We as a nation appear to be headed down a dark path to a regression of our society and a diminishing of our individual rights as citizens. Why would I say this? Observations of fellow citizens, research of writings from learned experts in the fields, news reports from valid and recognized reporting media and of course readings from the other side of our political spectrum. In the following paragraphs/sections I will be using some terminology that some may attempt to refute as being the maunderings of an old codger.
Let me just say that my idea of a trend toward fascism and the ChristoFascist ideologies has been spoken by me in the past and was rebutted time and again by people who believed themselves to be smarter, better educated and more worldly aware. However, of late, more and more people of high intellect, education, and awareness of the world’s political leanings, have come to recognize the infestation of these and other supremacist ideologies and these new sources of information regarding supremacist (fascism, theocracy, white superiority and other ideologies that encourage these violent militia types), and as a result, I do get a feeling of being somewhat vindicated in my earlier pronouncements.
However, I understand and am aware there are many who would refute my findings/commentary even if we had criminal trial worthy evidence to prove the findings. These are most certainly a minority, yet are a very vocal, sometimes violent, and demonstrative group. They are also a group that would continue to promote the idea of a flat earth, in spite of all evidence to the contrary. So I put my theories/findings/observations out there within the bounds of this blog essay. Accept it or reject it, not my worry, I know and where one or two of the minority of right wing Republican ChristoFascist supporters believe or agree is of no concern to me. I am at a stage in my life where I speak my mind and damn the consequences. I invite your comments. Understand that this is MY blog, so I have indisputable authority of the content.
So, if you still have an open mind or simply want to find something to refute, read on dear reader, read on.
US Supreme Court
Our USA Supreme Court has become a bastion of political bias, and a facility rabidly being shown to have no integrity or honor remaining. Just a bare minimum of the Court’s Justices as a group can lay claim to any semblance of honor in their lives and their positions as judicial end point determinants. In my research of the decisions, speeches, and writings of these particular Justices, I find that the decisions from this Roberts court have consistently shown the political directions of the right wing ideology. With a majority of 6-3 Republican right wing conservative justices, a balance or a decision based on fair judicial decision making is highly improbable.
Honor by several of the Justices has been shown to be essentially for sale, from expensive vacation trips to flights on private luxury aircraft, travel on luxury mega-yachts, and financial transactions that smack of corruption with the wealthy patrons buying access and court decisions. In the various media, I continue to hear Chief Justice and the other Justices attempting to defend the Court, but they are playing a tune that NO ONE believes. Well, maybe not everyone, those who are “Believers” certainly could be counted among those who actually believe/support those protestations. I would think that some of the Republican politicians who play fast and loose with ethics worked to stack the Court with their radical right wing, theological, and fascist leaning Justices. The actions by Senator McConnell in this regard show a total lack of interest in the moral requirements that he simply discarded, and lied to everyone, just like several of his right wing Justice candidates lied their asses off to the Senate when being considered for that lifetime appointment. The four judicial candidates appointed by Trump and the right wing biased Republican Senate were all found to be liars and corrupted in their actions once they were able to lie their way into a lifetime appointment.
Perhaps it is time for the Congress, the Administration and YES the people of this country to make changes to the Court, time for a reckoning and institutional changes to the structure. A strong ETHICS committee should be implemented, since the Court appears to refuse to acknowledge or implement this aspect, the Senate and House should establish a LAW to create and fund a Supreme Court Judicial Ethics Committee and the Justices made subject to the ethics laws that other Federal judges and everyone else involved with the federal government are subject to. And I might add, I also believe the court should be increased right now, or the numbers reduced causing the last couple of justice members to be removed through a Reduction in Force (RIF). Hey, if that is good for the rest of the civil service and the military, it is good for the Supreme Court members.
Federal Politics
I, along with a majority of the American public citizens are constantly exposed to the perfidy, lies, corruption, and actions against the people of this nation by the same political persons who are elected based on their speeches, their verbal commitments and the absolute lies that these people spew each election cycle, and then once the election are over they ignore the rights, the needs, and the demands of the constituency who got them elected in the first place. My primary ire is directed mainly at the right wing new conservatives who populate the damaged Republican Party. I say damaged because it was once a political machine that clearly worked to provide for the benefit of the American people. Then President Eisenhower was no longer the president and the Republican party began a downhill turn to the worst of political corruption. Over the past few years, the separation between the two major political parties has widened into a gap that is growing almost daily. This political gap does appear to be one that will be impossible to heal and return to those days were politicians from both parties collaboratively worked for the benefit of the country and the people. That comity and collaboration has disappeared and it does seem to be something that appears to be unsolvable. In several decades, the Republican Party has put forth no laws that benefit anyone, except the wealthy and corporate interests. Seriously, there has been no national beneficial legislation from the Republicans in literally decades, frankly dating all the way back to the end of the Eisenhower Administrator, Most folks would say that General Eisenhower was the last true, honorable Republican President. I certainly count myself among that group of people. As a young teenager, I was proud to hand out pamphlets that touted “I Like Ike”. As an adult, I find it impossible to do anything that smacks of support for the Republicans and their fascist leanings.
When one considers the current situation, and the make up of the current Republican Party, the idea of the demise of that original Republican operational institution is very evident. A representative has been proven to be a liar, having made up a resume out of whole cloth with none of it based in truth or fact. Yet. the Republican Party as a whole refuses to take action to censor or expel this massively dishonorable person from the Congressional House. Several other Representatives have shown themselves to be very much liars, dishonorable individuals, corrupt, anti-democracy and simply act as bomb throwers. They present no valid legislative offerings, hell many of these current Republican Representatives and Senators have NEVER put forth any semblance of legislation. They simply make unfounded, nay absolute false commentary and expect those huge lies to be accepted simply because they utter them. In point of fact, one Representative from Arizona is such a defined anti-democracy, lying, and dishonorable politician that his own family disowned him and campaigned for and voted for his opponent. They claim that he is not fit for public office and yet, the Republican Party officials refuse to take any sort of disciplinary action towards this person.
The current Speaker of the House required 15+ vote takings before being elected as the new Speaker when the Republicans acquired a bare minimum of seats to claim the majority. In order for him to get enough votes to claim the Speaker’s gavel, he literally made deals with the worst, most vicious, despicable and dishonorable of the entire Republican House caucus, and as a result, is the weakest Speaker in the history of the Congress in my humble opinion. The new Republican minimal majority also appointed, as committee chairs, the worst of the bomb throwing, dishonorable members, one chairperson has NEVER in all his years in the House put forth any legislative documents yet his district in Ohio for some reason elected him again. He simply is the disruption, dishonorable, and integrity challenged member whose sole purpose is to attack any Democratic Party member, legislative reading, or committee witness called by the Democrats, regardless of any truth to his allegations.
At this point in our political posturing, it has become pretty evident that the Republican Party has been consumed by two ideologies that bear no good for the American society. These two ideologies have been used in the history of our world to corrupt and capture governments, demean and destroy individual rights and freedoms, and murder, rape and pillage entire communities. They are the fascist and theocratic ideologies currently managing the Republican Party. Of course one must always consider the corruption of these Congressional politicians by the corporate and wealthy lobbyists.
Does this anti-American ideology combination include all members of the Republicans? No, I am sure that there are some still responsible men and women in the Party who are horrified by the turns the Party has taken and the depths of ill actions taken by the Republican Party majority. Unfortunately, they either are unable or simply too afraid to stand up to the fascism, theocracy, and pure racism that is overtaking the Republican Party and frankly it should no longer be referred to as the Republican Party but perhaps the ChristoFascist Cult. They and all of us, should remember that ancient adage that “for evil to triumph, requires good people to remain silent”. Remember folks, ignoring evil doesn’t make it disappear, it merely provides acceptance and encouragement for it to grow and expand.
Elective Danger for Politics
The greatest fear for this elderly old curmudgeon is the upcoming elections. I fear that the Democratic Party, the left leaning and moderate independents and yes, some honest, honorable members of the Republican Party are not sufficiently concerned about the impact of their votes in our elections. If one were to carefully evaluate the results of the last couple of elections, we had a minimal turnout overall of our eligible voting population. Our percentage of votes cast based on our national population is among the lowest of every nation that conducts election activity. While in the last election where Biden and the Democrats won the Presidency, and gained a slim majority in the Senate, they lost seats in the House and allowed the radical right wing extremists to gain control of that very key legislative institution.
IF decent, honorable citizens of this nation do not take seriously the danger lurking for our nation and our society with the coming election in November 2024, I fear that we will slide into that horrible ChristoFascist form of governance, our individual freedoms, our society of democracy and our Democratic Republic form of government will be lost. Local citizenry should also take notice of any local elections in their communities or states. We, in Virginia, will have an election of significant consequence coming up this November of 2023. Our legislative body will be pretty much up for election. Especially in the lower house, but also the upper segment of the Virginia Legislature. The current governor, the lt. governor and the Attorney General of the Commonwealth were elected through a highly successful campaign of misdirection, false premises, and outright lies, but sufficient for a very small majority of votes to give them control of the administrative offices of the State Government. Youngkin is doing his level best to undermine and eliminate every decent legislative action by former governors and legislators. His attempts are directed at voters, education, social interaction, minority denigration and simply to push for a governmental environment such as the fascist DeSantis of Florida uses to press the fascist agenda in that state.
IF we do not sweep ideologues such as Trump, DeSantis, Youngkin, and those bomb throwers in the House and Senate from office, replacing them with women and men of high honor and integrity, we will see our nation further devolve into a semi-dictatorial environment where extrajudicial punishments, incarcerations, and yes executions will emerge from this fascist theocratic/authoritative dictatorship.
While Donald Trump has been charged with criminal offenses in four, separate indictments and others may be in the offing, there continues to be a great electoral travesty in that this person is continuing to rob his base of right wing people, and is continuing to strike out viciously at people and actions of the legal processes. My fervent prayer is that justice will prevail and the judicial system will move forward with factual evidence and accurate convictions where this individual, who has perverted everything this nation stands for, will be convicted on all counts and will be sentenced to prison for years.
Sure, I hear the old saw about they can’t put him in prison because the Secret Service protections he is due. Bullshit and balderdash! Frankly in my opinion, he forfeited any right to the Secret Service protectors when he acted in a criminal manner against the United States of America and violated his entire oath to protect and defend the nation and the Constitution. He is a criminal defendant pure and simple and should be treated no differently than any other citizen facing criminal charges and trial by jury of their peer citizens, Incarceration is called for in many of these charges, and frankly in some charges call for significant prison time. Again, that is pure bull shit. IF he is convicted by the jury and sentence is readied, the sentencing judge should apply the standard, and that would, in the majority of these charges, call for incarceration in a federal or state prison based on which court the conviction is handed down. If a federal court and sentence, it should not one of the executive country club type jails, but prison facilities on the order of Leavenworth, or Portsmouth Naval Prison, perhaps even the super max prison where the other traitors and terrorists are jailed. Frankly I would prefer that he be tried and convicted in one of the active state level trials, and incarcerated in a state prison system. At least there, he would not be able to obtain a pardon if we are weak enough to elect another Republican president.
Should the judicial system fail us, and Trump is not punished as a regular citizen, first and foremost, we would cause a significant doubt to arise in our international allies and trading partners. They would be very cautious in dealing with this country since they would have no faith in our judicial system and would doubt any commitments made by our government or many of the businesses they normally did business with. Then we, the people of the United States, would face untold days of his vicious and agitative rants rallying his white supremacist and violent mobs of men and women who have already made threats against political individuals, judicial persons and the entire majority of Americans who are members of the Democratic Party, are left leaning politically, or are “liberals”.
Sort of sounds like I am doing a chicken little sky is falling essay? Well, one must understand that throughout our history, we have ignored the warnings of folks whose beliefs were showing a societal problem or some catastrophic happening. I once many years ago, warned that the arrival of the personal computer systems, if not very carefully controlled would more than likely result in a violation and a loss of our personal and business privacy information, including fraud, theft and political propaganda. No one listened, the very secure large mainframe computers were replaced by microcomputer networks evolving into huge microcomputer data centers, and a personal computer in almost every home. So, NOW we see frequent instances of loss of privacy, identity theft, computer fraud, lying political and social propaganda proliferating through out our world. Even worse for our society, the advent of Artificial Intelligence computer systems will bring us nothing but further incursion into our privacy, immoral intrusion of our persons by police departments, unscrupulous business entities, and simply illegal actions by this infestation of technological entities given freedom to do as they are established to do, and the devil take the hindmost.
No one is immune, from large corporations, major banks, government agencies, and with Dick and Jane in their daily lives.
So for our political futures, and the defense against a Republican Party gone rogue, please folks, pay attention to the political situations, from your city/municipal, county, state and federal government offices and officials. Make sure that you vote for a person and a viable result rather than strictly political party or the propaganda writings/speechifying of those who would do us all harm.
Select people who have been shown by their ACTIONS to be honorable men and women, who have been shown to care about the country and its people rather than for a political party. Don’t keep putting the same old rabid lying, corrupt and fascist leaning political hacks back in office. If they lie to you, take them at their word and kick them out of office and to the curb. Do not allow the white supremacist fascist and theocratic ideologues gain control of our nation and our society.
Just remember for over 413 years we have attempted to provide a government of freedom from tyranny, ensuring the individual rights of the citizen, and protection of our country from enemies both foreign and domestic. Stand up for our democratic republic governed nation, for our right to be free in our lives and spaces. Stand against the incursion of theocracy, fascism and white supremacy.
May our United States of America return to and continue to be a bastion of freedom for all mankind.
Musings of a Geriatric Curmudgeon 