Opinion – Page 2

What I Would Like To Hear From Joe During His First Address To Congress

April 25, 2021 By John DeProspo 3 Comments

Next Wednesday, April 28, Joe Biden will give, for all intents and purposes, his first State of the Union address. It is not officially called that since a president’s first address to a joint session of Congress is not considered a “State Of The Union.” The reasoning? During a president’s first few months in office, he hasn’t been around long enough to get the lay of the land!

Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, has given us a preview of what the President will discuss:

“Certainly, you can expect that he will talk about all of the priorities and his commitment to building the economy back better, getting the pandemic under control, addressing the challenges we face around the world.”

That’s great, but I hope Biden addresses the 800-pound gorilla in the room as he speaks to Congress and the nation. Perhaps something like this:

On January 20th, I was sworn in as the 46^th president of the United States. I know some of you did not vote for me. But as I have said, I plan on being the president for all Americans. Look, folks, I know a good many of you do not believe the 2020 election was fair. That it was somehow rigged. That the other guy won. I understand why you think that way. But it is simply not true. There are some members in this very chamber who have fed you that lie and continue to do so. Many conservative news outlets have fed you that lie and continue to do so. Things have gotten so bad that many are referring to this whole situation as “The Big Lie.”

Folks, the 2020 election has been scrutinized six ways from Sunday and, for all that have looked into it, it’s the same conclusion … the election was fair and secure. Government officials, judges and elected leaders, mostly Republicans, have publicly acknowledged confidence in the election. In fact, William Barr, who many have said acted more like the former president’s personal lawyer instead of the lawyer for the United States, said he had “not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.” Chris Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said, “There was no indication or evidence that there was any evidence of hacking or compromise of election systems on, before, or after November 3.” He, like Barr, was appointed by the former president.

It is now six months after the election. We have seen what all the lying about election fraud has cost us … a violent attack on our nation’s Capitol. A country more divided than ever. This has got to stop and it has to stop now. There are just too many important things we need to do, right now, to help get us out of this pandemic and economic crisis.

I beg every Republican member of Congress to join me in moving forward with policies that will help the country thrive like never before. Put the political maneuvering and divisive politicking aside … put country over party … and let’s bring this country back, and together, again.

Yes, something along those lines would be great, don’t you think?

Photo | politico.com

Agreed … Not Every Citizen Should Be Allowed To Vote

March 25, 2021 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

A few weeks ago, John Kavanagh, a Republican legislator who chairs Arizona’s Government and Elections Committee, made waves when he said voting really shouldn’t be for everyone.

“There’s a fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans,” he told CNN. “Democrats value as many people as possible voting, and they’re willing to risk fraud. Republicans are more concerned about fraud, so we don’t mind putting security measures in that won’t let everybody vote — but everybody shouldn’t be voting … Not everybody wants to vote, and if somebody is uninterested in voting, that probably means that they’re totally uninformed on the issues. Quantity is important, but we have to look at the quality of votes, as well.”

Kavanagh may be onto something …“everybody shouldn’t be voting.” He’s right, but for the wrong reason.

We should want fewer people voting not because that would reduce fraud, but we should want to reduce the number of uninformed citizens from voting!

I have long been in favor of some type of national civics test before allowing someone to exercise his or her right to vote. Just like potential drivers first have to demonstrate they know the rules of the road by passing a written test, so should citizens show their knowledge of American history and our political system before being allowed to vote.

As David Harsanyi wrote in the Washington Post a few years back, “By weeding out millions of irresponsible voters who can’t be bothered to learn the rudimentary workings of the Constitution, or their preferred candidate’s proposals or even their history, we may be able to mitigate the recklessness of the electorate.” He added, “If you have no clue what the hell is going on, you also have a civic duty to avoid subjecting the rest of us to your ignorance.”

Of course, this will never happen!

A test to weed out ignorant voters would, no doubt, run up against calls of governmental bias in setting up such a test in the first place. And, anyway, too many politicians depend on clueless voters to wield and secure their power.

Perhaps the best we can hope for is that the uninformed, the misinformed and the disinformed will someday want to brush up on their civics or just voluntarily abstain from voting.

Unfortunately, that’s highly unlikely.

We may forever be stuck with bad governance and an American populace where only 40% can pass a basic multiple choice U.S. citizenship exam.

Photo | abcnews.go.com

It’s Time For This Simple “Sense Of The Congress” Resolution

March 3, 2021 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

Nearly two months since Joe Biden’s inauguration, some Republican members of Congress still have trouble saying his November election was valid and that he won fair and square.

And it’s easy to see why.

In a recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, about two-thirds of Republicans say Joe Biden was not legitimately elected president.

This is why you had Rep. Steve Scalise, second in command of the House Republicans, waffling when ABC host Jonathan Karl asked him a simple, straightforward question.

“Joe Biden won the election,” Karl asked. “He is the legitimate president of the United States. The election was not stolen, correct?”

“Look, Joe Biden’s the president,” said Scalise. “There were a few states that did not follow their state laws. That’s really the dispute that you’ve seen continue on.”

Karl persisted.

“Congressman, I know Joe Biden’s the president,” Karl said. “He lives at the White House. I asked you, is he the legitimate president of the United States, and do you concede that this election was not stolen? Very simple question. Please just answer it.”

“Look, once the electors are counted, yes, he’s the legitimate president,” Scalise said. “But if you’re going to ignore the fact that there were states that did not follow their own state legislatively set laws, that’s the issue at heart, that millions of people still are not happy with and don’t want to see happen again.”

This nonsense has got to end.

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer need to introduce, to their respective chambers, this simple resolution: “Joe Biden is the duly-elected 46^th president of the United States.”

“Sense of the Congress” resolutions do not create law, do not require the signature of the President and are not enforceable. What they do is force individual members of Congress to go on the record as supporting or opposing a particular policy or concept.

Putting Congressional Republicans on the spot serves at least two important purposes. It officially forces their hands, putting them on record over the Biden “legitimacy” question, hopefully cutting off any more of this “Biden is president … but” foolishness. It will also, I’m guessing, show Biden and the rest of the Democrats exactly what they are dealing with. It may finally convince some moderate Democrats that reaching across the aisle is futile.

How can you have bipartisanship when X amount of Republican lawmakers don’t believe the president of the United States legitimately holds office? This resolution might convince all Democrats (looking at you Manchin and Sinema) that ending the filibuster is the only way Biden’s agenda can go forward.

And while a “no vote” will not get a representative or senator expelled (need 2/3 vote) it most likely will get him or her censured as only a majority vote is needed.

So what is your vote, Mr. “I-have-no-sense-of-shame-or-dignity” Cruz. Is that a yea or a nay?

Photo | Official White House photo/Lawrence Jackson

What? Trump Will Talk About The Future Of The Republican Party At CPAC?

February 21, 2021 By John DeProspo 5 Comments

According to a source, Donald Trump will be “talking about the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement” at this week’s CPAC conference in Orlando, Florida. It seems the former-occupant-of-the-White-House will be taking time off from his usual weekend of golf to address what some have called “the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world.”

It should be a neat trick, considering how the Republican Party is, well, … dead!

The Republican Party, as we knew it, entered its death throes five years ago when it decided to hitch its fortunes to a narcissistic, two-bit con man. It ceased being a major political party when it passed up the chance (twice!) to rid itself of an incompetent, criminal buffoon through impeachment.

What we have today is the Party of Trump or, as Prince might have put it, “the party formerly known as the GOP.” If there is any doubt, just look at some recent surveys showing Trump’s strength among Republicans. In a Suffolk University/ USA TODAY poll, by a whopping margin of 46%-27%, Republican voters say they would abandon the GOP and join the Trump party if he decided to create one. Their loyalty is obviously to the man, not to a 167-year-old political organization.

Cindy McCain said the other day that the Republican Party is still up for grabs, predicting that her moderate wing of the GOP could mount a comeback.

“Our side, it’s swung way to the right. It’ll come back. It’ll come back” said McCain.

Sorry, Cindy, but I don’t think so. If there ever was a civil war among Republicans, that war is over.

Moderates like McCain, along with others such as Romney, Collins and Murkowski might want to remain blind to the fact that their beloved party is now the Party of Trump but, when you have an establishment group like CPAC rolling out the red carpet for a man who fomented a violent uprising against the Capitol, who still insists the 2020 election was stolen from him … and CPAC will no doubt cater to Trump’s fantasies … you know the GOP of old is kaput.

If anything, today’s Republican Party, if you still want to call it that, is the party of Green, Boebert, Jordon, Gaetz and the like.

Unlike McCain, I predict old-time conservatives will eventually face the facts (and their consciences), see their party has been irretrievably hijacked by Trump and his band of “wacko birds”, leave the party to declare as independents, or perhaps start a third party.

The Party of Trump seems to be here to stay for the foreseeable future (too late, Mitch … it’s a long way down from that tightrope!).

Photo | cnn.com

Trump Defense Lawyers Celebrate Victory They Had Nothing To Do With

February 15, 2021 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

In true Trumpian fashion, Trump’s defense lawyers are taking credit for something they had no hand in … the Senate’s acquittal of their client on impeachment charges.

“We’re going to Disney World,” Trump lawyer Michael van der Veen joked to reporters following the trial. He was later photographed fist-bumping a colleague.

The whole world knows (as I guess so did Trump’s lawyers) that the fix was in and that their presence at the impeachment trial was nothing more than legal window-dressing. They could not lose no matter what baseless, whacked-out, bogus defense they came up with.

There was no way 17 Republican senators were going to join 50 of their Democratic colleagues to reach the two-thirds vote needed to convict Trump.

Trump’s defense lawyers did not have to be articulate, competent or prepared. It didn’t matter. They just needed to show up.

Because the Senate’s verdict was a forgone conclusion, House impeachment managers were wise not to bring in witnesses. Why further delay the inevitable? The case they presented against Trump, even without witness testimony, was open and shut. Just ask Mitch McConnell!

I wonder if Trump’s lawyers ever bothered to read the reviews of their “lawyering?” Because of their bumbling, buffoonish efforts, “My Cousin Vinny” trended on Twitter.

Of course, that is an insult to Vincent LaGuardia Gambini who won his case after winning over an impartial, some might even say hostile, jury!

Photo | Alex Brandon/AP/inquirer.com

Maybe What Democrats Need Is A Mitch McConnell?

February 14, 2021 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

I can’t stand the guy. Yet, I’m in awe of his genius … his evil genius. Machiavelli has nothing on old Mitch McConnell.

There he was yesterday accusing Donald Trump of being guilty as sin just moments after voting to acquit him of what Liz Cheney called the greatest “betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.”

In a devastating takedown rivaling the closing arguments made by the House impeachment managers, McConnell tore into Trump for his “disgraceful dereliction of duty” saying, “There is no question — none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.”

So how could McConnell not vote to convict Trump?

Here is where the evil mastermind’s cleverness comes in. Mitch voted to acquit Trump because he didn’t believe the Senate had the power to convict a president out of office. Of course, we all know that scenario came about only because McConnell refused to hold the Senate impeachment trial while Trump was still in office. Sheer brilliance!

McConnell knew that the only way his Republican colleagues could vote against convicting Trump was on technical grounds, no matter how phony, as the facts of the January 6 Capitol riot were never really in dispute. So, McConnell provided the cover … and 42 of his fellow Republican comrades, voting to give Trump a pass, wrapped themselves in the warm blanket of Mitch’s duplicity.

But McConnell’s speech after the Senate’s acquittal vote showed even more of his shrewdness.

It has been reported that McConnell wants Trump gone and out of the way. But he could not let his fellow Republicans do the job for fear of angering Trump’s loyal base.

“President Trump is still liable for everything he did while in office,” McConnell said. “He didn’t get away with anything yet. We have a criminal justice system in this country.”

There you have it. Let someone else (state attorneys general, the Justice Dept) do the dirty work!

While Trump might be the most corrupt president in U.S. history, can there be any doubt Mitch McConnell is among the more cunning, devious political leaders ever to hold public office?

Photo | AP Photo/Susan Walsh/dcist.com

No, Republicans Are Not Afraid Of Trump … They’re Scared Of His Lynch Mob

February 8, 2021 By John DeProspo 5 Comments

Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial in the Senate starts tomorrow. The prevailing sentiment is that the Republican senators will vote to acquit Trump because of what the vindictive man-who-once-occupied-the-White-House might do to their political careers if they go against him.

I’m thinking it’s much more basic than that. What Republican senators are most afraid of is for their own personal safety. They do not want to stir up that hornet’s nest otherwise known as the MAGA mob.

Trump’s supporters, many of whom have said they would defend Trump to the death, are not shy about threatening the safety of any Republican who turns on their hero or doesn’t acquiesce to his wishes.

If you remember, many in the Trump-inspired horde that stormed the Capitol on January 6 were looking for Mike Pence. More specifically, they were looking to hang Mike Pence! And what was the otherwise bootlicking VP’s offense? He refused Trump’s request to break the law by trying to stop the Electoral College vote count.

Speaking about his Republican colleagues the day of the impeachment vote in the House, Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) said, “The majority of them are paralyzed with fear. I had a lot of conversations with my Republican colleagues last night, and a couple of them broke down in tears — saying that they are afraid for their lives if they vote for this impeachment.”

So, because of Trump’s goon squad, we are no longer a nation regulated by laws, and the Constitution, but one governed by mob rule?

Some have suggested the Senate should take its vote through a secret ballot.

Robert Reich tweeted recently, “February vote in Senate on whether to convict Trump should be a secret ballot in order to (1) protect safety of senators, and (2) allow them to vote their consciences. Same protections as jurors in most trials. Senate Dems could do this with 51 votes.”

Yes, that might work, Bob, but it’s not going to happen.

While Senate rules provide for a secret ballot, if 20 Republicans vote against such a move, it’s a no-go. In other words, if only one-fifth of the chamber wants the vote to be public, it will be public. End of story.

Also, what are the chances that such a vote would remain private? Slim is the first word that comes to mind.

As Philip Bump writes in the Washington Post, “But it is also almost certain that a number of senators who think Trump deserves to be found guilty will instead vote to acquit out of fear of political — or physical — repercussions. There’s no secret ballot that can change that.”

I agree with Mr. Bump, but I’m betting the physical overshadows the political.

Photo | cnn.com

Turns Out The Party Of “Law And Order” Believes In Neither

January 3, 2021 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

As far back as I can remember, Republicans have been the party of “law and order.” At least that is how they billed themselves starting back in the days of Nixon.

A popular bumper sticker of the time, directed at the 60’s anti-Viet Nam war protesters, was “America … Love It Or Leave It.” If you were a patriot, you supported the unjust and senseless war. If you were for ending the bloodshed, you were an anti-American, unpatriotic commie anarchist.

As was brilliantly depicted in the movie The Trial of the Chicago Seven, the protesters were the real patriots of the time, not Nixon and his attorney general who sought to imprison those protesters simply for exercising their First Amendment rights.

On Tuesday, at least 11 GOP senators and as many as 140 House GOP representatives have vowed to vote against certifying Joe Biden’s Electoral College win. This act can only be seen as a clear attempt to overturn the vote of the American people and is nothing short of sedition.

As stated by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D), “This pathetic, opportunistic stunt is an attack on our democracy. It’s un-American & unconscionable. Votes have been counted, recounted, certified, & all challenges totally discredited.”

When it comes time for arguments at the January 6^th meeting of the Electoral College, Democrats need to take off the gloves. They need to call those Republicans who refused to follow precedent, and the Constitution, what they are … un-American, unpatriotic, seditionists.

Shamefully, Mike Pence, who will be presiding over the Electoral College vote, has stated, through his spokesperson, that he “welcomes the efforts of members of the House and Senate to use the authority they have under the law to raise objections and bring forward evidence before the Congress and the American people.”

As Paul Rosenberg recently noted in salon.com, “Fundamentalism and authoritarianism pushed the Republicans from low-grade mendacity into a threat to democracy.”

Democrats need to forcefully stand up for our democracy on Tuesday. They need to get over this silly idea of making “nice-nice” with the opposition and reaching out across the aisle. Those that would teardown American democracy, and the United States Constitution, are traitors of the first order.

It would be refreshing to see at least one Democrat rise on Tuesday and throw back to his Republican colleagues that infamous 60’s argument, “America … love it or leave it.”

Photo | washingtonpost.com

Is Rush Right … U.S. Headed For Divorce Court?

December 10, 2020 By John DeProspo 5 Comments

That esteemed conservative radio host and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Rush Limbaugh, suggested yesterday that the United States may be heading towards splitsville.

Speaking on his program, The Rush Limbaugh Show, Limbaugh claimed that “there cannot be a peaceful coexistence” between red and blue America, which he said had increasingly different values.

“It can’t go on this way,” said Limbaugh. “There cannot be a peaceful coexistence of two completely different theories of life, theories of government, theories of how we manage our affairs. We can’t be in this dire a conflict without something giving somewhere along the way.”

Is Rush onto something? Is he just being a clear-eyed realist?

Of course, the only other time in American history when states seceded from the union was in the days leading up to the Civil War. So, are we staring at a second, perhaps bloodless, breakup?

It does go without saying that sometimes, in any relationship, there are simply irreconcilable differences.

Interestingly enough, just one day before Limbaugh’s take on the dissolution of the American union, Texas Republican Rep., Kyle Biedermann, announced his intention to introduce the Texas Independence Referendum Act, which he said would allow Texans to vote for the state to “reassert its status as an independent nation.”

Also, in a tweet he later deleted, Georgia Republican lawmaker, Price Wallace, said last week, “We need to succeed from the union and form our own country,” misspelling “secede.”

There, no doubt, are many Americans on both sides of the red/blue divide who would be more than happy with a national separation, with “ good riddance” perhaps being the shared sentiment.

Of course this will never happen. After all, sanity among the red states is not completely lost.

As John Dean, former Nixon counsel, tweeted, “If the red states seceded, they would be a third world nation. It is the blue states that keep the red state’s financially afloat. Generally, blue states pay more taxes than they receive in federal benefits!”

Here’s something to ponder … if a national breakup were put to a vote right now, let’s say like Brexit, how confident are you the majority of voters would choose to remain the United States of America?