I watched about the last half of Joe Biden’s speech at the Democratic National Convention and, as someone who “loves” Joe Biden and what he accomplished I thought the speech was very good – I’m sure republicans will find fault as much as they can get away with (Trump will likely make fun of the stuttering) – but, there was one part that stuck out to me which, as I listened to the “pundits” talking about the evening, no one seemed to think was important. Of course, except me. (It turns out Eugene Robinson noticed the same sentence as I did)

Toward the end of the speech President Biden addressed the war in GAZA and pointed out the importance of that war coming to an end. He also adamantly pointed out (the obvious, at least to me) how important it is to provided food and supplies to the Palestinian people. Then he said something that caught me as incredible in today’s world of division that totally caught me off guard when he said: “Those people out there (referring to those who were protesting in the streets of Chicago for the Palestinians) they have a point.” It seemed to go unnoticed, but, to me, it was a refreshingly honest self criticism based on how the war in GAZA has evolved – with over 40,000 Palestinian citizens killed by the IDF.

My thoughts in this rant will likely seem MORE disconnected than usual. Tonight (day two of the DNC Convention) both Barrack and Michelle Obama were the featured speakers (at least that I saw). I teared up watching both of them (just as I had watching President Biden last night – call me old fashioned) and, while focusing on a positive “path forward” they got in plenty of jabs at Trump. Still, I managed to check out my email messages and, as usual, there was a link to “Raw Story” an outlet I subscribe to which, in their email messages to me, give excerpts from longer “stories.

What caught my eye tonight (well, one of the things that caught my eye) was reporting of Trump speaking in front of a bunch of Police Officers (I’m not sure where – “Livingston?”). He was supposed to be giving an “policy position” address regarding “how you reduce crime.” Now, I’m guessing the following was Trump, once again, straying from the teleprompter – either that or more people in his campaign need to be fired. Here’s part of what he said: “You can’t walk across the street to get a loaf of bread, you get shot, and you get mugged, you get raped, whatever it may be. You’ve seen it. I’ve seen it,”

Well, I have to be honest. I HAVEN’T seen it! I’ve driven to the store several times this year (like, maybe 100 times) and I still haven’t seen it. But, what struck me tonight was the immediate thought which crossed my mind when I read his words. I pictured Trump in the store with some of his insurrectionist friends from the “Oathkeepers” or “Proud Boys.” I figured it would be Trump doing the raping (E. Jean Carroll, Stormy Daniels) and his militia buddies doing the shooting. I still haven’t come to a conclusion as to who would be doing the mugging. (Members of the House “Freedom” Caucus? Members of QAnon?)

As an aside: Crime is nearing a 50 year low since Joe Biden became president.

In another location in Chicago where republicans were attempting (and apparently failing) to upstage the DNC Convention Rep Byron Donalds (Fla) was “heaping praise on Trump for his support of Police Officers.” (Apparently, this didn’t include the Capitol and Metropolitan Police Officers circa January 6th, 2021 – but, I digress) when he was asked the following question by a reporter: “President Trump (actually former – my words) has a history of not always paying for bills related to security costs provided at campaign events. So, I’m curious, since you emphasized President Trump’s support of men and women in blue, if you think it’s important for presidential campaigns to pay for protection for local police departments who provide security at those events?”

Rep. Donalds cut off the reporter before she could finish asking her question – you know, it probably made him a bit uncomfortable. Why do I conclude that? Well, the first thing he said was, “that’s a very interesting question.” He followed that brilliant non answer with an even MORE brilliant one. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Maybe he should have interjected something about people being shot and raped?

Speaking of crime: Donald Trump is scheduled for sentencing in reference to his CONVICTION on 34 FELONIES in Manhattan. I have a small tidbit of advice for Judge Merchan; make sure Trump surrenders his passport. I realize he’s got a plane which goes (I don’t know how) far, and he’s been speaking kindly of Venezuela lately because they have no extradition treaty with the U.S. but, well, by now you’re probably reading my mind. (I always figured his landing spot would be in Russia – yes, I’m predicting he will “flee” America once he’s LOST this next election.

The next couple days should be interesting. Trump concluded his convention with a 90 minute rambling soliloquy focused on all his grievances INCLUDING the “Big Lie” (OMG how many of those has he unleashed on “we the people?”) – or so I’m told. I’m guilty of not watching any of the RNC Convention – but, Trump did manage to nominate a VP candidate who’s been widely panned as the least popular in modern times – someone with a history of calling single women “cat ladies” and saying stuff you should check out, but I won’t write here, about his couch – I’ll leave it at that. However, the “ratings” (which Trump is keen to obsess on) are much higher for the dems than for the GOP.

As another aside, when I typed the words GOP I couldn’t help but think of the husband of one of my now deceased sisters when I was talking to him the other day. He’s the kind of artist who likely won’t get famous while he’s still on this side of the dirt, but a very interesting man. (And, very bright) He brought up a word to me – psuedologue which, according to Merriam Webster means “a pathological LIAR.” (my caps) He was laughing as he said “GOP means Grand Old Psuedologues.” I told him I’d add it to a rant and here we are! I think I digressed again.

Final Thought: If you didn’t see her at the DNC Convention, former Trump “White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham confirmed what I’ve been saying for years, kinda. What she said is that Trump once told her “It doesn’t matter what you say, Stephanie — say it enough and people will believe you.” In case you don’t understand, that’s right out of Mein Kampf – the “Big Lie Theory” – It could have been Joseph Goebbels shouting from his grave – AND – along with the puppeteers behind Project 2025 you see recipe #1 for their road to fascism. They deny this, OF COURSE, but when’s the last time you believed ANYTHING coming from Trump’s mouth? (Or, for that matter, any of the “MAGA” republicans)

Ms. Grisham, who stated she couldn’t believe she was actually speaking at a Democratic Convention, also pointed out how Trump refers to his followers as “bottom dwellers.” I’ve heard him refer to them as his “uneducated voters” – the perfect formula for a fascist. I know, in America, it’s not “kosher” to refer to Hitler or fascists, but, to me, “if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, IT’S A DUCK! Trump and republicans are also all about PROJECTION which is another of the core tactics of the Nazi’s in the 1930’s. Trump plays dumb to all of this and, in most instances he is DUMB, but he’s clearly read up on Hitler. (ie “they’re poisoning the blood” or referring to his opponents as “vermin”)

I have to add: Since I mentioned Trump’s (and the republicans) use of projection I was looking for an email and while checking my SPAM folder there was an email from, you guessed it, Donald Trump – asking me for $10. Here’s his sales pitch – the Democrats are raising MILLIONS (my emphasis) in “dark money” ………. can you just send $10? (This coming from the “billionaire” who originally said he could self fund his campaign. I believe he said it this way for emphasis: “I’m really rich.” In addition today he said, “The Obama dark money machine is bankrolling America’s demise.” (Do you think the Obamas got under his skin on day two of the Democratic Convention?)

Then he added “He (Obama) teamed up with the Clinton “cartel” (my quotes) just to humiliate us! the “kicker” was asking for “3 MILLION ‘patriots’ (again my quotes) to chip in and declare your support for Trump.” (To help pay his legal expenses?) Do you find it interesting Trump accuses the democrats of raising dark money, when Elon Musk is pouring $45 MILLION per month into one of Trump’s “Super PAC’?” That’s not to mention the other Silicon Valley billionaires or Sheldon Adelson’s widow who “aims to do whatever it takes to help Trump win, or ???? (Miriam Adelson has about $33 BILLION to work with) As I’ve said, should be interesting.

Oh yes, I think it’s Arizona where republicans are attempting to purge about 40,000 from the election rolls. Just saying…… (Gonna be interesting)

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Down with the Kings: SCOTUS’ Presidential Protection Must Go Support the No Kings Act!

It’s supported by more than half the Democrats in the Senate, along with independents Bernie Sanders and Angus King; not a single Republican had the courage or patriotism to sign onto it….

The song that was inspired by this article is available here.
My reading this article as an audio podcast is available here.

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Republicans this week asked the Supreme Court to throw 40,000 Arizona voters off the voting rolls. This is not the sort of case the Framers of the Constitution meant for the Court to be deciding; for the past few decades, since rightwingers took over the Court, it’s been regularly overstepping its charter.

Similarly, Donald Trump’s criminal attempt to overthrow our government on January 6th is now back before Judge Tanya Chutkan’s court, although whatever decision she renders will instantly be appealed by Trump’s lawyers back to his friends on the Supreme Court. Tragically, justice will be a long time coming.

And now Senator Chuck Schumer and Congress want to do something about it.

When the six corrupt and well-bribed Republicans on the US Supreme Court gave Donald Trump immunity from prosecution for crimes he committed while president, they not only “broke” the law but defied the Constitution itself. This offense to our republic’s rule of law demands reversal, and Congress, at the moment, is the only venue where that can be done.

In this case, the Republicans on the Court created a new doctrine of presidential immunity out of thin air. Not only is this a violation of American law, but it also contradicts the authorities the Constitution gave the Court. As Justice Sonya Sotomayor pointed out in her dissent (see below), it’s quite literally unprecedented, a massive power grab, and a corruption of our republican Constitution.

There is a remedy, but to understand it you must first understand the nature and constitutional powers of the Court itself, as I lay out in detail in The Hidden History of the Supreme Court and the Betrayal of America.

While the Constitution created the House, Senate, and the Presidency and Vice Presidency, its authors left the definition of the size, nature, and budget of the Supreme Court to Congress itself. The Supreme Court didn’t even come into being until Congress passed a law defining it. From Article III, Section 1:

“The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”

Thus, on September 24, 1789 Congress created the Supreme Court via the Judiciary Act of 1789:

“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the supreme court of the United States shall consist of a chief justice and five associate justices, any four of whom shall be a quorum, and shall hold annually at the seat of government two sessions…”

Not only was the Supreme Court to be the creation of Congress, but the Framers of the Constitution further specified that it was to operate directly under the supervision and regulation of Congress itself, which even had the power to define entire areas of law where the Supreme Court could be forbidden from ruling. Per Article III, Section 2:

“[T]he supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.”

This was because the Framers of the Constitution wanted the Court to be the weakest, least powerful branch of our government for the simple reason that — its members being appointed, and for life at that — it is the only branch entirely unaccountable to We the People.

In his and Madison’s sales pitch for the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton, on May 28, 1788, wrote in Federalist 78, that the courts, including the Supreme Court, were the weakest of the three branches created by the Constitution. After all, at that time it wasn’t envisioned that they would ever have the power to strike down laws passed by Congress or create law or policy out of thin air (like saying the president has immunity from prosecution for crimes).

“[T]he judiciary is beyond comparison the weakest of the three departments of power,” he wrote, adding in the same sentence that “it can never attack with success either of the other two [branches].”

He even footnoted that sentence with a quote from the famous French judge Montesquieu, who had first famously articulated the idea of a separation of powers between governmental branches as a check and balance. Hamilton’s footnote read:

“The celebrated Montesquieu, speaking of them, says: ‘Of the three powers above mentioned, the judiciary is next to nothing.’”

Don’t tell that to the Republicans on the Court, however; after years of stroking and bribes from rightwing billionaires, they’ve come to think of themselves as the true kings and queens of America rather than mere servants to the Constitution and our nation’s legal processes.

Consider, for example, that notorious partisan liar Sam Alito when, a year ago July, he wrote  in The Wall Street Journal:

“No provision in the Constitution gives [Congress] the authority to regulate the Supreme Court—period.”

Or two weeks ago’s absurdity when Neil Gorsuch had the audacity to warn President Biden, who just proposed a binding code of ethics for the Supreme Court as well as term limits, that he should “be careful.”

As noted above, the Constitution did not create the Supreme Court; it merely identified it and authorized Congress to bring it into being. It did this on September 24, 1798 — about half a year after the first Congress was sworn into office on March 4, 1798 and President George Washington was sworn into office on April 30, 1798 — when Congress also simultaneously created the rest of the federal court system.

Even worse, there is not a single place in the Constitution where the Supreme Court is authorized to either create or strike down laws.

Creating laws or policy for the United States is an authority given exclusively to Congress.  All laws must originate, in fact, with the House of Representatives because they’re elected every 2 years and thus “closest to the people,” then go to the Senate, and generally only become law with the approval/signature of the president.

Similarly, striking down all or parts of laws or creating policies out of whole cloth —like “presidential immunity” — is an authority that is also only given to Congress by the Constitution. There’s not a single word in the entire document authorizing the Supreme Court to do such things.

In 1803, in the case of Marbury v Madison, the Supreme Court took onto itself the limited power to strike down laws which they believed conflicted with the Constitution. President Thomas Jefferson was horrified, writing to his old friend Virginia Supreme Court Justice Spencer Roane:

“If this opinion be sound then indeed is our Constitution a complete felo de se [a suicide pact]. For intending to establish three departments, coordinate and independent, that they might check and balance one another, it has given, according to this opinion, to one of them alone, the right to prescribe rules for the government of the others, and to that one too, which is unelected by, and independent of the nation. …

“The Constitution, on this hypothesis, is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary, which they may twist and shape into any form they please.”

But even at that, the 1803 Marshall Court didn’t try to create new law out of thin air like the six Republicans on the Court did last month when they created a brand-new never-before-seen-or-considered doctrine of presidential immunity.

Even Chief Justice Roger Taney’s 1856 Dred Scott v Sanford decision which declared that every Black person, even in the north, should become the property of a white person (which President Lincoln explicitly chose to ignore) was grounded in references to the Constitution’s original protections of slavery.

Similarly, Chief Justice Morrison Remick Waite’s 1886 comment reproduced in the headnote to the Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad case, which later courts exploited to grant “personhood” to corporations (as I examined at length in my book Unequal Protection: How Corporations Became “People”), was based in the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.

And those were the two single most egregious decisions of the entire 19th century! Arguably the most controversial decisions of the 20th century were Brown v Board and Roe v Wade and, again, both were grounded in the Constitution itself.

While the opinion, concurrences, and dissents in Trump v United States — the case giving Trump immunity for “official acts” — includes 219 references to the “Constitution,” the only direct quote used to justify giving the president immunity to commit crimes while in office is from Article II: “[T]he executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.”

Everything else is a twisting and perversion of previous cases, opinions, and the meaning of “executive Power.” The six Republican justices pulled this doctrine allowing for a criminal presidency out of their own backsides; it has absolutely no basis in law, history, or the Constitution.

As Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in her dissent:

“Today’s decision to grant former Presidents criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the Presidency. It makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law.

“Relying on little more than its own misguided wisdom about the need for ‘bold and unhesitating action’ by the President, the Court gives former President Trump all the immunity he asked for and more. Because our Constitution does not shield a former President from answering for criminal and treasonous acts, I dissent. …

“The Court now confronts a question it has never had to answer in the Nation’s history: Whether a former President enjoys immunity from federal criminal prosecution. The majority thinks he should, and so it invents an atextual, ahistorical, and unjustifiable immunity that puts the President above the law. …

“Argument by argument, the majority invents immunity through brute force. Under scrutiny, its arguments crumble. To start, the majority’s broad ‘official acts’ immunity is inconsistent with text, history, and established understandings of the President’s role. Moreover, it is deeply wrong, even on its own functionalist terms.

“Next, the majority’s ‘core’ immunity is both unnecessary and misguided. Furthermore, the majority’s illogical evidentiary holding is unprecedented. Finally, this majority’s project will have disastrous consequences for the Presidency and for our democracy.” (emphasis added)

She notes that in Federalist 69, “Alexander Hamilton wrote that former Presidents would be ‘liable to prosecution and punishment in the ordinary course of law,’” adding that the Constitution gives limited immunity to Congress under the Speech and Debate Clause, but there is no such guarantee for the president.

This issue of keeping presidential immunity out of the Constitution was not an accident or oversight by the Framers; it was debated at length during the Constitutional Convention in the summer and fall of 1787 and the delegates (including Hamilton) decided to omit any criminal immunity whatsoever for the president.

As Sotomayor continues:

“In sum, the majority today endorses an expansive vision of Presidential immunity that was never recognized by the Founders, any sitting President, the Executive Branch, or even President Trump’s lawyers, until now. Settled understandings of the Constitution are of little use to the majority in this case, and so it ignores them.”

In response to this bizarre decision which the Republicans on the Supreme Court have forced on the American people, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has introduced the No Kings Act.

The proposed law reverses the Supreme Court’s grant of criminal immunity to Donald Trump and all present and future presidents, as well as — using the “exceptions” clause of Article III, Section 2 — stripping from the Court the power to reverse or even rule on the law.

It’s supported by more than half the Democrats in the Senate, along with independents Bernie Sanders and Angus King; not a single Republican had the courage or patriotism to sign onto it.

Call your two senators and the House member who represents you and demand passage of the No Kings Act and legislation to get the corrupt Republicans on this run-amok Court under control.

As Justice Sotomayor wrote, “with fear for our democracy,” we must all dissent.

The Hartmann Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my daily work to rescue our democracy from corruption by billionaires and bought-off Supreme Court justices, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

One of the MANY reasons I’m hoping Kamala Harris becomes the 47th president of the United States is the war in Ukraine. I regularly talk to my “Millennial” son about Russia’s ILLEGAL invasion of its neighbor and for over a year I’ve been saying the Ukrainians need to take the battle to Russia, IN Russia. Well, now they’ve done so and I was reading an article tonight about Putin’s reaction to the invasion into Kursk and his seemingly lack of ability to realize what’s actually happening. To me, it’s time for the “West” to take of the “training wheels” regarding the support they’re providing to Ukraine and allow “their” weapons to be used inside of Russia. Let the Russian people feel some of what the Ukrainian people have been dealing with for nearly three years now.

Of course Putin – further convincing me he is Donald Trump’s mentor – said the following to the Russian people as he said NO to potential peace negotiations with Ukraine: “But what kind of negotiations?” he scoffed. “How do we even talk with people who indiscriminately strike at civilians, at civilian infrastructure and try to create threats to nuclear energy? What can we even talk about with them?”

Do you see the hypocritical IRONY in those words coming from Putin’s mouth. I mean the Russian are STILL dropping bombs (up to three tons in weight) on apartment complexes, shopping malls, schools, hospitals, and they’ve been controlling the largest nuclear power plant (it’s located IN UKRAINE) in Europe for the past two plus years. Seriously, are the Russian people so hidden from reality or ??? (Stupid?) to actually believe this man. Of course, being disagreeable with Putin can find you in a Penal Colony – or falling out of a window – or, mysteriously ingesting poison, but, hey……

Putin is rattled and the Ukrainians are following the age old strategy of “giving your opponent a taste of their own medicine.” The BIG difference is reports have come out the Ukrainians are helping to feed the Russian civilians caught in what crossfire there is, although, it appears the Russians were so caught off guard there was little resistance to the Ukrainian invasion. Apparently, the Russians have fortified their troops around Belgorod in an attempt to prevent ceding more territory to the Ukrainians.

For me, this is the only way the Ukrainians can actually WIN this war. Obviously, the Russians have many more troops and are willing to LOSE even many MORE than they already have – with the numbers of Russians killed or wounded in the war fast approaching 600,000. That’s a staggering number and, obviously, Putin could care less about even one of them. The Russians continue pushing WAVES of troops at Ukraine losing OVER 1,000 on an average day – that’s right, DAY!

The Ukrainians are attempting to hit the Russians where it hurts the most – airfields in Kursk where planes take off carrying bombs intended for civilian targets in Ukraine. They’re destroying bridges in Kursk making it MUCH more difficult to supply troops (and Civilians) in the (now) HUGE area controlled by Ukraine, and reports I’ve read suggest over 2000 Russian troops in the region have surrendered. To me, while the Ukrainians continue to be the underdogs – especially, with the West failing to provide enough arms for them to push the Russians out (remember, this war will go well beyond Ukraine if the Ukrainians give in) – as the old saying goes (republican no less) the Ukrainians are fighting over there so we don’t have to – or something like that.

For those in America who don’t want to see the Russians ultimately pushing into Poland, Hungary, and the other former “Soviet” states (members of NATO meaning our troops would then be involved) you should think twice about supporting Trump if you’re STUPID enough to be planning to do so. Trump called Putin’s invasion of Ukraine “genius” and says he’ll end the war in “one day.” Well, another LIE – but, I do believe he would cut off aid to Ukraine forthwith. And JD Vance, when he’s not on his couch, has said, “I could care less what happens to Ukraine.”

One reason I wasn’t worried about Joe Biden’s age was because had he won a second term and something happened to prevent him from “governing” Kamala Harris would have become president. (Well, it appears there’s a good chance she does so anyway) But, just think about the possibilities should Trump succeed (in CHEATING to win) this November. He’s the OLDEST candidate for president in the history of the country. That’s correct, he’s older than President Biden was in 2020. Can you even picture of this J.D. Vance dude becoming president. I mean the ONLY person ever to run for this office with less qualification than Vance would have been Trump in 2016.

Obviously, there’s a segment of the American public who don’t care. They still haven’t figured out the republicans are all about POWER with no idea how to govern. Trump accomplished ONE thing of significance legislatively in his first term – a tax cut which increased the national debt be several TRILLION – with MOST of the benefits going to the “top 1%” and corporations who used the benefit to buy back stocks – raising the stock prices and providing the executives with massive gains.

People like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk, to name a few (and there were MANY more) actually had their fortunes DOUBLE after the tax cuts and the pandemic. Speaking of the pandemic, Trump’s FAILURE to be able to deal with it likely is the reason he’s not still the president (praise the Lord) – not only did (by many accounts) several HUNDRED thousand Americans die needlessly, but when Trump left office (and 400 Americans were DYING daily – with NO plan to stop the carnage) there were three MILLION fewer Americans with jobs than when he took office.

You have to go back to Herbert Hoover to find a president with similar failed economic policy. (Apparently, Trump’s SIX bankruptcies SHOULD have been a clue) That’s why I was such a strong supporter of President Biden despite the FACT he’s too old. Biden, by many accounts, has been the MOST impactful president since FDR took over for the failed policies of Hoover. He managed to get MORE meaningful legislation passed in his first two years – despite a razor thing majority in the House (about the same as the republican majority over the past two years where NOTHING has been accomplished without the help of democrats – other than torpedoing their own speaker) and a 50/50 “majority” in the Senate (which included Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema) than any administration in my lifetime (I’ve been paying attention to politics since the Eisenhower years in the 50’s).

To anyone who’s paid attention to how economics and the government works for any length of time it should surprise no one that coming out of the pandemic – with supply chains choked off and MILLIONS of people out of work – that addressing those issues forthrightly would lead to inflation – especially, with corporations with little to no regard for their civic duty – for them it’s all about the “Benjamin’s” – their sole purpose is to make as MUCH money as they can. All of a sudden MILLIONS were going back to work, wages were increasing (giving people at the “bottom” money to spend) and the issue with the supply chains (plus Putin’s aforementioned war) naturally led to inflation.

Using history as a guide and knowing we seem to rely on the Fed to “jack up” interest rates as their sole defense against inflation – most “experts” were predicting there had to be a recession to slow down the increase in prices. Well, the Biden administration has inflation in America the lowest in the Western world and the economy continues to produce record levels of job growth. So much for the “experts.” And, of course, Trump’s proposed solutions (including Project 2025 which he conveniently says “I know nothing about 25” – just ANOTHER in his LONG list of LIES) will likely not only cost Americans thousands per year but will reignite inflation – but, at least he’ll solve the Ukraine war in one day (while he’s the “dictator”)

Putin and Trump are “cut from the same cloth.” Narcissistic and delusional, but obsessed with POWER. Putin is, at least as I’m writing this, entrenched at the head of Russia while he uses the same Nazi tactics as Trump. Tell your LIES over and over until the “people” believe they’re “true” and use PROJECTION when discussing your enemies. That is, put your transgressions on them before the public understands what has happened to it.

Both Putin and Trump, if they’re good at anything, it’s pathological LYING and accusing – in Putin’s case accusing Ukraine (and America) of his own policies of attacking civilians and the power grid, while in Trump’s case, the most egregious example of his PROJECTION (it’s commonplace with him) would be accusing Ms. Harris of CHEATING regarding her crowds, etc. Talk about the “Pot calling the kettle black.” Remember, this is a man who not only CHEATED to “win” back in 2016, but he CHEATS at “golf.” You really have to be a CHEATER to CHEAT at golf! (Putin CHEATS to win every time there’s an election in Russia)

The bottom line for me here is that I feel really good about Ukraine’s decision to take the fight into Russia. I mean, why on earth does all the fighting have to be on Ukrainian “soil.” Russia’s been holding a significant portion of Ukraine since the “Orange Revolution” in 2014 as Putin became more and more paranoid about having a nation which evolved to democratic rule right on its border. He became convinced Ukraine would be joining NATO and, in the process of “stopping” them (for something which was certainly not imminent at a minimum) he “encouraged” BOTH Finland and Sweden on or near its northern border to actually join NATO. (Stupid?)

Russia has proven itself to be a “paper tiger” as they’ve been emptying their reserve weaponry, sacrificing their people by the HUNDREDS of thousands, and facing an economic disaster all because Putin, in the words of Trump, is a “genius.” (I hope you see the sarcasm in that last sentence). I’ll say it again, Putin and Trump are similar in so many ways: Power hungry LIARS who PROJECT their failures on their enemies. It’s time for Trump to be voted into the history books right next to Benedict Arnold and for the Russian Army to solve the Putin problem in their traditional fashion. High up window anyone?

Final Thought: This next week is the Democratic Convention in Chicago. The first year I was eligible to vote it was 1968, right in the middle of the Viet Nam war. My chosen candidate was Robert F Kennedy and, of course, he was murdered before democrats had a chance to nominate him giving “we the people” hope THAT illegal war would be ended. Of course, there were massive demonstrations leading to what was later termed a “police riot” which pretty much ensured Richard Nixon would win the 1968 election.

Well, there are many planned demonstrations planned again this year, according to reports and my hope is the demonstrations will be peaceful. The thing I find interesting is these protests will be regarding the Israeli SLAUGHTER of civilians in GAZA. Obviously, this SHOULD stop “yesterday.” However, I’ve been pointing out since Israel sent their first troops into GAZA (and started, in essence, leveling it) that Bibi Netanyahu will drag this war on indefinitely – because his regime will be toppled the day it ends and he’ll be facing his own CORRUPTION charges.

What I find really interesting is I didn’t read about these protestors during the republican convention. They many have been there I just didn’t see them if they were because, surprise, surprise, I didn’t watch the republican convention. I get that many of these people believe President Biden has the power to stop Israel’s attack – arguably on HAMAS – but Netanyahu (and his right wing “cabinet” – not the correct term) have no interest in letting Biden influence them. My point here is, have these demonstrators considered the other option? Trump? Netanyahu was part of the CONSPIRACY to get Trump elected (according to Seth Abramson’s book “Proof of Conspiracy”) along with the Russians, the Saudi’s, the Emerati’s, and the Egyptians back in 2016. Simply put, Trump is NOT the answer to what’s happening to the Palestinian people in GAZA. I pray for a CEASEFIRE as soon as possible and for food, necessary supplies, and reconstruction of GAZA along with a plan for a Palestinian state, ASAP. Stay tuned………….

For some time I’ve been talking (OK writing) about what I read in “Proof of Conspiracy” by Seth Abramson where he tediously lays out the evidence the 2016 “Election Interference” not only came from the Russians, but also the Saudi’s, Emerati’s, Israeli’s, and the Egyptians. Well, today as I was driving around listening to MSNBC on my XM radio there was a segment about how the Egyptians, allegedly, right before the 2016 Presidential election funneled $10 MILLION to the Trump campaign – ie Trump.

Apparently, evidence of this issue was first uncovered by the Mueller investigation and, when their investigation was “shuddered,” it was “handed off” to DOJ. Of course, at that time William Barr had become the Attorney General and I suppose it won’t take the brain of a “stable genius” to figure out what happened. Well, of course Mr. Barr ended DOJ’s further investigation before it started. Would have been the end of the story, but apparently an investigative reporter (I can’t remember from where, I think the Wa Post) recently uncovered the story.

Naturally, this would have been a serious violation of American law – NO candidate can take ANYTHING of value from a foreign person or government during a political campaign. (Of course, Trump willingly did so) Shortly before Trump became president the Egyptian secret service requested the National Bank of Egypt to withdraw nearly $10 MILLION in hundred dollar bills (taking a huge “slice” of Egypt’s U.S. dollar reserves) and put them into bags – when men came to take the bags they weighed approximately 200 pounds. That’s a lot of $100 dollar bills!

Before the Justice Department and/or the FBi could obtain Bank records associated with Trump as part of the investigation Mr. Barr, in essence, shut the investigation down. Well, this all will just be more of the absurd in relation to Trump’s bid to retake the “White House” because the statute of limitations has passed so Trump cannot face an indictment for this alleged action, but the circumstantial evidence seems to point a “finger” directly at the MOST corrupt president in American history. Keep in mind, shortly after taking office the Trump administration released close to $2 BILLION in Egyptian funds which had been frozen due to human rights violations be what Trump referred to as “my favorite dictator” in El Sisi. Classic “quid pro quo?” (I should take about two weeks for THIS Trump scandal to blow past our “liberal media”)

Whether or not it’s a “quid pro quo” it would have been grossly ILLEGAL for Trump to take that money from El Sisi. However. logic tell us Trump would have done this without a second thought. After his son and son in law met with Russian operatives offering “stuff” for Trump’s campaign back in June of 2016 Trump was asked about taking “stuff” from foreign governments and he indicated he would do so. (“Why wouldn’t I?”) Well, in the instance regarding the Egyptians mentioned above, the evidence strongly suggests he did. And, of course, connecting the dots – that is the 200 pounds of $100 dollar bills with reversing American policy regarding Egypt’s human rights abuses looks a bit more than “fishy.”

Of course, “we the people” will likely never know for sure because Trump is an expert at laundering money and, in this case, while allegedly receiving CASH he knew how to hide the money via “laundering” which he likely learned from the Russians themselves. Maybe once Trump is out of the picture – meaning LOSING another election and then facing up to the MANY criminal charges still pending in front of him – with the SCOTUS likely to stop buoying him up – maybe people like William Barr will come clean with what they know and what they did. Obviously, the Justice Department under Merrick Garland had little to no stomach for following up with allegations from Trump’s presidency regarding his criminal conduct until the January 6th Committee forced his hand.

Mr. Garland ignored the ten instances of OBSTRUCTION of Justice which Robert Mueller “memorialized” for possible indictment once Trump was no longer in office. Garland wasn’t interested. Apparently, the ILLEGAL campaign contribution alleged to have come from Egypt got no interest in Garland’s Justice Department (although, it’s possible he wasn’t aware of the investigation). Also, the ILLEGAL paying off of a couple women with whom Trump allegedly had illicit affairs while his wife was nursing his final son didn’t interest Garland DESPITE the FACT Michael Cohen was sentenced to THREE years for the CRIME. Trump was referred to as “individual 1” who directed and benefited from the CRIME.

Garland just had no interest in taking on Trump. Apparently Trump’s MO of repeated CRIMINAL conduct was just too complicated for Mr. Garland to take on. You know, like Obama’s famous “we’re going to look forward instead of back” regarding Bush/Cheney admitting on national TV they authorized TORTURE. I said, at the time (it would be in the archives) that the lawbreaking by future presidents will just get worse if they act as if they’re “above the law.” And, of course, Trump proved me right.

The SCOTUS apparently felt left out of the conversation as to whether or not presidents are “above the law.” They, of course, now “famously” decided section 2 of the 14th amendment doesn’t really mean what it CLEARLY says – because, if it did, they’d have a lot of lawsuits to handle and Trump would have been removed from MANY ballots as being ineligible to hold ANY office in the U.S. according to various states. As usual, that wasn’t enough for the court so NOW our constitution says presidents are IMMUNE from prosecutions if they commit their crimes while being officially in office. Talk about opening up “cans of worms.” Our SCOTUS has morphed to the pathetic from the disgusting. (Remembering Bush v Gore)

I wrote the above a couple of weeks ago and have been “on vacation” since then. Actually, I’m in the “old white guy” category and have been having a few visits to various doctor’s offices. The other thing is, as someone who was strongly in favor of Joe Biden (even though I, too, feel he’s too old for another four year term) and felt democrats were going to do what they’ve done so many times in my lifetime (I first voted in 1968) and that’s “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.” I was concerned with the “leaders” in the party (like President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and others) urging Biden to drop out so the democrats could have an “open convention.” To me, that was doing the republicans’ bidding.

I pointed out if Biden dropped out the ONLY alternative was for Kamala Harris to be the candidate for the reason of the time between the democratic convention PLUS the issue of raising money, organizing a campaign staff, volunteers, and field offices. V. P. Harris, I said, was the ONLY person who could “inherit” the $250 MILLION Biden had in the “bank” and the ground game Biden had produced over the previous year or so. Thankfully, Biden’s “delegates” realized right away the same thing and it only took a few days for Ms. Harris to be the “presumptive candidate.” (Within a week or so it was “official”) I wasn’t sure, at all, whether Ms. Harris would be a good candidate – but, that question was soon answered. The first three weeks where she was the “candidate” have been about as good as (someone like me would hope) it gets.

She’s raised OVER $300 MILLION in additional campaign funds and her “run” through the battleground states after she chose (surprisingly) Tim Walz as her “running mate” was witnessed by standing room only crowds everywhere they went. Based on what I’ve seen in this first three weeks I’m expecting the Harris/Walz campaign to continue showing up all across the country in the 80, or so, days left until the election. The “endorsers” lining up behind them continues to grow and is impressive. Plus, the Harris/Walz campaign is showing expertise at getting under Trump’s “skin.” Trump seems as if he’s going to get his AGE exposed (along with his distemper) going forward.

I refuse to allow myself to get at all complacent (although I don’t influence too many) because I just can’t imagine another four years of Donald Trump – especially, with “Project 2025” sitting there just waiting for Trump to get sworn in once again. Of course Trump is distancing himself from “Project 2025” but, that’s just one more in his LONG line of LIES. His (and his VP choice) fingers are all over “Project 2025.” You can read it be clicking HERE. I’ve read the first 100 pages (plus the intro) and haven’t felt the need to go any further – because it comes across to me as a roadmap to fascism. There’s a lot of detail after where I’ve stalled, but it all points to a fascist dictatorship in America. I believe Trump is too STUPID to actually read it, but “we the people” should.

Final Thought: I was watching Rachel Maddow the other night and her and her producer were talking about a book her producer wrote (out today) regarding the issue of “misinformation” and the republican party. As I listened to them – as many others do – puzzling about all the LYING coming from Trump and republicans, I wondered when someone on a TV “news” outlet is going to reference why they’ve chosen LYING as a tactic? I’ve been writing about this for years (beginning with Rush Limbaugh) and trying to get someone in the media to point out republicans long ago ADOPTED the “Big Lie Theory” of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels along with their “tactic” of PROJECTION. Just the other day Trump gave the epitome of his use of these NAZI strategies in one “Truth Social” post.

In part, it read: “She’s a CHEATER. She had NOBODY waiting, (at the Detroit Airport) and the ‘crowd’ looked like 10,000 people!” Mr. Trump wrote. “Same thing is happening with her fake ‘crowds’ at her speeches. This is the way the Democrats win Elections, by CHEATING – And they’re even worse at the Ballot Box. She should be disqualified because the creation of a fake image is ELECTION INTERFERENCE.”

OK, in those few words Trump incorporated BOTH of his NAZI strategies. Not only is he LYING about her “crowd sizes” (as he’s famous for doing) but the accusation of “cheating” is PURE PROJECTION. For heaven’s sake, Trump CHEATS at GOLF. Now, I’m someone who loves to play golf. I play in a league with guys who are (mostly) older than me (I’m soon to be 77) and the idea of ANYONE cheating is, well, that person would no longer be in the league. Of course, Trump “owns” the golf courses (purchased with laundered money?) so, apparently, his CHEATING is OK. You can listen to just about any Trump “speech” (or conversation) and the LYING and PROJECTION is pervasive. (OBTW – anyone who CHEATS at golf will, you know, CHEAT at everything. They would be a CHEATER pure and simple!)

It continues to bug me that NO ONE (at least that I see/hear) in the press point out the republicans are using NAZI propaganda tactics – routinely. And, when you combine that REALITY along with the REALITY of “Project 2025” you would think the press (“liberal media”) would be pointing this out to “we the people.” Combine that with the FACT Trump has “nakedly” used Hitler’s language – “They’re poisoning the blood” of Americans and the democrats are …… “vermin.” Why are “we the people” afraid to even reference the NAZI’S when Trump’s “slow moving coup” is taking us in that direction? Praise the Lord for the Harris/Walz campaign! Stay tuned……..