PowerPoint to Save Democracy

This is a letter I just sent to a four-star General with whom I have had communcations with over the last few years. If a coup could be outlined in a PowerPoint I think a plan to save democracy deserves a PowerPoint too.

We gave Biden 2021 to try and pass Build Back Better. I’m not sure that’s going to work due to Manchinema, as they are now calling those two.  So now, the survival of our 250-year-old democracy is coming down to voting rights. 

We can all see the GOP intends to fix the elections and even override the will of the people with party loyalists who will choose electors loyal to Trump. We will lose this democracy on paper in 2022 if we don’t pass voting right protections. Is that how you see it too?


Consider this a 4-pronged PowerPoint to save democracy on the planet.It has four parts because there is something to do for the Executive, the AG, the DOD and the public.

Biden means well, but is not doing enough. That’s really why his polls are down. People are getting the impression that Biden and particularly AG Garland are not up to the tasks at hand. 

WHAT JOE BIDEN CAN DO
Joe Biden has a few weeks in January to pass Build Back Better. If Manchinema are still blocking this, he needs to start campaigning in their states against them – without saying he is against them. How can he do that? This is how with a little help from email and phone lines staffed with real people.


First, he needs to make a speech in which he asks the voters in WV and AZ this: What do you want from your federal government? 

He should focus his words towards MAGA voters as any strength the GOP insurectionists have is backed up by their base support. He campaigns by asking the people in GOP states what he can do for them.


Biden then sets up a hotline for people to call in their ideas for what they want and expect from their government. Staff phone lines. Open an email specially for this. Advertise it. Ask voters what they can do to help Build Back Better. I’d rather it be called BUILD BACK TOGETHER btw. The email address should be together@us.gov – or close to that. He’s going to find out we all want pretty much the same things! 


Biden can speak a bit like a potential employer too. Asking them if they have any skills to lend to the new Build Back Together campaign. This will act like fireside chats worked for FDR in the WW2 era. But it will also act to expose Manchin and Sinema and Abbott as people who do not care what their constituents want. It will pressure them.

And a few weeks later he can report to America what his polls said. And then he can point out that Manchin and Cinema are blocking him from getting the people what they want.


In effect, Biden needs to go to war with the obstructionists within his own party, without saying it. So this is a way to do that by asking the constituents what they want from their federal government.

Here is a link to my previous post with more ideas to save the democracy and end the GOP stranglehold on Congress. I would not miss this. Outside the box thinking from constituents is part of what is missing from the Dem agenda.


WHAT THE DOD CAN DO 
A coup is an attempt to overthrow the government, is it not?  The DOD was created to protect us from exactly what we are seeing. Every member of the DOD, from private first class to general takes an oath to protect this government – not just the lands – but the functions of the government too. 


We get that the DOD has to stay apolitical. DOD can’t take weapons to congressmen and a former president. That’s banana republic stuff.  But know this. Trump tried to get control of the DOD and failed. That’s really why he is not in power still. I am thankful for that. But next time, if Trump or his GOP sycophants get back in power, they will remove every DOD member who does not go along with what they want. They learned that in their first attempted coup. They are removing election board members who are not corruptible now.


The GOP also know they will eventually need the cooperation of the DOD. So maybe they start a physical war right away in a new adminictration if they win, and then DOD can’t say no. They are clever that way. 


TRUMP’S GOP NEEDS TO KNOW THEY WILL NEVER HAVE THE DOD IN THEIR POCKET! They don’t know that in their bones yet. They have not given up.


Yesterday, there was a crack in the darkness that provided an opportunity to get DOD INTEL involved with the Jan6 investigations.The committtee spoke of adding people to go over social media posts to see if foreign governments were involved. ( They were. Putin started this whole cyber war thing. Trump was never smart or educated in worldly things. He does not even read to learn.  ) 


That’s your DOD’s wheelhouse – protecting us from foreign governments! It’s a potential entrance ramp. Ask to help in this effort only! You are going to find out it was all Russia coordinating with GOP and others and that it started in 2015. Mueller may even become relevant again. 


If you get DOD Intel involved in that specific effort, that alone may end Trumpism. Why do I say that? 

Right now, many GOP are shaking in their boots about what the Jan6 Committee will turn up against them. Many insurrectionists close to Trump are pleading the 5th. They are praying they get back in power so they can end all these investigations. You know that too. So, by them seeing the DOD is involved in getting to the truth – even tangentially – they will get the feeling that even getting back in power will not sway the DOD from their oath to protect democracy. Right now, they can hope. SHUT DOWN THAT HOPE!  


The effect may be that those who are pleading the 5th or hiding the truth decide they don’t want to fight the DOD – which is never popular with ANY Americans. DOD involvement in the Jan6 investigations – even if it’s just computer geeks – can end Trumpism stat.  A few key defectors from that “thick as thieves” brotherhood of insurrectionists – and they are done.   Democracy saved!  


That’s what you can do persoanlly. Help make that happen . Get authority from DOD Intel. Call Joe Biden or Bennie Thompson. Offer DOD help to protect democracy with respect to this attempt to cover social media posts. 

Don’t worry about “politics”. The GOP members who stand with insurrection are clearly not really well-intended Congressmen. Criminals and traitors to democracy do not deserve the cover of being Congressmen. And if that is not enough to sway you, defer to your oath to protect the democracy – or your private oath which I know you have made to yourself – to spend your time on earth doing good for others. What else is there really? 


WHAT OUR AG CAN DO
There was a coup attempt. The AG and FBI need to be visibily involved in the effort to prosecute those involved in the coup. Absent of that, the coup attempt will continue. It’s that simple.

If Garland is not up to the task, there are plenty of prosecuters who are. Biden needs to tell Garland to start proscuting the insurrectionists in our government and restraining and monitoring their activities. If we don’t see this by January 15th by the AG – Biden should find a new AG stat.

Timing is important here. Democracy’s clock is running out. We need conclusions by April so the public can get onvolved inthe spring. That means we need to start proscuting higher-ups in January.


WHAT CITIZENS CAN DO
The citizens must eventually get street active again. That’s done easiest when the weather breaks. Covid is not our friend here. So for now, the citizens are relatively calm and trying to enjoy the season and busy surviving covid. By April, I hope we will see outrage in the streets on voting rights. 

A JOINT EFFORT TO SAVE DEMOCRACY IN THE USA (and on the planet)
This is the map of democracies and autocracies on the planet. You can see that if the USA waffles in the next few months, the autocrats can take the USA and then rest of the planet has no defense. 


Remember this too. Autocracy is 8000 years old. Democracy is about 250 years old. Historically, democracy is the underdog.

In this PowerPoint, there was something to do for the president, the AG, the DOD and the public. If everyone does their part, this will not fail. 


Notice that I have NOT mentioned a task for Congress. Congress is clearly infected. I expect Congressmembers to keep fighing with each other along party lines.  I don’t expect much out of Congress when 50% of it is in on the coup – either actively or by association with their party. ………

Thank you for your time in reading this and considering getting into the fight to save democracy and the planet. That’s what’s at stake and I think you know that down deep. 


Joseph Aronesty

73 years now – just a citizen of the USA trying to regain his pride in the nation.

Meme for the campaign to engage all Americans in rebuilding America.

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Biden and the Dems Stat To-Do List to Save Democracy and the Planet

We all are tired of watching the Dems play by the “rules” while Trump GOP in government break rules and norms to stall and win. I am nauseated by the media saying ” the GOP will likely win the House in 2022″. Why? Because it happened before during more normal times? These are not normal times!

The main reason Biden’s polls are down is because he plays softball in a hardball game. Joe! Do you realize that there are GOP voters that would support you in you were tougher on government criminals? Your DOJ should have arrested Steve Bannon long ago. Americans on both sides would respect you for that and your polls would go up. If you are afraid of the GOP now, when you are in power, imagine how you will feel when you are out of power. Hang Mike Pence could become Hang Joe Biden. Right? So now is the time to be tough.

Further, the US Constitution which is really the “rules” does not allow people to run for office who have taken part in, supported, or even “comforted” insurrection. Why on earth is no one in media or government citing the 14th Amendment – Section 3 – as reason to STOP Trump from running for president in 2024? Why are secretary of state candidates who support the Big Lie allowed to run for office when the Constitution says they cannot?

Read the 14th Amendment, Section 3, verbatim:

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

The first person in government who comes out and says those who support insurrection of the Big Lie cannot run for office will gain the support of about 70% of the voting USA. (Beto, this could be you. )

Germany had a similar problem in 1945. They made it so their Nationalist Party ( Nazi was a nickname for Nationalist ) was banned from government. Germany did this, but we don’t? It makes no sense. We actually deserve to lose if we don’t get tough on the criminals in our government. And each and every GOP member who cowers to Trump and supports his Big Lie, which is part and parcel of the insurrection, is a traitor to the constitution ( meme, ahem) and not allowed to be in our government.

Yes. I see the last sentence of the 14th. It says those who are already in government and support or comfort insurrection must be voted out by 2/3. But guess what? Trump is not currently in Congress or government now. And all those Secretary of State candidates that want to run to upend future elections – if they have comforted insurrectionists or advocated for the Big Lie – they are also disqualified to serve via the 14th. This needs to be said – now!

First one who says loudly that “Trump cannot run as per the 14th” – wins the respect of 70% of Americans. People from both sides will thank that person. It should have been said at “Russia, if you’re listening.”

And when Biden’s DOJ starts thinking and acting that way, the GOP will not win the House in 2022. They will instead need a complete personnel rehaul. Many will step down. New candidates for POTUS will emerge. And the one pro-democracy party will win House and Senate in 2022. Simple steps taken now can assure that outcome.

These are the only sure steps that will save the US democracy. Waiting for 2022 is not a plan – it’s a prayer. The GOP are fixing the elections now, in plain sight. Without democracy, the planet is doomed. Autocrats do not care about their constituents nor the planet. The stakes are as high now as they were in WW2.

So keep playing by the “rules” dems. It’s like watching a cancer spread through a body and not taking the steps to eradicate it. Time is not our friend here. This is also why GOP are okay with a poor pandemic response and why their own are dying more than Dems. They know a givernment that is using most of its resources to fight a pandemic cannot focus on stopping the metastasis of voter fixing that is taking place daily at the local level.

Does Biden have my support? Yes, of course. I would never support a Big Lie supporter even if they later recanted their position. Does Biden have my respect? No. He has not earned that yet. And neither has Garland. I feel like I could do a better job to save our democracy than they have done. At least I have a plan. They have this “wait and see” what happens in 2022 attitude. The criminals love this about Dems.

Maybe Joe had to get the infrastructure bill out of the way before getting serious. But that’s done now. And not a peep of hardball. They set Bannon free and are letting him stall.

The 14th also says “no state shall abridge citizen rights” in section one. So all those voter suppression laws are not legal as well. We really don’t need new laws. We need to apply the Constitution we have now and treat those who stand with the Big Lie who are in government as disqualified to run, campaign or hold office as per the 14th.

Update: Conversations with Dean Obidallah, Maxine Waters staff June and Thom Hartmann reveal that the 14th amendment has no “teeth” or clearly otlined way of being inforced. To that I say this: So what? The 2nd Amendment is not crytal clear on citizen’s rights to own guns. It speaks of a well-regulated militia. That never stopped Republicans from saying they have rights to own, brandish and use guns – even AR15’s. Throw the ripple in the pond, Dems!

Things will happen in response to this statement if its makde loud and clear by a person with authority. The general public will not understand it has no teeth, and will rally to its calling. People on the GOP side who are not crazy about Trump ( about 30% of them ) will like the idea. And then GOP woujld-be candidates like Christy, Rubio and Cheney will ltake up the calling. Before we know it, a movement to give the 14th Amendement “teeth” may emerge. Trumpis,m began with a statement – albeit one of hate. The antidote to Trumpism starts with a statement as well – if we want it to.

Now look at the big picture. We have a planet divided into countries with two basic ruling methods. One way is autocracy. One man rules. It’s been around for 8000 years, going back to city-states and Babylon. And then in 1776, a new way to govern evolved because a British colony was sick and tired of autocracy and was willing to fight and stand up to it. It’s called democracy. It means the people rule. The people vote for representatives and the elected take an oath to do their bidding.

A lot of Americans died to protect the institution of free and fair elections. It’s both sacrilegious and treasonous for politicians to advocate that our elections are not fair without proforma indisputable evidence. Citizens are allowed to have any opinion they want to have. But those in government take an oath – and when they violate that oath by standing with insurrection – they are disqualified to serve. The 14th Amendmant says that. It’s really that simple.

Prior Posts on this subject:

Standing Up to Trumpism Cannot Wait for the 2022 Midterms

The Firing of Esper is Trump’s New Attempt to Subvert Our Democracy

What If Trump and Key GOP Operatives Have Been Suborned?

englishcode.wordpress.com/2020/08/07/act-of-war

englishcode.wordpress.com/2019/10/22/cyber-warfare

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Standing Up to Trumpism Cannot Wait for the 2022 Midterms

With readily available weapons that can wipe out all human life the planet – and a very real climate change problem which will need global cooperation to survive – the interspecies predator or prey meme has become a real threat to all humans.

Now look at the big picture. We have a planet divided into countries with two basic organizing methods. One way is autocracy. It’s been around for 8000 years, going back to city-states and Babylon. And then in 1776, a new way to govern evolved because a colony was sick and tired of autocracy and was willing to fight and stand up to it. It’s called democracy. It means the people rule. The people vote for representatives and the elected* take an oath to do their bidding. A lot of Americans died to protect the institution of free and fair elections. It’s both sacrilegious and treasonous for politicians to advocate that our elections are not fair without proforma indisputable evidence.

I fully realize that citizens have a right to voice their opinions. But politicians are not ordinary citizens. Politicians, for example, cannot sue people for voicing opinions against them owing to the “burning in effigy” laws. But the right to cast aspersions vs our government’s institutions, should not extend to public figures and media because the size of their audiences creates a theater in which shouting fire is downright dangerous. Jan 6 was such a theater. The 14th Amendment protects us from such politicians.

We all saw Donald Trump invite and incite a crowd to violence. I don’t understand why the people who rushed the Capitol and in jail, but their ringleader is free. Evidence hides the word video. We have seen. To me, the plausible deniability that Jan 6 was perhaps not an insurrection attempt, is like a bank having the video of a robbery that was not successful and saying, “let’s have a trial to see of what we see on tape actually happened”. The Jan 6 Committee should only be looking for who else ( besides the obvious instigators) was involved in planning this insurrection attempt.

It is also clear the autocrats of the world allied with the GOP in 2016. They had common ground. They both had motives to want to destroy democracy. The GOP knows changing demographics means they cannot win many fair elections any more. Candidate Donald Trump once said aloud, “what does it matter if I don’t win?” The GOP has adapted that stance.

So we have to do something about this now, as Americans – not partisans. Waiting for midterms is like saying “it was okay”. Admit it. Correct course.

It’s not as if we don’t have laws on the books to put the GOP who stand with insurrectionists out of Congress. Read the 14th Amendment, Section 3:

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Radio host, Dean Obidallah told me the 14th is a paper tiger because the offending Congressmen must be removed by a 2/3 vote of Congress, and, of course, that will never happen. Agreed. But out of office, like Trump is now, can anyone explain why a person who comforted insurrectionists can still run for POTUS? It is clearly unconstitutional. If Americans could hear their DOJ say “Trump cannot run as per the 14th” that may be enough to start the Trumpism wrecking ball in motion.

I am suggesting that Joe Biden’s DOJ make a statement: Donald Trump cannot run for any political office again in accordance with the 14th Amendment. That also means he cannot raise money to run, or campaign for office. If he creates a rally, we will assume it is to campaign, and he will be arrested. Trump will sue. Big deal.

Donald Trump, having arranged a violent insurrection and certainly comforted those there calling them “wonderful people” can never run for any office again.

This announcement alone will cause the other POTUS hopefuls in the GOP to take a stance, and cause division in the GOP. I’m sure some of them will be relieved that the DOJ says Trump cannot run. I’m sure some will stand with him. That’s what the GOP needs. A shake up. They need to choose sides. Democracy or autocracy.

I get that we may be waiting for the full truth on Jan6 to come out. Maybe Trump will not be found to have caused the insurrection. But Donald Trump certainly comforted those who rushed the Capitol calling them “wonderful people”. That’s on tape. He cannot deny it. So we have enough to state he can never run for any office again. So we must say it or be complicit. The ripples of such an announcement alone has the power to end Trumpism.

First. Trump could not raise money to campaign and run again if he cannot be president. He could and should be arrested if he campaigns after the announcement. His rallies are in essence a way to recruit people to do violence.

Second. It will force the GOP to find another candidate and that will create a divide in the GOP. Maybe a few other GOP presidential hopefuls will agree that Trump cannot run. Maybe we can break up the “thick as thieves” alliance in the current GOP. That unholy alliance has been the real Trumpism from before Trump was a politician.

Third. Maybe some in the middle of the right wing will respect us for having a spine at last. They seem to have a penchant for strongmen. The last thing a Republican respects is a wuss. Let’s stop being wusses and see where it gets us. We could not possibly be doing worse that holding all three chambers and still being scared we are going to lose democracy.

Fourth. Re: all those Secretaries of States that want to run to upend future elections – if they have comforted insurrectionists or advocated for the Big Lie – they are also disqualified to serve via the 14th. It needs to be said – now.

I sure hope the Jan6 Commission gets down to business soon. But we cannot even wait for that to unfold. Trump has already crossed a red line stamped into our Constitution when he called a mob to the Capitol steps and incited many a domestic terrorist to act out. If there ever was a public enemy number one, it is Donald J Trump.

Finally, as you see the GOP following Trump in the Big Lie everywhere, we should be reminded that this is exactly what autocrats want. They want the institution of democracy itself to fail.

Saying that an election was rigged is an attack on our sacred institution of democracy. No one serving in Congress should be allowed to publicly voice that our American elections are rigged without hard evidence. And we have words in our constitution that echo that sentiment. So let’s not wait for 2022 to start protecting our democracy.

It’s not important who I am, but I am citizen Joseph Aronesty, an e-commerce pioneer, published linguist and songwriter. I sat in a class with Donny Trump in 1968 at Wharton. He cheated then too. I also worked in his orbit from 1986 to 2001 in New Jersey.

*Elected. My brand of etymology involves cutting words down to their basic parts and summing the meanings of the parts. E is “out of”. LEC is “word” , as in LECTURE or LEXICON. Election – from (written) words.

I HATE TO SAY I TOLD YOU SO – BUT :

The Firing of Esper is Trump’s New Attempt to Subvert Our Democracy
What If Trump and Key GOP Operatives Have Been Suborned?
Election Meddling is an Attack on Our Commonwealth
“Cyber” is the New Way to War and Putin is Cyber Warfare’s First Master

Why Trump’s August Re-Instatement Meme Is So Dangerous

When Donald Trump asked if he could meet with the Taliban at Camp David, he certainly did not want to talk them off their radical stances. He was looking to enroll them to do some violence for his own causes. That’s how he rolls. But though that meeting did not happen, Donald found other terrorists he could inspire right here in the USA to do his dirty work – his MAGA base. Now he is telling his base August is a time he will be re-instated.

Trump is clearly signaling his base to act out in August and if some heads roll that will be fine with him too. We have to ask ourselves how we would react if in Laden had said these words. Flynn said the base should overthrow the government as in Myanmar too. These words cannot go unpunished. Note that Trump’s base is armed with many more AR’s than the good people of this country who don’t define themselves by the number of guns they own. Trump is no longer just a threat to democracy. Trumpism, the GOP and Donald Trump are threats to the lives of “we the people”.

My father and many others offered their lives up in WW2 to protect this country from would-be dictators. If we don’t act now, while we have the power, what was that sacrifice for? The proper strategy is to escalate the January 6th investigation to the FBI and the military intelligence and reach some conclusions before August. The truth should find light in 60 days.

When we find the the higher up players that aided or comforted the mob, we must treat this like a foreign attack. We will need to march the GOP involved from their desks to the House jail.

We can be on the losing end or the winning end of this war. But please don’t expect Congress to be the heroes. Congress is infected. The cancer of Trumpism has metastasized to those in the Congress. The 14th amendment was created in 1866 to protect the country against what we are seeing right now. It’s like they knew it would happen this way.

The pushback against Trumpism will be up to four main groups. Our military intelligence, justice department, the media and we the people. Trump just leaked the plan, just as he hid when he said “Russia, if you’re listening”. But we did not consider than a form of treason, as we should have. Remember, the dodo bird went extinct because it could not recognize its enemies.

…….

Below are links to three very important posts. The first is about the 14th Amendment. The second is an early warning about Trump’s agenda and the Espionage Act. The third is about when Trump fired Esper and what that meant.

Can the 14th Amendment Save American Democracy?

Indicting Trump under the Espionage Act of 1918

The Firing of Esper is Trump’s New Attempt to Subvert Our Democracy

Two Announcements Can Swiftly End Trumpism

Postulate. If the whole truth on Jan6 comes out, the GOP is dead on the arrival of that truth. And the death of this Trumped version of the GOP solves many of our country’s dysfunctional ills. The current GOP knows all this. It’s why they voted against investigating the insurrection. It’s not only suspicious, it is an abject failure on the part of Congress to protect the people of this country from all enemies foreign and domestic.

We also do not want the Jan6 investigation to turn into another long-drawn-out impeachment trial concluding with no justice. My email to Joe Biden follows. But it’s for you too. We are all in this together is not just about the virus. 

Joe. Time To Get In the War

Face the music. That is what your father’s generation would have said. The results of Pelosi’s Democratic committee investigation will not likely be acknowledged by the GOP. They voted against having an investigation because there’s nothing good that can come of it – for them.

What would be the GOP reaction if you said you wanted to swiftly expose the full truth behind Jan6 for the purpose of national security? Don’t you think fighting fascism is as important as fighting the virus? Tell me how we will tackle climate change with self-dealing autocrats in power. We won’t. And that spells the end of the word as we know it.

There is no way the GOP can sell blocking or stalling the investigation to the American people. The announcement will make you the first cyber war-time president in the minds of the vast majority of Americans. Cyber war began here in 2016. We need a president who knows who our attackers are and reacts with the clear-eyed seriousness these times deserve. And just why you want to leave this to Nancy Pelosi seems to me to be a dereliction of your duty to protect this country. Sorry to put it so bluntly to one who I know cares as much as you do. But one more impeachment-like affair, concluding with no justice, and the democratic base may give just up on their government.

We already know the GOP will try their best to deny the results of an investigation. They will say it was partisan. To choke off that strategy we need to be one step ahead of it. To that end, I suggest the FBI and DOD military intel play a role in it’s swift execution as part of your Executive Order. They are both known nonpartisans. No one can say military intel did a fake news investigation. We already know what the GOP Congressmembers cell phone records will look like. Jan6 was an act of war on our own soil. It must be treated that way.

Joe Biden, the USA has been under an ongoing attack without bombs since 2016. The recent Russian hacks to our businesses and infrastructure were part of our enemies’ war efforts. It’s cyber war – words are weapons. An executive order to expose the whole truth on the insurrection will be viewed as a welcomed shot across the bow to Americans. And it will upset the enemies of democracy – at last. You said it’s democracy vs autocracy.  It’s been that way since Russia if you’re listening. Start acting like you know it. You can say something like this:

Fellow Americans, 
The country experienced an attack on Jan. 6th, and it is my sworn duty to protect Americans from all enemies, foreign and domestic.  I am commissioning the best this country has to find out what went down on Jan 6th, down to the text messages! I am calling on the FBI and Military Intelligence, long known to be our very best non-partisan professionals, the world’s best trained investigators, to be part of the force to get to the full truth on Jan6. They will work work together with Congressional House committee on this undertaking. I am asking them to work together and try and bring me a report back with warp speed. They will have my administration’s full support and access to any resources we can offer. America needs to know what happened on Jan6. It is a matter of national security. The investigation starts now.  Full stop.

Postulate. Criminals just get more emboldened and creative when they think the coast is clear. Once they hear and see the military intelligence is getting involved, they’ll know the entire jig is up. Voter suppression may even stop. My guess is that there will be a lot of GOP scattering, disowning and retirements once they know truth is marching on.

Joe Biden: The GOP must be made to believe the full truth on Jan6 will come out in 30 to 60 days from sources that they cannot easily knock. They don’t seem to be afraid of Pelosi’s “committee”. Is she the acting commander-in-chief, sir?

Please do not be afraid of repealing the filibuster because you think the GOP will just do this to us. If we do this right, all the criminals in the GOP will be vanquished before the 2022 elections. We can make laws that keep criminals out of government. This current GOP does not come back if we do this right. And they will never leave if we don’t.

These are tactics the GOP would never expect from Democrats. How refreshing! Know that the current GOP would be happy to use these tactics on us should they regain power. And until we punish them, they will never stop.

There was an attack on our democratic process on Jan6 And it’s still going on because no one involved at the top has seen an iota of justice. Justice solves everything in this country – from racism and economic disparity to environmental issues. And this is easy to do now. By refusing to vote for an investigation the GOP have opened the door for us to do this 100% right. They made this easy for us and we don’t see that?

We have a president to make decisions in times of war. And this is war! This surprise announcement alone could even end Trumpism in the ten minutes it takes to deliver it.  And I mean all of Trumpism, down to the Cyber Ninjas.

The GOP think we will never punch back. Heck, their own voters would respect us more if we fought for democracy than if we let the autocrats roll over us. Let’s stop being wusses. It’s why the base went for Trump. Playing hardball with the insurrectionists is a win-win.

Once we do this, the GOP gang will be weakened and scared, as they should be. Once we do this, we can get everything we want for the people.  One brilliant Executive Order from our commander-in-chief does it.  It took FDR years to get into the war. But the enemy was 3000 miles away then. We don’t have that time now. The enemy is here.

Plan to get Trump’s base to abandon the GOP.

The GOP base is clamoring for recounts. OFFER THEM A RECOUNT! The appropriate state official announces one CNBC NATIONALLY TELEVISED BIPARTISAN RECOUNT in a state of the GOP’s choosing. The announcement is all we need. It likely will never happen.

We can add this rule – or not: If nothing changes the outcome, any Congressperson who thereafter promotes the Big Lie – or that Biden is not legitimate – shall surrender his office or be prosecuted to inciting violence ( there is plenty of evidence of that ) to the general public.

Of course, the GOP in Congress know Trump lost. With or without the proviso, they won’t say yes to a fair televised recount. So, just making the request becomes a trap for them. Their base still thinks Trump won! They will clamor for the recount, thinking it will re-instate Trump. When the GOP says no to any recount that is televised, the base will know at last – they are being lied to. That’s when a decent percentage of them abandon the GOP. And after that – you won’t have many problems with Republicans in Congress. It’s like we will have cut Samson’s hair. Child psychology. Easier that new laws.

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Joseph Aronesty, classmate to Donny Trump. Penn 68. I did my homework. 

previous post follows

Using the 14th Amendment to Protect Democracy

Why is no one speaking about the 14th Amendment? If good people heard about it on media, they would have a constitutional leg to base their grievances on. Hope is so important to keep alive.

US Constitution Amendment 14, Section 3
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.

When Donald Trump asked if he could meet with the Taliban at Camp David, he certainly did not want to talk them off their radical stances. But though that meeting did not happen, Trump found other terrorists he could inspire, right here in the USA, to do his dirty work – his MAGA base. 

Now he is telling his base August is a time he will be re-instated. It’s an invitation for a summer of violence. (Should that even be legal?  I think we can make it illegal. It sort of is already. Read on. )

Trump wants his base to act out in August, and he’ll be fine if there is violence. That’s what Flynn effectively said about Myanmar too.  And let’s face it, the MAGA base is armed with many more guns and AR’s than the good people of this country who don’t define themselves by the number of guns they own. And they know that. It’s a recipe for disaster. Trumpism is no longer just a threat to democracy. Trumpism, the GOP and Donald Trump are threats to the lives of “we the people”. 

The Constitution clearly says that insurrectionists and those that support them, shall not be in public office. We are in power now. If we don’t punish the insurrectionists that stormed the Capitol and those that encouraged, or “comforted” them, we dishonor those that died to protect America.

The 14th Amendment applies to federal and state government officials, judges and even the electors who are specifically mentioned therein for good cause. There are many GOP senators who should be given one last chance to publicly announce that Joe Biden is their president, or have their desks locked up by the Sergeant-of-Arms in the House and Senate. That would at least make it so they “shall not be congressmen” after having given comfort to the enemies of democracy.

Proper strategy is to escalate the January 6th investigation to the FBI and the military intelligence and reach some conclusions before Trump’s August date. The truth should be able to find light within 60 days. In physical war, we never have that much time. We need to treat this like war.

When we finger the higher up players that aided or comforted the mob, we can punish them like traitors. We will need to march the GOP involved from their desks to the House jail. The 14th says aiding or comforting insurrection is tantamount to being in the physical mob.

The insurrection investigation will identify our domestic enemies and give the unimplicated in the GOP one more chance to jump ship. Maybe they will. They need to see our strength.

AND ITS GOOD THE GOP KNOW THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE IS ON OUR SIDE NOW IN TH INVESTIGATION. !! That’s a big hurdle for the criminal minds within our government.  It’s why we should use some military intelligence for a Jan 6th investigation. .  The military is a real threat to criminals. They can deal with politics, judges and courts. But military? It is the ultimate strongman.  Biden should ask those with military intelligence experience to look into Jan 6th for that reason. It will scare the beJesus out of Trump’s allies. It might end Trumpism right there. I told you this was easier than we think. We just have to be smart – like Meier Lansky. 

If we are not going to use the Constitution and the full power of the presidency to unseat the insurrectionists, we are running a very high risk of losing this country to autocracy in the next election cycle or two. I don’t know what the odds are, but it’s probably more than 25% right now that the GOP regain power. And if they could throw out Liz Cheney and “hang Mike Pence”, what do you think they will do to the Democrats in Congress if they regain power?

Allowing the enemies of this democracy onto the floor of the Congress is just stupid, especially now that the Dems have more power than they have had in twenty years. And there are enough words in the 14th for us to take or fake a stand. We can learn from the GOP too. Taking a stand engages the base. 

What Dems don’t realize is this stand to unseat reps who have coddled insurrection will be popular with much of the GOP electorate. They must like rulers that seem a bit authoritarian, or they would not have supported Trump. What they respect the least is what we used to call wusses. Let’s not be wusses.

Make no mistake. If the GOP gets back in power it spells the end of this leg of the American democracy. Everything is on the line here, including the future of humanity. Time to get serious Dems. Unseat those congressmen who gave inspiration or comfort to the insurrectionists, now. Both sides of the electorate will thank you for it.

We can’t expect Congress to be the heroes here. Congress is infected. The cancer of Trumpism has metastasized to those in the Congress. Manchin won’t even protect voting rights.  

The 14th amendment was created in 1866 to protect the country against what we are seeing right now. It’s like they knew it would happen this way. This is quoted. 

The 14th Amendment, Section 1.
No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;

Call out states that abridge citizen voting privileges for unconstitutional acts – and financially sanction those states for violating their charter. Do it without hurting the people in the states. We may have to pay them directly, so they know where its coming from and why the state is not in charge any longer. 

The pushback against Trumpism will be up to four main groups. Our military intelligence, the justice department, the media and we the people.  

Remember, the dodo bird went extinct because it could not recognize its enemies. 

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Below are links to other relevant posts.

“Cyber” is the New Way to War and Putin is Cyber Warfare’s First Master We have been in a cyber civil war since Russia, if you’re listening. Putin was the aggressor. He enrolled Donald Trump, who was perhaps unwitting – but maybe not. The infighting has cost the USA trillions in lost potential. The first civil war only lasted four years. To end the war, we must first collectively see we are in a very non-productive war. Ironically, the news industry benefits from a war of words. It used to be the weapon makers.

Putin Used a Trojan Horse to Gain Access to Our Government: Donald Trump

Indicting Trump under the Espionage Act of 1918

The Firing of Esper is Trump’s New Attempt to Subvert Our Democracy

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Police Violence and Mass Shootings Are Two Sides of the Same Coin

America has devolved into an armed war camp, a state we used regard with pity when observed in other countries. It is time to take steps the first steps to end America’s armed standoff. Please note that neither mass shootings nor police violence happen as frequently in any other first world country. We have seen forty-five mass shootings and several unnecessary police killings in the last 30 days. It begs the question: is the United States a first-world country anymore?

The way I see it, police violence and citizen’s gun violence are two sides of same coin. That coin is lethal weapons in the hands of scared and/or unhinged humans.

The cycle of violence starts with citizen vs. citizen crimes. Those crimes instruct a nation to create a force to protect its citizens. That force needed must exceed the force in the hands of the criminals.

In the United States, there are now more guns than citizens and that includes children and infants. The US is the only country on earth with that sad statistic and no large country stats are even close. And most Americans realize this is not a good problem to have. In Japan, a densely populated modern country, there is only one gun per three hundred citizens.

rankGUNS per 100 citizensrank GUNS per 100 citizens
1United States120.5 51 Russia12.3
2Falkland Islands62.1 68Colombia10.1
3 Yemen52.8 81  Brazil8.3
4New Caledonia42.5 97  Spain7.5
5 Montenegro39.1 103  Iran7.3
6 Serbia39.1 106  Ireland7.2
7 Canada34.7 107  Israel6.7
8 Uruguay34.7 108  England4.6
9 Cyprus34 127  China3.6
10Finland32.4 139 Netherlands2.6
12Iceland31.7162  Bolivia2
24Pakistan22.3174  Vietnam1.6
26France19.6180  Uganda0.8
28Germany19.6200American Samoa0.7
42Saudi Arabia16.7202  Ethiopia0.4
45Turkey16.5214  Japan0.3
51Australia14.5219  South Korea0.2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estimated_number_of_civilian_guns_per_capita_by_country

In the USA, police are rightly afraid of its citizens. So for those who say we have a police violence versus people of color problem, while I won’t disagree, the problem begins and is compounded because police don’t know what Americans have unlicensed guns any more. Yes, police are often a bit trigger happy, but it’s largely because they are rightfully afraid for their own lives. That fear is higher where police patrol people they don’t know and live among. It certainly makes the case for police looking more like the people they patrol. It is worth noting that in England, where there is one gun per 22 citizens, regular officers only carry Tasers and batons.

Police will always use the “I was scared for my life” excuse, when they cross the line that separates policing and murder, even if they were not. This is never going to change. It’s natural to fear lethal force. Reducing arms in the hands of citizens, and the mortal fear on the policing side will follow. That is natural too.

Since police are only needed because citizens pose dangers to other citizens, we must start with lowering the number of guns in the hands the free radicals in our citizenry. The chart above seems to indicate a reduction of arms by 70% would put the United States in line with countries like Germany.

We know the GOP congressmen always side with the NRA. If Sandy Hook couldn’t bend their cold souls, nothing will. But they are ignoring the will of their constituents now and their constituents know it. There are voting cycles every two years. The constituency of GOP congressmen is one target to educate.

I do not buy the “work with the other side” meme. The other side is now a criminal organization selling Americans out for profit. They don’t work for the American people. They work for themselves the way their leader, Donald Trump, did. The trick for the Biden Administration will be to not come off like they’re coming for our guns. That is just too easy a meme for the GOP to exploit

Licensing All Guns and Gun Holders

Aside from automatic weapons, which should all be bought back immediately, every other gun or rifle should only be in the hands of licensed gun holders. Every car is assigned to a licensed driver. We can certainly do the same for machines designed to kill people. We should know where very gun is. A national gun registry is a necessity now for the public’s welfare. We cannot let interpretations of the Constitution’s Second Amendment stand in the way of the public good, or we will descend further into darkness. After all, the Constitution was written to make life better for Americans.

Most of all Americans support bans on high-capacity magazines, assault-style weapon buybacks and bans, background checks, removal of loopholes and common-sense gun solutions. The resistance to common sense gun violence solutions comes primarily from gun makers, their paid lobbyists, GOP congressmen, and the few citizens who like things the way they are for their own selfish reasons. Their profits, amusements and nefarious plans are not worth more than our lives.

We license cars and drivers. Passing one’s driver’s test has become a rite of passage into adulthood these days. I suggest we follow that model for gun owners, focusing on training, mental health, and the social media posts of applicants. The idea of owning a gun as a right must be replaced with the idea that gun ownership is a privilege to be earned. Being a licensed gun owner should be something one can be proud of again. Licensing gun holders will create the method to review the stability, maturity, and the motives of gun holders. In for no other reason, focus on the innocent children that would be alive today had we taken these steps long ago.

We can and will continue the push to have them voted out in 2022. But I think we have a path to act faster than that. Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia, arrested the black Congresswoman, Park Cannon, for knocking on his door while he was signing a voter suppression bill. Why are we not arresting GOP congressmen? We have more cause than knocking on a door. Those that support the Big Lie are in direct violation to the Constitution’s 14th Amendment. And that discussion follows here:

The 14th Amendment Protects Us from Renegade Statesmen

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The 14th Amendment Protects Us from Renegade Statesmen

The 14th Amendment addresses many aspects of citizenship and the rights of citizens. But it also gives us the power to remove Senators, Representatives, judges, candidates and even Presidents for behavior that violates certain sacred American principles. XIV contains five easy-to-understand sections. This post reviews sections one and three. They are very pertinent to our times. (Bolds for emphasis.)

Section 3. Protects us from Big Lie and Insurrection Supports taking any part in our government for the people

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. *But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability. ( The GOP does not have a majority to remove disqualified members.)

Section three of the 14th protects American citizens from renegade government officials. It clearly says those who have engaged in insurrection shall not be Senators, Representatives or President. It does not say they cannot run for office. It says they cannot be in office. It means the Constitution instantly voids all powers of one’s governmental office the moment one takes any part in or supports an insurrection against the state. The 14th does not say one must physically be part of an insurrection either. Words certainly can be construed as being part of an insurrection. When Benedict Arnold passed secrets to our enemies, he used words.

Section three also says one cannot give aid or comfort to the enemies of the United States and remain or be in office. Can we define Donald Trump’s Capitol speech on January 6th, 2021, as offering support to insurrection? I don’t see how it is not exactly that. The same logic applies to the incendiary speeches made by Mo Brooks, Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Greene and to all the congressmen who support the Big Lie. And does not Judge Clarence Thomas comfort his wife by sharing the same house with her? It’s all unconstitutional folks.

You can be sure the GOP will oust Dems for far less, if we give them the chance again. The GOP only cares about staying in power now. If they get back in power, who among us thinks they will not use it? Yes, it’s driven by Donald Trump who fears jail time for his crimes – but it’s not only him. They are talking about jailing people, closing down polling stations, undoing elections and even killing democrats.

So what is the solution for this? Actually, I think it is easier than we think. We have to use the 14th amendment. AG Garland needs to come out and say that America is under attack – just as it was on 911. An attack on the institution of voting is the same as an attack on our lands. And Congressman or judicial officer in State or Federal government or any candidate for State or Federal office who has previously stated anything that could be construed as comfort to insurrectionist must immediately publicly announce the following:

They do not think Donald Trump won the 2020 election and Joe Biden is our duly elected president. If elected they will do nothing to can be construed as an attack on our electoral systems. They are aware that would be an act of war versus the institution of American voting and they will have no part of that.

If they refuse to do that, their names must be stripped from the ballots as per the 14th. And if Congressmen refuse to do so, AG Garland shall have a Sargent of arms lock up their desks and remove them from office. We can have new elections but no one who will not denounce J6 as an insurrection attempt will be allowed to run for office.

These are just words that AG Garland can and must say. It is possible that the entire GOP needs to removed from office and that’s fine if they will not stop fighting for Trump and cheating. But we certainly can remove enough House members to give us a majority in the House right now.

Section 1: Protects us from renegade State laws, like no abortion rights and voter discrimination

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Voting is either an American citizen’s privilege or his or her right. Section one seems to say the laws passed in Georgia and other states, designed to restrict the voting rights of its citizens, are illegal and unconstitutional.

But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

The disability is the disabling of the qualification to serve in government. This entire January 6th thing, post factum, is about whether we define January 6th as an insurrection or – as the GOP would have it – a national holiday when the people rose up to defend democracy.

The US Constitution does not say insurrection comforters need to be impeached or tried. This should be taken to mean if there is clear evidence of such enumerated offending acts, the parties who have engaged in such acts immediately surrender their station and are no longer members of the US Congress by virtue of their deeds and/or words.

Once a Congressman take part in an insurrection or gives aid or comfort to insurrectionists, per the 14th, they are no longer congressmen. Such people should not be allowed to even show up to their offices. Special elections should rightly need to be set up as soon as possible to replace any congressmen who take part in the activities clearly denounced in the 14th Amendment.

Impeaching the Republican Party as a Group

There are plenty of Republican congressmen, in both houses, who have been seen and heard engaging in insurrection speak and giving comfort and aid to those who support The Big Lie that the election was fixed for Biden and Trump really won.

Maybe we need to use belief in The Big Lie as a bar. Any Congressman who, in light of all the evidence to the contrary, still publicly states the election was illegally fixed, is himself part of the secessionist movement by virtue of giving psychological comfort to those who want the election overturned. It may be time to give the sitting Republicans one last chance to denounce the Big Lie or be removed from office.

It’s time to use the 14th Amendment. It was put there to save our democracy.

…… Joseph Aronesty 4/14/21

Previous post: The Cancer of Trumpism has Metastasized

The Cancer of Trumpism has Metastasized

We Cut Out the Largest Tumor. Now Over Forty State GOP Chapters are Changing Voting Laws in an Attempt to End Democracy in the USA

The voter suppression laws being promoted by the GOP will not stop until their promoters are defeated, penalized and, in appropriate cases, jailed. There is clearly legal support in the 14th Amendment of our Constitution for removing lawmakers who support voter suppression and/or insurrection.

When Joe Biden said this was a struggle between autocracy and democracy, he was correct. And it’s about time. The struggle was evident at “Russia, if you’re listening.” The autocracy vs. democracy struggle is not unique to America. Autocrats know their own people suffer under their iron fists, and they look towards the democracies of the world for hope. That hope is a threat to the autocrats. Their ultimate goal is to end democracy everywhere and squash that hope. Look at this 2020 map and see how delicate the power balance in the world is right now. If the USA flips, democracy ends on the planet.

There are dark money alliances who fully believe they get ahead best by causing economic hardship for others. These dark forces have learned they can take power and hold it by dividing public opinion. They’ve aligned with our most ruthless American “businessmen” at the GOP Convention in 2016. They rallied behind Donald Trump, who now has the dirt on them all. They are fully committed to keeping the USA divided so their agendas advance at the expense of our collective needs.

American Democracy’s Enemies are More Domestic than Foreign Now

The American democracy’s enemies are more domestic than foreign now. Look how sick that statement reads on paper. But today, it’s 100% true. When a foreign entity attacks our lands and structures, we call it an act of war. If US citizens aid our enemies during war, we call it treason. But when citizens aid and abet enemies in cyber war, it gets treated at best like a white collar crime. What’s needed is a bill that makes attacking our institutions, like democracy and voting rights – an act of war. We can broaden the definition* of act of war to include acts of cyber war when such acts assault our institutions. That makes an attempt at voter suppression or at election fixing – an act of (cyber) war and treasonous. *The Constitution does not define what war is. It was assumed to be a military strike. Things have changed.

So we keep giving democracy’s enemies passes. Why is Louis DeJoy still Postmaster? Why are Roger Stone and Paul Manafort out walking free? These people participated in an attempt to overthrow the US government! No wonder the Governor of Georgia arrested a representative for knocking on a door. We let them get away with their crimes. They have no incentive to stop.

Start tapping phones and WhatsApp’s. Rules be damned. Our enemies certainly don’t respect our laws. Use Bush’s 911 terrorist act where the FBI could surveil phone calls.

Yes, we cut out the largest tumor, but it had already metastasized. Two hundred voter suppression laws are being discussed by local and state GOP chapters to end democracy for good in the USA. We must realize we are at war. Our enemies do. Start arresting those who attack our institutions, including those who create voter suppression laws. And for God’s sake, end the filibuster.

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The dictator map is not new at this blog. I have been posting this warning for 3 years now.

https://englishcode.wordpress.com/page/3/?s=dictator+map

Software to Save Our Democracy from Death by Voter Suppression

Imagine if all the energy we put into fighting with each other in the United States were channeled and focused on solving our collective problems.

Now look at life in Taiwan, China and New Zealand. Their schools, theaters, restaurants and parks have long been open and thriving.

There are family get-togethers. They did this without a vaccine.

How did they do this? It’s easy to know. These people don’t fight among themselves on the issues they have in common. They identify their problems and enroll scientific expertise to solve them. And I am sure they have disagreements on social issues. We all do. But they don’t let those harder-to-resolve issues stand in the way of solving the issues they agree on.

Here in the USA, we’ve allow dark money to get involved in politics. That alone gives license to our enemies, foreign and domestic, to influence our US citizens to fight among themselves. This is still the prime agenda of Fox News.

There are dark money donors (which means we don’t know who they are ) who believe they get ahead best by causing economic suffering for others. Corporate money that supports union busting do so because they like the wealth gap; it works for them just fine. This is why we must end Citizens United asap. These dark forces have learned they can take power and hold it by dividing public opinion. Those same forces aligned with our most ruthless businessmen at the GOP Convention in 2016. And they rallied behind Donald Trump who now has the dirt on them all. They are dedicated to keeping the USA divided so their agendas advance at the expense of our collective needs.

GOP voter suppression bills seek to take away our votes and end real democracy. Their dark money donors support them to vote against our interests and favor theirs.

If we had a real democracy, we would have had the Covid Relief Bill 500,000 deaths ago. We did not have to suffer so greatly here. The people of the United States are not divided on Covid relief and income equality. We are unified on the necessary core issues of healthcare, education, standard of living and infrastructure. We all want the best for our own in those departments. The USA suffering so greatly during Covid times specifically because we didn’t let our democracy work. Hundreds of new GOP voter suppression tactics are being passed in Republican states right now. This is the essence of anti-democracy. We who support real democracy must defeat these factions.

Public Web Site To Promote Real Representative Democracy

I don’t want to preach and then leave my readers with no ideas to move forward. I have been thinking about this idea for three years. I propose that we construct a social media web site that educates Americans on the existing science in the fields of healthcare, education, standard of living and infrastructure. It has moderated chat rooms where civil discussions are permitted on these topics. Scientific experts should voice their opinions and research in the chat rooms and inform us of our options and let us think collectively. At this site, we vote on issues only. We don’t vote on the people we want to represent our positions.

Then, on the first Tuesday of every month, a registered and secure mock vote on the issues is taken, resulting in a monthly pulse of what the majority of Americans want from their government. The site can be used separately for national issues, state only issues and even local municipality issues. It is just software for democracy, and it is sorely needed because democracy has enemies.

The voting stats generated by a software for democracy site can serve to demonstrate to Americans how democracy is actually supposed to work. Since we have a representative government, the big data voting stats generated the site can be used to insist that our elected reps do our bidding, not their own. We can report how they vote and hold their feet to the fire if need be.

Americans are not divided on our collective core issues.  A Pew Research poll of 12,055 U.S. adults released Tuesday showed 70% in favor of the Covid relief bill. Who among us doesn’t want better infrastructure? So if our reps don’t vote the way we want, in a representative government we can argue it is a dereliction of duty and cause for removal from an office that is supposedly dedicated to serve us. At the very least, we will have documented grounds to vote them out.

Such a site can easily be created by the voting age college and university students. Berkeley would be a good place to start a software for democracy site with nation-wide support from colleges and universities. But it could start anywhere. The technology already exists, including blockchain-encrypted voting software. It could be up in forty days. The way I see it, SM sites mostly function to sell us and divide us. I’d like to see a site that is dedicated to educate and unite us.

The site could and should open up chat rooms to discuss the issues we seem to not agree on: gun rights, abortion rights, etc. But those should be addressed fully only after the areas where we do agree are addressed and resolved by our government the way we the people want.

It’s time for academia or a socially conscious business to create the vehicle to drag us out of this political quicksand that will destroy us. Our internal bickering will not magically go away after we beat Covid. The enemies of democracy are their making moves right now. They did not waste any time. They have ramped up their efforts for voter suppression. They won’t stop until they are jailed. Why should they?

The GOP knows demographics and time are not on their side. Their voter suppression bills are the GOP’s Last Stand. And like Custer, I hope the GOP have grossly under-estimated the opposition to oligarchic fascism in the United States. We are the planet’s first major country dedicated to governing by the democratic will of the people. We’ve lost the right to shine as the exemplary functioning democracy. We’ll need to work to get our democratic shine back. We can do it. But it will take more than words.

Only Science Can Steer Humanity Clear of the Shipwreck Ahead

We the living all know we are on the Titanic and sooner or later we are going down and fading into obscurity. Such is life. But now, it’s not only ourselves that are on the Titanic -it’s the entire human species as well. The young feel this most. It’s wrong. It’s terribly sad. And it’s avoidable.

The other day I read where Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are seriously considering getting off the planet and living their lives in outer space. Why is it that these two wealthy, worldly men are entertaining an escape from the planet plan? It’s certainly not because they see mankind on a path to paradise.

Science Demands Separation of Church and State

It’s going to take science and a unified planet to get ourselves off the route to oblivion as a species. And that brings me to the founder’s wisdom on separation of church and state. We have strayed from that principle. So let me address MAGA people first. To those who believe birth control used by others is their business, the question I have is: when you have been sick before did you go to a doctor?

if you did, you knew that doctors are scientists. They didn’t give you leeches or practice the medicine that was used 5000 years ago, did they? You relied on them for their science when you were in need. So what makes you think that people who are not scientists should be relied upon to create laws for things like, pandemic response, climate change, pollution regulation, healthcare for our citizens, and birth control, etc?

Our bibles were written 2000 to 5000 years ago when very few even read. Why are biblical decrees even considered when looking for the science we need to survive as a species? I believe that those who choose to believe in the philosophies of 2000 and 5000 years ago, must leave those philosophies home when they come to work in our government.

And I know this is not PC to say, but that goes for all. The Evangelists and Ilhan Omar with her “never take it off” hijab too. Don’t get me wrong. It’s fine with me for her to wear her hijab at home or at mosque, or any time she is not at work in our government. But what does the hijab say when she is working in the House? It says one thing. It says there is part of her that has a loyalty to something larger than working for the American people. It also says there is part of her that is not scientific at all.

It’s touching and beautiful to see Joe Biden cross himself at moments when he is inner praying. But he’s not wearing a large visible cross that says “Christ first, then the American people”. Biden has not subjugated himself that way. How can Omar negate the Evangelists desire to protect the unborn fetuses of unwanted babies, which they say is part of their religion, if she will not set aside her visible subjugation to a power that is not the US Constitution or our commonwealth -even for one moment? Have you ever seen a photo of Ilhan without a hijab? I have not. It’s as wrong as Evangelists saying they want to end abortion. I don’t want to dwell on this. I know it’s not PC to air this. But we have a serious “church vs. state” impasse and we need to deal with it on both sides if we expect to trend towards logic.

Are Trump’s Tax Cuts For the Rich Staying or Going Away?

I do want to ask Joe Biden if he will be revoking Trump’s tax cuts for the rich anytime soon. I get that it has to wait for the Covid relief bill to pass. But after that, I can think of nothing that is working harder to widen the wealth gap than tax cuts for the rich. If Joe ignores this, the more progressive amongst the Dems will begin to think this is the old Dem party again, more like Bill Clinton’s than Bernie’s “tax the billionaires” party – which is the right idea of course.

It is estimated that President Trump’s tax handout will cost $1.9 trillion between 2018 and 2027, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). As a result of the law, large corporations are receiving a massive tax cuts—even bigger than what was originally expected. And while the law is still actively running up federal deficits, it is having little or no positive effect on the U.S. economy, according to new research from the Congressional Research Service. (from the Center For American Progress. ) This 1.9 trillion is ironically the exact amount of Joe Biden’s Covid relief bill. It could have been paid for by the richest among us without even taxing the general public. The GOP cries of we can’t afford it makes no sense until those tax cuts are reversed – especially because the GOP created the tax cuts for the rich. And yes, we all know down deep they found a way to get paid off for those cuts –pay for play corruption.

It is obscene that any one man is allowed to attain wealth like 100 billion dollars, without having been taxed so heavily that his wealth only attained 10 billion. One billion is hard to spend over a lifetime. And even if it can be spent, all its says is greedy people should be allowed to be as gluttonous as they want and take as much as they can from society without giving back. Don’t we realize that these ideas were the spirit behind the slavery institution for thousands of years? Why pay people enough to live happily when we can force them to work for little or nothing to further our agendas? That’s what drove racism, and it still does. If there was no profit in slavery, it never would have gotten its historical legs.

It’s no wonder the two richest people on earth want to take the wealth we have afforded them and get off the planet.

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