The Oath to the Constitution

I noticed nearly silence by the many republican supporters over the issues of the last 8 weeks.  Like on the topic of the Republican controlled house of representatives taking an 6 week vacation in order to to keep the Epstein files from being voted on.  

The administration insisting that it was the D's, and not the R's that was holding up food aid, wasn't getting any traction. 

That the Democrats were showing up for work in congress throughout the shutdown.  Crickets. 

The release of  some Epstein emails that proved that DJT lied yet again about his relationship being broken off with Epstein.  There was shock, but no one was standing up and supporting him.

That he knew what was going on the island is almost a certainty, still quiet.

That DJT's banner waver in congress, MTG,  is resigning in disgust, and now needs extra security.  Whimpers.

But 6 lawmakers urging military members to "refuse illegal orders". And social media just explodes.

Many of the shouting is from veterans.  A lot of them who have been quiet during the big reveals as this administration continues to torture and fleece the country with their incompetence and malfeasance, suddenly found their voices.

Their claims that these lawmakers are committing treason and sedition fall flat in the face of the culture of the US Military.  The US Military is almost unique in the world.  We swore an oath to the Constitution of the US.  Not the president, the Constitution.  It reads, "I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." 

Yes, it does say obey orders of the officers and regulations up to the President.   But the overriding part of the oath is ..."support and defend the Constitution"... 

Before someone tries to legalize the wiggle room here.  This plaque is mounted at West Point.  Where future Army officers  see it for 4 years:

 

The priority is LAW over ORDERS.

10's of millions have sworn the oath.  That there is a duty to disobey ILLEGAL orders was taught in boot camp, to millions of soldiers and sailors.  

65% of veterans voted for the DJT.  See here...  Why?  I think it was down to they were not going to vote for a black woman.  And were willing to accept the crap faux news was putting out.  About the migrants that were NOT taking their jobs, or the few dozen trans athletes in collegiate sports.  That was just an excuse they were telling themselves to justify voting for the white man, who demonstrated his incompetence in the first term, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans.  And leading an insurrection against the Republic.

Which was a violation of his oath as well.  It was obvious to everyone.  

The last 10 months have shown them what a deal with the devil they had made.  Many of them are working their way, whether they realize it or not, through 7 steps to acceptance.  Shock and denial, those we have seen a lot of in the last 10 months.  Now many are on step 3, Anger.  They know, that by supporting this con-man, that he was guilty of sedition and treason.

What Mark Kelly and 5 other law makers, 4 of which are veterans as well, was hold up a mirror to them. And they are ashamed.    

 

 

 

Priorities for a Democratically controlled congress

Last edited Nov 19.  This will be updated when priorities are identified. 

This has been referred to as "Project 2028", we will see if the name sticks. 

Once they are back in charge the Democrats face the challenge as to what to do.  If you look to the UK or example, their conservatives,  their MAGA equivalent, were voted out last year, only to have the labor party struggle as to what to do next, and have come up with priorities that are silly, and not helpful at all.

For America, the priorities need to be:
Overturn Citizens United.  
    Corporations ARE NOT PEOPLE!  This is the highest priority as the flood of money will defeat all the other priorities.

Universal Health Care
    Oddly enough, with the Republicans killing the Obamacare subsidies, this may make this very doable, unifying those that can no longer access health insurance.  This needs to include abortion rights.

Impeach Donald Trump until it takes

     Pick one item.  Treason, impeach.  When the Senate votes to acquit, pick another.  Like violating 9 of the first 10 amendments. When the Senate votes to acquit, pick another.  Like the emoluments clause.   When the Senate votes to acquit, pick another. Committing fraud, like selling "Swiss Watches",  When the Senate votes to acquit, pick another. Defying the Supreme Court.   When the Senate votes to acquit, pick another. The list is endless. And he is adding to that list almost daily.  Just yesterday, agreeing to sell to the Saudi's F35 jets in exchange for continued business dealings with the desert kingdom.  By picking just one impeachable item and focusing on it, the trials are very short.  Make the Senate justify their votes.  With their reelection prospects dimming each time.

    Is this going to be expensive and a waste of time and money?  Yes.  Worth it, equally yes!  If he is allowed to flaunt the rules without penalty, then we are done as a country.  And that never ends well.  And if he is busy defending himself every other week in Congress, that is less time he is destroying the country.

Pass the Equal Rights Amendment.  If this includes Abortion rights, then so much the better.  Otherwise Codify a Woman's rights to her own body.

Fix the immigration system.  Lets put that word "illegal" to bed for good.  Our current system allows for a fixed number of immigrants per country.  So Luxembourg (total number of actual applicants is about zero) is allowed the same number of immigrants as Mexico.  One existing exception is Ireland, which is allowed double the number.  Because Teddy Kennedy wrote the law way back when. 

Adjust the Tax brackets.  Introduce new brackets for over 10 million a year, and above.

Raise the exception for Social Security tax from $160,000 to something in the millions.
      
Pass the 3 of 6 of these items, and the Democrats can be assured the presidency in 2028.  Fail, and the Republican controlled media will eat us alive.  

Other items:
Defund ICE.
    We have to assume this organization is so corrupted as to be unsalvageable.

Defund Trump's pet construction projects.  The Arc-de-Trumpf and the ballroom. 

Defund foreign aid to Argentina.  40 Billion?  For what?

Put teeth in the Emoluments clause.  

Ban Stock Trading to members of Congress, and to the President, Vice President. the Cabinet and their staffs. 

Set an age or term limits to the Supreme Court.

Raise Federal minimum wage, and index it to the inflation rate.

 

     

Declaring War on Harvard

The latest inanity by our dictator-wannabe.  

The legal eagles representing the i'm-a-genius-i-just-passed-my-cognitive-test-in-chief have decided to to go to war with that bastion of free thought, Harvard University. It is a power play where they want to bring the FULL FORCE OF THE GOVERNMENT to intimidate the lesser entities.  Going for a surrender without a fight.  It worked against some high priced legal firms.  It worked against some smaller universities.

But this is Harvard.  Harvard said, "bring it."

They decided to strip Harvard of it's federal grants.  

Harvard derisively snorted.

They threatened to revoke  Harvard's permissions to educate foreign students.  Harvard raised an single eyebrow.

Lets put this in perspective.  Harvard is, quite literally, older than the country.  By some 150 years.  

There were Harvard graduates at the first Tea Party.  

Harvard alum's signatures are on the Declaration of Independence.  

8 presidents, including 2 recent, are Harvard alums.  

 

They have bookshelves older than the country.

Google "Famous Harvard Graduates," and you get 4 PAGES is just Nobel Laureates.  3 pages of Supreme Court Justices, though admittedly most in other countries.  Pages of other notable LEGAL figures.  And frankly so many journalists, writers, film personalities that you will wear your finger out scrolling through them.

The Turnip in the Oval Office always believes he is operating from a position of strength.  And sadly, this is true most of the time.  And when he is rebuked, his tactic is always to double down.  

Harvard told him to buzz off when he wanted them to trash what he claims are DEI policies.  

So he doubled down with the threat to rescind 2 billion dollars in various grants.  Harvard has $55 billion in endowments.   There are living Nobel laureates in economics from Harvard.  I'm sure they will get by.

Revoking Harvard's permissions to educate foreign students?  Think that one through.  Do you actually want MORE Harvard lawyers that are US Citizens to stand against your tyranny?

And then there is the legal battles this will bring.  Again, the cry-baby-chief believes he has unlimited resources to tear down all the institutions he doesn't like.  And the last hundred days has largely proven him correct.  Can he beat Harvard in a knock down drag them out fight?  Maybe.  But only by taking the his focus, which is not his strong suit, from everywhere else.  Without the fear of reprisal, Congress might just reach down and find a pair.  Vance might pull the 25th amendment on his butt.

Harvard's legal pool is vast.  How many grade 'A' lawyers?  Possibly all of them. On staff, others pro-bono, or, well, see $55 billion endowment above.   How many interns to do research?  The legal students at Harvard would salivate for the opportunity to put "United States vs Harvard" on their Curriculum Vitae.

 

And regarding all those journalists, actors, writers? They can pillory and shame his fear inspired supporters far better than me.

 

If anything the last 100 days has shown us, is the bestist-he-can-find-in-chief's staff is,  at best, shown itself to be a C minus in competency.  

Constitutional Crisis

What is a Constitutional Crisis?  One definition is, "A conflict in the function of a government that the political constitution or other fundamental governing law is perceived to be unable to resolve."

Previous Constitutional Crises

1828 - 1833 The Nullification Crisis.  Regarded a prelude to the Civil War.  

Result: South Carolina agreed to a compromise tariff in 1833

1841  Succession of John Tyler after the death of Harrison.  

Result: 25th amendment

1861 Succession crisis.  

Result: Civil War

1876 Disputed election results in three states.

Result: A compromise where Rutherford B. Hayes is elected, and federal occupation of the south ending.

1952 Steel Strike.  Harry Truman nationalized the steel industry.  

Result: Supreme Court annulled Trumans order holding that presidential actions must proceed from constitutional or legislative authority. 

Truman threatened a second nationalization.  But a compromise was reached.

1972 Watergate.

Result.  Nixon resigned at the insistence of the Republican party.  Basically they told him he would be impeached.  At that time the Republican party had honor, and served country before party.

And here we are now.  The Supreme Court has made a unanimous decision for the administration to return one Kilmar Ábrego García, who has been recognized as being sent to the Cecot prison in El Salvador in error.  This fact of the case is accepted as true by the administration. 

Our dear leader has refused to do so.  Our congress has not acted on this case.

What are our choices now?  The Supreme Court can hold our dictator-wannabe in contempt.  But getting that enforced is problematic.

Congress can pass legislation condoning the administrations actions.  But will face the ire of voters next election cycle.  Because this is in violation of several amendments of the Bill of Rights.  

Congress can vote to enforce the decision of the Supreme Court.  This may be it's only course to save the republican party.

Some other face saving compromise can be made.  

Congress or the VP can depose the president under the 25th amendment.  While Vance is unlikely to try and get the majority of the principal officers of the executive departments, he could get a majority of congress,  which is all he needs.  This they may do so if they really feel the pressure.  The last time there was this much anger, the Republicans were out of power in the congress for over 50 years.

Or the 6'3", 245 pound passer of the cognitive exam can dismiss congress and become a dictator in truth, and not in just name.

Or Civil War.  

 

SAVE Act

The republicans behind the SAVE act would have you believe that this is about securing our election system.  Which is protecting a system that has, despite a myriad of investigations, shown minimal fraud. Like single digits, not percentages, votes.   
When it passes, it means we all have to absolutely prove we are citizens.  And what is wrong with that?  We have done similar things before.  See the Poll Tax or Jim Crow laws on elections https://www.history.com/articles/jim-crow-laws-black-vote.  These laws were designed to suppress the vote of undesirables.  IE Blacks.  And this is what the SAVE act is designed to do.  Except that while Jim Crow were state and local laws, SAVE will be national.
Why is SAVE being put forth?  Because the Republicans know that with all the mismanagement, treason and thievery that this administration is doing, with their full and willing consent, that they are going to be routed from the field next election cycle.  Now they could mitigate that loss by acting responsibly from here on out, but that is ridiculous.  So plan B is to reduce the electorate opposition to the point where their dedicated 39% of the voters can squeak them by in 2026.
Who does SAVE affect?
Everyone will need at least a Passport or birth certificate to vote.
Married Women.  Even the birth certificate is not enough.  You have to provide the marriage certificate to show the name change.  Divorced and remarried?  You have to show a chain of certificates to prove a chain between your current name and birth certificate.  
NOTE HERE, REAL ID's, which was considered the penultimate ID of the land, is NOT GOOD ENOUGH for the SAVE Act.
Native American Tribal ID's are NOT GOOD ENOUGH for the SAVE Act.
Military ID's are NOT GOOD ENOUGH for the SAVE Act.
If you move, and 1 in 7 Americans move every year, and do not present the applicable documentation to reregister, you will not be allowed to vote.
Many Americans will not be able to access the additional documents needed here.  This is what the bill is designed to do.  Not to protect the election process, but to create the attitude of "fuck it, I'm just one vote, what does it matter?"  It will generate millions of "fuck its."
Oh, voting by mail, what will be out the window.  Because even though it was the Republicans that pushed for vote by mail, in order to raise their number of rural voters, it is the Democrats that dominate the mail voting, by about 2-1.  
Enough to where election day results were considered the "red mirage."  FYI, this phrase was coined in 2013.  Long before the serial-liar-in-chief complained about it.

So what are the results?  If enacted today, at least 146 million Americans could not vote under the SAVE act.  It would cause a radical suppression of the vote by women, minorities, and the poor.
It will also suppress the vote in southern states.  But there the R's have enough of a voter advantage that they do not care.  It will shift the votes to the D column in the northern states.  
 
But the real effect is that it will give even more reason for our elected officials to ignore our voice.  Because that voice will not count as much anymore.

Too many comparisons between Hitler and Trump

Too many comparisons between Hitler and Trump

 

Hitler incited an insurrection, check.
Hitler was tried, convicted, but given a light sentence, check.

Hitler claimed he was being persecuted, check.
Hitler ran on a platform against the elites, degenerates, and the education system was indoctrinating children, check.
Hitler was duly elected, check.
Hitler put rich men in in charge as his economic advisors, check.
Hitler blamed the Jews for all of Germany's problems. Trump blames immigrants and DEI. Check.
Hitler had concentration camps set up. Trump wants to expand Guantanamo Bay from 850 to 30,000 for deportees. Check.
Hitler pardoned 8,000 Nazi's on day one. Trump waited a full day before pardoning his insurrectionists. Close enough, Check.
Hitler removed the birthright citizenship rights of Jews.  Trump is working on that.
Hitler began a campaign to intimidate the media to keep them silent.  Trump is suing CBS for 20 billion dollars, check.
Hitler began annexing territory needed for Germanys security. Sudetenland, Austria, western Poland. That took him several years to get there. But Trump has already threatened to annex Panama, and Greenland for security purposes, and Palestine for reasons... No there is not reason here.
Dismissed Generals and Admirals that were not loyal enough. Check.
Hitler ignored any science that questioned his views on eugenics. Trump just ignores any science.  Check.
Hitler promised to make Germany great again. Check.
Hitler demonized Jews, Slavs, homosexuals, gypsies, Jehovah Witnesses, dwarves. Trump is demonizing gays, trans, immigrants, the FBI, and any social service, check.
Nazi's passed out cheap, one frequency only, radios to their followers, so they could get the Nazi party's spin on what was happening. And of course all the other newspapers and radio broadcasts were just fake news.  Check.
Hitler had the backing of all the major German industries. And so seems Trump.
And that is the problem. Our checks and balances are broken. Does the congressional Republicans hate Trump. A lot of them, possibly most of them, yes.
But they are either fearful of retribution from their base, or from him.
One difference. Hitler wasn't personally greedy. His minions took the opportunity to loot and plunder, but he lived a frugal life. While Trump has done everything to enrich himself and family.
Another difference. Hitler outlined what he would do, and then did it. Trump is following someone else's plan. While just throwing out topic-du-jour as his mind deteriorates.


Another bill submitted to congress by Earl Carter, Georgia(R), the “Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025”.
It reads,  "Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to Greenland shall be deemed to be a reference to “Red, White, and Blueland”."

Already naming Greenland before they have annexed it from Denmark, an ally of some 80+ years.
As one red hat commented to me on an earlier post, Wow can’t even make this 💩 up yep I’m Nazi through and through."

This is universally regarded as a bad thing.

47 and McCarthyism

 47 and McCarthyism

In the last 3 weeks we have experienced many parallels to the rise of Hitler's Nazi Germany. But the MAGA Hats will just say that is "Trump Derangement Syndrome." Which is not a real thing, and is used to dismiss any counter points as ignore-able. Because heaven help them if any of it was real!

So lets go with a much more recent time when federal government employees were persecuted and dismissed without valid reasons.

McCarthyism is regarded as the darkest moment of American politics of the last century. People were hounded and persecuted sometimes to death based on a lie.

It was only after much damage was done and a free press was McCarthy finally deposed from his pinnacle of power.

In 1950, the Senator stood before congress and declared with piece of paper in his hand that he had declared was a list of 205 card carrying communist in the Department of State.

The piece of paper was later revealed to be blank. He had no names. There was zero evidence. And people were ruined and died.

It took over 4 years for this to play out before the Senate had the guts to censure him.

Now we are experiencing the same thing. The Serial-Liar-in-Chiefs sycophants are parading item after item of the abusive, as defined by them, spending of USAID. But is any of it true?

WE DON"T KNOW.

Because the Everyone-Is-Lying-But-Me-in-Chief has ordered all the government websites that could shed accurate information shut down. So easily disproved items, can't. But some of the free press can dig into their records and find inconsistencies. Which are beginning to show up.

But those whose minds are have been captured by the radical right entertainment network have been getting a steady stream of USAID expenditures that are either cherry picked, or deliberately described to trigger their righteous indignation. And frankly, seeing some of the items, I'd be triggered too.

But is any of it true? Possibly. Is it all true, certainly not.

Looking at some of the "reveals" last week, and comparing them to this week. There are inconsistencies. Some of the numbers have grown dramatically. I remember last week that a grant by USAID funded an Irish LGBTQ concert at $20,000. Now it's being presented as costing $70,000. And, in truth, it was NEVER funded by USAID. But another government agency.

And of course, Ivanka's grant by the USAID doesn't ever show up on the list.

Today I got a video of a presentation of a Senate committee being presented with accusations of government transgender animal experiments totaling at least 241 million dollars. Google that and you see last week an article where it was 2 million, then later in the week it was 10 million. Two days ago it was now 241 million. Because why present a small number when a bigger number will get people so good and mad, they won't see straight. Refer to "The Big Lie" in Mein Kampf. But that would be TDS.

Is it true? WE DON"T KNOW. All the information by the federal government relevant to this is no longer allowed to be communicated, by web site or by personnel, by the Executive order titled, "Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship”

So until Trump annexes Palestine, think McCarthyism, not Hitler. After that, all bets are off.