Category: Current Events

Special master but it seems Trump caused the problem

Special master but it seems Trump caused the problem

Posted on by Jack

Toward the end of my post Republican idiots and special master I speculated about former President Trump delaying the investigation by requesting a review by a special master.

But Judge Cannon has ruled in favor the the former President.

It seems to me that the problem of personal papers, some of which may include some documents with potential attorney-client privilege, is former President Trump’s fault since he is the one who mixed these papers with the stolen national defense and classified documents. Also, if he had returned these documents when asked and then lied when subpoenaed this problem could have been avoided.

It also seems to me that the risk to our national security is much more important than any damage to the former President’s reputation by any accidental revelations.

Soul of the Nation

Soul of the Nation

Posted on by Jack

I am pretty sure I have mentioned that I subscribe to The Atlantic. The only problem that I have with that is that their website is so good that by the time the print version arrives in my mailbox, I have usually read many of the articles I find interesting.

The website publishes so any articles I think it would take a very fast reader to keeo up. And I am not that fast. But I usually find a few articles in the print version that escaped my attention earlier.
Continue reading “Soul of the Nation”

Republican idiots and special master

Republican idiots and special master

Posted on by Jack

This title just screams out for me to mention that I am not a Democrat. I am an Independent but in recent years I found myself supporting Democrats more and Republicans increasing rarely. It is not so much that I agree with everything Democrats say and do but that I disagree with Republicans so much that I find no other reasonable choice than to support the Democrats.

For example, in the recent search of Donald Trump’s home many Republicans immediately defended the ex-President and some even called the FBI a bunch of Nazis before any facts were known.
Continue reading “Republican idiots and special master”

Fenian Street by Anne Emery

Fenian Street by Anne Emery

Posted on by Jack

I have read and reviewed several of Anne Emery’s book on this blog. I have always found them enjoyable and interesting reads.

So I’ll start this review as I started the review of The Keening. “This book is both a good mystery novel and historical fiction.”
Continue reading “Fenian Street by Anne Emery”

Elect Scientists

Elect Scientists

Posted on by Jack

This morning I got one of those political emails. Most I delete without even reading. They are usually all pretty similar in that this or that candidate needs my money. The subject line of this one caught my attention. It seemed this group was interested in electing scientists to political office.

So I googled the name of the organization and thought this group was interesting and worth supporting. I am a retired scientist (from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC) and know the importance of science to our complex society. Politically I am an Independent but have become more anti-Republican as that party has become increasingly anti-science and then authoritarian.
Continue reading “Elect Scientists”

Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Save or New Party

Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Save or New Party

Posted on by Jack

I have been impressed with both Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Each had stuck by their beliefs as the Republican party has become a personality cult build around a con man. Sadly the partly which was once an important part of the American democracy is now a danger to the continuation of that democracy.

Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger have paid a step price. Both were rising stars in the party. By sticking with their beliefs and values, they have lost much. Adam Kinzinger decided not to run for re-election. Liz Cheney lost her primary and so will not be on the ballot.
Continue reading “Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Save or New Party”

Humor on current events

Humor on current events

Posted on by Jack

From the New Yorker and Andy Borowitz

https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/feds-seizing-documents-at-mar-a-lago-unable-to-find-trumps-health-care-plan

https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/mcconnell-accuses-biden-of-violating-traditions-of-congress-by-accomplishing-things

Be careful what you say

Be careful what you say

Posted on by Jack

A legal search warrant allowed FBI agents to search ex-President Donald Trump’s home at Mar-A-Lago.

We now next to nothing about why this was done. We do know there was convincing evidence of a crime or items related to a crime for a warrant to be issued. The FBI or Justice Department has not commented on what that crime they are investigating with this warrant or what they expect to find.

Yet despite the clear legality of this search many Republican politicians insisted this was an abuse of power similar to that of the Nazis or other dictatorial governments. Continue reading “Be careful what you say”

They Want to Kill Americans

They Want to Kill Americans

Posted on by Jack

I’ll start by saying this is a frightening book. But then we do live in frightening times. The title is They Want to Kill Americans by Malcolm Nance. When I first saw the title, I immediately thought of foreign terrorists.

But I quickly realized a was wrong. The subtitle (The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency) gives that away. This book is about Americans who wanted to kill other Americans who disagree with them.
Continue reading “They Want to Kill Americans”

On overturning Roe v Wade

On overturning Roe v Wade

Posted on by Jack

The Supreme Court has overruled Roe v Wade. Why?

As Justice Alto says in the majority decision:

“Abortion presents a profound moral issue on which Americans hold sharply conflicting views. Some believe fervently that a human person comes into being at conception and that abortion ends an innocent life. Others feel just as strongly that any regulation of abortion invades a woman’s right to control her own body and prevents women from achieving full equality. Still others in a third group think that abortion should be allowed under some but not all circumstances, and those within this group hold a variety of views about the particular restrictions that should be imposed.”

So one paragraph into it, I am in agreement. It is a complicated issue. So how should we decide? But it goes downhill from there. The disagreement begins.
Continue reading “On overturning Roe v Wade”

Not a good week for Separation of Church and State

Not a good week for Separation of Church and State

Posted on by Jack

The Supreme court has been busy demolishing the Separation of Church and State.

In Kennedy v. Bremerton School District the conservative majority ruled 6-3 that both the Free Exercise Clause and the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment require a public school district to permit a football coach to publicly pray on the field following a game.

Does the publicly funded coach have a special obligation to be religiously neutral? Can a random person from the stands come onto the field to offer a prayer from any religion?
Continue reading “Not a good week for Separation of Church and State”

Primer on the January 6th Select Committee hearings

Primer on the January 6th Select Committee hearings

Posted on by Jack

I’ve been a fan of Just Security and their new coverage of the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol. Their coverage of this and other issues has been great. In particular I like their January 6 Clearinghouse .
Continue reading “Primer on the January 6th Select Committee hearings”

Don and Ted’s stupid idea on schools

Don and Ted’s stupid idea on schools

Posted on by Jack

In the wake of the school shooting in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and the failure of police to limit the elementary school massacre, many ideas were presented to prevent similar tragedies.

Perhaps the stupidest was suggested by Senator Ted Cruz and former President Donald Trump. Of course, Senator Cruz should get credit for being first.

Trump’s suggestion that school buildings should have just one entrance echoes calls from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz earlier this week. School and safety experts say that such a measure is unrealistic, as many schools have thousands of individuals who could take hours to go in and out of buildings. As a result, a single entrance could also pose a fire hazard. Older schools would also need to spend significant money renovating their buildings to meet such a standard.

Source: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/27/donald-trump-nra-houston/

There are many situations where schools need to be evacuated quickly. Fires and bomb threats come to mind but there are others.