Category Archives: Current Events

Good People Who Unintentionally Damaged Our Democracy.

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In recent years, there have been numerous officials and powerful figures who have done great harm to our nation. To name just a few: Nixon authorized a break-in to undermine the integrity of our elections. Ronald Reagan created distrust in our federal government and formed a shadow government that led to the Iran–Contra scandal. George W. Bush and his V.P. Dick Cheney lied about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Bush’s brother, Jeb, undermined the presidential election in 2000. The Koch brothers bombarded our elections with billions to help destroy our government. Australian national Rupert Murdoch enriched himself by creating the rightwing propaganda network known as Fox News Channel. And Donald J. Trump fomented racial division, promoted false claims of election fraud, and incited a violent insurrection.

There are many, many others – mostly Republicans.

However, there are three well-intentioned Democrats who have caused lasting damage to our democracy in other ways. They are, in no particular order, Ruth Bader-Ginsberg (the notorious RBG), President Biden, and Merrick Garland.

The one trait these people shared is caution.

To wit, RBG, even while battling cancer, refused to resign her seat on the Supreme Court of the United States in the hope that the first woman president (Hillary Clinton) could name her replacement. Of course, though Clinton won the popular vote, she lost the election which allowed Trump to choose a young, partisan right-winger to succeed her.

President Biden won a mandate in 2020 in which Democrats controlled the White House and both houses of Congress. They immediately stabilized the government following Trump’s failed coup d’etat, improved our standing in the international community, and expertly ended the pandemic. But, though Biden, along with Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer accomplished many other great things including passing the long-awaited bipartisan infrastructure bill, the CHIPs Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden failed to articulate the benefits of those accomplishments to the voting public.

Worse, instead of clearly announcing that he would not seek re-election at the age of 82, he decided to run again. By waiting too long, he gave V.P. Harris just a little more than 100 days to campaign for the office, making her task exceedingly difficult, if not impossible.

The third, and I believe the most damaging person on this list is Garland. Though he was highly qualified as a judge and would have made a fine member of SCOTUS. His judicial caution made him a pathetic Attorney General.

Despite warnings that justice delayed is justice denied, Garland failed to quickly investigate and prosecute Trump for his many obvious crimes. He waited nearly two years to name a special counsel, apparently hoping to avoid the appearance of partisanship. Not surprisingly, the delay played directly into the hands of the man who had been schooled by the attorney to the Mob. Not only did Trump and his cronies label Garland’s actions a partisan witch hunt anyway. The delay permitted Trump to use an avalanche of court filings and aid from those he appointed to the bench to avoid justice.

As a result, we now have a convicted felon as President-Elect who can claim immunity for almost any crime that he and his nominees commit. Almost certainly, there will be many.

Democratic Branding.

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During my many years of working in the advertising industry at a high level (I helped create brands for hundreds of well-known products and services), I learned that, if an organization fails to create a positive brand image for itself, its competitors will create one for it. And the competitors’ version will not be flattering.

That’s exactly what Republicans have done to the Democratic Party.

Upon doing a bit of informal research, I learned that most registered Democrats and independents, cannot, in a few words, describe what the Party stands for. If you ask a hundred people, you’ll likely get a hundred different answers. Indeed, many Democratic leaders take pride in quoting Will Rogers: “I’m not a member of an organized political party. I’m a Democrat.”

Yet most can state the GOP’s preferred brand message: “Smaller government and lower taxes.” (Of course, MAGA has turned that into outright hatred of government and ‘The Libs.'”)

Democrats, having failed themselves to clearly articulate a brand message, have permitted Republicans to do it for them. They have labeled Democrats as “tax and spend liberals.”

It should come as no surprise that the label is wholly inaccurate. In recent decades, Republicans have run up far larger deficits. And their tax cuts have mostly benefited large corporations and the wealthy. In fact, Reagan, W, and Trump have all broken our economy leaving their Democratic successors tasked with fixing it.

It should also be no surprise that, given the Republican version of the brand, so many people of low- and middle-income vote Republican against their own self-interest.

In addition, the Democratic Party’s failure to properly brand itself has resulted in a lack of loyalty. Too many of the “Big Tent” Party’s supporters are single issue voters. In the recent election, they consisted of those who are pro-Palestinian, angry at Biden’s unwavering support for Israel and seemingly unaware of Trump’s willingness to abandon Palestinian dreams of freedom. There were others frustrated that Biden had not done more to relieve student debt or frustrated that he had failed to expand the Supreme Court.

There were dozens of issues that lowered Democratic voter turnout. The biggest of which was inflation. Too many voters didn’t understand the true causes of inflation – that it began as a result of Trump’s failure to properly address the pandemic, which disrupted supply chains that have taken years to repair. Why would they? Biden and the Party never explained it to them.

I also think the Democratic Party’s failed messaging has permitted Republicans, conservative pundits, Russian operatives, and QAnon conspiracy theorists to inaccurately portray Democratic initiatives – to mislead and to misinform voters.

For years, I have begged the Party to improve its communications with voters and to create an accurate brand description that clearly states its support for working-class people of all incomes, colors and backgrounds. One of the very few to listen is Ken Martin, Chair of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in Minnesota. With his help, candidates like Governor Tim Walz, Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and the late Paul Wellstone have enjoyed widespread support of voters even in staunchly Republican districts.

Fortunately, at a time when the Democratic National Committee is still licking its wounds following the stunning outcome of the election, Mr. Martin has declared his interest in leading the committee. I know that many in Washington will look unfavorably at a leader from “flyover country”. But it is the Party’s failures in most of the “flyover” counties and states that have led to the recent MAGA success.

The Democratic Party is unnecessarily suffering from a long-standing urban-rural divide. The sentiment that led to the term “City Slicker” largely still exists in rural America. And even though modern-day farming consists of running a huge business, few Democratic leaders in Washington and elsewhere have come to recognize that.

I hope most Democrats ignore the post-election circular firing squad and blame game and address what I believe is at the root of our problems. We need to focus on creating an accurate brand message and combine that with an aggressive and ongoing outreach effort aimed at all Americans.

Ken Martin is the best person to lead that effort.

Kakistocracy Returns.

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And this time, it’s a real sh*storm!

Kakistocracy, of course, is defined as a government run by the least acceptable and least competent officials. How else could you describe a government led by a thuggish narcissistic sociopath and administered by his unhinged and unqualified sycophants?

Think that assessment too harsh?

Not when an unqualified Fox News host is nominated to lead the world’s most powerful military. Not when a brain worm-infected anti-vaxxer is put in charge of the nation’s health services. Not when a Putin-loving conspiracy theorist is nominated as the nation’s top intelligence officer. And especially not when a former congressman who is the subject of a House investigation and credibly accused of illegal drug use and trafficking underage women for sex is nominated to lead the justice department.

In the words of Trump’s former attorney, Ty Cobb, that is “a f**k you to America.”
Indeed, the election of Trump is clearly a f**k you to our constitution, democracy and decency.

Trump has used a combination of lies, hateful rhetoric, and threats of violence to so enrage his followers against his political opponents, recent immigrants, transsexuals, and other minorities that they’re willing to destroy everything good that our nation has stood for.

For these insurrectionists, nothing is sacred.

After previously attacking police and defacing the halls of democracy on January 6th, they now seem ready to abandon our most hallowed principles and institutions, including the rule of law that our nation was founded upon.

In addition, they seem intent on ending all efforts to mitigate the climate crisis and abandoning relationships with our long-standing allies. They talk of rewriting our constitution; of consolidating power in the executive branch; of mass deportations; of eliminating protections for the LGBTQ community and other minorities; of deregulating large corporations and lowering their taxes; of imposing tariffs that will put our economy at risk; of privatizing our schools; of banning abortion and contraception; of banning books and history; of diminishing the power of labor unions; of eliminating the Federal Reserve; and of replacing the U.S. dollar with crypto currency.

Given their control of the Oval Office, the Senate, the House and SCOTUS, they now have the power to burn it all down. And they won’t stop there. I believe the goal is to bring the entire world to its knees with orders to kiss the ring of Trump and his fellow autocrats.

Instead, they can kiss my ass!

What Your Support Of Trump Says About You:

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If you are a multi-millionaire, a billionaire or an executive of a large, multinational corporation, your MAGA support is likely a matter of greed. Trump’s previous tax cuts and promised further cuts make you willing to ignore his boorish and bullying behavior. It shows that you are greedy and self-focused – able to ignore the prospects of our nation turning from democracy to autocracy. It also shows that you have little to no compassion for your fellow human beings.

If you’re poor, a first-generation immigrant, a member of a minority, or a military veteran, it implies that you are a masochist. Why else would you support someone who has such a long history of referring to you as lazy, criminals, unintelligent, or suckers and losers?

If you’re an evangelical who believes Trump has been chosen by God to “save” you and your religious brethren, it shows that you have eschewed the tenets of your religion to worship a cult leader who is the polar opposite of your Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, and most other historical religious leaders. Trump is clearly a sociopath who knows nothing about compassion – the foundation of most religions. He cares only about himself.

If you’re a male 18-65, it says you are afflicted with toxic masculinity. You are likely angry, cruel, and entitled – perhaps an incel who sees women, immigrants, the poor, and the LGBTQ+ community as subjects who exist only to satiate your overwhelming need for dominance. In your perverse mind, they are to be controlled, ridiculed, used, and abused.

If you’re a young female of child-bearing age, it shows that you are likely either naïve or delusional. You unquestionably have a low self-image – willing to forgo the right to control your own body in service of a cult controlled by outsized male egos.

If you’re a senior, it shows that you have simply given up on the future. You no longer care about democracy, our government, or most of the other inhabitants of our planet. You are willing to ignore climate change and the extinction of millions of species. And you are willing to accept autocracy as long as your Social Security checks keep coming and you can rely on Medicare to help you enjoy a bit more time with your grandchildren.

And if you’re a child under the age of 18, it shows that you have either been indoctrinated by your MAGA parents, or you are acting out as part of a rebellion against polite society.

Almost certainly, most of you will disagree. And you certainly have a right to do so. But seriously, I can see no other reasons for anyone to support such a hateful, cruel, lying, womanizing, self-centered, sociopathic, treacherous and greedy excuse for a human being. One whose celebrity, fortune, and claimed success is based entirely on the labor of others.

America’s Mein Kampf.

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For as long as I can remember, Republicans have talked about freedom. The words liberty and freedom are splattered all over their websites and on their paraphernalia – from hats and t-shirts to flags and bumper stickers. They talk about making America great again as if it isn’t already great – the world’s economic and military leader and the leader for human rights.

Yet The Heritage Foundation and many former Trump officials have created a plan to strip away many of our freedoms should Trump be returned to office this November. Under Project 2025, the operating manual for a second Trump administration, they would politicize almost the entirety of the federal government by replacing up to 50,000 government workers with Trump loyalists.

And that’s only the beginning. Under Project 2025, Trump and his sycophants plan to burn the Constitution and limit or eliminate many of the freedoms you take for granted. Here are some of the freedoms at risk:

1 – Freedom to control your body. Trump’s Supreme Court appointees have already overturned Roe v. Wade. As a result, women’s reproductive rights are banned in numerous states. A new Trump administration plans to make the ban nationwide. They would also invoke the Comstock Act to prevent access to mifepristone through the mail. It’s also highly likely that Republicans would block IVF.

2 – Freedom of privacy. Project 2025 calls for increased surveillance of pregnant women to ensure that every state reports exactly how many abortions take place within its borders, at what gestational age of the fetus, for what reason, the woman’s state of residence, and by what method. It should also ensure that statistics are separated by category: spontaneous miscarriage; treatments that incidentally result in the death of a fetus (such as chemotherapy); stillbirths; and induced abortion.”

3 – Freedom of movement. In several states, Republicans have already tried to criminalize interstate movement by pregnant women seeking abortions in states where they remain legal. Under a nationwide ban by a Trump administration, it’s likely they would prosecute the women and anyone who aids them in their travel.

4 – Freedom to contraception. In a further attempt to relegate women to baby factories, Project 2025 argues against contraception and falsely claims that birth control is detrimental to fertility. It would allow employers and insurance companies to deny coverage of birth control pills based on religious grounds.

5 – Freedom to healthcare access. Trump and his allies tried to eliminate the Affordable Care Act in his previous administration. They will undoubtedly try to do it again.

6 – Freedom to clean air and water. In its decision to overturn the 40-year-old precedent of Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, SCOTUS has already undermined the power of federal agencies, such as the EPA. Project 2025 intends to take it further by freeing business from many regulations so they can pollute at will. It would also strip all federal funds intended to mitigate climate change.

7 – Freedom to an education. Project 2025 calls for reducing funding for low-income students, the privatization of schools and the elimination of the Department of Education. It will also block federal financial aid for American college students if their state permits certain immigrant groups, including Dreamers with legal status, to access in-state tuition.

8 – Freedom to eat. Project 2025 calls for reducing the number of recipients of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and reimpose work requirements, which have proven to be ineffective.

9 – Freedom to love who you want. Project 2025 would roll back anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ population, prioritize straight marriages over gay marriages, and promote conversion therapy.

10 – Freedom of the press. A second Trump administration would not only escalate attacks on news media. According to Project 2025, NPR and PBS would be defunded, thus limiting access to reliable unbiased news. In addition, it would further destroy the journalistic independence of Voice of America.

11 – Freedom to live in the U.S. Trump has long wanted to deport undocumented immigrants. If given a second term in office, he would terminate the legal status of some 500,000 Dreamers. He has also outlined plans to use the military to round up 15 to 20 million immigrants, place them in internment camps and deport them to their countries of origin.

12 – Freedom to fair pay and benefits. Project 2025 calls for an end to overtime pay, the gutting of labor union protections, and cutting unemployment insurance. At the same time, it would increase child labor.

13 – Freedom to vote. For decades, Republicans have tried to restrict the voting rights of those who are least likely to vote for them. To that end, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act. Republicans have used intimidation and a variety of voter suppression tactics against people of color. They have leveled death threats against election officials. And Project 2025 would further fuel the assault on election officials by withholding federal support for their work and threatening to use the DOJ and other agencies to further politicize the administration of elections.

14 – Freedom of religion. Much of Trump’s support has come from white Christian Nationalists. So, it should come as no surprise that Project 2025 is a Christian Nationalist initiative that ignores the Constitution’s separation clause to establish Christian “values” throughout the government. It proposes criminalizing pornography, funding religious schools with taxpayer funds, and replacing social welfare services by diverting federal funds to churches and religious organizations.

If Trump once again occupies the Oval Office, America will not be great. It will be unrecognizable.

The Robbers…er…Roberts Court.

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Under Chief Justice Roberts, the highest court in the land has become the most corrupt and hyper partisan in history. Unencumbered by a code of ethics, two of its members have accepted gifts worth millions in exchange for their votes. Two of the majority were credibly accused of sexual misconduct. Most, if not all, of the ruling majority perjured themselves during Senate confirmation hearings. And, ruling in lockstep, the majority has all but destroyed any respect for the justice system and the rule of law, the cornerstones of our democracy.

This court of last resort for traitors, conmen, and fascists has robbed women of the right to control their own bodies. It has robbed minorities of federal protections making it more difficult for people of color to vote. It has robbed federal agencies of the power to regulate large corporations. It has prioritized corporations over people and billionaires over everyone else. And, based on a clear misinterpretation of the Second Amendment, it has consistently ruled in favor of guns over the lives of people, even those of children.

The court has sufficiently delayed trials involving Trump, so that he will likely escape justice for his many unconstitutional and treasonous acts. Behind the scenes, at least one of its members allegedly pressured wannabe Supreme Court justice Aileen Cannon into delaying and eventually dismissing the case against Trump for stealing and mishandling classified documents. And, ignoring the wisdom of our founders, the majority has actually proclaimed the orange-tinted felon immune from prosecution for any and all illegal actions while in office.

In effect, this once proud and respected institution has been transformed into a governmental branch of the fascist White Christian Nationalist Movement seemingly bent on turning our nation into a mirror of Putin’s Russia.

To call it a kangaroo court would be a grievous injustice to kangaroos! And if our Republic does somehow survive the next two years, this version of SCROTUS will be internationally reviled by historians for centuries.

Trump Is No Martyr.

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He’s the victim (and the beneficiary) of the hate he himself created.

From the beginning of his presidential ambitions, violence and talk of violence have been a feature, indeed the central theme, of Trump’s rallies and his administration.

He has aimed his hatred at immigrants and refugees, at Muslims and people of color, at Mexicans and Latinos, at Chinese and other Asians, at liberals and Democrats, even at the infants and children of immigrants.

And at the end of his administration, he inspired his followers to violently attack police, members of Congress, and his own vice-president.

Trump encouraged his supporters to rough up protestors at his rallies. He ordered federal agencies to attack non-violent demonstrators to clear the streets for his photo-op of holding a Bible upside-down in front of a church he never attended.

He embraced violent gangs like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. He expressed absolutely no regret for his supporter’s brutal attack on Paul Pelosi. As an attention-seeking playboy of the 80s, he paid for a full-page ad calling for the execution of the Central Park Five – five innocent young black men falsely accused of a horrific crime.

And now he stands to benefit from an apparent assassination attempt by a member of his own hateful political party. As a result of the attack, some media have already pronounced him the winner of this year’s presidential election.

Why?

Trump very much created an atmosphere of hatred, violence and political division. He and his allies are responsible for thousands of death threats against political rivals, election workers, judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, the LGBTQ+ community, and others. They have created Project 2025, a 900-page plan for a fascist, autocratic government that will take power should Trump once again occupy the White House.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he deserves to die from the violence he created. But he sure as hell shouldn’t benefit from it! From the assassination attempt, he only suffered a scratched ear and the embarrassment of falling out of his 3- inch lift shoes while one rally-goer was killed, and others critically wounded.

Save your sympathy for them and others who deserve it.

America’s Great Character Test.

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Each 4th of July, we celebrate Independence Day, the day the Declaration of Independence was ratified by the Second Continental Congress. That act, of course, led to the Revolutionary War, our freedom from a tyrannical king and the world’s longest-lasting democratic experiment.

It was called an experiment by our nation’s founders because they were uncertain if our citizens could maintain it. Though the Constitution was written to “establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,” the framers could not guarantee that it would last.

They were right to be worried.

Since the original Independence Day, our nation has faced a number of critical tests. Tests that have required character, courage, determination, luck and a great deal of our citizens’ blood. From its beginning, the Revolution was very much in doubt. Even after the defeat of British forces, we had to face them again in the War of 1812. Then came the Civil War, a war testing the founders’ original belief that “all men are created equal.”

World War II again put the future of our nation in doubt as it raised the question of whether or not we could defeat the cruelty of fascism.

Of course, we passed each and every test. But it remains to be determined if we can fend off fascism and tyranny from within.

Ironically, just prior to this Independence Day, our nation’s highest court has made the defense of liberty and democracy much more difficult. Following years of political division and challenges to the rule of law by former president Trump and his supporters, the court’s highly partisan MAGA majority ignored one of the founders’ most intensely held beliefs – that no man is above the rule of law. Their decision has not only delayed justice for Trump’s illegal activities. Should Trump be elected again, the court has given him immunity for “official acts” no matter how corrupt or cruel they may be.

We all know that Trump’s mindset has always been that of a narcissistic, sociopathic bully – one who was mentored by Roy Cohn, attorney to Sen. Joseph McCarthy and the New York Mafia. During his term in office, Trump was held partially in check by men of good conscience. Men like John Kelly, H.R. McMaster, Gen. Mark Milley, and, in the end, V.P. Mike Pence.

But, according to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 and Trump’s Agenda 47, should Trump be re-elected, no one of good conscience will be anywhere near him. The entire executive branch, and virtually the entire government will be filled with tens of thousands of Trump loyalists. Unfettered by legal and ethical constraints, Trump will be free to do what bullies do – seize power and exact retribution on anyone and everyone he considers an enemy.

His enemies list is already quite long. And it’s growing. It includes anyone who dares to question his decisions and who makes negative statements about him.

So, this November, Americans will face another test that will determine the future of our democratic experiment – a character test. Will we choose a leader, such as Joe Biden, a man who has long proven to be of good character? A leader who, though you may or may not agree with his policies, believes in democracy to his core. A man who has accomplished much in his political career. Who led us out of the pandemic. Who helped put our economy back on firm footing. Who engineered a bipartisan infrastructure bill.

A leader whose policies have led to near full employment, record wage growth, and record stock markets. A man who has taken on some of the world’s greatest problems, such as wealth disparity and climate change. A man, who unlike Trump, stands for truth. A man who has never been divorced, who has never been convicted of a felony or defamation or sexual assault. A man who has never needed to pay hush money to women with whom he has had affairs. A man who has never created a fraudulent “university” or a fraudulent charity. A man who has never led an attack on our government and institutions.

Indeed, the biggest knock against him is his age and the fact that he botched a debate when overwhelmed by Trump’s avalanche of lies.

Or will we choose a lying, womanizing, false prophet and conman totally lacking in character? A man who is known to admire the world’s worst strongmen and who will undoubtedly emulate them. A man who sees our government as a personal piggy bank. A man who will try to turn the world order upside down by embracing our nation’s enemies and alienating our greatest allies.

But the decision isn’t just about the candidates’ character. It’s about yours.

The Greatest Challenges Of The 21st Century.

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Through the rest of this century, the world is facing a number of seemingly insurmountable problems – problems for which there appear to be no easy answers. Some so complex and so threatening that they could doom humanity for all eternity. Yet, even for those challenges, there are answers if we are willing to acknowledge the problems and make the changes so urgently required.

Here they are in ascending order of difficulty:

Rise of Authoritarianism – The solution for this one is exceedingly simple: Vote! Vote only for those politicians who are committed to democracy. Fight tyranny at every turn. No politician who embraces discrimination of any kind belongs in office.

Corporate Consolidation – The phenomenon of too-big-to-fail banks and multinational corporations has led to a wide variety of problems for humanity. These include a lack of competition leading to inflation, the elimination of pension funds for workers, the growing disparity of income between CEOs and workers, the exporting of jobs in the search for ever cheaper and more compliant labor…the list is long.

Fortunately, the solution is also simple. Indeed, Congress gave us a seldom-used tool to break up these industrial cabals and growing monopolies: The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. It’s time our government used it.

Wealth Disparity – Globally, the richest 10% of the global population currently take home 52% of the income. Those in the poorest half of the global population earn just 8%.

In the U.S., the wealthiest one percent of Americans hold more than 32 percent of the nation’s wealth. The top 10 percent hold 77 percent of the wealth, while the bottom 50 percent of households hold just one percent of the wealth. And 7.5 percent of the population has a negative net worth – meaning they are in debt.

By race, white households hold more than 86 percent of the wealth while black and Latino households hold less than 3 percent of the wealth.

And, until the election of President Biden the problem has only gotten worse, a result of the vicious economic policy called Trickle-Down Theory that was embraced by Ronald Reagan and every Republican president since. The subsequent wealth gap has led to growing poverty and food insecurity, unfair tax policies, a government that is bought and paid for by wealthy individuals and corporations, and a loss of tax revenue that has led to a growing national debt.

Yet there is some glimmer of hope for those at the bottom of the wealth scale. According to the Federal Reserve, the average wealth of the bottom half of Americans has increased by 80 percent since 2019, perhaps as a result of President Biden’s policies. (Of course, wealth growth is statistically much more profound if you have very little wealth to begin with.)

The solutions to wealth disparity also seem relatively simple: Enact a wealth tax and impose strict limits on donations to political campaigns. That could give all Americans a chance at the equal representation our Founders intended.

Gun Violence – The U.S. suffers approximately 20,000 violent gun deaths each year (not including suicides) and more than 35,000 gun injuries. Thanks to the NRA, other so-called gun rights groups, and gun manufacturers, police have to assume that every person they encounter is armed. Our schools and many public buildings have become virtual fortresses in an attempt to prevent mass shootings. And, from the age of 5, children are taught to live in fear of active shooters. No other developed nation in the world experiences these problems. But our gun manufacturers are trying to change that by exporting guns to criminal gangs worldwide.

It doesn’t have to be this way!

The solution is to follow Australia’s lead by banning and collecting guns, especially semi-automatics. Instead, as exemplified by the recent Supreme Court decision overturning the ban on bump stocks, the U.S. is headed in the opposite direction.

Climate Crisis – The U.S. has long led the world in the amount of fossil fuels burned per capita. And now we are the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas. For more than 50 years, scientists have been warning us that, by incinerating fossil fuels, we are in danger of incinerating our planet. Unwilling to believe them, we have protected our fossil fuel industry and refused to modify our unsustainable lifestyle.

Sure, we have made some limited progress by recycling, better insulating our homes, producing more energy efficient appliances, and expanding the use of renewable fuels. But those measures are far too little, too late.

We led the world in establishing an extravagant, disposable culture. Now we need to lead the world to live within our planet’s means. Change is possible. But we must hurry. As you can see by the ever-increasing, ever more violent storms and other climate-related disasters, time is running out, and quickly.

Mass Migration – In recent years, migrants have flooded the borders of the United States and other highly developed nations. As a result of wars, violent gangs, autocratic rulers, and natural disasters such as drought, storms, and flooding, millions of people are faced with the choice of either migrating or dying.

Think immigrants are ruining your country? Then demand that our politicians do something to improve circumstances in their home countries. And be willing to open your hearts as well as your pocketbooks to help.

Mass Extinctions – In Earth’s history, there have been 5 mass extinctions defined as the loss of 75 percent of all species within a relatively short period of time. Scientists tell us that we are about to experience a sixth mass extinction as the result of human activities such as deforestation, unsustainable food production, pollution, encroachment of habitat, and the burning of fossil fuels.

Currently, extinction of species is occurring 1,000 to 10,000 times more rapidly than the natural rate. Why should we care?

First, we are living in an ecosystem. The life of one species depends on the life of others. Second, the world will become a much less interesting and livable place without some of the most vulnerable species. And third, we’re one of the species that could go extinct!

You already know the ways to mitigate the sixth mass extinction: Stop wasting resources, limit the use of fossil fuels, limit travel, stop polluting, and quickly transition to a mostly plant-based diet.

We have been the problem. Now we must become the solution.

Artificial Intelligence – AI could be the answer to many of our problems. Or, it could add to them. It simply depends on how we use it.

Used properly, AI can help us eradicate diseases, streamline research, create solutions for complex problems, perform the most dangerous and boring jobs, and help us to objectively solve conflicts.

AI-driven vehicles could make our roads safer and more orderly. AI could make logistics more efficient and more predictable. The possibilities are endless.

But there’s a much darker side to AI.

AI is already creating deepfakes – fake videos and images of people saying and doing things they never intended or even imagined. Women have been victimized by fake images of them nude or engaging in sex acts. Even worse, deepfakes of political candidates and leaders could have profound consequences.

AI could eliminate millions of jobs making humans essentially obsolete.

Not surprisingly, AI has been embraced by the military to replace humans in battle. Future armies, navies and air forces could be dominated by AI-controlled robots making real-time decisions of life and death. Once that happens, will we become the predominate targets?

One AI researcher believes so. He estimates there’s a 99.9% chance that AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) will lead to human extinction within the next 100 years claiming that no AGI model he has seen has been safe. And though other AI researchers are less certain that AGI will lead to our extinction, they are not particularly reassuring.

A Final Word: As daunting as some of these challenges seem, to some degree, they all can be addressed with one simple action: Vote! We must climb out of our media silos, ignore the misinformation and disinformation peddled by the moneyed interests, educate ourselves, and vote for the politicians who are willing to acknowledge the scope of the challenges and attack them in earnest.

Who’s Next On The MAGA Hit List?

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Following World War II and the Holocaust, a German Lutheran pastor named Martin Niemöller wrote, “First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”

As Donald J. Trump and his MAGA supporters continue to expand their enemies list, that sentiment is a clear warning for today given the number of organizations and people Trump and his MAGA supporters have targeted for retribution should he return to the White House. And it’s expanding daily.

  • Barack Obama who Trump claims is not a natural born citizen and, therefore, unqualified to hold the office of President.
  • Immigrants who became the primary targets on the day Trump first announced that he was running for office. Of course, he later separated immigrant children from their parents as a cruel form of deterrent. (If re-elected he plans to detain more than 12 million immigrants, including Dreamers, and confine them to internment camps before deporting them.)
  • Mexico, which he blames for the immigration problem and the fentanyl crisis. (He has claimed that he will bomb Mexican drug labs and invade Mexico if re-elected.)
  • Hillary Clinton for whom he repeatedly led chants to “Lock her up!”
  • Women for whom he would deny reproductive health care, including contraception. (It appears he considers them worthy of his attention only if they meet his beauty standards and he can grab them between the legs and have sex with them whenever he wants.)
  • Wind turbine manufacturers and operators because he claims wind turbines kill birds and cause cancer. (His hatred of them is more likely the result of Scotland installing wind turbines off the coast of one of his beloved golf courses.)
  • Any media that are not members of the MAGA propaganda network, most especially CNN, NBC, MSNBC, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
  • Truth. Trump has proven to be one of the most prolific liars in history. Indeed, the media and various factcheckers documented more than 3,000 lies he told during just his four years in office.
  • Gold Star families, POWs, as well as dead and wounded soldiers, who he labeled “suckers and losers.”
  • The Lincoln Project and other “disloyal” Republicans who refuse to support Trump.
  • The Libs, the Elites and the Woke. In other words, any progressive, caring person who disagrees with his cruel, discriminatory and corrupt politics.
  • Non-Christians as determined by his Christian Nationalist base and the delusional Christian evangelicals who see him as “chosen by God.”
  • The LGBTQ community, particularly transgender individuals who Trump and his supporters see as aberrant and an afront to God.
  • NATO and our longtime allies who Trump believes cheat the U.S. and stand in the way of Putin’s Russia.
  • Black Lives Matter and Antifa (antifascists) who dared to demonstrate against racism, police brutality and Trump’s armed bullies (the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers).
  • Ukraine, which he tried to strong-arm into opening a phony investigation into his political opponent – Joe Biden – before the 2020 election.
  • Scientists who continue to raise alarms over the climate crisis and those who encouraged vaccinations, social distancing, and shutdowns during the Covid19 pandemic, especially Dr. Anthony Fauci.
  • The United States Postal Service that delivered the mail-in ballots for Biden.
  • Election officials, both Democrat and Republican, who ensured the rights of all citizens to have their votes accurately counted, especially in the states Biden won.
  • Former officials and aides, such as John Kelly, Gen. James Mattis, Gen. Mark Milley, Gen. H. R. McMaster, Sarah Matthews, Stephanie Grisham, and Cassidy Hutchinson who acted as guardrails during his administration and/or revealed the true depths of his depravity.
  • Former V.P Mike Pence, who refused to go along with Trump’s attempted coup on January 6, 2021.
  • President Biden for daring to deny Trump a second term by winning the 2020 election.
  • Anyone connected with the House January 6 Select Committee, especially Nancy Pelosi and the two Republican members: Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Trump would also pardon all of the criminals (in his words “Patriotic Warriors”) who have been convicted of brutalizing police and defacing the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to keep Trump in power.
  • The entire justice system that has dared to try to hold Trump accountable for his many crimes. Those targeted for special retribution are special prosecutor Jack Smith, New York Attorney General Letitia James, New York District Attorney Al Bragg who led the hush money investigation, Georgia DA Fani Willis who led the investigation of Trump’s election conspiracy, as well as the Attorneys General in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin for seeking justice against fake electors.
  • Judges, jurors, witnesses and complainants in the legal cases against Trump, especially Judge Kaplan, Judge Merchan, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, and E. Jean Carroll.
  • Many authors and their books. MAGA groups such as Mom’s for Liberty and Trump’s Christian Nationalist supporters continue to ban books on any and all subjects they find distasteful, such as any reference to sex (excluding, of course, the Bible), slavery, Jim Crow, and the history of indigenous Americans.
  • The U.S. Constitution. Trump has announced a second term would be “post-constitutional.” He seems especially frustrated by freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and the 14th, 15th, 16th, 19th, and 22nd Amendments. Moreover, he and his MAGA supporters would like to end direct elections of the President and the Senate by placing the outcomes in the hands of state legislatures. That would almost certainly ensure Republican control for generations.
  • The Federal government as we know it. As part of Project 2025, Trump would fire up to 50,000 federal workers and replace them with MAGA loyalists. He would eliminate the Department of Commerce and the Department of Education. He would slash funding for the Department of Justice and basically dismantle the FBI along with the Department of Homeland Security placing them largely under his control. He would also end the independence of other federal agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission.
  • Public schools. In addition to eliminating the Department of Education, Trump would institute universal school “choice” which would redirect taxpayer funds to private and religious schools.
  • Democracy. Trump has long expressed his admiration for dictators, strongmen and thugs. He and his MAGA followers have little interest in free and fair elections. They want to decide who can vote and who wins. Their only real interest is gaining power and keeping it, democracy be damned.

As you can see, Trump’s enemies list is long. And, if you’re not on it, he and his supporters will likely be coming for you soon.