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Posts Tagged ‘American Politics’

Never wrestle with pigs.  You both get dirty and the pig likes it.
    ―     George Bernard Shaw
[Former President Donald Trump is a loser, an habitual liar, and a con-artist.  He will never stop lying and his hard-core followers will never give up on him.  It is a waste of time, energy and optimism to believe otherwise.  It is time the networks let Trump speak, but broadcast it in tape delay mode AND rebut his lies as soon as they happen.  It does little to no good to point them (the lies) out after a town hall broadcast has finished and you are left a list with more than one rebuttal for each moment the speaker lies.  “Free Speech” means that even liars and fear (hate)-mongers cannot be banned from spreading lies / hate.  It should not mean liars are rewarded by being allowed to continually / sequentially state lies in “real time,” particularly when statements are demonstrably untrue (a provable lie).    ―     kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022 Threat Calculus
7 (And 6) – 40
2021 Questioned By Life
If There’ll Come A Time
2020 Trying To Grow Pearls?
2019 Instantly Turned
2018 Sitting
2017 No Right Way
2016 Still Ticklish
2015 Maybe Sooner Than You Think
2014 The Path Of Mastery
2013 Love’s Ignorance
2012 Here’s To Enjoyment
2011 Not Just The Facts, Ma’am

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I like people who aren’t indicted.
    —     Meghan McCain
[Before we all start getting carried away, let’s remember that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted in a court of law by a jury of one’s peers.
Of course our initial impression is that of guilt because instead of saying:  “I am not guilty!”, former President Trump and his team are saying:
“The judge in this case is biased!”  –  Ad Hominem fallacy:  they are attempting to discredit the sitting judge before the case has even been heard, implying he (Trump) cannot get a fair trial with this judge.
“The prosecutor is conducting a politically based witch-hunt and is an animal funded and supported by Soros!”  –  More Ad Hominem fallacy:  they are attempting to discredit the District Attorney before the evidence is presented to a jury and implying this is not a case of uniform enforcement of law, but rather a politically based, racially motivated case being pushed by someone who is supported by a Jewish cabal.
“You can’t believe Cohen because he’s a convicted perjurer!”,  More Ad Hominem fallacy:  although the descriptive assertion is true (Cohen is a convicted perjurer), but they are attempting to discredit a primary witness by ignoring the fact Cohen lied to Congress at the direction / instruction of his boss (Donald Trump);
and, finally, “What I did isn’t illegal!”  Interestingly, NOT I (Trump) didn’t do it;  but, it is not a crime.  This may be Trump’s ONLY valid argument so far.  We can’t say until we see the indictment and know the factual statements / charges.  Obviously, the Grand Jury found the laws valid and a reasonable probability that Trump had violated those laws.  Note:  the Grand Jury does NOT have to find a probability “beyond a reasonable doubt” to vote FOR an indictment of an individual.
I call this a:  “Snowflake:  Poor Me – I am just an unfairly accused victim” defense.
Only time will tell how much weight these “arguments” carry in a court of law.
In the meantime, let us remember the old legal adage:
If you have the law, hammer the law.
If you have the facts, hammer the facts.
If you have neither the law nor the facts, hammer the table.
    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022 For A While
2021 The Cautionary Tale Of 6 January 2021
When I Needed Sunshine
2020 65K
Burst Buds
Faux News Viewers
2019 Tomorrow’s Bread
2018 Impeach 45: Make America Great Again
2017 Training Shoulders
2016 You Just Have To Care
Day 4 – Blending
2015 My Slow Education
2014 Great Service
2013 You Really Should Wear More Sweaters
Here I Am God
2012 The Serenity Prayer
2011 The Victory Of Life

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A function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute.  It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it invites a condition of unrest, creates dissatisfaction with conditions as they are, or even stirs people to anger.  Speech is often provocative and challenging.  It may strike at prejudices and preconceptions and have profound unsettling effects as it passes for acceptance of an idea.
    —     William O. Douglas
From:  Terminiello v. Chicago, 337 U.S. 1
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On This Day In:
2022 Beautiful Curves
2021 Life Is…
Thank You Guardians (OTG)*
2020 Why #DonTheCon Hates, Belittles And Fires Honest Government Employees
2019 What Do You Want?
2018 Wakanda Forever
I’d Be Happy With Another Score (Or So)
2017 In Defense Of A Free Press
2016 Lost Opportunity
2015 Are You Listening Ladies?
2014 Practice, Practice, Practice
2013 A Fist Full Of Confusion
2012 Teaching Faith
2011 The Heart Of Terror
The Proportion Of Gravity And Probability

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The truth is that a vast restructuring of our society is needed if remedies are to become available to the average person.  Without that restructuring the good will that holds society together will be slowly dissipated…  It is that sense of futility which permeates the present series of protests and dissents.  Where there is a persistent sense of futility, there is violence;  and that is where we are today.
    —     William O. Douglas
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On This Day In:
2022 By Any Other Name (Or Description)
2021 Democracy, Pandemic, Economy And Climate Change
Heaven Is…
2020 Hoping For #46 In January 2021
2019 Interesting, But Not Fascinating
But Try To Eat The Low-Hanging First
2018 Me, Too
2017 Apt Enough?
2016 Now Or Ever
21, Pause, Restart
2015 I Am Shocked, Sir, Shocked…
Lucy & FSND-2
2014 Less Difficult
2013 The Spirit Of Liberty
2012 The Essential Freedom Of Aloneness
2011 A Problem Of Scale
Fred Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
2010 Another Book, Another Jog…

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Very few scientists actually plunge into the murky waters of testing or challenging borderline or pseudo-scientific beliefs.  The chance of finding out something really interesting — except about human nature — seems small, and the amount of time required seems large.  I believe that scientists should spend more time in discussing these issues, but the fact that a given contention lacks vigorous scientific opposition in no way implies that scientists think it is reasonable.
    —    Carl Sagan
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On This Day In:
2021 Let Yourself Soar In 2022
Where You’re Concerned
2020 The Most Dynamic Link
Looking Forward To 2021
2019 A Proud Assertion
2018 Ask #45 About Anything
2017 Playing Makes Sense
2016 And Fathers, Sons
2015 My Suspect Confidence
2014 Disguised Blessings
2013 Be
2012 The Only Way to Win
2011 Honest Writing

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Executives owe it to the organization and to their fellow workers not to tolerate nonperforming individuals in important jobs.
    —     Peter Drucker
[Here’s looking at you #45-TheLoser…  How else do you explain bankrupting multiple casinos, an airline, a steak company, a vodka company, a bottled water company and a national political party (Republican MAGA’s)?    —    kmab ]
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On This Day In:
2021 Bring In Peace
Glad I Found You
2020 And The Past Is Much Better Than It Used To Be Too
A Winter’s Day
2019 I Just Remember It As Fun
#45: IMPEACHED!!!
2018 Prediction: Morning Is Coming After A Long Night Of #LyingDonald
2017 While Congress Slept
2016 And A Fellow Who Insists On Telling Us He’s Smart?
2015 Curves Ahead
2014 Sitting?
2013 Misperceptions
2012 Essential Experience
2011 Lest We Forget Those Still In Harm’s Way
Sound Familiar?

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I cast my vote via early drop-off earlier this week…  (Here is my confirmation on the CA web site.)

CA vote confirmation

Please complete your own civic responsibility and VOTE!  (The democracy you save may be ours…)
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On This Day In:
2021 Two Eff’n Right
Is There A Notion For That Motion?
2020 The Premium Few
No Sympathy Here
2019 Is That Why Love Hurts?
2018 And Honest Politicians
2017 Maya, Maya
2016 Give Value
2015 Believe In Substitution
2014 Pragmatic Religion
2013 How’s Your View?
2012 Giants Win Game 3 Of The 2012 World Series 2 To 0!!!
Still Haven’t…
Accidental Me
2011 What Is Your Ratio?
2010 Giants Win Game 1 With 11 Runs Scored – Repeat 11 Runs!!

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The future depends on what we do in the present.
    —     Mahatma Gandhi
[Ask them TODAY!!  We are less than 30 days from the mid-term elections.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2021 What Matters To Me
With The Slamming Of The Door
2020 Make Voting A Habit
You Ought To Hear Him Tell His Stories
2019 2019 49ers Season Starts 5-0!!
Will Any Republican Senator Vote For Impeachment?
2018 VOTE – We Need A Wave
2017 Soothe, Inspire And Recharge
2016 Aren’t We?
2015 Cold Embrace
2014 Delightful
2013 Apprenticeship
2012 Curtain Rods
2011 A Living Force
2010 BART Rides – A Tipping Point

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To know what you’re going to draw, you have to begin drawing.
    —     Pablo Picasso
[To get the kind of society you want, you have to begin by voting for the kind of government which will support and promote it.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2021 Looking Up
Shiny
2020 #45: Or All-Consuming Greed
You Could Have Told Me Yourself
2019 Not Personal
2018 Preference For Irrationality
2017 All At Once
2016 One Of My Vices
2015 The War Lord
2014 Orange October (II) – Giants Win NLDS Game 2 In 18 Innings (2 to 1)!!
Acknowledging Doubt
2013 Fulfilled Acceptance
2012 Error Is Tolerated Here (So Far)
2011 In Defense Of Pain

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The rich are always going to say that, you know, just give us more money and we’ll go out and spend more and then it will all trickle down to the rest of you.  But that has not worked the last 10 years, and I hope the American public is catching on.
    —     Warren Buffett
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On This Day In:
2021 Hold That Thought
Got Love?
2020 Everyone I’ve Ever Met
A Secret Chord
2019 A Big “IF”
2018 Silence Presence
2017 Feeling Small Standing In Front Of My Shelves
2016 Show Willing
2015 If He Only Knew…
2014 Dared To Love
2013 Strong Kung-Fu
2012 Two Tribes
2011 Made Any Assumptions Lately?

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It’s an old split.  Like the one between art and art history.  One does it and the other talks about how it’s done and the talk about how it’s done never seems to match how one does it.
    —    Robert M. Pirsig
From:  “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
[If you aren’t willing to make “some” compromises, you are not able to govern in a democracy.  We’ve known this since (at least) the Greek city states.  This is why Republicans are better in opposition than they are when trying to run things.  The same would be true for a “radical” left party, if the United States ever developed one.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2021 Back To Paying Dues
Keep Rollin’
2020 Diets And Lifestyle Changes
Pay Attention
Just Not Sure, And That’s Okay
2019 The Right Questions
Day 3: Still Difficult
2018 A Thought For Those Continuing To Support President Trump
Day 36: Pushing On
2017 Imagining Humor
2016 So Go On And Deal With It
2015 From A Letter To A Friend
2014 Your Part (Here)
2013 Complements
2012 Sound And Light
2011 Two Politicians Visit A Farm…
2010 Labor Day And Honorable Men

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Over the last weekend, Senator Lyndsey Graham (R – South Carolina) was interviewed on TV and virtually assured that if former President Trump is indicted for taking classified government documents to Mar-a-Lago, there will be “riots in the streets”.
My response to Sen. Graham is:  “Fine!  Rioters will be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law…”
Under 18 U.S.C. § 2384, “seditious conspiracy” occurs when two or more persons:
conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof.
NO ONE is above the law – particularly when it comes to the defense of National Security.  This especially includes former Presidents!
If there is sufficient evidence to indict / convict Donald Trump, then he should be indicted, arrested and brought to trial.  If found guilty, Trump should serve time.  If found not guilty, Trump should be released.  He IS presumed to be NOT guilty until he has been found guilty by a jury of his peers.
If individuals (or groups) wish to meet PEACEFULLY to object to / protest the indictment, trial, or results, they have their First Amendment right to do so.  They DO NOT have the right to riot or interfere with the process of the lawful administration of justice.
Anyone found guilty of rioting and / or conspiracy to riot should be placed on a domestic terrorist watch list for the remainder of their natural lives.  They should be reminded that – in the “good, old days” – terrorism, sedition and insurrection were punished by death.
If we – as a nation – accept the threat of violence (“riots in the streets”) as a reason to not prosecute ANYONE who would otherwise be subject to prosecution / trial, then we are no longer a country ruled by law.
The general public needs to be reminded former President Trump was not the only person in his Administration who was aware of the unlawful removal and possession of government documents (not just the “classified” documents), and they should ALL be indicted and prosecuted.  This is the only way to ensure this does not happen again  – by an Administration from either political party.
Equal Justice Under Law…
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On This Day In:
2021 How Learning Infections Begin
Stay Young At Heart
2020 Policies Not People
Just Thinking To Myself
2019 Should I Start With My Religion?
2018 Fear And Hope
Day 33: Good News & Prep
2017 Directions
2016 Handle With Care
2015 Nothing But Pride
2014 Go
2013 Well, Does It?
2012 Near Misses Aren’t Successes
2011 Uncomfortable Feelings
2010 San Francisco (favorites)…
Bullets or Butter?

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Your Army can accomplish for an extended period only those missions that are accepted by our citizenry for whom the Army exists to support.
    —    General William Westmoreland
[And the same is true for our representative form of government, too.  It (WE) cannot do anything over an extended period of time without continuous support by the public.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022 For An Extended Period
2021 Surrender With Hope
A Little Grace
2020 Two Midway
Invisible Hands
2019 Speaking Of #45
2018 A Higher Loyalty
RIP – Our Silver Lady
2017 Slowly Cutting Their Own Throats
2016 Man’s Advantage Over God
2015 Deeply
2014 Hi-Yo Silver, Away!
2013 Warning:
2012 Thinking About Beauty
2011 A Founding Father’s Argument Against Public Funding Of Religious Education
Weekend Update
So Far, So Good

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A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.
   —     Steven Wright
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On This Day In:
2022 Modern Republicans Have Long Since Concluded…
2021 Do Senate Republicans Believe In The Constitution And The Rule Of Law (Or Not)?
With Your Red Dress On
2020 Morally Treasonable
2019 Lost Again Or Still?
2018 Why #LazyDonald Starts Work At 11AM
2017 At Least Most Of The Time
2016 But Doctor, I Never Learned How To Read
2015 Punch The Keys, For God’s Sake!
2014 Ouch!
2013 Revelations
2012 Movies And Juicing
Brady Gets #4 (Prediction)
Happy To Get Up
2011 What About Good Blogs?
2010 Slowly, Slowly…

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The decision to reject one paradigm is always simultaneously the decision to accept another, and the judgment leading to that decision involves the comparison of both paradigms with nature and with each other.
    —     Thomas S. Kuhn, PhD.
From his book:  “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
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On This Day In:
2022 Almost Never (These Days) In Politics
2021 Senate: Defend The Constitution – Convict Trump
Can The Senate Find Truth?
2020 All Foam And All Dreams
2019 Why #IncompetentDonald May Be The Most Successful President Ever
Latina Fish Story
2018 Blocking The Light And Air
2017 It’s Even Dimmer When You Don’t Have It
2016 Inconvenienced By Degree
2015 Sincerity
2014 Prayers For Junior
Senseless
2013 Interesting Drink
Super Bowl XLVII Declared A No Bird Zone
2012 Smile
2011 Come Forward

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