Tag Archives: Justice Thomas

No Sale, Mr. Bezos

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Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post has published an “Opinion” piece defending his decision to stop endorsing presidential candidates weeks before the election. The piece was entitled, The hard truth: Americans don’t trust the news media https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/28/jeff-bezos-washington-post-trust/ He was right about that part at least.

At last look, the article had received more than 15,000 comments and growing rapidly. It has also been reported that since the Post’s announcement there have been more than 200,000 subscription cancellations, about 8 percent of the subscriber base. If so, that number likely continues to grow and may be the real and only reason Bezos has now elected to speak out.

Here was my posted comment on Bezos’ Opinion:

“The reasons for the distrust you cite seem reasonably clear. One, the Trump acolytes bought his nonsense about Fake News from his earliest days in politics. Two, papers like the Post practiced and still practice both-sides-ing critical issues. Just a day or two ago the Post promoted KellyAnne Conway speaking about abortion. You have featured Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley & a multitude of election-denying, deflecting, dishonest Republican hyper-partisans in videos and opinion pieces.

Complaints about these practices have fallen on deaf ears. Now, at the last minute, the Post departs from a practice it has followed since 1976, almost 50 years!, by refusing to endorse the presidential candidate, who, whatever her flaws, is not a convicted criminal, did not attempt to overthrow the government following the last election, and who has not declared, as Trump has, that she will only accept the 2024 outcome if she wins.

Mr. Bezos, your explanation fails on its merits because you haven’t addressed the real issue behind it and the Post’s journalistic practices. If the endorsement doesn’t influence votes, as you suggest, there is no harm in just doing what has been done. Instead, you claim to be following a principle that the paper has failed to follow since Trump emerged from the sludge of America’s lowest politics to be an attractant of attention, however misplaced. If the Post doesn’t stand up for what is right, then it stands for nothing and deserves to die.”

Upon further reflection, there are other issues with the Post owner’s Opinion. One is that the Post has endorsed a multitude of other candidates for federal and state offices. Surely Mr. Bezos is aware of that, yet he ignores it in arguing that endorsements are meaningless or worse because they sow mistrust.

The reality is that mistrust is sown by behaving in an untrustful manner. If I lie constantly, make up false stories, violate the law, demean others in racist and misogynistic ways, refuse to acknowledge science and on and on, I deserve to be distrusted. I have, of course, described Donald Trump and those who worship him. The Post’s owner dissembles when he claims, essentially, that the paper’s endorsement, and presumably therefore the endorsements of every other major paper in America, have no value but to sew distrust. He ignores the many accurate Post stories condemning Trump’s vile politics and establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that he is unfit to serve as President again.

The Post’s owner cannot have it both ways. Sadly, for our country and the world, there are many other examples of distrust that can be cited, many traceable to Trump in one way or another. I refer to the outrageous conflicts of interest of Justice Thomas and his wife, the open flaunting of religious and political bias by Justice Alito and, most recently, the worst decision in the history of the Supreme Court where it’s Trump-appointed justices held that the President of the United States may commit with “absolute immunity” crimes, including attempts to overthrow the government, as long as the crimes are committed in “discussions” with, for example only, the Justice Department. See Trump v United States, decided July 1, 2024, opinion viewable at https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf

Mr. Bezos’ dissembling cannot excuse or conceal what is going on here. The Post’s decision, delivered on Friday on the eve of the election, was certain to elicit the response it has and yet Mr. Bezos waited until the next Monday to speak out. This may indeed be the death knell for the Post brought about by the arrogance of wealth and indifference or even hostility to the welfare of the nation. If so, too bad. Just another casualty of the cowardice inspired by Donald Trump’s example.

Nothing Has Changed – Don’t Be Misled by the Republican Political Theater

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Make no mistake Someone apparently tried to shoot Trump. I say ‘apparently’ because based on the evidence disclosed thus far, it is equally possible that the shooter intended only to frighten him or that the real target was the audience. While the shooter has much in common with the typical mass-murderer of school children (a youngish white male, a loner bullied in school), he was reportedly a registered Republican. His father also an avid Republican, Trump supporter and, of course, deep fan of guns – it was reportedly his gun that his son used.

In saying that, I do not subscribe to the conspiracy theories unsurprisingly circulating on social media that the entire event was staged in light of the imminent Republican National Convention, etc. One man, a father and firefighter, was killed in the incident and two other spectators were severely injured. An AR-15 bullet will do that, as we have learned to our deep sorrow from the many school shootings in which such weapons were used.

Not that Trump cared about anyone but himself. Reports indicate he has never reached out to the families of the man killed or of those wounded. President Biden did and was rebuffed by the widow who claimed her husband was so devoted to Trump that he would not have wanted her to accept the President’s condolences. That’s where we are.

Trump played golf, apparently not much unnerved by his alleged brush with death. Curious but given his past, not altogether surprising. To repeat, on the basis of known evidence so far, I do not subscribe to the claim that the entire affair was staged. The shooter was also killed. On the other hand, many mass shooters fully expect to die in the process.

I understand there are many unanswered questions. In time I expect there will be more clarity around why there has been no medical report on the nature and extent of the injury to Trump’s ear, and there are no authentic medical reports on the treatment he received. Why did Trump finally appear with a very large white bandage over the affected ear? There are reports indicating that he may not have been hit by a bullet at all but that his ear was damaged by a piece of the teleprompter that was shattered by a bullet. Strange but … not proof of the staging argument.

Also, there is no proof that this was in fact an “attempted assassination,” as the press has universally accepted without evidence of anything but an alleged nicked ear. There will be investigations and reports. Perhaps then there will be clarity about these and other questions begging for answers. Other than glorying in the additional attention he is receiving, and constantly craves, there is little if any real evidence that he came within an inch of being killed.

Meanwhile, everyone should calm down. A man is dead. The shooter is dead. Two people are hospitalized with undetailed but likely devastating wounds from the AR-15 bullets.

That said, the Republicans reacted true to form, blaming Democrats for “demonizing” Trump and thus inviting disaster. Naturally, those Republican sycophants ignored their consistent refusal to consider any meaningful restraints on ownership of automatic weapons. The NRA and their devotion to a strained interpretation of the Second Amendment were also ignored. Typical. One Republican claimed that President Biden had ordered the “hit” on Trump. Thoughts and prayers on that one. Republican Trump-worshippers remain among the worst, the most appalling Americans alive today.

Meanwhile, the Democrats were busy decrying violence in our political affairs and urging “unity.” Of course. Thoughts and prayers on that one too. The media also have been hysterical in their response to the incident, reporting as fact numerous matters about which they have no reliable evidence. It’s déjà vu all over again.

The reality is that Trump demonized himself. Here is a very brief sample of how he did that:

Trump’s immigration “policy” led to separating hundreds of children from their parents, in some cases apparently permanently, and locking them in cages. A perfect prescription for creating future terrorists who will never forget what was done to their families in the name of the United States of America. [See Who Will Punish Trump Administration Crimes Against Humanity?

Trump lied grotesquely and repeatedly about the COVID pandemic, promoting quack-sourced non-scientific remedies, repeatedly reassuring the country that the pandemic would end shortly with little impact. In fact, more than a million Americans died from COVID, and the damage continues. [See The Triumph of Hope Over Experience?]

Trump tried to use a foreign government to undermine his 2020 political opponent’s campaign, was impeached (twice) and acquitted only because his Republican sycophants in the Senate refused to hear the evidence and did not care what he did. Trump committed many other crimes in office. [See … A Man Unacquainted With Honor, Courage, And Character …. and Donald Trump — A Gangster in the White House]

When he left the White House, Trump took top secret documents with him and when this was discovered and the Archives demanded they be returned, he lied about them, refused to return them, hid them and engaged in other clear acts of obstruction of justice, adding to the ten that Robert Mueller’s investigation uncovered.

Trump has been found guilty by a criminal jury of fraud – 34 felonies. Not to mention the judicial determinations that he raped at least one woman.

There are dozens, likely hundreds of other examples, including many not revealed because Trump routinely destroyed documents that were supposed to be retained as official records of the Office of the President. But Trump never cared about that Office or his oath. His presidency was an occasion only to further enrich himself.

The mainstream media have apparently lost their minds entirely. The New York Times decided Joe Biden should drop out of the 2024 race solely due to his terrible debate performance, without mentioning anything about Trump. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has conferred upon the President the absolute and unchallengeable power to commit crimes in office, even to the point of purloining the Department of Justice, among other agencies, to overthrow the presidential election of the very government the Court claimed it was protecting. In a bizarre twist of logic, the Court, claiming to prevent inter-presidential revenge-taking, gave the President the power to remain “king of America” for life and to appoint his successor. If the Biden administration doesn’t do something drastic about the Trump immunity decision, democracy in America will end with the next election if Trump wins. Imagine thereafter Trump’s son, Donald Junior, as President. It’s no joke.

The perfidy of the Supreme Court is not limited to the immunity question. Justice Thomas, bought and paid for by secret gifts from a billionaire Republican “friend,” wrote a concurring opinion on an issue not before the Court in the Trump immunity case. Thomas declared that the appointment of Special Prosecutor, Jack Smith, had been unconstitutional and therefore that the criminal cases against Trump at Smith’s behest could not stand. And, dutifully attendant to Trump’s needs as always, after endless delaying tactics but in practically no time after the filing of the then-inevitable motions to dismiss the stolen secret documents case, Trump’s judge-in-his-pocket, Aileen Cannon produced a 93-page opinion dismissing the document theft charges.

Now the New York Times apparently has awakened, at least partially, and produced in the last Sunday Times a special section entitled:  He Failed the Tests of Leadership and Betrayed America. Voters Must Reject Him in November: Donald Trump is Unfit to Lead.

So obviously true and yet, maybe too little too late. This was before the shooting. Trump has now selected one of the most despicable human beings in America to run with his as his Vice President: J.D. Vance. And while the Times on the same day recounts in detail the efforts of Republican functionaries around the country to suppress the votes of Democrats, it still plays the both-sides game in giving uncritical attention to the views of Trump’s most dedicated supporters in Congress and elsewhere.

The Supreme Court has unleashed the dogs of war by purporting to empower the President to violate the law with impunity. Joe Biden has many critical decisions to make if democracy is to be save from the very brink of destruction. The media also must choose now. There is no question left about the intention of the Republican Party to promote Donald Trump’s fascism until it has destroyed American democracy as it has existed since 1787.

I have read suggestions that Arabs and Muslims in Michigan, for one example, will not vote for Biden because of his support of Israel in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. I asked whether those single-issue voters have forgotten that Trump, immediately after taking office, imposed a ban on Muslims coming into the United States, labeling them all as potential terrorists. How many times must the lesson be learned that Donald Trump is no one’s friend, no one’s ally – he’s in politics for himself and his family alone. How many times?

The countdown clock is ticking to doomsday. Everything is on the line.

Sources: Who Will Punish Trump Administration Crimes Against Humanity? https://shiningseausa.com/2020/02/23/who-will-punish-trump-administration-crimes-against-humanity/

    The Triumph of Hope Over Experience?  https://shiningseausa.com/2022/02/26/triumph-hope-over-experience/

    … A Man Unacquainted With Honor, Courage, And Character …. https://shiningseausa.com/2024/02/06/man-unacquainted-with-honor-courage-and-character/

    Donald Trump — A Gangster in the White House https://shiningseausa.com/2022/04/11/donald-trump-a-gangster-in-the-white-house/