (above pre-industrial times)? This is what recent scientific data says.

The answer presented by a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists is roughly this: Yes, but only if we are able to exert enough pressure on our governments to stand up to the fossil fuel industry.

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Most people across the country take a dim view of Florida, largely because of its retrogressive policies on women’s rights, book bans, racism, voter suppression, and, of course, unlimited gun rights.

Here’s a bill being signed into law that even Floridians rebuke: permitless concealed gun carry.  No more need to get a license to carry a concealed weapon, making school shootings that much easier.  The state already ranks #3 in mass shootings; why not go for the gold?

As a White House spokesperson said, “This is the opposite of common sense gun safety.”

DeSantis clearly doesn’t care about our kids’ lives, or even the will of the people of Florida; he’s fixated on this presidential run, and earning the votes of rednecks everywhere is all that matters.

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