Sunday, December 31, 2023
Nikki Haley Also Represents All That is Wrong with the Republican Party
Writing on the necessity for leaders to be well-versed in the study of history, Renaissance Philosopher Nicolo Machiavelli wrote in his work The Discourses that:
"Whoever considers the past and the present will readily observe that all cities and all peoples are and ever have been animated by the same desires and the same passions; so that it is easy, by diligent study of the past, to foresee what is likely to happen in the future in any republic, and to apply those remedies that were used by the ancients, or, not finding any that were employed by them, to devise new ones from the similarity of the events."
Nikki Haley was presented with the opportunity to show how knowledgeable she was in the study of history when asked about the causes of the American Civil War.
She failed.
The former South Carolina Governor (whose state was the first to secede from the Union at the beginning of the Civil War) and Trump United Nations Ambassador who is increasingly seen by Anti-Trump Republicans as their rescue from the MAGA abyss, badly stumbled in her response.
First, she defensively replied to the questioner by saying "Well, don't come with an easy question."
You kidding.
Then her response did not mention slavery at all as a leading cause of the conflict. Please read it below.
"I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run. The freedoms and what people could and couldn't do. What do you think the cause of the Civil War was? I think it always comes down to the role of government and what the rights of the people are. I will always stand by the fact that I think government was intended to secure rights and freedoms of the people. It was never meant to be all things to all people. Government doesn't need to tell you how to live your life. They don't need to tell you what you can and can't do. They don't need to be a part of your life. They need to make sure that you have freedom. We need to have capitalism. We need to have economic freedom. We need to make sure we do all things that individuals have the liberty so they can have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to do or be anything they want to be without government getting in the way."
The questioner then pointed out that in that her very wordy answer about the need to preserve individual freedoms did not mention the word "slavery."
To which, Haley's response was:
"What do you want me to say about slavery?"
Are you kidding again?
When the questioner said "You've answered my question, thank you," Haley, instead of realizing she needed to fill in the historical blanks before the Democrats and their surrogates in reality journalism would have a field day, just went for the next question.
Of course, the Biden/Harris Campaign, elated with the political softball Nikki Haley gave them, immediately took to social media, with the President posting:
There are two ways to look at Nikki Haley's response to the question on the causes of the Civil War.
First, she is totally ignorant of history (very sad in this case since she is the Governor of the state that started the secession crisis that led to the Civil War) which makes her disqualified, per Signore Machiavelli, to serve in high office.
Or
She was pandering to the increasingly white nationalist Trump-DeSantis Republican base whose support she needs on some level to eclipse Donald 'I Killed Roe v Wade' Trump in the primaries. In that case, she should be disqualified from office because she is catering to the fringe racist views of the minority of the country.
Also, remember that if Nikki Haley ever found herself in the Oval Office, she would likely embrace her party's position on reproductive freedom, limiting access to the ballot box, and restrictions on LGBTQ Civil Rights.
So much for government standing out of the way of individual freedoms.
Like Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, despite her efforts to clean up her historically and politically tone-deaf response to the question (good luck with that: nah) represents all that is wrong with the Republican Party.
Her answer on the cause of the American Civil War proves that.
Voters need to remember this in 2024.
Do you want this person influencing history education guidelines for your children?
Probably not.
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
The Republican Accountability Project has released a blistering ad featuring former Republican public servants who warn against the return of Donald 'I killed Roe V Wade' Trump to the White House and the dire results for the nation that would follow.
Please watch below.
While not as entertaining as the recent Larry Bodine article and the very funny Lincoln Project "Limburger" ad (see at the end of this article) calling out Donald Trump's odor, this new presentation, brought to this writer's attention by AZ Blue Meanie, from Republicans who care about our Democracy should be watched over and over.
The ad, which starts off with the morning alarm going off at 6:00 a.m., features:
Former Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney stated: "A vote for Donald Trump may mean the last election you ever get to vote in."
Former Trump Defense Secretary Mike Esper proclaiming: "He's a threat to Democracy."
The narrator then reminds viewers that it was Donald 'I killed Roe v Wade' Trump who enabled the Domestic Terrorists who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
She also reminds the viewers that Trump, in his campaign appearances and social media posts, is not even hiding his desire to rule as a dictator, "terminate the Constitution," and replace civil servants with sycophantic loyalists, comparing his remarks and hopes to Mussolini, Chavez, Pinochet, and Orbin.
The narrator concludes by warning:
"Donald Trump's chances of winning are very real. The alarm is going off. Everyone needs to wake up. We have a choice between protecting our Democracy or letting Trump destroy it. It's time to get off the sidelines. We can't let Donald Trump get close to the Oval Office again."
Wiser words were never said.
Vote for Biden/Harris in 2024
Over the last year or so, I and the other writers on the Blog have written numerous pieces on how successful the Biden/Harris Administration has been for the American People.
Especially compared to the tragic embarrassment and threat to Democracy and freedom that came before them in the form of the Trump/Pence Administration and their band of mostly incompetent white nationalist-fascist imitating lackeys.
Since taking office in 2021, The President and Vice President have provided, most of the time, steady and competent leadership.
This is exemplified by a stunning record of achievement that includes:
- Ably guiding the nation to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Securing legislation like the Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act (which included a Prescription Drug Benefit) that will move the country forward, help combat climate change, transform sustainability, and lift people up.
- Steering the economy to a soft landing from rising inflation caused by a combination of high consumer demand and corporate greed.
- Appointing judges to the courts that will protect basic freedoms and Democracy. Voters should remember that the last guy appointed justices to the Supreme Court who overturned Roe v Wade and made it possible for local officials and courts like the State Supreme Court in Texas to tell women they are not at risk enough to terminate an unviable pregnancy. They also want to restrict access to the morning-after pill.
- Fighting reactionaries that want to take away reproductive freedom, limit what children can read, and put obstacles in the way of exerting our right to vote.
As Blue Meanine pointed out in a recent correspondence, the Misery Index, the measure of the unemployment rate plus the inflation rate, is lower (7.8 % in May 2023) than the months Ronald Reagan (11.4 %,) Bill Clinton (8.7 %), George W. Bush (9.0 %,) and Barack Obama (9.5 %) all won reelection. Consumer Confidence was at its highest in December than in early 2021.
Commenting on the reduction in the Inflation Rate, Biden/Harris Campaign Spokesperson Kevin Munoz posted:
“When President Biden took office, he inherited an economy from Donald Trump that was rigged for the ultra-rich and left in shambles. But thanks to President Biden’s leadership, the U.S. economy has consistently defied expectations, with millions of jobs created, inflation at its lowest level in more than two years, and costs coming down for the American people. The work is far from over, and the President and Vice President are committed to doing more to bring down costs, fight special interests, and create economic opportunity for Americans. If MAGA Republicans have their way next November, the American people can expect a devastating return to the same failed trickle-down policies that would raise costs, offshore American jobs, and provide tax giveaways for corporations and the ultra-rich. Leadership matters, and Americans will choose the leader who has had the back of the middle class time and time again.”
The Biden/Harris have also fully restored, after four years of record-pacing lying, flawed leadership in the COVID crisis, an attempt, through enabling the January 6, 2021 Domestic Terrorist attack at the Nation's Capital, to tear down the Constitution and the transition to power, and two impeachments, the honor of the Presidency.
To those Biden naysayers across the country who think another candidate (including, inexplicably, the one who killed Roe v Wade and who threw the country into an economic and health crisis while he was trying to destroy the pillars of the Republic) could do better: WHAT THE HELL ELSE DO YOU WANT?
Has the Biden/Harris Administration been perfect?
No
But for God's sake, consider the overwhelmingly positive record of the current Administration compared to the last one. It is not even a close call. Voters, even those who feel prices may have risen too much last year, should not welcome a return of the chaos and threats to the American Ideal the previous Administration posed.
Consider the fascist-Hitler laced-white nationalist-themed rhetoric still coming from Trump and even the other Republican Presidential candidates. Not exactly the 'Morning in America' and we love freedom and immigrants stuff you used to hear from the Reagan team.
This holiday season I am thankful Joe Biden and his 50 years of public service is President and Kamala Harris is Vice President.
They deserve to be reelected in 2024.
An Alt-Right outcome next November would be truly mind-boggling, suicidal for the country, and the height of collective stupidity.
Do not repeat the mistakes of 1968, 2000, and 2016. Do not register unnecessary protest votes with third-party (one of whom may be Putin-backed) candidates. Do not stay home.
Turn out in 2024 and vote for the team that has delivered for the American People.
Vote Biden/Harris in 2024.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Sunday, December 17, 2023
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