The Three Federalist Societies Revealed

A highly revealing look at the dark money version of the Federalist Society by a United States Senator.  Gripping, breath-taking.

 https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/the-third-federalist-society

Quick Link

Polls Right; Reporters Wrong

The title above, though terse, is true.  My research based on several years of analysis indicates the national polls have the election right, as of now.  And according to Princeton Election Consortium, the Biden lead is not likely to change.

Where the press comes in is their irresponsible neglect of voter suppression tactics.  Thankfully, this is beginning to change, but barely.  The problem of Republican voter suppression efforts has become too big to ignore.  

Still, the press is not putting this issue front and center.  In the cable news programs we find the Barret hearings more important than the on-going story of a Pandor's box of vote suppressing and stealing tacts by the G.O.P.  

You, dear reader, can help by spreading the news about the work of Greg Palast already referenced here.  Stacey Abrams' work is informed by Palast's investigations.  Others are now picking up the trail of this story of often-criminal tampering with the voting process.  America can do better.   She must do better.  

 

Not Proud of the Proud Boys

At the link below, internationally known journalist Greg Palast reveals what the various pretend-military groups are up to in the U.S. and it's a scary picture.  While not all self-described militia groups are of the same variety, many are engaging in police actions and militaristic activities.  

An article in today's New York Times shows how these militia groups are actually illegal in states all across the U.S.  This aspect will be the focus of another post here soon.

 

What the "Militias" are Really Up to 

Speed Kills

 The speed of recent news developments has created a log-jam in the in-box of your musical blogger.  For in order to be a responsible blogger one must first filter the news and set priorities before writing.  With a president who has been diagnosed with Covid-19 and wants to be his own (spin-) doctor at the same time, a writer's job is complicated.  

Much of what remains clear has already been stated here, to wit:  the craven dishonesty of this presider is deep and pervasive.  There is no need to give further examples.  The dishonesty has long since become a campaign of deceitful propaganda. 

Yet, rays of hope are beginning to appear.  Kamala Harris -- unlike Mr. Biden -- was at least given a sliver of space to deliver an enlightened message of hope in the debate earlier this week.  And polling numbers continue to go up for the Biden-Harris ticket.

Even so, the threat of voter suppression continues, in Georgia, in Florida, and other places, even as court victories have popped up in other states such as Ohio.  

In summary, it continues to be a time of swirling, muddy waters.  But to reference a famous musician, perhaps the music of Muddy Mississippi Waters (the performer), and his name-sake River can poetically float a life-raft of optimism to the surface of this much-troubled current of events. 

Archive Post from 2016: Foreign Policy Experts Warn of Dangerous Trump Incompetence

 I am printing tonight a  letter from one hundred twenty-two Republican foreign policy experts who gave compelling reasons for their opposition to the candidacy of  D. Trump in March of 2016.  This document -- now nearly four years old -- details the reasons why this particular individual was unsuited to the Presidency of the world's greatest democracy.

So much here rings true now.  From the vacillating statements to out-right lies, OML was accurately described before he was ever installed in the Oval Office.  And let us be clear -- he was installed;   Not by the people but by self-interested moguls intent on getting their way.

I am presenting the following at this perilous time for our country and our democracy in order that you the reader may be reminded specifically why this person -- whom we call OML here -- is so dangerous.


via the foreign policy web site War on the Rocks -- 


We the undersigned, members of the Republican national security community, represent a broad spectrum of opinion on America’s role in the world and what is necessary to keep us safe and prosperous. We have disagreed with one another on many issues, including the Iraq war and intervention in Syria. But we are united in our opposition to a Donald Trump presidency. Recognizing as we do, the conditions in American politics that have contributed to his popularity, we nonetheless are obligated to state our core objections clearly:

His vision of American influence and power in the world is wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle. He swings from isolationism to military adventurism within the space of one sentence.

His advocacy for aggressively waging trade wars is a recipe for economic disaster in a globally connected world.

His embrace of the expansive use of torture is inexcusable.

His hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric undercuts the seriousness of combating Islamic radicalism by alienating partners in the Islamic world making significant contributions to the effort. 

Furthermore, it endangers the safety and Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of American Muslims.

Controlling our border and preventing illegal immigration is a serious issue, but his insistence that Mexico will fund a wall on the southern border inflames unhelpful passions, and rests on an utter misreading of, and contempt for, our southern neighbor.

Similarly, his insistence that close allies such as Japan must pay vast sums for protection is the sentiment of a racketeer, not the leader of the alliances that have served us so well since World War II.

His admiration for foreign dictators such as Vladimir Putin is unacceptable for the leader of the world’s greatest democracy.

He is fundamentally dishonest. Evidence of this includes his attempts to deny positions he has unquestionably taken in the past, including on the 2003 Iraq war and the 2011 Libyan conflict.

We accept that views evolve over time, but this is simply misrepresentation.

His equation of business acumen with foreign policy experience is false. Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might, and there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs.

Mr. Trump’s own statements lead us to conclude that as president, he would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world.*   Furthermore, his expansive view of how presidential power should be wielded against his detractors poses a distinct threat to civil liberty in the United States. Therefore, as committed and loyal Republicans, we are unable to support a Party ticket with Mr. Trump at its head. We commit ourselves to working energetically to prevent the election of someone so utterly unfitted to the office.

Ken Adelman
David Adesnik
Michael Auslin
Mike Baker
Christopher Barton
Kevin W. Billings
Robert D. Blackwill
Daniel A. Blumenthal
Max Boot
Ellen Bork
Anna Borshchevskaya
Joseph A. Bosco
Michael Chertoff
Patrick Chovanec
James Clad
Eliot A. Cohen
Gus Coldebella
Carrie Cordero
Michael Coulter
Chester A. Crocker
Patrick M. Cronin
Seth Cropsey
Tom Donnelly
Daniel Drezner
Colin Dueck
Eric Edelman
Joseph Esposito
Charles Fairbanks
Richard A. Falkenrath
Peter D. Feaver
Niall Ferguson
Jamie Fly
Richard Fontaine
Aaron Friedberg
Dan Gabriel
Greg Garcia
Jana Chapman Gates
Jeffrey Gedmin
Reuel Marc Gerecht
James K. Glassman
David Gordon
Christopher J. Griffin
Mary R. Habeck
Paul Haenle
Melinda Haring
Robert Hastings
Rebeccah Heinrichs
Francis Q. Hoang
Rachel Hoff
Jeffrey W. Hornung
William C. Inboden
Jamil N. Jaffer
Ash Jain
Marc C. Johnson
Myriah Jordan
Robert G. Joseph
Tim Kane
Kate Kidder
Robert Kagan
Rep. Jim Kolbe
David Kramer
Stephen Krasner

Matthew Kroenig
Frank Lavin
Philip I. Levy
Philip Lohaus
Mary Beth Long
Peter Mansoor
John Maurer
Matthew McCabe
Bryan McGrath
Richard G. Miles
Paul D. Miller
Charles Morrison
Michael B. Mukasey
Scott W. Muller
Lester Munson
Andrew S. Natsios
Michael Noonan
Tom Nichols
John  Noonan
Roger F. Noriega
Stephen E. Ockenden
John Osborn
Robert T. Osterhaler
Mackubin T. Owens
Daniel Pipes
Everett Pyatt
Martha T. Rainville
Stephen Rodriguez
Marc A. Ross
Nicholas Rostow
Michael Rubin
Daniel F. Runde
Benjamin Runkle
Richard L. Russell
Andrew Sagor
Kori Schake
Randy Scheunemann
Gary J. Schmitt
Gabriel Schoenfeld
Russell Seitz
Kalev I. Sepp
Vance Serchuk
David R. Shedd
Gary Shiffman
Kristen Silverberg
Michael Singh
Ray Takeyh
Jeremy Teigen
William H. Tobey
Frances F. Townsend
Jan Van Tol
Daniel Vajdich
Ruth Wedgwood
Albert Wolf
Julie Wood
Dov S. Zakheim
Roger Zakheim
Sam Zega
Philip Zelikow
Robert B. Zoellick
Laurence Zuriff

Number of Signatories: 122

The statement above was coordinated by Dr. Eliot A. Cohen, former Counselor of the Department of State (2007–8), and Bryan McGrath, Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group, a defense consultancy. They encourage other members of the Republican foreign policy and national security communities wishing to sign the declaration to contact them.

*  Italics added

Atlantic Magazine Describes Possibilities for Election Chaos Starting on Election Night

Rush Post --

Atlantic Monthly Article Begins to Make Sense of Election Night Worries 

more later

 

Explosive But Unsurprising Comments from Our Military Leader

 Although I am unable to present a complete piece just now, I did want to comment briefly on the utterances of Our Military Leader (OML) today about the November election.  In answer to a question about a peaceful transfer of power after the election the President gave an evasive answer -- one in which he failed to commit to a peaceful transfer of the Presidency should he lose the election.  

This answer was a set-up if every there was one.  The President and his henchmen are discussing ways to get around the people's choice in the November vote.  This, according to The Atlantic monthly article published today. Apparently herds of lawyers are being sent out into these our United States, to try to suppress the vote in every way possible. These human faggots* of incendiary madness will try to set a match to our democratic vote. 

In response, experts on cable news gave a beginning answer as to how to deal with this power play, which -- let us be clear -- would be on the side of evil, decidedly so.  "The people have a role to play," the commentator said, and indeed they do.  What he was referring to was peaceful protest in the streets.  

I also recommend contacting legislators and expressing your outrage of even a hint by the sworn President, that the results of the election could be shredded.  But this is indeed where we are now.  We are at a crosswords in American and world civilization.  As a friendly minister friend of mine said this evening, "This is nothing to play around with."  She meant it with all due seriousness.  Let us emulate her candor.  

*For English language learners a faggot, or fagot is a bundle of sticks used for kindling a fire. 

Dr. Naomi Wolf Interviews Greg Palast Regarding Vote Suppression

 

Quick link —

https://youtu.be/pqNAZ9RDmug

PTSD Expert Names Trump a Psychological Abuser

From Salon -- 

 

Our Military Leader, says a PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) expert, is patently dangerous as a psychological abuser.

His accusation is sobering and convincing.   

 

 PTSD Expert Declares OML a Menace

 

A special quick link from The Musical Patriot

American Quality of Life Ranked No. 28 in the World and Dropping

 According to a New York Times article today, the United States has slipped dramatically in rankings issued in the Social Progress Index.  First issued in 2011 the Index ranked the U.S. at No. 19.  The latest Index ranks our country at No. 28.  Indications are we are still slipping.

The index rates some 50 metrics of well-being in areas such as education, access to health care, and even tolerance for and treatment of minorities.  

With this new index the United States is behind the well-known Western nations, running on a par with Albania by some measures.  We can be sure that America is not the country some people think it is. 

The Media's Sins of Omission

The fault with the press and media lies not so much in what is reported, but on what is left out.  An honest reporting of the work of internationally known journalist Greg Palast in the area of voter suppression would be a good place to start.

Mr. Palast has been working assiduously on this matter for at least twenty years -- ever since the Bush v. Gore fiasco.  Now comes Palast's new book on "How Trump Stole 2020."  Let's hope the tongue-in-cheek title remains a dream of OML, and not reality.

The world is asking for elucidation first, then dedication.   Elucidation from outlets like this one, and dedication from citizens and voters everywhere.  The world depends on the leadership of the United States.  We must not let people of the Earth down. 

Electoral College Could Be Our Saving Grace

Could rhetoric about a corrupt election set the stage for Republicans to challenge a November defeat? With enough confusion, the Presidential election could be thrown to a “contingent election” in the House of Representatives, where a state-by-state vote would favor Republicans. 

However, this seems like an unlikely scenario. Indeed, this is an area where the much-maligned Electoral College helps, by acting like compartments on a ship: if one compartment is compromised, the others can still keep the whole thing afloat.

                                                              — Princeton Election Consortium

Republican Party Now Essentially a Cult

 

 Even the King of Siam abolished prostration. 

 

 

 With the announcement by the Republican Party that it will forego the normal party platform, and instead provide Our Military Leader with unquestioning support, the party of Lincoln has become as good as the first cult to put forth any kind of serious candidate for the Presidency.

If you doubt this judgment, think back to the fall-in-line behavior of the Republicans in Congress during the Impeachment process;   or most any other Congressional action -- with very few exceptions.  Almost inevitably, Republicans have supported the President.   There are some notable exceptions, the most famous being Senator Mitt Romney.   

But for the most part we have a symphony of sycophants, singing the song of a solipsist.    

 

 

 

Events in U.S. Accelerate

Biden Nominated;  Bannon Indicted 

This past week produced many headlines, what with the Democratic "virtual convention," and a high-profile indictment.

Joseph Biden delivered what was arguably his best speech ever as he accepted the Democratic nomination for President.  This after the nomination of Sen. Kamala Harris as Vice-President.

And Steve Bannon, former White House aide, was indicted for allegedly skimming money off a Build-the Wall fund.

A coming major focus of this blog is planned to be the role of the media in getting us to where we are today.  In a real sense, this focus will doubtless be on-going for years to come, as the story stretches back decades.  

There is so much to say about all this. For now, we must keep the faith our founding fathers started this country with.  The way will not be easy.   Let us not shirk our responsibility to defend this near-sacred democracy.

Education as History

 ...I would recommend that every subject be taught as history.  In this way, children, even in the earliest grades, can begin to understand, as they now do not, that knowledge is not a fixed thing but a stage in human development, with a past and a future.

 

                                                                    -- Neil Postman

 

This idea of Postman's is not exactly new, but he has expressed it in a new way, and a useful way, in his book Technopoly.  Certainly, teaching every subject as history is not a complete method of teaching.  That matter will await another time.

But Postman's thinking here is sound and needs to be taken up seriously.  For it is clear that American education has failed us.  Why else would we be caught in a situation in which what I call "a little bug" would stop our economy cold?  From one point of view, it can be argued that had school students studied the history of viruses, we might very well not be where we are today. 

True, this subject has not been entirely neglected.  Students graduating from high school likely are aware of the unsanitary ways of the past -- doctors failing to wash their hands -- and such things. 

Yet how did the fact that new viruses can and do appear from time to time -- ones which have no known cure -- bypass the consciousness of society?  How did such a basic fact escape our government?  Is it too far-fetched to opine that a business masters degree might leave out some important things such as biological issues which could effect everyone's business?  This omission would have been especially prevalent in schools of, say, the fifties and sixties, when many of our current leaders got their degrees.  

This matter of education is ever so crucial now.  In other ways apart from this blog I have tried to stand up for education of the complete kind.  There is more to this story than I have time and space to relate here.

But suffice it to say for now, that as educators scratch their heads trying to know how to teach safely during COVID, it is also vitally important to review what is to be taught, and how.

And how! 

And for fun:

 "Gears Gone Awry"

courtesy Castlevania and Sego via You Tube