Justice Alito Would Make Trump King

I have come to expect some outlandish ideas to come out of the mouths of Donald Trump, his lackeys/supporters like Rudy Giuliani, and appointees like former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. I’m no longer surprised when conservatives who opposed Trump like Florida governor Ron DeSantis. Nevertheless last week I was stunned to learn the Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito thought it might be a good idea for presidents to have total immunity for any action taken while in office including private actions.

The Supreme Court held oral arguments for 2 and half hours last week regarding whether or not the case for attempting to overturn election results through fraud could go to trial.  Speaking to Michael Dreeben, an attorney representing special counsel Jack Smith, Alito began by stating: “I’m sure you would agree with me that a stable democratic society requires that a candidate who loses an election, even a close one, even a hotly contested one, leave office peacefully, if that candidate is the incumbent?” I think any reasonable person would agree so to that point but then Alito follow up with: “Now if an incumbent who loses a very close, hotly contested election knows that a real possibility after leaving office is not that the president is going to be able to go off into a peaceful retirement, but that the president may be criminally prosecuted by a bitter political opponent, will that not lead us into a cycle that destabilizes the functioning of our country as a democracy?”

The Supreme Court is known for looking deeply at the issues before it in regard to the meaning of the law, the applicability of various aspects of the constitution, and the potential future consequences of the decision they render, as well as precedent and history. If Justice Alito's concern about consequences were valid then shouldn't there be historical evidence to support it? In the nearly 250 years of our democracy, power has been transferred from a president to his successor post-election 40 times. On 11 of those occasions the challenger defeated an incumbent, a situation that is fraught with bitterness and the potential for messy post-election actions. Yet, there has been only one losing incumbent to have been further troubled by attempts to prosecute them and that ex-president is Donald J. Trump.

There's a reason Trump is being prosecuted in four separate courts, he's the only ex-president who tried to foment a coup against the United States of America and denying the rights of millions of voters by overturning a free and fair election. He's also the only ex-president to have claimed to have declassified sensitive national security documents in his head then kept them as souvenirs even after being asked to return them, denying that he had them, and then went out of his way to try to hide them.

Alito is often considered an originalist in that his interpretations of law are based on the original meaning of the words and phrases in the constitution as well as the perceived intent of the founding fathers. In this instance it’s pretty clear that’s all a crock because the nation’s founders were revolutionaries who made it quite clear that unlike a king no one in this land is above the law, not even ex-presidents.

Trump must be tried in order to insure that he remains the anomaly that he is today and future presidents think twice before attempting to remain in office after losing.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - May 1, 2024

Ukraine Aid Bill Passes No Thanks To Republicans

It’s a good thing Democrats are united on national security and the military threats to our allies from the likes of Russia, Iran, and China because Republicans certainly aren’t. This past Saturday, April 20th, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) brought H.R. 8035 the Ukraine Aid bill up for a vote. 210 Democrats voted for it including all Texas Democrats. Most Republicans, 112 out of 218, voted against it including Monica de la Cruz (CD-15) who represents most of Guadalupe County and southward and Chip Roy (CD- 21) representing Comal County and westward.

Republicans like Roy and de la Cruz argue that Ukraine should seek peace with Russia which will only happen if they give up the 18% of their territory currently under Russian occupation. That would be like the United States giving up Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Louisiana to end a war with Mexico. I don’t see any American accepting that so why would anyone expect Ukraine to accept it. Texans certainly wouldn’t find that acceptable.

Speaker Johnson spoke out on the bill saying “I really do believe the intel and the briefings that we’ve gotten, I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Balkans next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland, or one of our NATO allies.” Johnson added “If so, we might find ourselves sending troops to defend allies from Putin later.”

The tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and much of the other hardware we’ve previously sent to Ukraine are previous generation gear that has been sitting in storage for years. The same applies to some of the artillery shells and other munitions. Republicans as to be expected also argue about the cost of supporting a country that isn’t even a NATO member. Of course, that argument fails when you consider the cost of Ukraine’s defense collapsing and Russia’s Putin being emboldened to continue its conquest into the rest of Europe. Putin has made it very clear that he wants to restore Russia to the borders it had prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union. What message would it send to China’s leadership with regard to their desire to annex Taiwan, or Iran’s leaders or Donald Trump’s buddy Kim Jong Un in North Korea?

Aggressors cannot be allowed to win wars of conquest or others with similar ambitions will most assuredly feel freed to do the same. As it stands now Ukraine is providing the manpower and much of the materiel while the U.S. and other democracies provide tanks, artillery, planes, missiles, ammunition, and training as well as cash to pay for personnel and other needs. The Republican controlled Congress has withheld support for more than 5 months simply by denying an opportunity to vote on the bill. During that time the Biden administration used every bit of its authority to continue supplying vital materiel.

There was once a time when the Republican Party claimed to be the defenders of democracy and the world order. I would argue they weren’t alone as Democrats certainly have done their part; but in recent years, since Trump, Republicans have shown themselves to be fans of autocrats and tyrants.

Republicans must be held accountable in November and defeated in detail. Your vote, the votes of your family members, neighbors, and co-workers are important to defeating them. It isn’t too early to start talking to the people closest to you about voting for Democrats in November, the election is less than 7 months away.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - April 24, 2024

Economy Good Under Biden

There are plenty of social media meme’s being published right now asserting that things were better 4 years ago while Trump was in office. The reality is that while prices were lower for many things, that isn’t the whole picture. In fact some of the distortion comes from the collapse of the economy during the pandemic which caused many prices to go down due to lack of demand.

The United States added 303,000 jobs in March, the 39th straight month of growth. The unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent. There are 2.6 million more Americans employed today than there were at the previous peak in February 2020, just before the pandemic set in.

Another economic indicator is GDP. To be fair, rather than compare numbers from 2020 when the pandemic depressed everything let’s use 2019 instead. The fourth quarter of 2019 gross domestic product (GDP) was $21.9 trillion, in the fourth quarter of 2023 it was $27.96 trillion or an increase of more than 27%.

Mortgage rates which seem high are below rates from 1980 to 2010. We’re just spoiled by the rates since the sub-prime mortgage crisis that wrecked banks from 2008 to 2010. I well remember as I re-financed my mortgage in 2010 and shortened the term from 30 years to 15 years while only paying an extra $100 a month.

On April 1 of 2024 the national average for a gallon of gas was just under $3.64 and no one likes that. We must remember the price of anything is a result of the tension between supply and demand. The U.S. is both the number one producer and consumer of oil. Unlike most nations we produce more than we use. The price of gasoline is up because demand around the world is up and some of our oil is being sold to other countries. After adjusting for inflation gas was almost $4 a gallon back in 2007. Don’t let anyone tell you that the high price of gas is Joe Biden’s fault.

For those invested in the stock market, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard and Poor’s 500 indexes are both now at historic highs due to record profits. As a reminder those profits are a significant cause of the inflation mentioned earlier. Let’s call it greed-flation.

If you’re going to complain about the high price of groceries and gas you should also complain about the fact that minimum wage is still $7.25 an hour and many better paying jobs haven’t seen pay increases even as businesses see record profits. While it’s true that over the last 12 months wages have risen nearly 2% more than inflation each month, over the previous 2 years inflation was higher than wage increases so we have some catching up to do. Now remember who controls the state government in Texas, its Republicans, and they have zero interest in raising minimum wage regardless of how high prices rise. Republicans also control the House in our federal legislature and those folks also refuse to raise the minimum wage.

If you want to place blame for high prices, put that blame where it belongs, greedy businesses raising prices to increase profits while not raising wages to keep up and Republican politicians who think the same minimum wage from 2009 is appropriate today even though total inflation since then has been over 43%.

You have an opportunity to fix the imbalance between corporate profits and wages by electing Democrats to all levels of government this November.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - April 10, 2024

Inflation as a Political Weapon

 Inflation has emerged as a significant issue affecting not only the economy but also current political landscape especially the presidential election. One of the main factors contributing to this inflation is corporate greed, which has far-reaching implications on political dynamics and policy responses.

Corporate greed, profit-maximizing behavior at the expense of societal well-being and ethical considerations, should be a key point in your political discussions regarding inflation. Corporate actions, including price gouging, market manipulation, and prioritizing shareholder returns over long-term economic stability, have fueled rising prices in food, fuel, building materials, and many other sectors of the economy.

The intersection of corporate greed and inflation has significant implications for current politics, influencing public perceptions, policy priorities, and political discourse. Inflation caused by corporate greed affects politics in numerous ways.

As consumers face higher prices for essential goods and services, there is growing public anger and dissatisfaction with political leaders perceived as failing to address the root causes of inflation. This discontent fuels anti-establishment sentiments and has led to increased distrust in government policies.

Inflation caused by corporate greed has become a political weapon, with Republicans pointing fingers at Democrats for failing to rein in price increases, thus capitalizing on public frustration by blaming President Biden for economic mismanagement. Of course, those same Republicans do all they can to prevent Biden policies from increasing competition or at least maintaining the competition that currently exists by preventing inappropriate mergers.

Inflation caused by corporate greed can also have implications for international relations and trade dynamics. Rising prices may lead to trade disputes, currency fluctuations, and tensions between countries over economic policies aimed at addressing inflationary pressures.

The role of the Federal Reserve in managing inflation is under scrutiny, with debates over the appropriate balance between central bank independence and political oversight. Questions arise about whether the Federal Reserve has the tools and autonomy to effectively combat inflation.

Inflation caused by corporate greed is likely to feature prominently in this election cycle, with Republicans blaming Biden for mismanagement while Biden reminds voters what he has already done and offers further proposals to hold corporations accountable. Campaign promises related to job creation, affordability, and reining in corporate power will be key points in the drive to attract voters to each party.

Inflation driven by corporate greed is shaping current political landscapes, sparking debates, policy reforms, and public scrutiny of government responses. The intersection of economic forces and political dynamics underscores the complexity of addressing inflationary pressures while promoting sustainable economic development and social equity. It is incumbent on President Biden that he makes the case for including robust antitrust enforcement, consumer protection measures, responsible corporate governance, and policies that prioritize sustainable economic growth over short-term profit maximization. By addressing corporate greed, Biden and Democrats can mitigate inflationary risks and promote a fair and balanced economic environment for all Americans. We who understand the issues have a key role in spreading the word and explaining to our family and friends so that enough voters understand the problem and the solutions proposed.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - March 20, 2024

Christian Nationalism Threatens Democracy

According to a study released last month by the Public Religion Research Institute; more than a third of Texans agree with the following five statements: The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation. U.S. laws should be based on Christian values. If the U.S. moves away from our Christian foundations, we will not have a country anymore. Being Christian is an important part of being truly American.

God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society. Such agreement indicates what is known as Christian nationalism. Worse yet Texas is only slightly above the national average. In Louisiana 46% agree with those statements while in Mississippi 50% agree.

Americans under 50 years of age or who have earned a bachelors degree or higher are far less likely to be Christian nationalists. Gender isn’t an indicator, as men and women are equally likely to be Christian nationalists. The percentage of Christian nationalists among Whites, Hispanics, and Blacks are nearly the same. The big indicator is the variant of Christianity someone belongs to, two thirds of members of evangelical Protestant congregations are Christian nationalists as opposed to about a third for Catholic and mainline Protestant congregations. The biggest concentration of Christian nationalists is among the followers of prosperity gospel purveyors such as Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, John Hagee, T. D. Jakes, and Paula White.

The higher the percentage of Christian nationalists in a given state the more likely that state is to vote Republican and the more likely the voters there are to support Trump. That’s bad enough, what’s worse is more than a third of those folks also believe political violence may be justified. That means that should Trump lose in November, as I believe is likely, 1 in 10 Texans may very well support a violent attempt to over turn the election.

Aside from the threat of political violence perpetrated by Christian nationalists the other thing the rest of us need to worry about is their desire to base U.S. law on their distorted interpretation of the bible. They’ve already succeeded in denying many women bodily autonomy. They’re working on denying rights to the LGBTQ members of our society. The Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina, Mark Robinson, wants to go back to the days when women were denied the right to vote. Where will they stop?

As an excuse to eliminate public agencies like the Department of Education, Republicans often claim that if it isn’t in the constitution then the federal government isn’t allowed to do it. At the same time nothing in the constitution says the country is a Christian nation and in fact the reverse is true, in Article VI it says: “but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Then to make it even more clear the First Amendment says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Either Republicans and Christian nationalists haven’t read the Constitution or they don’t understand it.

In November it is important that everyone votes to reject Christian nationalism which means voting against Republicans from top to bottom.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - March 13, 2024

Fix Immigration Now

 Republicans hyperventilate over the number of immigrants requesting asylum their solution are rejection, building Trump’s wall, or Gov. Abbott’s barbed wire in the Rio Grande. Trump and his sycophants demonize people who are poor and have darker skin than themselves. You can be sure they’re hypocrites because those same Republicans are falling all over themselves to protect a German family who came here a decade ago and over-stayed their 90 day visa. The Romeike family claims they suffered religious persecution and their evidence is that Germany doesn’t allow home-schooling so every child must attend a public or approved private school. The Romeike’s are evangelical Christians and claim that the public school system might have an impact on the children’s family values.

Citizens of Germany, New Zealand, Hungary, Iceland, and Estonia to name just a few, all have a straightforward and legal entry path into the United States but that program specifically excludes majority non-white nations such as Mexico, China, India, and the Philippines. The Romeike’s chose not to apply for legal immigration they broke the law and flaunt it.

Those same Republicans defending the Romeike’s make so much noise about the purported open borders that the media in many Central and South American countries repeat it creating a self-fulfilling prophecy that our border with Mexico is swamped with immigrants. Republicans in Congress are unwilling to add funding to address the need for more immigration judges and staff. 

A U.S. State Department travel advisory reads: “Do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor healthcare infrastructure.” Yet this past August, 60 refugees fleeing for their lives were forced back to Haiti. I wonder if they'd still be here if they were white and fleeing the horrors of a public school system they didn’t like.

 I’ve been unimpressed with Democrats’ discussion of immigration as well because they fail to discuss or do anything about the reasons that those seeking asylum want to come here so desperately that they’ll give up their homes and family ties then make a dangerous 1500 to 3000 mile journey just to request asylum here. Unlike the Romeike’s the folks streaming to our border with Mexico are actually trying to escape violence in the form of cartels and trans-national gangs.

This country bares some responsibility for the instability of so many Central and South American countries since we have interfered with their governments including sponsoring the overthrow of left wing governments in at least a dozen of them. Some such as Cuba and Nicaragua then revolted and were taken over by outright communists and are now dictatorships much like the old Soviet Union. We also provide the profits of their narcotics gangs with our failed “war on drugs” which just leads to corruption in government and violence in the community.

We should be supporting the people in their home countries with funding for education and health care. We should encourage exports and manufacturing through our trade policies. We must take the profits out of drug production and smuggling by decriminalizing most drugs so that funding for gangs dries up and they can no longer corrupt local governments.

There are millions of undocumented immigrants already here, quite a few came as young children and have grown up, gotten jobs, married and had children of their own yet we still deport them even though they often don’t speak the language of their country of origin and have no ties to it. This nation needs to provide a quick path to citizenship for all those currently here and create a system that is fair to all immigrants. 

Published in the Seguin Gazette - February 21, 2024

Independents Uninformed but Key to Victory in November

Political researchers have found that independents and soft partisans (voters who lean Democrat or Republican) are woefully under-informed regarding Donald Trump’s criminal indictments and trials. They’ve also found that once those voters learn of the charges behind those trials they are much less likely to support his re-election. Worse in some ways, these voters don’t see Trump’s actions including those on January 6 as an attack on our democracy. In fact, those voters aren’t even clear on what a democracy is.

When doing market or political campaign research organizations use polling to learn how people feel or what they believe about a topic. In order to get a better understanding of why they feel or believe as they do they’ll hold what are called “focus groups”. In a focus group just as in polling the organization tries to select participants that fit their needs. In political polling that is usually registered voters or when an election is close what are defined as likely voters, often those who vote nearly every election. Polling organizations usually try to find a mix of genders, ages, and economic groups that is also representative of the overall population of the area they’re researching, congressional district or state for example. For a focus group the organization may choose from a narrower group in order to better understand how that group thinks and why they might vote a particular way.

In focus groups organized for Navigator Research in three swing states, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Nevada, voters who lean Republican or consider themselves independent generally were very disturbed to learn that Trump had been indicted on 91 charges over 4 criminal trials. Participants were also concerned with Trump’s claims of immunity for anything done by the president including the use of the military to murder opponents.

Even some voters who lean Republican cited Fox News as part of the problem regarding the political divide in the country, misinformation, and distrust of media. Unfortunately that has caused many voters to distrust main stream media entirely rather than find more reliable sources. It’s also frightening that the voters participating in the focus groups didn’t have a common understanding of political violence or recognize it beyond the insurrection on January 6, 2021.

The only positive point I see is that for the most part participants in the focus group and hopefully others like them were less likely to support Trump upon learning more about the indictments and criminal trials as well as his claims of total immunity.

It is important to remember that Trump lost the popular vote in both 2016 and 2020. He only won in 2016 because of a relatively small number of votes in a handful of swing states giving him the edge in the electoral college. It will only take a small number of independents and soft Republicans voting for Biden to insure that Trump never again has political power in the United States.

As a Democrat and believer in the peaceful transfer of power through free and fair elections I hold out hope that readers of this column and others will reach out to family and friends to insure that they are informed about they recognize the dangers of re-electing Trump.

Published in the Seguin Gazette February 7, 2024